BIRDS OF PORTO RICO. 29 



Food. — The stomach of the single bird examined contained fragments of a 

 water boatman (Corixa sp.), two water scavenger beetles and the larva of 

 another, bits of an undetermined beetle, and many fragments of dragon-fly 

 larvae, the last item forming 69 per cent of the contents. Six grass seeds 

 (Panicum sp.) and bits of two other seeds formed vegetable matter to the 

 amount of 4 per cent. 



A close season for all ducks should be established similar to that recom- 

 mended for the Bahama pintail. 



[PINTAIL. Daftla acuta (Linnaeus). 

 Pato Pescuezilargo, Pato Silvestre. 



Gundlach (1878, p. 402) says that the pintail Is a winter visitant and that one was 

 taken near Arecibo by a friend of his but that he did not see the bird himself. There is 

 no certain record.] 



BAHAMA PINTAIL, BAHAMA DUCK. Poecilonetta bahamensis (Linnaeus). 

 Pato de la Orilla, Pato Criollo, Pato de Florida. 



The Bahama pintail was noted on Culebra Island and at the Laguna de 

 Guanica, but undoubtedly occurs in other favorable localities, especially in the 

 winter season. Gundlach (1878, p. 403) found them at Boqueron and San 

 Juan. 



May 26 the birds were common at the Laguna de Guanica, where they would 

 flush singly or in pairs from a growth of water plants covering a large area of 

 the lagoon and, after circling over the open water, return to the same cover. 

 Once in the short grass of a marsh a female flew out, but almost immediately 

 fell back as though with a broken wing, repeating the performance several 

 times. At the same time the low peep peep of young birds was heard and 

 two about 5 days old were caught. A third promptly dived and apparently 

 never came up, while the others rapidly scattered to safety through the grass. 

 The down of these little birds was not at all soft, but had a peculiar stiff 

 bristly feeling. 



Food. — Stomachs of eight adults and two downy young which were collected 

 were examined by W. L. McAtee, of the Biological Survey. The adults had 

 eaten nothing but vegetable matter. Seeds of ditch grass (Ruppia maritime/,) 

 were found in every stomach and formed 16.25 per cent of the total bulk, the 

 largest amounts being ISO and 125 seeds, respectively. Foliage and antheridia 

 of algae (Chara sp.) made up 83.75 per cent and formed the great bulk in 

 all the stomachs. The two downy young had eaten animal matter (amount- 

 ing to 3.5 per cent), composed of remains of a water boatman (Corixa sp.), 

 bits of a water creeper (Pelocoris sp.), and young snails. Grass seeds, foxtail 

 grass (Chwtochloa sp.), barnyard grass (Echinochloa criis-galli), and a species 

 of guinea grass (Panicum sp.) formed 94 per cent of the food of these duck- 

 lings and a few other seeds 2.5 per cent. 



These birds were much disturbed by egg hunters who were continually 

 searching the marshes, and many were shot by gunners during the breeding 

 season. They should be free from molestation from March 1 to December 1 

 at least. In a few years their range will be even more restricted than at 

 present, because of the draining and clearing of swamps and marshes, and un- 

 less protected they will disappear entirely. 



SHOVELER. Spatula clypeata (Linnaeus). 

 Pato Ingles, Pato Cochareta. 



The shoveler is, from all accounts, a tolerably common winter visitor in 

 Porto Rico. Gundlach (1878, p. 404) says that it is found from fall until 



