Sea and Bay Ducks 



lesser scaup, may be distinguished from either of its allies by a 

 broad reddish brown collar, a white chin, entirely black shoulders, 

 gray speculum on wings, and a bluish gray band across the end 

 of the broad, black bill, which are its distinguishing marks. 

 While the female closely resembles the female redhead, its smaller 

 size, darker brown coloration, gray speculum, indistinct collar, 

 and the shape and marking of its bill, are always diagnostic with 

 a bird in the hand. This broadbill is almost exclusively a fresh 

 water duck: not an abundant bird anywhere, apparently, even in 

 the well-watered interior of this country and Canada, which is all 

 ducks' paradise; and mention of its occurrences are so rare along 

 the Atlantic coast as to make those seem accidental. On the 

 fresh water lakes of some of the southern Atlantic states it is as 

 abundant in winter, perhaps, as it is anywhere. Its classification 

 among the sea and bay ducks has reference only to the full 

 development of its feet. 



It was Charles Bonaparte, Prince of Canino, who first named 

 this duck, which had been previously confounded with the two 

 other broadbills, as a distinct species; and we are still indebted 

 to that tireless enthusiast for the greater part of our informa- 

 tion concerning it, which is little enough. So far as studied, 

 its habits differ little from those of its allies. At the base of 

 the head, a few long feathers, scarcely to be distinguished as a 

 crest, are constantly erected as the bird swims about on the 

 lake with its neck curved swan fashion ; and Audubon tells of its 

 "emitting a note resembling the sound produced by a person 

 blowing through a tube." Like many another duck, there is 

 more interest shown in this one's flavor than in its life history. 



American Golden-eye 



(Glaucionetta clangula americana) 



Called also: WHISTLER; WHISTLE WING; BRASS-EYED 

 WHISTLER; GREAT HEAD; GARROT. 



Length 17 to 20 inches. 



Male Head and short throat dark, glossy green ; feathers on the 

 former, puffy; a round white space at base of bill; neck all 

 around, breast, greater part of wings, including speculum 

 and under parts, white; wing linings dusky; rest of plumage 



121 



