524 BIRDS — ^ANATID^. 



much less common in the interior than along the Atlantic coast. Some- 

 times they appear in considerable numbers on the lake and reservoirs. 

 On the streams they are more seldom seen, and so far ae my observation 

 extends, never in large flocks. 



The eggs of the Dusky Duck are not distinguishable from those of the 

 Mallard. 



Genus DAFILA. Leach. 



Neck very long. Bill longer than the foot, narrow. Tall in adult male mnoh pointed, 

 three-fourths or more the wing, 



Dafila acuta (L.) Bonap. 



Pizitail: ^pringtail. 



Anas acuta, Kirtland, Ohio Geolog. Surv., 1838, 166, 186. 



DafiJa acuta, Whbaton, Ohio Agrio. Rep. for 1860, 370 ; Reprint, 1861, 12 ; Food of Birds, 

 etc., Ohio Agric. Rep. for 1874, 574 ; Reprint, 1875, 14. — Langdon, Cat. Birds of Gin., 

 1877, 17 ; Revised List, Journ. Gin. Soc. Nat. Hist., i, 1879, 185 ; Reprint, 19. 



Anas acuta, LlNNiBUS, Syst. Nat., i, 1766, 203. 



Dafila acuta, Bonaparte, List, 1838, 56. 



Tail cuneate, when fully developed the central feathers projecting and nearly equal- 

 ling the wing ; much shorter and not so narrow in the female and young, four to nine 

 inches long ; wing, 11 ; total length, about 24. Bill black and blue, feet grayish-blue, 

 head and upper neck dark-brown, with green and purple gloss, sides of neck with a 

 long white stripe, lower neck and under parts white, dorsal line of neck black, passing 

 into the gray of the back, which, like the sides, is vermicnlated with black ; speculum 

 greenish-purple, anteriorly bordered by buff tips of the greater coverts, elsewhere by 

 black and white ; tertials and scapulars black and silvery ; female and yqung with the 

 whole head and neck speckled or finely streaked with dark-brown and grayish or yellow- 

 ish-brown ; below dusky-freckled ; above blackish, all the feathers pale-edged ; only a 

 trace of the speculum between the white or whitish tips of the greater coverts and 

 secohdaries. 



Habitat, North America and Europe. Breeds chiefly in high latitudes. In winteu south 

 toPaoama. Cuba. 



Abundant sprang and fall migrant. Sometimes remains through the 

 winter, and is one of the earliest to return in spring. The Pintail is one 

 of the shyest of our ducks. It is seldom seen in ponds, being partial to 

 running streams. 



The eggs are dull grayish-olive in color, and measure 2.25 by 1.60. 



Genus CHAULELASMUS. Gray. 



Bill as long as the head, shorter than foot ; longer than tarsus. Tail about two-fiftha 

 the wing. 



