Duck-shooting 



123 



the latter were doubtless laid by two females, as 

 they differed in size and color. The males were 

 swimming near these islands and impressed Mr. 

 Clarke with their great beauty, their crests look- 

 ing as if " fringed with gold." 



RED-HEAD 



(Aythya americana) 



Adult male Head and neck, rich reddish brown, glossed with 

 purple ; lower neck, chest, upper parts of back, rump, and upper 

 and lower tail-coverts, black; remainder of back, sides, and 

 flanks, grayish white, finely undulated with black ; wing-coverts, 

 gray; speculum, ash-gray, bordered above with black, and 

 posteriorly with white ; tail, dark brown ; under parts white, 

 growing gray toward under tail-coverts ; bill, broad and flat, 

 rising at the base abruptly to the forehead; slate in color 

 and crossed by a black bar near the tip ; iris, orange ; legs and 

 feet, plumbous ; webs, dusky. 



Measurements Length, 19.50 inches ; wing, 9 inches ; oilmen, 2. 10 

 inches; tarsus, 1.40 inches; bill .80 inch in width. 



Plumage of male in post-nuptial dress similar to female. 



Adidt female Head and neck, pale brown, darkest on top ; chin 

 and throat, white ; cheeks, grayish brown ; back and scapulars 

 of the same color ; feathers tipped with light gray ; wing-coverts, 

 light gray ; speculum, ash-gray ; lower back, dark brown ; chest 

 and sides, gray-brown ; feathers of abdomen broadly edged with 

 whitish ; bill, slate with a black nail ; legs and feet, slate ; webs, 

 dusky. 



Measurements Length, 19 inches; wing, 9 inches; culmen, 2 

 inches ; tarsus, i .35 inches. 



Downy young Top of head and upper parts, olive with a yellow 

 spot on the sides of body and rump and on the borders of 

 wings ; sides of head, neck, and lower parts, buff. 



Eggs Eight to twenty in number, grayish white, and measure 2.40 

 by 1.70 inches. 



