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ERISMATURA RUBIDA (Bonap). 
THE RUDDY DUCK: SPINE-TAILED DUCK. 
Specific Character—Adult—Pileum and upper half of the nape uniform 
black; entire side of the head, below the eyes including the malar region and 
chin pure white; rest of neck, entire upper parts, sides and flanks, rich chestnut 
rufous or purplish ferruginous, wing coverts and middle of the rump, dusky gray- 
ish brown, minutely mottled with paler remiges dull brownish dusky ; rectrices 
brownish black, shafts deep black ; lower part white on the surface, but the 
concealed portions of all the feathers dark brownish gray, showing when the 
feathers are disarranged, and in midsummer sp3cimens completely exposed by 
abrasion of the tips of the feathers; jugulum strongly washed with fulvous buff, 
this sometimes invading the abdomen. Lower tail coverts entirely white to the 
roots of thefeathers. Bill and edge of the eyelids grayish blue; iris hazel; feet 
dull grayish blue, webs inclining to dusky ; claws grayish brown. 
Female.—Top of the head down to below the eyes, and upper parts generally, 
dusky grayish brown, minutely freckled with pale grayish fulvous (more reddish 
in the head) remainder of the head dirty grayish white, crossed longitudinally 
by a strip of speckled dusky ; neck pale brownish gray fading into the white of 
the chin. 
Length 14 to 17 inches ; wing, 5 to 6; tarsus, 1.25. 
Habitat—The whole of North America breeding throughout its range. 
The Ruddy duck like the Buffle-head is peculiar to the North American con- 
tinent and there it is found from Central America to the Arctic regions where the 
bulk of them goes to breed early in April returning about the middle of October, or 
a little later when they appear on our Ontario waters in great numbers. Although 
it is not a good bird for food, large numbers are shot, so easily are they taken ; this 
is mainly on account of the peculiar way it has of taking to flight, scuttling along 
the top of the water for some distance before it gets under full speed ; it lets the 
hunter paddle up pretty close, and then rising it affords an easy shot. Its food 
consists of small fish, shell fish, water insects, etc, consequently its flesh is soft, 
dark and fishy. A few probably breed in Southern Ontario. 
