120 WATER FOWL. 



the Pintails become uneasy and begin to climb and look 

 down into the blind, and the patient watcher sees the 

 flocks too often sheer off to one side and pass him by. 

 But should there be some birds present, as often hap- 

 pens, which are heedless of all warnings or suspicious 

 titterings, and keep steadily on, with the evident 

 intention to settle among their supposed brethren, 

 then, as they gather together preparatory to alight, and 

 the sportsman rises in his ambush, suddenly the air is 

 filled with darting, climbing birds, who shoot off in every 

 direction, but generally upward as if the flock was blown 

 asunder, and all disappear with a celerity that is astonish- 

 ing, and, to a nervous sportsman, with results that are 

 mortifying. 



In various parts of the country this Duck is known by 

 many names other than those already given, some of 

 which are Poacher, Wheat Duck, Bald-Crown and Bald- 

 faced Widgeon, Green-headed Widgeon, Zan-Zan, etc., 

 but among most of the sporting fraternity it is called 

 simply Widgeon or Bald-Pate. 



MARECA AMERICANA. 



Geogrdphical Distribution. Throughout North America, from 

 the Arctic Ocean to Guatemala and Cuba. Breeds throughout 

 its range, but chiefly north of the United States. 



Adult Male. Forehead and top of head, white. Behind the 

 eye a lengthened, broad patch of metallic green, extending 

 down hind neck. Rest of head and neck, whitish or buff, 

 thickly speckled with black. Back and scapulars, vinaceous, 

 undulated with black, and, on some feathers, also with white. 

 Wing coverts, white; the greater ones tipped with black, forming 

 a bar across the wing. Secondaries, black, some glossed with 

 metallic green, forming a green and black speculum. Long 

 tertials, pointed, dusky gray on inner web, black edged with 

 white on the outer. Under wing coverts, gray; axillae, white. 

 Primaries, fawn, shading into glossy brown on outer webs and 

 near tips. Rump and median upper tail coverts, gray, waved 



