APPENDIX 189 



23 ; Prince Edward Island, April 24. The late arrival of 

 this species in eastern Canada is noteworthy, for by the 

 time it reaches there, late April, in the interior it has 

 penetrated a thousand miles farther north. Along this 

 latter route average dates of .appearance are southern 

 Michigan, March 18; vicinity of Chicago (thirteen years), 

 March 20 (earliest, March 12, 1893.) The normal time 

 of arrival in central Iowa, as deduced from copious rec- 

 ords for twenty years, seems to be March 6, but in 

 twelve of these years one station or another reported 

 unusually early birds, the average date of arrival of 

 which is Feb. 21. The average date when southern 

 Minnesota is reached is (fourteen years) March 9 and 

 northwestern Minnesota (four years) April 8. On the 

 plains the average dates are: Northern Nebraska, March 

 5 ; southern South Dakota, March 8 ; central South Da- 

 kota, March 17; Larimore, N. D., April 3 (earliest, 

 March 20, 1889) ; Reaburn, Man., April 8 (earliest, 

 April 5, 1900); Qu'Appelle, Saskatchewan, April 10 

 (earliest, March 25, 1905) ; Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie, 

 about May 1 ; Fort Confidence, May 22, 1849. A very 

 early bird was seen at Fort Simpson, Mackenzie, April 

 28, 1904. Nearer the Rocky Mountains, the average 

 date at Terry, Mont, was April 1 (earliest, March 10, 

 1902) ; Great Falls, Mont., March 16 (earliest, March 10, 

 1889); Edmonton, Alberta, April 7, 1887; St. Michael 

 and Nulato, Alaska, about May 1 ; Kowak River, 

 Alaska, May 14, 1899; Point Barrow, Alaska, June 18, 

 1882. 



The pin-tail not only migrates early, but it is also 

 among the earlier ducks to breed, as evidenced by the 

 following data: Will, 111., eggs, May 10, 1877; Calumet 



