I 2 Bent, Nesting Habits, of Anatidcr in N. Dakota. \\t^. 



thick patch of very tall flags, higher than our heads ; we flushed 

 the female from the nest and had a good look at her head as she 

 flew out across a little open space. The nest was well concealed 

 among the flags, but not far from the edge. It was well built of 

 dead flags and reeds, in water not quite knee deep, and was spar- 

 ingly lined with gray down. This nest contained eleven eggs, 

 seven of the Canvasback and four of the Redhead, which were 

 collected on June 13 and found to be just on the point of hatching. 

 A photograph of this nest is shown herewith (PI. IV, Fig. i). 



Another nest, found on June 8, was located in a small, isolated 

 clump of reeds, surrounded by water over knee deep, on the edge 

 of a large pond-like opening in the center of the slough, as is 

 admirably illustrated in the photograph (PI. IV, Fig. 2), kindlj 

 loaned me by Mr. Job. 



The nest was beautifully made of dead and green reeds firmly 

 interwoven, held in place by the growing reeds about it, and spar- 

 ingly lined with gray down. It was built up out of the water, 

 which was about 10 inches deep, so that the rim was about 5 

 inches above the surface of the water ; the external diameter was 

 about 14 inches and the inner cavity measured 7 inches across by 

 4 inches deep. The nest and eggs, now in my collection, were 

 taken on June 11, at which time incubation was only just begun; 

 it contained eight eggs of the Canvasback and one of the Ruddy 

 Duck. All the Canvasbacks' nests that we found contained one 

 or more eggs of the Ruddy Duck or Redhead, but we never found 

 the eggs of the Canvasback in the nest of any other species. The 

 Canvasbacks are close sitters, generally flushing within ten feet 

 of us, so that we had no difficulty in identifying them by the pecu- 

 liar shape of the head ; in general appearance they resemble the 

 Redheads very closely, except that the female Canvasback is 

 lighter colored above. The eggs can be readily distinguished by 

 their color, which is a rich grayish olive or greenish drab of a darker 

 shade than that usually seen in the eggs of the other species. 



The gray down in the nest will also serve to distinguish it from 

 the Redhead's nest, which is generally more profusely lined with 

 white down. In shape they are between ovate and elliptical ovate ; 

 the measurements of fifteen eggs show the following figures : 

 length, 2.57 to 2.36; breadth 1.80 to 1.68; average, 2.48 by 1.75. 



