PINTAIL. 39 



Illinois (twelve years), February 26; central Missouri (fourteen years), 

 February 26; Keokuk, Iowa (fourteen years), February 18; central 

 Kansas (seven years), February 21; southern Nebraska (five years), 

 February 23. Farther north average dates of arrival are Erie, Pa. , 

 March 11 (earliest February 23, 1891); northwestern New York, 

 March 25 (earliest February 25, 1902); southern Ontario, April 18; 

 Ottawa, Ontario, April 30; Montreal, April 23; Prince Edward 

 Island, April 24. The late arrival of this species in eastern Canada 

 is noteworthy, for by the time it reaches there, late April, in the inte- 

 rior it has penetrated a thousand miles farther north. Along this lat- 

 ter route average dates of appearance are southern Michigan, March 

 18; vicinity of Chicago (thirteen years), March 20 (earliest March 12, 

 1893). The normal time of arrival in central Iowa, as deduced from 

 copious records for twenty years, seems to be March 6, but in tsvelve 

 of these years one station or another reported unusually early birds, 

 the average date of arrival of which is February 21. The average 

 date when southern Minnesota is reached is (fourteen years) March 9 

 and northwestern Minnesota (four years) April 8. On the plains the 

 average dates are, northern Nebraska, March 5; southern South 

 Dakota, March 8; central South Dakota, March 17; Larimore, 

 N. Dak. , April 3 (earliest March 20, 1889) ; Reaburn, Manitoba, April 8 

 (earliest April 5, 1900); QuAppelle, Saskatchewan, April 10 (earliest 

 March 25, 1905); Great Slave Lake, Mackenzie, about May 1; Fort 

 Confidence, May 22, 1849. A very early bird was seen at Fort Simp- 

 son, Mackenzie, April 28, 1904. Nearer the Rocky Mountains, the 

 average date at Terry, Mont., was April 1 (earliest March 10, 1902); 

 Great Falls, Mont., March 16 (earliest March 10, 1889); Edmonton, 

 Alberta, April 7, 1887; St. Michael and Nulato, Alaska, about May 1; 

 Kowak River, Alaska, May 14, 1899; Point Barrow, Alaska, June 18, 

 1882. 



The pintail not only migrates early, but it is also among the earlier 

 ducks to breed, as evidenced by the following data: Will, 111., eggs, 

 May 10, 1877; Calumet Marsh, Illinois', fresh eggs, May 29, 1875; Han- 

 cock County, Iowa, eggs, May 1, 1879; Hay Lake, Nebraska, half-grown 

 young, June 17, 1902; North Dakota, eggs, early May, young, first 

 week of June; Oak Lake, Manitoba,. incubated eggs, May 24, 1892; 

 near Lake Athabasca, eggs nearly hatched, June 8, 1901; Nulato, 

 Alaska, beginning to breed May 20; Circle City, Alaska, downy 

 young, July 10, 1903; Kowak River, Alaska, first eggs, June 1, 1899. 



Fall migration. — As is true of most ducks, there is a southward 

 movement in August, but it is not until early September that many 

 appear south of the breeding grounds, and in the course of two weeks 

 a few birds find their way even to the Gulf of Mexico, arriving 

 there by the middle of September. Some early dates are: Erie, 

 Pa., September 6, 189,3; Alexandria, Va., September 13, 1890; Long 



