SWIMMING BIRDS. Ducks 



Samuels has seen the Green-winged Teal associate with 

 the Ducks in a farmer's yard or pond, and has known them 

 to come into the barnyard with tame fowls and share the 

 corn thrown out for their food. Every fall I have seen them 

 flying over the garden by twos and threes, evidently mak- 

 ing their way from the interior toward the coast, which they 

 follow very closely in their migration. Oftentimes they fly 

 so low that the peculiar reedy whistling of their wings can 

 be plainly heard. 



Blue-winged Teal: Anas discors. 



Length : 15-16 inches. PLATE 73 ' 



Male and Female : Bill blackish. Head and neck purplish lead-colour, 

 black crown, small white crescent before each eye. Back varie- 

 gated dark brown and yellowish brown, and rump dark greenish 

 brown. Wing coverts dull sky blue. Speculum beautiful green, 

 between white bars. Below violet-gray, spotted with black on 

 the breast and barred on the flanks. Feet light-coloured. Fe- 

 male much the same, the head being dusky, but retaining the 

 bright wing markings. Other markings less distinct. 



Season : Common in the fall migration with last species. 



Breeds : From the northern United States northward. 



Range: North America in general, but chiefly east of the Rocky 

 Mountains ; north to Alaska and south to the West Indies and 

 northern South America. 



Resembling the last species in general habits, but in this 

 vicinity it is neither as tame nor as plentiful. Though 

 it prefers fresh ponds, it is more frequently found about 

 salt creeks than the Green-winged. It has been known to 

 breed in New England, and Giraud notes it as breeding on 

 Long Island also. 



Pintail: Daflla acuta. 



Sprig-tail. 

 PLATE 79. FIG. 1. 



Length : Variable ; sometimes 30 inches, according to the development 



of the tail. 

 Male : Bill bluish black. Head and half of neck greenish brown ; 



black and white stripe on either side of neck. Back and sides 

 259 



