112 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF CANADA. 



Nelson and Turner both report this as a very common duck in 

 Alaska, but seem to know little of its breeding habits. Its great 

 breeding-grounds are very likely the "tundra" bordering the 

 arctic coast southwest of Point Barrow. 



Breeding Notes. — This species breeds commonly on the 

 marshes along the Yukon, even above Fort Yukon. The main 

 breeding-ground of this species remains unknown to me, for 

 although females and young were not rare in summer, yet they 

 were not numerous enough to account for the vast number of 

 males to be found. From the fact that immense flocks of the 

 males are constantly seen off the coast in summer it is evident 

 that the females assume the duty of incubating the eggs and 

 rearing the young. (Nelson.) The remarks made under 0. deglandi 

 happen to be, in almost every respect, equally applicable to the 

 present species — the only difference noted being that generally 

 less hay and feathers was observed in the composition of its nest. 

 (Macfarlmie.) Audubon observed this species breeding in Labra- 

 dor. He found a nest in a freshwater marsh, among the tall grass 

 and weeds. It was composed entirely of withered weeds, lined 

 with the down of the birds, and contained five eggs of a pale- 

 yellowish or cream colour. [Mcllwraith.) 



museum specimens. 



There are two in the collection, one taken in Hudson Bay, the 

 other at Comox. Vancouver Island, June loth, 1893, by Mr. W. 

 Spreadborough. , 



LXIII. ERISMATURA Bonaparte. 1832. 



167. Ruddy Duck. 



Hrismatura jamaiceiuis {Qiws.\.. Salvad. 1896. 



A rare and uncertain visitor on the Atlantic coast, though 

 reported from Newfoundland, Nova Scotia and New Brunswick. 

 More common in Quebec, and according to Mcllwraith, generally 

 distributed in Ontario. Abundant migrant near London. A few 

 pairs breed in the marshes at St. Clair Flats. {Saunders & Morden.) 



This is a common summer resident in Manitoba and Assiniboia, 

 breeding in all the deep and reedy ponds. Stragglers have been 

 taken on Hudson Bay, and Richardson says it breeds as far north 

 as Lat. 58° ; Ross says that it goes north to Great Slave Lak6,but 



