38 BIRD NAMES. [No. 13. 



to this fowl : " The young and females are mistaken by many 

 persons for a distinct species, which they call Gray Duck." 



Some of the duckers of Seaford (Hempstead), Long Island, 

 include full-plumaged drake under above title, Avhile others dis- 

 tinguish the latter as PIED GRAY DUCK (see note to No. 23, 

 concerning use of " pied " on Long Island). 



In Philadelphia, Baltimore, and St. Augustine, these young 

 birds and females are also called Gray Duck, and in the latter 

 locality GRAY WIDGEON (see No. 9) ; latter name likewise used 

 more or less at Essex, Conn., where the species goes by the 

 name of SEA WIDGEON as well. 



Also known (including or not the gray birds) on the Ni- 

 agara ; about Lake St. Clair ; in Massachusetts at Salem, North 

 Scituate, North Plymouth, and West Barnstable, as PIN-TAIL 

 (see No. 31), and at Salem and West Barnstable as SPLIT- 

 TAIL. At Buzzard's Bay, Mass.; in Connecticut, at Essex and 

 Stratford ; in New Jersey, at Barnegat, Tuckerton, Pleasant- 

 ville (Atlantic Co.), and Atlantic City; at Baltimore, Wash- 

 ington, Alexandria, Norfolk, and at Morehead, N. C., SPRIG - 

 TAIL; this being sometimes shortened to SPRIG. At Chicago, 

 SPIKE -TAIL, and less commonly PIKE -TAIL; at Milford, Conn., 

 PICKET -TAIL; this being probably the original form of a Long- 

 Island name, which I find spelled " Picketail " in my note book, 

 and which Giraud gives as " Picitail " in the index to his Birds 

 of Long Island. Several old duckers conversed with at Shinne- 

 cock Bay, Moriches, Bellport, etc., consider this a corruption of 

 peaked-tail, but I imagine they are a little off the track. 



To the older gunners about Milford, this is the PHEASANT 

 DUCK or PHEASANT; and similar names by which the species 

 has been known are SEA PHEASANT and WATER PHEASANT. 

 For other water-fowl to which the name "pheasant" is applied, 

 see Nos. 20, 21, 22. 



In New Jersey, at Manasquan (Monmouth Co.), SMEE; at 

 Tuckerton, SMEES; while others at Tuckerton refer to it as 

 SMETHE. Though these are doubtless forms of one and the 

 same name, I have thought best to make no choice between 

 them, but to give the three equal prominence. The species has 



