248 



GAME BIEDS OF CALIFORNIA 



While the bulk of the species 

 is migratory, a few individuals 

 may remain throughout the year 

 in parts of the summer range. 

 Thus there is a record from 

 Marysville, Yuba County (Beld- 

 ing, 1879, p. 445) of a bird 

 taken in winter and this is, 

 curiously enough, the northern- 

 most record for the state at any 

 season. East of the Sierras a 

 pair was taken at Little Owens 

 Lake, Inyo County, May 8, 1891 

 (A. K. Fisher, 1893<j, p. 19) 

 and one was seen over the Colo- 

 rado Eiver near Potholes on 

 January 17, 1913 (Howell and 

 Van Rossem, 1915, p. 232). The 

 species is a common transient in 

 the Imperial Valley. 



The Fulvous Tree-duck is so 

 very un-dueklike in many re- 

 spects that it has been variously 

 classified, usually as a member 

 of the goose tribe. Its long bill, 

 with the large, sharply down- 

 curved nail (fig. 39), the long 

 slim neck, the very long legs 

 (fig. 38), reaching far beyond 

 the tail, and the reddish brown 

 color (pi. 7), without white 

 markings on head or wings, 

 make identification easy. The 

 erect pose when on the ground 

 is goose-like, and in flight the 

 head and neck are bent down- 

 ward in a manner characteristic 

 of geese. 



The following notes quoted 

 from W. Otto Emerson would seem to show that the Fulvous Tree- 

 duck occasionally, at least, nests in trees in California, and so rightly 

 deserves its current name : "On May 23, 1882, while collecting with 

 Wm. C. Flint at Lillie's ranch near Tulare Lake I noticed a Fulvous 

 Tree-duck sitting in the entrance hole of a large white oak near one 



Pig. 38. Side of tarsus and foot of 

 Fulvous Tree-duck. Natural size. 



Note large size of tarsus and foot, 

 and long hind toe without lobe (com- 

 pare with figs. 11 and 22). 



