138 The Water-fowl Family 



brownish buff; narrow brown ring across neck in front connect- 

 ing with brown of upper parts. 



Eggs Eight to twelve in number, pale gray buff tinged with olive, 

 and measure 2.30 by 1.50 inches. 



Habitat Breeds from Nova Scotia, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Illi- 

 nois, Minnesota, North Dakota, Assiniboia, and Alberta, and 

 probably New York, West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, and Wyo- 

 ming, north to Hudson Strait, Fort Anderson, and the Yukon 

 Valley, Alaska, and probably in Greenland. Winters from New 

 Jersey, rarely Massachusetts, Lake Erie, Louisiana, Texas, Colo- 

 rado, Arizona, Nevada, and British Columbia, south to the West 

 Indies, Guatemala, and Lower California. Not known to breed 

 in New England, New Brunswick, Quebec, and Ontario. Acci- 

 dental in Europe. Occurs in Bermuda. 



For a long time this species was not differenti- 

 ated from the preceding, and considerable con- 

 fusion resulted. It can readily be distinguished 

 by its smaller size, the bill and feet being notice- 

 ably smaller and especially the breadth of the 

 nail of the bill. The head has a distinctly purple 

 sheen instead of the green of the greater broad- 

 bill. We find the lesser broadbill well dispersed 

 throughout the United States ; in fall and winter 

 occurring on inland lakes and rivers, where it 

 often goes by the name of pond or creek broad- 

 bill. It continues south through Mexico to Gua- 

 temala, and is found along the South Atlantic 

 Coast below the Chesapeake, common in Florida 

 and the Gulf of Mexico. North of the Chesa- 

 peake this bird is more rare. Most of the 

 instances of its occurrence in New England 

 that have come under the writer's observation 



