THE BIRDS OF NEW JERSEY. 135 



young have the whole throat and breast brown, barred 

 transversely with black; others show the brighter colors of 

 the adults appearing on the crown and throat. 



The birds breed northward from Massachusetts and 

 perhaps also in the mountains of northern New Jersey, 

 and occasionally they winter in the lower part of the 

 state. The arrive here from the south about the middle 

 of March, passing further north about the middle of 

 April; in the fall they return between September 10 and 

 October 20. 



Their cry is a clear note, repeated five or six times, or 

 a low, snarling cry like the mew of a cat. 



There is little doubt that these birds do far more mis- 

 chief than their insect-eating propensities can counter- 

 balance. They bore holes into trees and feed on the ex- 

 uding sap; after having taken their fill they retire and 

 await the gathering of insects attracted by the sap, when 

 they return and feed on the insects. The holes they bore 

 are generally square and by girdling a tree with them 

 they frequently cause the destruction of the tree. 



Greater, Bluebill Duck, Broadbill, or 

 Blackhead. Length, eighteen and a half inches; ex- 

 tent, twenty-nine inches; the female is a trifle smaller; 

 bill, one and two-thirds inches, heavy, broad, bluish; 

 head, neck and whole breast, black, the top and sides of 

 the head frequently with greenish reflections; upper back, 

 black; lower back, fine wavy black and white bars; belly, 

 and sides, white on the lower parts with indistinct wavy 

 black bars; tail, black: wings, white, slaty and black; legs, 

 bluish; feet, black. The female has brown instead of 

 black on the upper parts and the sides are a grayish 

 brown with waves of white. The birds nest on the 

 ground in marshes or similar places. The eggs are from 

 six to ten in number, of a pale yellow, two and a half by 

 one and three-fourths inches in size. The birds breed in 

 the far north and in the winter go southward to Florida. 



