neck and the lesser scaup range much farther south 

 than do the larger species, for while few of the larger 

 scaup are seen in Mexico, great quantities of the little 

 blue-bills are found throughout the republic, especially 

 on the salt marshes of the two coasts. All of these 

 three species breed along the mountain lakes from Cali- 

 fornia north. 



Color Male Head and neck, black, with an indigo 

 sheen when turned in the sun. This will always dis- 

 tinguish it from the larger blue-bill whose sheen is 

 green and the lesser blue-bill whose sheen is purple. 

 The speculum is gray; bill, bluish with a pale blue band 

 across it about a half inch from the end. 



Female The female of this species resembles the fe- 

 male of the red-head very closely. It is considerable 

 darker, however, and the bill joins the head without 

 the marked indentation seen in the red-head. 



Nest and Eggs The nest and eggs are the same as 

 the scaups. 



Measurements Total length, YlVz inches; wing, 8, 

 and bill, 2 inches. 



THE RUDDY DUCK, OR WIRE-TAIL 



(Erismatura rubida) 



The ruddy duck is a very common duck on our shoot- 

 ing grounds, from one end to the other, though as a 

 rule it is not much sought after by our sportsmen. 

 When feeding on the salt marshes they are not very 

 palatable, it is true, but when killed on fresh waters 

 they are one of our finest flavored ducks, if properly 

 cooked. After refusing many shots at these little ducks 

 and even many times failing to carry home those I did 

 kill, it remained for Mr. Babcock, then of the Coronado 

 Hotel, of San Diego, California, to demonstrate to me 

 the real value of the ruddy duck. I was one of the 

 party shooting with him on his preserve at Otay dam. 

 When we came into the house after our morning's shoot, 

 a most enjoyable one, he asked each member of the 

 party what kind of duck he wished for his dinner. Mal- 

 lards, canvasbacks, sprigs and widgeons had been 

 named, so when he came to me I answered that any 

 kind would do me. To this he replied: "Then you shall 

 have one of my favorites." When dinner was ready, 

 before each plate was a beautifully roasted duck of the 

 species chosen by the member of the party for whom 

 that plate was laid, but the plates in front of Mr. Bab- 

 cock and myself each contained two plump little birds 

 that I did not recognize in their undress uniform. After 

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