alwnj> thin apcou* from O. mrftmi t while it may be known 



from i/r,//<i./i by the aluwncv of white in the 



Ratty*. Break from tin- unit" f St. Lawrence tiurthwanl ; wintcm aouth- 

 wani to the Great Lake* and Virginia, und casually t<> Florida. 



Washington, casual \' .- Island, common \V. V., Oct through 



Apl. Sing Sin/, common T. V.'i.i. 7 ..... . ...... Cambridge, ooeajlonal 



in fall. 



V<, in tall grawe* near water. /.j/</, "five to eight, pale buff or pale 

 creamy buff, 8-4? x 170 " 



167. Erlcmatura rubida. II Ki I>Y Ih . K. Ad. 6 .Top 01 



the head black, .-hreks and chin white, throat and back rufoiu-chestnut, 

 lower back bla.-ki.-li; bn-ju-t and In-lly silvery white; upper tail covvrto My 

 short, tail-featlivni tt(f nn>l /mint"/. A<1. .' !/ ///. t'pper part* dark (fray- 

 ih bn>wn, tlie feathers marked with tine wavy born of buffy ; nidus of the 

 head and upj>T throat whitish, lower throat grayish, re.-t of the under part* 

 ailvvry white. I.., l.ViK); W., 5-90 ; Tar., 1 i:.; H. t 1-55. 



Rtmorkt. The short II|>[XT tail -eovert* un.l .-nil', pointed tail-featliere will 

 always serve to identify this -peeies. 



.. <>f general distribution from northern South Anierii-a to the fur 

 countrius breeding largely northward, but lot-ally throughout it* range 

 (Granada, Wells ; (iuatetnala, Sal v in ; Cuba, Gundlueh ; Cape Cod, Miller'. 



Waxhington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, irregular T. V. 

 Sing Sing, common T. V., Meh. 14 to Apl. f, ; Oct. 5 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, 

 very common in M. and Nov. 



in a >l<>u<_'h or marshy place, generally on a maw of floating vegeta- 

 tion. /.;/;/, nix to ten, creamy or bully \\ liite, ii'60 x 1-80. 



" When rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dia 

 tance. and generally against the wind. If it am not command a fair 

 open space for flight, it will dive, usin^ its tail either as a rudder or as 

 a paddlo in a vertical motion, ami will hide itself away among the 

 grass and sedges. When on the wing, it flies low along the surface of 

 the water, with a rapid beat of its broad wings, making a short, plump 

 figure quite uncommon for a Duck ; and it generally flics quite a dis- 

 tance before alighting " (Langille). In swimming, the tail is sometimes 

 held erect at right angles to the body. 



The MASKKO Di. K >/r .Imninietu) is a tropical specie* of 



rare oce urn i h America. Single uperimcna have been taken in 



Winoonsin, New York, and near Cambridge, Mans. 



Subfamily Anxerimt. Gftte. 



Geeae are vegetarians. When on the water, they feed largely by 

 tipping, as with head and neck immersed and tail pointing skyward 

 they search for the roots or seeds of aquatic plants. They are far 

 more terrestrial than Ducks, and visit the land to nip the herbage, 



