North American Birds Eggs. 



87 



[(75.] Barnacle Goose. Hraniu U'unip»is 



This Old World species occuvs frequently in Greenland and very rarely is 

 found on the mainland of this continent. 



176. Emperor Goose. Pliilactc cmingicd. 



Range. — Alaska, south in winter casually to California. 



This handsome species is twenty-six inches in lengtli; it may he known from 

 the mottled or "scaly" appearance of the body, and the white head with a black 

 chin and thnjat. While not uncommon in restricted localities, tliis may l)e con- 

 sidered as one of the most rare of Ncjrth American Geese. Tlieir nests are built 

 upon the ground and do not differ from those of other geese. They lay fnjm 

 three to seven eggs of a dull l)uff color. Size 3.10 x 2.15. Data. — Stuart Island, 

 Alaska, June 16, 1900. Six eggs laid in a slight hollow in the ground, lined 

 with a few feathers and some down, ('(dlector, Oapt. H. H. Bcultish. 



177. Black-bellied Tree Duck. Dciidroryfjna iiutumiinlis. 



Range. — Tropical America, north in the Rio Grande Valley to southern Texas. 



These peculiar long-legged Ducks are very aliundant in southern Texas during 

 the summer months. They build their nests in hollow trees, often (juitea dis- 

 tance from the water. They lay their eggs upon the bottom id' the cavity with 

 only a scant lining, if any, of feathers 

 and down. They are verj' prolific breed- 

 ers, raising two broods in a season, each 

 set of eggs containing from ten to twenty. 

 These eggs are creamy or pure white. 

 Size 2.05 x 1.50. The first set is laid dur- 

 ing the latter part of April or early in 

 May, and fresh eggs may be found as 

 late as July. Thej' are especially aliund- 

 ant about Brownsvilleand Corpus C'hristi, 

 Texas. Data. — Hidalgo, IMexico, i\Jay 

 20, 1900. Ten eggs in a hole in an old 

 elm tree on side of lake in big woods near 

 town. Eight feet from the ground. C(d- 

 lector, F. B. Armstrong. 



(White. 



?/tei'^ 





I 78. Fulvous Tree Duck. DeiKlranjgiKi fiilrn. 



Range.— This species is tropical like the last, but the summer range is 

 extended to cover, casually, the whole S(juthwestern bonier of the United States. 



This bird is long-legged like the last, but the plumage is entirely different, 

 being of a general rusty color, including th.e entire under parts. The nesting 

 haliits and eggs are the same as those of the Black-bellied Du(d-:, the white eggs 

 being laid at the bottom of a cavity in a tree. They number from eight to (in 

 one instance) thirty-two eggs in one nest. This species is nearly as abundant 

 as the preceding in southern Texas. 



