////: >/ I/MI i/./.. 600 



The \VCHN! Diu-k rarely visits the N . its fa\orite haunt-. U-im: the solitary deep and 



muddy creeks and ponds of il,,- interior \\'il^>n saw a n<-t in Tuckahoe, New Jersey, win, h 

 wa> in a li'-e within tw.-nt\ \aids of a dwelling. 'I'll-- female was observed to carry down 

 thirteen \o" Ui -' in l.-ss than ten minutes, one b\ nm-. Sin- took them in ln-r bill by the back of 

 tin- neck or tin- \\ini:. and landed them safely at tin- fiM>t .f tin- Hi-.-, when she led them to the 

 Mated 



Tin- Mimm.-r Duck IH-MT III---, in Hocks .if more than three or four indi\ iduaN tuget! 

 and most commonly in pairs --i -ini:l\. It is ( .ft.-;i bred in <-onlin<-ment, ami proves quite 

 lame, and n imt tainbl< |-et, as it* beaiit\ ;- i|>erli II.H leu tli in ninHivii inch. -.s, and 

 i-xtiMil of \\ini; tui-nty-fiKlit inches. Tin- f-mali- i^ hainl*omr, but \\ant> tin- ridn-r j 

 i MI I In 1 u ini:-.. 



Tin S. \i i- HICK (Fulij- m<i/it/<i> inhaliits tin- wlml,- of North America, Ktimjte, and 

 Asia, li i" called Greater Scaup a.-* ilistin^ni.slH-*! from tin- Littli- S-aiip or I>-H.ST Hlack 

 h.-ad. Blue-bill, Brojwl-l.ill. and Shnftl.-r. Tin- t-rtn Ithif-hill is. hay* \\ il-M.n. tin- mon- 

 familiar nami- in the Middl-- Stat-s. It is oft.-n abundant on tin- l>i-lawan\ h-n- wmall niuiils 

 are found growing in quantities. It is not. on this account, M<t>mc<l for it.s llc.sh. lt length is 

 about nineteen inches, and i-xt-nt of \\int: t \\i-nty nine. 



Tin l.i --i i: >< M i 1 I'uHx affinif: 01 I.IITI.K Bi.\ K HI \n. is do-M-ly alli-d to the pre- 

 ceding, but is considerably small. -r. It is known to gunners a.s tin- "CinN-k Broud-bill," fnm 

 it.s habit of frtin.-ntin^ small -.tn-ams. It is ;i \.-ry abundant s|M-ci.->. It.s range \s alxmt thu 

 sameas that of th.- i-n-c.-iliim. Authoi>." sa\ ^ |r. Coin->. "ari- \i-r\ much at variance al>oiit 

 the n-latioiiship of tln-s.- two sjM-<'i.-.. and tin- ijm-stion i^ not \i-t Nitisfactorily wtth'd, though 

 at present they are regurdexl a.s two -*\ , ],*." 



TIIK KIN., in 1. 1 ii> I5i.\i K IIK.M> (Fitlix collaru) inhabits the whole of North America, 

 breeding far north, wintering in the I'nitiil States ami l>-yoinl. It r.-a li.-s south t. <iiiatemul^ 

 Cuba, and Jamaica, and is accidental in Kurope. It in mlled by our gunners "BaXard 

 Broad hill." It n-semblea the two preceding species. It is not abundant on the sea-coast. A 

 few are observed on Ixnir Island and New Jersey shop spring and autumn. On the 



streams of the interior it is .jiiite common during winter. In the Middle States it is known 

 as the Til fN- 1 I 'ii'-k. ..... |. i u lii. 1 1 nan i.- Wilson desi-rilx-S it. 



TIIK curious Sno\ n.i.i i: li < K (X/mfithi <////*</////) may ! at mce known by tin- form of 

 the beali, which is much widen-l on each side n.-ar the tip, and Uars some n-si-mblance to 

 the beak of the Spoonbill. 



The head and upper part of the neck of the adult male are rich green, and the lower jNirt 

 of the neck white, this tint extending to the scapularies, and some of the tertials. The buck is 

 bn.wn. the tip of the wing, the le-^-r win- <-o\,-rts, ami part of the tertials are jiale blue, the 

 primaries being blackish -brown. The upjM-r tail -o\, -its and tail an- black, and the breast and 

 abdomen an- chestnut brown. The female is brown of various tom above, and pale brown 

 below. The total length of the bird is almut twenty inches. 



The Shoveller, also called Spoon-bill Duck, inhabits North America, Kuro]-. A-ia. and 

 Australia. It breeds from Texas to Alaska. In South America it is replaced by a nearly 

 allied species. This Duck in abundant in all parts of the western country of the United States. 



Few I Micks are more elegantly marked than this. The bill is large, and rather curiously 

 formed. Though it occasionally visits the sea-coast, it prefers the inland lakes and streams, 

 where it feeds on the worms and small creatures that inhabit the muddy shores. The great, 

 s{ioon-sha]>ed bill has a set of teeth like strainers on its edges, whereby the soft animal matter 

 is retained and the water is >t rained through. 



The Creoles of Louisiana call this bird Mi.--.ine," the meaning being obscure. 



THE GAUWALL (ChauManmu* ttreprru* -i inhabit- N--rth A ,-enerally, Europe, Asia, 



Africa, and ia generally distribute! in tin- I nited States. Few birds are so cosmopolitan in 



