NETTIUM.— DAEILA. 213 



have been observed as far south as Honduras, but we never met with the bird in 

 Guatemala. It is found at this season in the Western United States, and visits 

 California in large numbers. The species is said by Grayson to be abundant at 

 Mazatlan from November to March ^^. Its Mexican name is given by Herrera ^ as 

 " Metzcanauhtli " or " Metzcanahuhtli." 



This little Teal is tamer than most of the North-American Ducks, and, the flesh 

 being much valued as an article of food, large numbers are annually slaughtered in 

 winter. It is essentially a freshwater bird, and is rarely seen near the sea. Its food 

 consists of the seeds of grass, berries, worms, small molluscs, and aquatic insects. 

 The nest is a depression in the ground, lined with down and feathers, and often at 

 some distance from water. The eggs are sometimes as many as sixteen or eighteen 

 in number, and are of a pure ivory-white ^^. 



DAFILA. 



Dafila, Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool. xii. pt. 2, p. 126 (1824) ; Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 

 xxvii. p. 270 (1895). 



The Pintail Ducks may be recognized by the sharply-pointed tail, the central feathers 

 being very long and pointed in the male ; the bill is wider near the tip than at the 

 base, and the neck is long and slender. 



Of the three species described, D. acuta, inhabiting the Northern Hemisphere, is the 

 only one found within our limits. I), spinicauda is a native of the southern half of 

 South America. 



D. modesta, Tristram, from the Phoenix Group, Central Pacific, is doubtfully distinct 

 from J), acuta. 



1. Dafila acuta. 



Anas acuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 202 ' ; Wagl. Isis, 1831, p. 532 \ 



Dafila acuta, Sol. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 206'; Scl. & Sak. Ibis, 1859, p. 231 *; P. Z. S. 1876, p. 391 

 Lawr. Ann. Lye. N. Y. viii. p. 13' ; ix. p. 143'; Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 314 

 Duges, La Nat. i. p. 143'; v. Frantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 378"; Sumichr. La Nat. v 

 p. 234 " ; Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. i. p. 511 " ; Nutting, Pr. U. S 

 Nat. Mus. vi. p. 390 " ; Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 174"; Herrera, La Nat 

 (2) i. pp. 187 'S 329 " ; Richm. Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 531 " ; Alien, Bull. Amer. Mus 

 N. H. V. p. 33 "; A. 0. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 51"; Salvad. Cat. Birds 

 Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 270 '°. 



Supra brunaea, fasciis nigris et albis anguste fasciolata ; scapularibus longioribus nigris, late bninnescenti- 

 albo marginatis ; supraeaudalibus medianis saturate brunneis, marginibus pallidioribus, lateralibus nigris 

 intus albo marginatis; reetricibus medianis elongatis, nigris, reliquis sordide cinerascentibus, albido 

 marginatis ; tectricibus alarum cinerascenti-brunneis, majoribus pallida rufo terminatis, fasciam alarem 

 formantibuB ; primariis brunnesoenti-griseis, apicem versus saturatioribus, intus pallidioribus ; seuundariis 

 externis metaUiee viridibus vel (sub carta luce) Eenao-purpurascantibus, speculum alare formantibus, late 



