Jan., igog. Birds of Illinois axd Wiscoxsix — Cory. 



329 



Breeds in much the same locahties as the preceding (Q. discors). 

 Its eggs are deposited early in May. Arrives the last of March and 

 the larger number pass north before April 20th." (Xelson, Birds 

 N. E. Illinois, 1876, p. 140.) " It is still a common duck but can hardly 

 be called abundant. * * * Essentially a duck of the large marshes 

 and shallow lakes in these localities. Considerable numbers still nest 

 within the state, even in the most southern counties." (Kumlien and 

 HoUister, Birds of Wisconsin, 1903, p. 20.) 



Genus DAFILA Steph. 



49. Dafila acuta (Lixx.). 

 PixTAiL Duck. 



Local names: Sprig-tail. Pheasant Duck. 



Di'str.: A cosmopolitan species, inhabiting the Northern hemis- 

 phere, breeding (in North America ) from the northern United States 

 northward and ranging south in winter to the Gulf coast, the West 

 Indies, Mexico, and Central America to Panama; abundant in Florida. 



Pintail Duck. 



Adult male: Bill, lead color, the base and a stripe along the culmen, 

 black; head and neck, rich brown, sometimes showing a faint gloss 

 of green on the feathers; sides of the neck showing a stripe of 

 white, and a stripe of black extending down the back of the neck; 

 under parts, white, showing faint, wavy, fine lines of dusky on the 



