110 



SEA DUCKS. 



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146. Aythya americana (Ay.). KEDiiEAn. Ad. s.—Uead and 

 throat briglit rufous; lower neck, lireiist, Imek of tlie ncok, anil upjicr hauk 

 black ; rest of the back ami .scapulars finely barred with wavy black and white 

 lines of ^^«a/ width,' win<r-covert.s brownish gray; upper tail-coverts black; 

 belly white, the lower belly more or less finely barred with black ; under tail- 

 coverts black ; sides like the bach. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts dark grayish brown, 

 darker on the rump, the feathers more or less margined with butty or ashy ; 

 sides of the head lighter; upper throat white; neck butty ochraceous; breast 

 and sides grayisli brown, more or less washed or margined with butty or butty 

 ochraceous; belly white; lower belly and under tail-coverts tinged with 

 ocliraceous; an indistinct bluish-gray band across the end of the bill. L., 

 ItcOO; VV., 8-90; Tar., 1-5') ; B., 1-85. 



Remarks. — This species is frequently confused with tlie Canvasback, from 

 wliieh it may be distinguished by the characters given under that species. 



The female Redhead is much like the female Ring-neck in coloration ; the 

 latter ia generally browner, but they can be distinguisJied with certainty only 

 by the ditterence in their size. 



Kniuje. — North America; breeds from California and Minnesota north- 

 ward to the fur countries; rare on the North Atlantic coa.st, where it has been 

 found breeding only once (Calais, Me.); winters from Virginia southward to 

 Cuba and Jamaica. 



Washington, common W. V. Long Island, T. V. in irregular numbcs, 

 Oct. 1 to Apl. If), few W. V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Apl. 1 to Apl. 24; 

 Oct. 12 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, casual ; one instance, Oct. 



Nest., on the ground in grassy sloughs or marshy lakn sides. Eggs^ six to 

 twelve, buflfy white, 2*40 x 1-70. 



The Dncks of the genns Atjthya possess to some extent the hahils 

 of both the River Ducks and true Sea Ducks. Thoy are divers in deep 

 water, but along the shores or in shallow water they are also "dab- 

 blers." On our coasts the Redhead is a Bay Duck, and feeds in salt 

 and brackish water. 



147. Aythya vallisneria ( Wlls.^. CAxvAsnACK. Ad. 6.— Head 

 and neck rufous-brown, the chin and crown generally iA/<i7'«A / breast and 

 upper back black; rest of the back and generally iring-corerlx finely barred 

 with wavy lines of black and white, the white lines the wider; belly white; 

 lower belly more or less finely barred with black ; upper and under tail-cov- 

 erts black; sides white, much Icfn^ lightly barred with wavy black lines than 

 the l)ack. or even entirely without bars. Ad. 9 . — Head, neck, upjter breast, 

 and upper back cinnamon, the throat lighter, and, with the front parts of the 

 head, more or less washed with rufous ; back grayish brown, the feathers 

 more or less barred with waci/ ichite lines; belly white or grayish white; 

 sides the same or grayish brown, generally niarkeil like the back. L., 21-00 ; 

 W., 000 ; Tar., l-fiO ; B., 2-40. 



Remarks. — This species is sometimes mistaken for the Redhead, to which 

 it bears a general resemblance. The males of the two species may be distin- 

 guished (1) by the color of the head and neck, which is rufous in the Red- 



