No. 22.] BIRD NAMES. 75 



HEAD. The colored women often use a large bunch of " Florida 

 Moss," Tittandtia vmeoidee, as a cushion for the heavy loads 

 thev carry upon their heads, and I am inclined to believe that 

 " Moss-head " was suggested by this practice, rather than by any 

 direct resemblance to moss in the bird's crest. 



I find also in my memorandum- book the name TOW-HEAD 

 for this species, but, unfortunately, with no note of locality ac- 

 companying it. I remember distinctly, however, that the name 

 was heard in one of our Southern States. 



Another name (than that of " Hairy-head") commonly heard 

 among the "crackers" of St. Augustine is TADPOLE; the bird 

 having been thought particularly fond of polliwogs, I suppose. 



While examining specimens in the Smithsonian (Washington, 

 D. C.), I was surprised to find the name WOOD-DUCK (see No. 

 12) printed on this bird's label. But Mr. Ridgway told me that 

 he had heard " Wood-duck," and also TREE-DUCK (again see No. 

 12) commonly applied to this species, in lower or more southern 

 portions of the Wabash valley, 111. and Ind. The application 

 of " Wood-duck " to a " Saw-bill," though a little shocking at 

 first, is natural enough, of course, as the Merganser breeds in 

 woods, nesting in the hollow of a tree like the u Wood-duck " of 

 people generally ; and Mr. George A. Boardman, of Calais, Me., 

 once witnessed a lively and long-continued fight between a bird 

 of the latter species and a Hooded Merganser for the possession 

 of a hole in a tree to which both laid claim. 



I have previously quoted Captain Petty, for the Red-breasted 

 Merganser. The captain adds that the present species is known 

 to all about Mobile, as BEC-SCIE ; this (the French for " Saw- 

 bill ") distinguishing it from the Sea Bec-scie, No. 21. 



