1908] BIBDS. 9 



W. Va. Dist. Eather common at times in West Virginia. 

 Xest Breeds from northern TJ. S. northward. 

 Food Mollusks, crustaceans, insects. 



144. Wood Duck (Aix sponsa) . "Aix" means duck, and "sponsa" 

 may be translated, arrayed as a bride. The gorgeous nuptial plumes of 

 the male show the appropriateness of this name. How could a bird 

 be more beautifully colored than is this "vanishing game bird" ? 



Geog. Dist. Temperate North America. 



W. Ya. Dist. Beported from many points in West Virginia. Mr. 

 W. E. D Scott says that it was common in Kanawha County when he 

 collected there with the Hon. Wm. S. Edwards more than thirty yeara 

 ago. 



Xest The only duck that breeds regularly in our state. The Hon. 

 Andrew Price, of Marlinton, says, "A few years ago it was a common 

 sight to see the Wood Duck with young not able to fly on the Green- 

 brier River." This species is now becoming quite rare. 



Food Weed seeds, acorns, wild berries, &c. 



148. American Scaup Duck (Marila marila). A pair. Commonly 

 called "Bluebill." 



Geog. Dist. Northern part of northern hemisphere. 



W. Va. Dist. Mr. T. A. Morgan and other observers have found 

 that this species is far more common along Monongahela and Potomac 

 waters than it is in the southern part of the state. 



Xest Breeds from Manitoba northward to Alaska. Xest on ground. 



Food Mollusks. 



163. American Scoter (Oide.mia americana) . This sea-duck is 

 represented in the collection by both male and female. 



Geog. Dist. Coasts and larger lakes of Xorth America. 



W. Va. Dist. Very rare in West Virginia. No positive record. 



Xest Builds nest on ground near water. Found from Labrador 

 northward in the breeding season. 



Food "As a rule, they frequent only the sea and its estuaries, where 

 they live over beds of mussels, clams, or scallops, which they obtain by 

 diving." (Chapman.) 



172. Canada Goose (Branta canadensis] . One specimen is suf- 

 ficient to represent this species, as the sexes are alike. This is the com- 

 mon "wild goose" often seen in migration seasons. 



