6 Bent. Nesting Habits of Auatidiv in N. Dakota. [^^"f 



of clown is deposited around tiie eggs. The eggs, which are 

 usually from eight to ten in number, are quite similar to the 

 Mallard's but are usually somewhat smaller, more elongated, and 

 a little more glossy. The color is a pale olive green or a pale 

 olive buff, and the shape an elliptical ovate. 



The measurements of the only set before me are as follows : 

 length, 2.36 to 2.13; breadth, 1.57 to 1.49; average, 2.28 by 1.53- 



The first nest we found, on May 31, was concealed in rather 

 tall prairie grass on the highest part of a small island in one of the 

 larger lakes. We flushed the bird from almost under our feet, and 

 easily identified her, as she flew away, by the long slender neck, 

 uniformly light mottled upper parts and inconspicuous dark specu- 

 lum. The absence of the conspicuous white-bordered purple 

 speculum and the small size of the bill serve to separate it from 

 the Mallard and the Shoveller, for which the eggs might possibly 

 be mistaken, though the eggs of the latter are smaller. The nest 

 was well lined with down and contained six eggs, apparently nearly 

 fresh. We visited this nest again on June 15, and found the bird 

 still incubating, no more eggs having been laid. 



On June 15 we found another Pintail nest in an open situation 

 among rather sparse but tall prairie grass, which was in plain sight, 

 the eggs being beautifully concealed by a thick covering of down. 

 Another nest was shown to us by some farmers who were ploughing 

 up an extensive tract of prairie, and had flushed the bird as they 

 passed within a few feet of the nest. This was fully half a mile 

 from the nearest water. They left a narrow strip, containing the 

 nest, unploughed, but something destroyed the eggs a few days 

 afterwards. 



The only set I was able to photograph or collect was found in 

 Steele County, on June 10, and is shown in the accompanying 

 photograph (PI. II, Fig. 2). 



While walking along the edge of a cultivated wheat field, close 

 to the crest of a steep embankment sloping down into a large 

 slough, we flushed a female Pintail from almost vuider our feet. 

 The nest was a deep hollow in the bottom of a furrow, 7 inches 

 wide by 4 inches deep, lined with bits of straw and weed stubble, 

 with a moderate supply of down surrounding the eggs. It was 

 very poorly concealed by the scanty growth of weeds around it. 



