1 91 8.] Buffalo Lake y and Red Deer Districts. 479 



Anas platyrhynchos. Mallard. This was the first species 

 of duck I found nesting this year (1915)^ picking up four 

 eggs, probably destroyed by crows, in the large slough 

 opposite my house, on 1 May. 



Mallard x Pintail. Although a hybrid of these two 

 species in captivity is not a great rarity, I imagine that 

 such a cross in a wild state must be very uncommon. A 

 beautiful specimen was presented to me by a friend, who shot 

 it near the town on 28 October, 1916. The characteristics 

 of the Mallard and Pintail males are very evenly divided, 

 and the bird was in prime condition. Dissection as well 

 as external details proved it to be a male. Weight 2 lb. 

 13 oz. Length 24^ inches. Wing-joint to longest primary 

 11^ inches. Eye brown. Legs dull creamy buff, too small 

 for an ordinary Mallard. Bill dusky black along centre, 

 slate on sides. 



Mareca americana. American Widgeon. I did not dis- 

 cover eggs of this bird during last season, but was fortunate 

 to do so on 3 May, 1915, when visiting the north end of 

 Buffalo Lake. The nest contained nine eggs, quite fresh. 



Dafila acuta. Pintail. I found two Pintails' nests of 

 eight eggs each, with a plentiful supply of down — the first 

 in a small patch of bush close to the Mirror trail on 24 May, 

 1915, and the other on the same date at Buffalo Lake. This 

 latter was situated on a small rise close to a shallow pond, 

 which the male bird seemed loath to leave. 13 April is my 

 earliest record for their appearance in 1916. 



Marila valisineria. Canvasback. I secured a fine male 

 near my house with my '22 rifle on 21 April, and at the 

 present date of writing (15 January, 1916) have a pair alive 

 in my cellar at Red Leer, together with a male Pochard. 

 The nest from which these specimens came was looted by 

 crows. The majority of the nests I met with this season 

 held Pochards' eggs mixed with those of the rightful owners. 

 The female Canvasback was presented to the Zoo at Banff ; 

 the males of both the above species unfortunately died. 



