BiEDS OF Indiana. 639 



24. Genus BRISMATTJKA Bonaparte. 



o^. Male, side of head below eyes white ; female, side of head and neck grayish- 

 white, with darker stripe from corner of mouth to ear coverts. 



E. rubida (Wils.). 50 



50. (167). Erismatura rubida (Wils.). 



Buddy Duck. 

 Synonyms, Black Jack, Bkistle-Tail, Fool Duck. 



Male in Full Plumage. — Bill, slaty blue; the nail black; neck, all 

 around, and the upper parts, bright chestnut; the lower parts, silky 

 white, watered with dusky; chin and sides of the head, white; the 

 crown and nape, black. Female. — Brown above, finely dotted and 

 waved with dusky; paler and duller below, with sometimes a slight 

 tawny tinge, which also occurs on the sides of the head. 



Length, about 13.50-16.00; wing, 5.75-6.00; bill, about 1.50-1.60. 



Eakgb. — North America, in general south to West Indies and Co- 

 lombia; breeds throughout its rang% from Granada and Guatemala 

 north, at least to Great Slave Lake. No American duck has so ex- 

 tensive a breeding range. 



Nest, built to float like a Grebe's or else along the edge of reedy 

 stream or lake, or on drift. Fggs, 5-11; white or pale buffy; 3.43 by 

 1.75. Migrant, usually not common. 



Throughout the southern part of the State it appears to be rare. I 

 have one specimen taken near Brookville. Dr. F. Stein reports it 

 from the lower Wabash Valley. Prof. B. W. Evermann notes it as rare 

 in Monroe and Carroll counties. Mr. C. E. Aiken tells *me he has seen 

 them abundant on the Calumet Eiver in Indiana. 



Mr. Chas. Dury tells me they are known to the hunters at English 

 Lake as "Black-Jacks." 



With us they are usually found singly or in small groups by them- 

 selves or with the Coots. 



This is quite in contrast with their habits in the Southern States, 

 where they congregate in great flocks. They frequent the smaller 

 lakes and more sluggish water courses. 



They return from the south late in the spring, usually arriving the 

 latter part of March, and remain through the month. 



Mr. H. K. Coale noted two males and a female at Tolleston, Ind., 

 May 9, 1877, and Mr. Euthven Deane found two males and a female 

 in the red spring plumage at English Lake May 11, 1890. 



The latter records indicate that they mate in threes. Is this a case 

 of polyandry? The Buddy Duck may be found to breed among our 

 marshes. 



