BIRDS OF PENNSYLVANIA. 37 



Regular but rather rare spring and fall migrant ; not known to occur 

 in Pennsylvania as a summer resident. Although this species is not 

 common in the vicinity of Erie, good-sized flocks are sometimes seen in 

 company mostly with other species about Erie bay, where the Gadwall 

 appears to occur in greater numbers than in other parts of the state. 



Anas americana GMKL. 



Baldpate ; American Widgeon. 



DESCRIPTION. 



Bill shorter than head and rather narrow. 



Male. Bill (dried skin) dark blue, black at base about feathers and at end ; tarsi 

 brownish, webs and claws darker ; iris brown ; tops of head yellowish-white (more 

 or less spotted in younger birds) ; broad patches of glossy- green on sides of head 

 extend from eyes backward ; back of neck also more or less glossed with green ; 

 feathers in front of eyes, sides of head and neck, chin, throat and most of neck, 

 grayish and faint yellowish-white, spotted or banded with black ; fore neck and 

 breast light brownish-red, with a faint grayish-gloss (a young male before me has 

 brownish -red of breast spotted with black) ; sides of body somewhat brighter red- 

 dish-brown, with fine blackish streaks ; lower part of breast and belly white ; upper 

 back and scapulars reddish-brown, waved with dusky ; rump lighter than lower 

 back and finely waved or streaked with dusky and whitish ; crissum glossy black ; 

 large white space on upper surface of wing ; speculum glossy-green in a large 

 velvety-black area. The female is easily recognized by the wing markings and the 

 reddish-brown is duller than in male. Length about 21 inches ; extent about 34 

 inches. 



Habitat. North America, from the Arctic ocean south to Guatemala and Cuba. 



Regular but rather rare spring and fall migrant ; not known to occur 

 in Pennsylvania as a summer resident. Although not common in the 

 neighborhood of Erie, good-sized flocks are occasionally seen, particu. 

 larly in the fall, about Erie bay, where this species appears to be found, 

 irregularly, in greater numbers than in other parts of the state. I have 

 examined the food materials of three Baldpates taken in Pennsylvania ; 

 two had fed almost entirely on insects, chiefly beetles and crickets ; the 

 other one had in its stomach a green-colored vegetable substance, and 

 small brown and yellowish seeds. 



Anas carolinensis GMELIN. 



Green-winged Teal. 



DESCRIPTION (Plate. 60). 



Bill quite narrow and shorter than head. One of our smallest species measures 

 about 14 inches in length by about 24 inches in extent. 



Adult Male. Bill (dried skin) blackish ; tarsi brownish-yellow ; iris brown ; 

 head and greater part of neck chestnut ; chin and forehead blackish ; a broad, green 

 patch extends backward from region of eyes ; under part white or w r hitish ; feathers 

 of upper breast light reddish-brown edged with grayish ; breast with numerous 

 black spots ; white crescent in front of wing; lower part of neck, scapulars, side of 

 breast, and body, finally waved with grayish-white and black ; crissum black in 



