112 SEA DUCKS. 



Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs or marshy lake sides. Eggs, six to 

 ten, pale olive-buif, 2'o4 x 1-71. 



This is one of our most common Bay Ducks. While with us it 

 seems to prefer salt and brackish water. It feeds largely on mollusks, 

 which it obtains by diving. Its note is said to be a discordant 

 scaup. 



149> Aythya affinis {Eyt.). Lesser Scaup Duck; Little Black- 

 head ; Little Bluebill ; Creek Broadbill. Ad. £ . — Similar to the pre- 

 ceding species but smaller, the head, as a rule, glossed with purplish instead 

 of greenish, and the flanks strongly instead of faintly marked with wavy 

 black bars. Ad. 9 . — Similar to the 9 of the preceding species, but smaller. 

 a L., 16-50; W., 800; Tar., 1-35; B., 1-60.; greatest width of B., -95. 9 L., 

 16-60; W., r-60; Tar., 1-30; B., 1-55; greatest width of B., -90. 



JiemarJts. — The Scaup Ducks resemble each other so closely that it is 

 sometimes impossible to tell them apart, but they may generally be distin- 

 guished by the characters given above. 



Bange. — North America; breeds only in the interior, rarely from Iowa 

 and commonly from Manitoba northward ; riot common on the Atlantic coast 

 north of Massachusetts ; w'inters from Virginia to the Greater Antilles. 



"Washington, not uncommon W. E., Oct. to Apl. Long Island, common T. 

 V. Sing Sing, common T. V., Jan. 28 to Apl. 12 ; Aug. 31 to Nov. Cam- 

 bridge, common in Oct. and Nov. ; rare in spring. 



Nest, on the ground, in grassy sloughs and marshy lake sides. Eggs, six 

 to ten, similar in color to those of the preceding, 2-25 x 1'58. 



This species has much the same habits as the preceding, but is more 

 often found in fresh water, and I think is more southern in its distri- 

 bution during the winter. It is by far the' most abundant Duck in 

 Florida waters at that season, where it occurs in enormous flocks in 

 the rivers and bays along the coasts. 



150. Aythya coXlaris {Dono-o.). Eing-neoked Duok. Ad. i . — 

 Chin white ; head, neck, breast, and upper back black, the head with bluish 

 reflections, the neck with a not sharply defined chestnut collar ; back and 

 scapulars black, speculum gray ; upper and under tail-coverts black, belly 

 white, lower belly and sides finely barred with wavy black lines ; bill black, 

 the base and a band across the end iluish gray. Ad. 9 . — Upper parts fus- 

 cous brown, more or less margined with oohraceous ; speculum gray ; sides of 

 the head and neck mixed grayish brown and white ; breast, sides, and lower 

 belly grayish brown, more or less margined with ochraceous ; upper belly 

 white or whitish ; bill blackish, an indistinct band of bluish gray across its 

 end. L., 16-50; W"., 7-50; Tar., 1-25; B., 1-80. 



Jiemarls. — The male Ring-neck may be known from any of its allies by 

 its chestnut collar and other excellent characters ; the female resembles the 

 female Kedhead, but is smaller and generally browner. 



Bange. — North America, breeding only in the interior from Iowa north- 

 ward ; not common on the Atlantic coast north of Virginia. 



