OF THE HAMILTON ASSOCIATION. 77 



finely variegated with black ; the shoulder bordered also with biack ; covert 

 and quills with mere a fewer tips and shades of white and purple. Female : 

 chestnut of the neck detached and dull ; sides not striped ; head and neck 

 dull. Bill reddish, edges dusky. Legs and feet yellowish, iris red. Length, 

 19 ; extent, 27-50 ; wing, 9. 



Hab. Temperate North America, breeding throughout its range. 



Nest in a hole in a tree. Eggs about twelve in number, pale buff slightly 

 tinged with green. 



This, the most beautiful of all our waterfowl, is very gener- 

 ally distributed throughout the country, arriving from the south 

 about the time the ice disappears from our lakes and rivers, and 

 again retiring early in the fall. Owing to the great beauty of the 

 male these birds are much sought after by all classes of sports- 

 men, and are now seldom seen except near the retired ponds and 

 marshes where they breed. Twenty-five years ago I have seen 

 them leading out their young from one of the inlets of the Dun- 

 das marsh ; they were also known at that time to breed near 

 Gage's inlet, but of late years they have been observed only as pass- 

 ing migrants in spring and fall. The Wood Duck has frequently 

 been domesticated, and adds greatly to the interest and beauty 

 of an artificial pond in a pleasure ground. 



Genus AYTHYA Boie. 



43. AYTHYA AMERICANA (Eyt.). 146. 

 Redhead. 



Bill dull blue with a black belt at end, broad and depressed, shorter than 

 head (2 or less) the nostrils within its basal half; color of head rich, pure chest- 

 nut, with bronzy or red reflections, in the female, plain brown ; body anteriorly, 

 rump and tail coverts black, in the female dark brown, back, scapulars and 

 sides plumbeous-white, finely waved with unbroken black lines, less distinct 

 in the female ; speculum, bluish-ash. Length, about 20 ; wing g-io ; tarsus, 



Hab. North America, breeding from California and Maine northward. 

 Nest like that of a Coot, composed of broken bits of rushes on a clump of 

 bog, often afloat. Eggs, seven to eight, dull buff. 



The Redhead is one of the most abundant species which visits 

 Lake Ontario, and, judging by the numbers which are sent down 

 from the shooting stations farther west, it seems to be equally so 

 at other points. They are strong, hardy birds, and a heavy 

 charge skilfully aimed, is necessary to stop them when on the 



