50 BIRDS OF ALABAMA 



ber 7, 1915, and I found the species fairly common in Duckers 

 Bay, December 2 to 4, 1915. Around Coffee Island, near 

 Coden, on November 12, 1915, it was fairly common and sev- 

 eral were shot over decoys. 



General habits. — The baldpate frequents the larger rivers 

 and the bays along the coast. It is reported to associate in 

 some localities with canvas-backs and red-heads, and to steal 

 from these birds the grasses and roots v/hich they bring from 

 the bottom. In Duckers Bay, where I found the species com- 

 mon, the birds fed at night, like the other ducks, and rested 

 on the outside bars during the day. Their sweet, whistling 

 notes were several times heard as they came into the bay in 

 the evening. 



Food habits. — The food of the baldpate is very similar to 

 that of the gadwall, but the proportion of animal food (6.77 

 per cent) was somewhat greater, consisting chiefly of small 

 mollusks and a few insects. The vegetable food, as deter- 

 mined by Biological Survey stomach examinations, consists 

 of pondweeds (42.8 per cent) ; grasses (13.9 per cent) ; algae 

 (7.7 per cent) ; sedges (7.4 per cent) ; wild celery and water- 

 weed (5.75 per cent) ; water milfoils (3.48 per cent) ; duck- 

 weeds (2.2 per cent) ; smartweeds (1.47 per cent) ; and other 

 miscellaneous plants in smaller quantities.^ 



GREEN-WINGED TEAL: Nettion caroUnense (Gmelin). 



State records. — The green-winged teal occurs regularly as 

 a winter visitor, but from all reports seems to be not very 

 common. Avery in 1890, reported it rare at Greensboro, 

 though formerly abundant. McCormack likewise considers it 

 rare at Leighton, having taken only 3 specimens — 1, Novem- 

 ber 8, 1889, and 2, October 17, 1890. Holt took a specimen 

 at Barachias, January 9, 1913.** The bird is reported by 

 gunners as occurring in fall and winter at Muscle Shoals in 

 the Tennessee River, at Orange Beach, and on Mississippi 

 Sound. One was taken near Mobile, November 7, 1915, and 

 one in Duckers Bay, December 3, 1915, from a flock of 20. 



+Mabbott, D. C. Bull. 862, U. S. Dept. Aprr., p. 11, 1920. 

 ••Go'.san and Holt, The Auk, vol. 31, p. 216, 1814. 



