650 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. 



DAFILA ACUTA, {Linn.) Jenyns. 



Sprigtail. 



This beautiful Duck, equally attractive on and off the table, is abundant) 

 throughout the region, not only during the fall migration, but in the 

 summer. By the middle of August, the young birds are full-grown, in 

 fine feather, and in the best possible condition for the table. Many 

 pairs were found breeding in pools in the Milk Eiver region, especially 

 in the vicinity of Frenchman's, early in July. At this period, the youag 

 and old were equally unable to fly, as the former had not got their 

 feathers and the latter had lost theirs. When disturbed in the pools at 

 such time, they had the habit of creeping slyly out on the prairie, and 

 squatting so low, like Grouse, that they were often lost, even when the 

 herbage was quite scanty. Many were captured by hand or killed with 

 sticks. 



List of specimens. 



CHAULELASMUS STREPERUS, {Linn.) Gray. 



Gadw^all. ^ 



Abundant throughout the region, where it breeds, like nearly all the 

 other Anatinw. Young still unfledged were obsei?ved late in August. 



List of specimens. 



MAREOA AMERICANA, {Gm.) StepJi. 

 Widgeon. 



Abundant throughout ; breeding. Young still unable to fly were seen 

 until the middle of September. 



QUERQUEDULA CAROLINENSIS, (Gm.) Steph. 



Green-winged Teal. 



Extremely abundant throughout. It enters the country by thousands, 

 in August, among the earliest arrivals of water-fowl from the north. I 

 have little doubt that some breed in Northern Dakota ; but as the only 



