BIRDS OF NEW YORK 2O7 



purplish instead of greenish. Female can only be distinguished from Mar- 

 ila $ by measurement as follows: 



Length, male, 16.5-17.5; extent 29-31; wing 8; tail 2.5; tarsus 1.5; 

 middle toe and claw 2.4-2.5; bill, length i. 6-1. 85, width .95. Length, 

 female, 16-16.75; wing 7.5-7.9; tarsus 1.3; bill, length 1.55, width .9. 



Distribution and migration. The Lesser scaup or Little bluebill is an 

 abundant migrant on the waters of New York State. It is more generally 

 distributed during migration than the other sea or bay ducks and is fre- 

 quently found on the smaller ponds and streams. It is occasionally observed 

 in winter, but is common only as a migrant, arriving from the 15th to the 

 30th of March, passing northward from the 20th of May to the 15th of June, 

 and returning from October ist to 15th, and passing south from the 15 th 

 of November to the loth of December. The principal breeding range of 

 this species is from North Dakota and Montana to the limit of timber in 

 the regions of the Anderson and Mackenzie rivers. The center of its abund- 

 ance in winter is along the coast of the south Atlantic States. I have no 

 reliable record of the nesting of this bird in New York State although there 

 have been n-umerous reports of probable breeding. These are due no doubt 

 to the fact that many birds of this species often remain on our waters till 

 late in June, or even throughout the summer, but all that I have examined 

 were nonbreeding birds. 



Marila collaris (Donovan) 



(Aythya coUaris on plate) 



Ring-necked Duck 



Plate 17 



Anas collaris Donovan. Br. Birds. 1809. p. 6, pi. 147 



Fuligula rufitorques DeKay. Zool. N. Y. 1844. pt 2, p. 325, fig. 255 



Ay thy a CO 11a ri s A. O. U. Check List. Ed. 2. 1895. No. 150 



colla'ris, Lat., collared 



Description. Adult male: Head and upper neck black richly glossed 

 with violet -green and purple; a chestnut, ring around the neck; lower neck, 

 forebreast and upper parts black, the scapulars slightly waved or dotted 

 with grayish; lower breast and belly white, the lower belly waved with 

 dusky ; flanks tinged with bluish gray ; crissum black ; wings and tail fuscous 

 or blackish brown; mirror bluish gray; bill, base, edges and belt near tip pale 



