^0.1.] M'CHESNEY on BIEDS of DAKOTA. 99 



Arrives April 19, and resting a few days resumes its long northern 

 flight. Returns about the 1st of October in some numbers, and finally 

 disapi)ears, for the season, October 31. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 653, 2 , 29.00 X 18.00. 



FULIGULA APFiNis, Eyton. — Lesser Scau;p DueJc; Little BlacMead. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Extremely similar to the last : smaller, about 16 ; wing 8 ; gloss of head chiefly pur- 

 ple. $ as in the last species. It is very difficult to define this bird specifically, and 

 it may be simply a small southern form ; but it appears to preserve its characters, 

 although constantly associated with the last. 



For my own part, I am inclined to keep the two separate; for, as I have 

 observed it, the Little Blackhead maintains its characters under aU cir- 

 cumstances : I have seen it associated with the Greater in feeding, but 

 when disturbed and put to flight the two species will be found separate. 



Arrives about the same time and follows the same course as the pre- 

 ceding species does ; is much more abundant, however, during October 

 than that Duck is. 



The specimen measures afe follows : 



No. 627, ^, 27.75x17.005 wing 8.00; tarsus 1.47; bill 1.60. 



FuLiGULA FERINA AMEEiCANA, (Eyton) Coues. — American FocJiardj 

 Redhead. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



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

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

 bronzy or red reflection, of back, mixed silvery-gray and black in about equal amount, 

 the dark waved lines unbroken ; body anteriorly, rump, and tail-coverts black. $ 

 head and neck pale brown ; body darker brown, with other markings of the back, 

 sides, aud shoulders less distinct than the $ ; middle quills bluish-ash. Length about 

 20; wing 9-10. 



Arrives about April 15 and remains until October 30 ; breeds in con- 

 siderable numbers in the deeper sloughs on the ^' Coteau des Prairies," at 

 first not very abundant; it begins to receive accessions to its numbers 

 from further north about the middle of September, and by the 1st of 

 October large flocks of the Bedheads are common ; finally departs for 

 the season about October 31. 



The specimen measures as follows : 



No. 635, ^, 30.50 X 19.50; wing 9.50; tail 3.00; tars. 1.55; m.t. & claw 2.80; bill 1.95. 



FuLieuLA VALLiSNEEiA, (Wils.) Stcph. — Canvas-Mcic BucTc. 



Sexes are not alike in color. 



Bill blackish, high at the base and narrow throughout, not shorter than head (2^ or 

 more), the nostrils at its middle ; head much obscured with dusky ; black waved lines 

 of the back sparse aud much broken up into dots, the whitish thus predominating ; 

 9 varies as in the last species. 



Many persons experience difficulty in distinguishing between the Eed- 

 head and Oanvas-back Ducks ; careful attention to the foregoing descrip- 



