99 



LAiIELLIIlOSTlLA.L SWIMMERS - ANSERES. 



Fuliz afflnis. 



THE LESSEB SCAITP DUCK; UTILE BLACK-HEAD, OB BLUE-BILL. 



Faligula mariln, Am. Orn. Biog. III. 1835, 226 ; V. 1839, 614, \A. 22U ; Syiiop. 1839, 286 ; IJ. Am. 



VI. 1843, 316, pi. 397. 

 FuUgula affinis, Kyton, Mon. Anat. 1838, 157. — t'ouES, Key, 1872, 289; Check List, 1873, no. 



501 ; 2il cd. 1882, no. 721 ; B. N. W. 1874, 573. 

 Falixafmh, Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858, 791 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 589. — RiDow. Nom. N. 



Am. B. 1881, no. 615. 

 Fidujuhi viariliiidcs, \\v.. Zool. Blossom, 1839, 31. 

 Faligula minor, Bell, Pr. Ac. Nut. Sti. Philad. I. 1842, 141. — GiitAUD, B. Long. I. 1844, 323. 



ILvn. Tiie whole of North Amcricu, south to Guatemala and the West Indies ; breeds chielly 

 north of the United States. 



Sr. Chau. Entirely .similar to F. miriUi, but smaller. Total length, about 16.(X) inches ; 

 e.\tent, 25.00-30.00 ; wing, 7.<>0-S.25 ; culmen, I.58-I.90 ; width of bill near end, .8()-.J)5, ut Imsc, 



.60-.80 ; tarsus, 1.15-1.50; middle toe, 2.00-2.25. 

 Beyond the decidedly smaller size, we can pcr- 

 ceive no difference between tliis bird and F. vutrik 

 wliich seems to be constant. In most of the speci- 

 mens before us, however, the green gloss of tint 

 head is much less distinct, in fact wanting entirely, 

 or in many replaced by faint purplish ; while the 

 lower part of the neck is usually dull Ijrownish 

 and ((uite lustreless, in many examples formiii;,' 

 quite as distinct a collar as in some specimens of F. 

 cnllaris, though the color is never so rufescent us 

 in the latter species. The zigzag markings on the 

 back and scapular ajipear to be, as a rule, somewhiit 

 coarser than in F. marila. As in the larger sjic- 

 cies, the sides and Hanks may be either marked 

 with <lusky, or (juite immaculate. 



A larger series of specimens may prove the 

 Male (rcdiicctl). intergradatiou of this form with F. nuirila. 



A full and oompleto history of this speoios cannot be given, in consequence of the 

 coniusion that has existed between it and the better-known Fuflx vi'irila, whicli, in 

 ai)[)(;arance, and pr()l)al)ly in habits, it .so closely resembles. So far as my own obser- 

 vations go, I am inclined to agree with Dr. Cooper in regarding this species as a nuicli 

 more decided frequenter of the land than is the larger lilack-head; and it is quiti' 

 probable that much tliat has been written by Audubon and others in reg.'ird to the 

 Seanp Duck, as seen on our rivers and lakes, may have had reference only to tliis 

 species. In April, 1872, the markets of Detroit were abundantly and almost exclu- 

 sively supplied with this Duck, lu'ought from the marshes of Lake St. Clair; and 

 both in the spring and in the fall it is abundant on Lake Koskonong, in Southern 

 Wisconsin. It is found over the whole North American continent, both on the east- 

 ern and western coasts, is common in tlie interior waters, reaclung the fartlu t 

 north during its breeding-season, and in the winter wanders to the shores of the 

 Gulf of Mexico, to Central America, and to Mexico. Mr. Dall ftumd it not uncommon 

 at the mo\ith of the Vukon lliver, and on the upper waters of that river. ]\Ir. Ken- 

 nicott mentions it as by far the most abundant Duck, and much more numerous there 



I'll'! 



