398 WmGUT, Rare Wild Ducks Wintering at Boston, Mass. [oct. 



which remained for a time. While the young drake showed the 

 black head and breast of a drake, he had a white face in the region 

 around the base of the bill. He was joined by a female on Novem- 

 ber 25, and the two were seen together up to December 16, when 

 two adult drakes and another female arrived, making a little 

 company of five Lesser Scaups. Five days later, December 21, the 

 young drake disappeared and was not seen again. The two adult 

 drakes remained to December 24, after which they were not seen 

 on Jamaica Pond. The two females staid to December 28, and 

 were not seen after that day. The re-appearance of one drake 

 on Leverett Pond, January 3, which remained constantly up to 

 February 19, suggests that he is probably one of the drakes which 

 had been on Jamaica Pond with the same companions he now has. 

 The purple gloss of the head has been apparent in strong sunlight, 

 making it certain that the bird is a Lesser Scaup and not an xVmerican 

 Scaup; in size also he would be counted a Lesser. This drake is 

 rather the shyest of the little company on Leverett Pond and 

 refused to come for any of the bread oflPered and taken by his 

 companions. He departed on February 19 or 20, attended by his 

 companions. These came back two or three days later without 

 him, and he was not again seen. 



One or more Lesser Scaup ducks usually visit Jamaica Pond 

 in the fall. In 1906, a female, first seen on November 2, was 

 observed from time to time up to December 2. In 1908, a flock 

 of eight birds was recorded on November 26. Two had been seen 

 on November 4 by members of the Norfolk Bird Club. Some of 

 these continued on the pond up to January 15, 1909. One spring 

 record is that of a female seen on April 6, 1909. Dr. Harold 

 Bowditch informs me that in 1900 and 1901 he saw on Jamaica 

 Pond a considerable flock of Lesser Scaups. On December 15 

 and 16 in the former year it numbered from twenty-five to thirty 

 birds; on December 1 of the latter year, fifty birds. 



Ring-necked Duck. — Two female Ring-necked Ducks were 

 first observed on Jamaica Pond on October 30. Members of the 

 Norfolk Bird Club had seen these birds on the 26th. They re- 

 mained in association with the other ducks, were frequently seen, 

 and as often confirmed to be Ring-necks, and not Redheads, 

 by comparison in size with the other ducks. On November 25, 



