ANATID-E— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 137 



northern part, there appears to bo no recent record of its doing 

 so. Professor Cooke says that it "breeds in Manitoba and 

 along our northern border." 



"Mr. Robert Kennicott, in his notes on tliis species, states 

 that it is very rare on the upper Yukon River, although he 

 found it abundant in Oregon and in Washington Territory, 

 and throughout British America as far north as latitude 70'^ ; 

 but he did not see it anywhere in the Mackenzie Region in any 

 considerable abundance. As it is more common in the Atlantic 

 States than in the valley of the Mississippi, the main body 

 breed more toward the northeast, beyond the limits of the 

 United States in the region of Hudson's Bay. Though arriv- 

 ing in this country among the earliest of the migrating 

 ducks, this species is quite late in leaving the Yukon and the 

 Mackenzie. Mr. Kennicott saw it October 2 at Fort Liard. 

 The nests found by him were in nearly open gTOund, among 

 moss, and generally far from water. In one instance he saw 

 the nest of this duck at the foot of a small spruce in a mossy, 

 half-barren, small dry plain, and at least forty rods from water. 

 This nest was a simple depression in the moss, but thickly lined 

 with down, and well protected by the overhanging branches of 

 the spruce. The female fluttered slowly off along the ground 

 at his approach, and the nest was found to contain eight eggs. 

 According to Mr. Dall nests of this species frequently have from 

 sixteen to eighteen eggs. 



"Audubon says that the food of the Green-winged Teal con- 

 sists principally of the seeds of grasses — which are collected 

 when floating, or while still adhering to their stalk — small 

 acorns, fallen gi-apes or berries, as well as aquatic insects, 

 worms, and small snails. It is much more particular in the 

 selection of its food than are most ducks, and its flesh is there- 

 fore delicious, and probably better that that of any other of 

 the duck tribe. Audubon adds that when this bird has fed on 

 wild oats at Green Bay, or soaked rice in the fields of Georgia 

 or Carolina, it is much superior to the Canvas-back in tender- 

 ness, juiciness, and flavor. 



"On land it moves with more grace and ease than any other 

 species except the \yood Duck, and it can run with considerable 



—18 



