40 NORTH AMERICAN DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS. 



Island, September 15, 1903; Rhode Island, September 4; eastern 

 Massachusetts, September 11; Montreal, September 3. The main 

 flight is a whole month later, bringing the birds in large numbers to 

 Chesapeake Bay the middle of October and to the coast of North Caro- 

 lina late in that month. Some very early migrants have been seen in 

 west central Texas September 4; at Corpus Christi, Tex., August 18, 

 1902, and at the southern end of Lower California, August 29. The 

 last ones leave the Arctic just about the time the first reach the Gulf 

 of Mexico; the last were noted at Point Barrow, Alaska, September 7, 

 1882; Kowak River, Alaska, September 14, 1898; St. Michael, Alaska, 

 October 10; Fort Franklin, Mackenzie, September 27, 1903. Large 

 flocks begin to leave southern Minnesota the middle cf October, and 

 most have departed by the first of November. 



[Poecilonetta bahamensis (Linn.). Bahama Duck. 



This duck is among the species that range most widely in the Western Hemi- 

 sphere. It is strange that it should not have been detected in Florida, for it occurs 

 throughout the Bahamas, even in the most northern islands. Thence it ranges 

 through the Greater and the Lesser Antilles to South America. In Brazil it is one 

 of the most abundant ducks and occurs in decreasing numbers even south to the 

 Falkland Islands. It has been recorded from every country of South America except 

 Colombia, Venezuela, and Ecuador. It breeds throughout its range from the Baha- 

 mas to the Falklands.] 



Aix spousa (Linn.). Wood Duck. 



Breeding range. — The wood duck is more closely confined to the 

 'United States than any other North American duck. South of this 

 country it is not a rare resident in Cuba and is accidental in Jamaica 

 and the Bermudas. It occurs in California south to Los Angeles and 

 Ventura counties, in the latter of which it breeds. There is a single 

 record for Mexico, at Mazatlan. It breeds in eastern Texas, south 

 rarely to San Antonio; thence to the Pacific slope and north through- 

 out the whole Rocky Mountain region it is rare or accidental. It is 

 recorded as breeding in southwestern Colorado (Fort Lewis), north- 

 ern Idaho (Fort Sherman), northern Montana (Flathead Lake), and 

 as a rare migrant in various localities south to New Mexico and 

 Arizona. 



The northern extension of its range is found in Nova Scotia and 

 New Brunswick, for the species is not yet recorded from Newfound- 

 land, and there seems to be no reliable record for Labrador. It 

 ranges at least as far north as Montreal, Ottawa, Moose Factory, 

 Trout Lake, and Cumberland House. It appears to be absent from 

 the Rocky Mountain region of Canada, but occurs in southern British 

 Columbia (Agassiz, Sumas, Chilliwack, and Burnaby Lake). 



It is one of the earliest ducks to breed, as young were found in 

 northern Florida on March 19, 1877. 



