98 BULLETIN UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY. [YolY. 



mg north for the summer ; returns early in August in large numbers and 

 remains until September 30. 



QuERQUEDULA DiscoRS, (L.) Steph. — Blue-winged Teal. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Wing- coverts in both sexes sky-blue, the greater wbite-tipped ; middle quill-mark- 

 ings green, white-tipped ; armpits and most under wing-coverts white ; shoulders 

 striped with tawny and blue (not in the $ ) or dark green ; fore breast barred ; rumj> 

 and tail dark, plain ; under tail-coverts dark or black ; bill black ; feet not dark. 

 Head and neck of <? blackish-plumbeous, darkest on the crown, usually with purplish 

 iridescence, a white crescent in front of the eye ; under parts thickly dark-spotted ; 

 $ with head and neck altogether different ; under parts much paler and obscurely 

 spotted, but known by the wing-markings from any species here treated of, but diffi- 

 cult to distinguish from the $ of the species known as the " Cinnamon " Teal : 15-16 ; 

 wing 7 ; tail 3 ; bill l^lf . 



Arrives about the 1st of May, but, like all the migratory birds, it 

 varies with the season, being sometimes as early as the 1st of April, but 

 is seldom later than the middle of May ; is very common, and breeds in 

 all the sloughs over the Coteau ; takes its departure about October 10. 



Spatula clypeata, (L.) Boie. — Shoveller ; Spoon-bill Buck. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Bill twice as wide at the end as at the base, with very numerous and prominent 

 3)lates. Head and neck of $ green ; fore breast white ; belly purplish chestnut ; wing- 

 coverts blue; middle quill-marking green, bordered with black and white; some 

 shoulders blue, others green, all white-striped ; bill blackish ; feet red. $ known by 

 bill and wings. 20 ; wing 9| ; bill 2^2f . 



This Duck is very abundant in all the lakes and sloughs on the " Coteau 

 4es Prairies " from April 18 until October 30 ; breeds throughout its 

 xange. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 682, 9, 27.25 X 17.75; wing 8.60; tail 3.50. 



Aix SPONSA, (L.) Boie. — Summer BucTc; Wood BucTc. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Crested ; head iridescent green and purple, with parallel-curved white stripes over 

 .and back of eyes, and a bi'oad, forked, white throat-patch ; 9 with the head mostly 

 gray : 18-20 ; wing 8^-9i ; tail 4^-5 ; bill 1^. Nests in trees. 



A single specimen of this beautiful Duck was killed near the post in 

 the summer of 1874 by Captain Pearson of the Seventeenth Infantry. 

 This is the only Wood Duck I have seen among the many thousands 

 :annually killed at this post. 



PuLiGULA marila, (L.) Steph. — Greater Scan]) Buclc; Big BlacJchead. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



This and the following described Ducks belong to the gubfamily FiMgulinm (Sea 

 Ducks), and are distimguished generally from the preceding by having the hind toe with 

 ,a membranous flap depending therefrom, larger feet, shorter legs, &.c. $ with the head, 

 ,neck, and body anteriorly, black, the former glossy-green ; lower neck, rump, tail and 

 its coverts', blackish ; below, white, with fine black waving on the sides and lower 

 belly ; bill dull blue with black nail ; legs plumbeous ; middle quill-marking white. 

 2 with the head and anterior parts brown, with the face pure white or not, and other 

 black i^arts of the $ rather brown, the black and white vermiculation less distinct. 

 About 20 inches long; wing 9. 



