QO EvERMANN on Birds of Ventura County^ California. [J;inu:iiy 



36. Aythya vallisnsria. (147-) C.\nv.\s-b vck. — -The Canvas-back 

 is a common winter resident. 



37. Aythya marila nearctica. (14S.) Scaup Duck. — A common resident 

 along the coast from October to April. 



38. Aythya affinis. (149.) Lesser Scaup Duck. — A winter resident ; 

 not so common as the preceding. 



39. Glaucionetta clangula americaiia. (151-) American Golden- 

 eye. — Winter resident, not common. 



40. Charitonetta albeola. (153-) Buffle-head. — Tliis little Duck is 

 a common winter resident. 



41. Oidemia deglandi. (165.) White-winged Scoter. — This species 

 I have seen occasionally in winter in the surf along the Ventura Beach. 



42. Erismatura rubida. (167.) Ruddv Duck. — A common winter 

 resident. 



43. Chen hyperborea. (169.) Lesser Sxow Goose. — On November 

 20, iSSo, I secured the only individual of this variety I ever saw in the 

 countv. In company with my friend, Mr. J. B. Alvord, I was spending a 

 day gunning among the lagunas near the mouth of the Santa Clara 

 River. We had stationed ourselves on dry ground between two lagoons, 

 and were having excellent success in bringing down various species of 

 Ducks as they, encouraged by the early morning winds, were flying from 

 one body of water to the other. The Ducks flew usually low and were 

 easily gotten. Thousands of Geese (C. kyperboreus niimlis, C. rossii, 

 and Anser albifrons gambeli) flew overhead, but all too high for us. 

 P'inally, however, I saw a single one coming directh- towards me with a 

 number of Ducks, all flying low. Of course I brought it down, and was 

 much plt*ased, on picking it up. to find I had secured a good-plumaged 

 female of this rather rare species. 



Mr. L. Belding of Stockton, Cal.. regards this as a very rare species in 

 that State. He secured one at Marysville in the winter of 1874. and an- 

 other at Stockton, October 18, 1S78, — these being the only ones seen by 

 him. Each one when shot was either alone or with a small flock of 

 Ducks. He left the wings of the first specin-»en with a hunting club, 

 which was not able to duplicate them. (See Proc.U. S. Nat. Mus. 187S, 



444-) 



43<-/. Chen hyperborea nivalis (169 «.) Snow Goose. — An abundant 

 winter resident. 



44. Chen rossii. (170.) Ross's Snow Goose — F^requent in winter' 

 associated with C. kyperboreus nivalis, from which it can be distin- 

 guished by its cry, which greatly resembles that of the small Cackling 

 Goose (^Branta canadcn.'iis minima) . 



45. Anser albifrons gambeli. (171 a.) American White-fronted 

 Goose. — This is, perhaps, the most abundant of all the Geese that visit 

 California during the winter, and is usually the first to arrive. So abun- 

 dant is it in the Sacramento and San Joaquin Vajleys. and so destructive 

 are its ravages upon the growing wheat crop, that farmers often find it 

 necessary to employ men by the month to hunt and drive them from their 

 fields. 



