478 THE BIRDS OF MANITOBA THOMPSON. 



returns almost immediately to the side of its mate. I found it an ex- 

 pert diver, for often one of tliem would disappear at the approach of the 

 gunner and be seen no more; doubtless it had swam under water to the 

 nearest reed-bed, in whose friendly shelter it was securely hiding. 



On July 5, at Silver Creek, came across a female Green- winged Teal 

 traveling with her brood of ten young ones across the prairie towards a 

 large pool. The mother bird was in great grief on finding that she was 

 discovered, but she would not fly away ; she threw herself on the ground 

 at my feet and beat with her wings as though quite unable to escape 

 and tried her utmost to lead me away. But I was familiar with the 

 trick and would not be beguiled. I caught most of the tiny yellow 

 downlings before they could hide and carried them carefully to the pool, 

 where soon afterward the trembling mother rejoined them in safety. 



This species, I think, unlike the blue-wing, usually nests quite close 

 to the water, so that it was probably owing to the drying up of the pond 

 that this newly hatched brood found themselves forced to take an over- 

 land journey of considerable extent before they could find a sufficiency 

 of water. 



27. Alias discors. Blue-winged Teal. 



Very abundant; summer resident; general distribution in the prairie 

 regions; along the boundary. Mouse River, in fore part of August 

 becomes very abundant; doubtless breeds (Ooues). Winnipeg: Sum- 

 mer resident; abundant; breeding (Hine). Sparingly at Shoal Lake 

 and Lake Winnipeg (Brewer). Swamp Island: 1885 ; breeds here ; last 

 seen August 26 (Plunkett). Shoal Lake, May 19,1887 (Christy). Port- 

 age la Prairie: Very abundant; summer resident, and like the mallard 

 nesting wherever it takes a fancy to do so ; in 1884 first seen April 16 

 (Nash). Breeds abundantly around marshy ponds in the prairie 

 country ; exceedingly abundant in fall of 1880 ; rare in Assiniboiue in 

 September, 1881 (Macoun). Carberry : Common; breeding; Souris 

 Plains, Turtle Mountain, Long River, Rapid City, and the whole south 

 slope of Riding Mountain (Thompson), Dalton: 1889, first seen, one 

 on April 18; next seen, May 15, when it became common; breeds here 

 (Youmans). Shell River; 1885, first seen, a pair on May 2, afterwards 

 every day; is common all summer and breeds here (Calcutt). Qu'Ap- 

 pelle: Common summer resident; breeds May 10 (Guernsey). 



I have frequently remarked that during the breeding season this 

 species may be seeu coursing over and around the ponds in threes, and 

 these when shot usually prove a male and two females. After dark 

 they may be identified during these maneuvers by their swift flight 

 and the peculiar chirping, almost a twittering, that they indulge in as 

 they fly. 



On August 19, 1882, at Markle's Lake, shot a Blue- winged Teal. This 

 sheet of water is not more than 3 acres; it has hard banks, almost en- 

 tirely without rushes or other cover, and is a mile or more from the 



