GADWALL 105 



by the pure white of its speculum. The females of the Gadwall and 

 Baldpate resemble each other very closely, but the former is darker 

 on the back and rump and does not show the conspicuous white 

 patches on the wings which mark the Baldpate in flight. The female 

 Gadwall and Pintail are closely similar and may be confused, espe- 

 cially on the wing. The Pintail has a longer neck and is lighter colored 

 beneath ; in hand its green speculum and relatively broad bill (see figs. 

 12 and 19) make identification easy. 



Chapman (1912, p. 194) describes the courtship flight of the 

 Gadwall in the East as follows: "The male pursues the female often 

 high in the air and for some time, on a course as erratic as that of a 

 Barn Swallow." Secluded places in fresh- water marshes are usually 

 selected as nesting sites. The nest is placed on the ground, some- 

 times in a depression, and usually in grass in relatively dry situations 

 though close to water. The structure is composed of any available 

 vegetable material such as grass and tules, finely shredded, and is 

 lined with very dark-colored down. The eggs, numbering seven to 

 thirteen in a set, and averaging about ten, are bluntly ovate or almost 

 oval in shape. They are of a pale creamy white tint. Eggs of the 

 Gadwall closely resemble those of the Baldpate. Prom the latter 's 

 eggs those of the Gadwall may usually be distinguished by their 

 shorter length and more oval shape and by their paler, less deeply 

 cream color; but the identification cannot always be made with cer- 

 tainty. As compared with eggs of the Mallard those of the Gadwall 

 are smaller and less ovate in shape. The nest down of the Gadwall 

 is darker than that of the Baldpate. As with the Mallard the female 

 alone cares for the young. The downy young of the Gadwall are 

 stated to be among the palest colored of our river ducks. The accom- 

 panying table (no. 9) gives records of nests which have been reported 

 in California. 



Table 9. — Data relative to the nesting of the Gadwall in California 



Locality Date Contents ot Nest Authority 



Near Los Angeles April 16, 11 eggs, considerably Davie, 1900, p. 79 



incubated 



Los Banos, Merced Co. May 12, 1914 9 eggs H. 0. Bryant, 1914e, 



p. 222 

 Los Banos, Merced Co. May 16, 1914 12 eggs, slightly in- H. C. Bryant, 1914e, 



cubated p. 222 



San Jacinto Lake, June 8, 1897 12 eggs, incubation com- IngersoU coll. 



Riverside Co. menced 



Chowchilla, Merced Co. June 24, 1901 8 eggs, incubation begun Mailliard coll. 



San Pedro, July 20 9 eggs Baird, Brewer and Bidg- 



Los Angeles Co. way, 1884, I, p. 508 



The Gadwall is a shy species, hiding away in the tules and weeds 

 during the daytime and even when foraging for food remaining close 

 to cover. Its long pointed wings give it rapid powers of flight ; and 



