118 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 
Alaska and northern British Columbia. No females were seen 
though they were undoubtedly nesting in the vicinity of Lake 
Lebarge. 
BREEDING Notes.—This species breeds commonly on the marshes 
along the Yukon, even above Fort Yukon. The main breeding 
ground of this species remains unknown to me, for although females 
and young were not rare in summer, yet they were not numerous 
enough to account for the vast number of males to be found. From 
the fact that immense flocks of the males are constantly seen off the 
coast in summer it is evident that the females assume the duty of 
incubating the eggs and rearing the young. (Nelson.) The remarks 
made under O. deglandi: happen to be, in almost every respect, 
equally applicable to the present species—the only difference noted 
being that generally less hay and feathers were observed in the com- 
position of its nest. (Macjfarlane.) Audubon observed this species 
breeding in Labrador. He found a nest ina fresh-water marsh, 
among the tali grass and weeds. It was composed entirely of 
withered weeds, lined with the down of the bird, and contained 
five eggs of a pale-yellowish or cream colour. (McIlwraith.) I have 
a set of eight eggs taken at the delta of the Mackenzie river, June 
26th, 1901. The nest was made on the bank of the river amongst 
drift wood. (Razne.) 
LXIV. ERISMATURA Bonaparte. 1832. 
i67. Ruddy Duck. 
Erismatura jamaicensis (GMEL.) SALVAD. 1896. 
A rare and uncertain visitor on the Atlantic coast, though reported 
from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. More com- 
mon in Quebec, and according to McIlwraith, generally distributed 
in Ontario. 
Abundant migrant near London. A few pairs breed in the 
marshes at St. Clair flats. (Saunders & Morden.) In eastern On- 
tario this is a rare duck. It is occasionally met with in the autumn 
at Big bay, Wolfe island near Kingston, Ont. (Rev. C. ]. Young.) 
This is a common summer resident in Manitoba and Saskatchewan, 
breeding on all the deep and reedy ponds. Stragglers have been taken 
on Hudson bay, and Richardson says it breeds as far north as lat. 58°; 
