62 



THE COLLECTORS' MONTHLY. 



The beautiful Wood Ducks are well j 

 known, and quite common. At the east I 

 end they occur as regular migrants, afew 

 remaining to breed in the more thickly j 

 wooded portions. I found them a- i 

 bundent on the Altamaha River Ga., in 

 midwinter. Nests in hollow trees, com- 

 monly, but not always near water. Nest j 

 of sticks grasses etc., lined with down. [ 

 Eggs eight to fourteen in number, cream j 

 color, and about 2 : x 1 % inches. 



Breeds in the far North. Nest placed on 

 the ground in the vicinity of water, and 

 made of weeds and grasses lined warmly 

 with down from the birds breast. Eggs 

 cream, orgreenish, eight orten in number, 

 and average 2 : 1-2 x 1 % inches. 



(57) 146. Aythya americaim. 

 Redhead, (618) 



Head chestnut brown. Bill broad. Back and 

 sides thickly mottled with black and white. 

 "Lower neck, and breast black. Speculum pale 

 grayish blue, its inner feathers sharply edged 

 with black. Tail hoary. .Length 20 Vi inches. 



Common in restricted localities during 

 the migrations. Rare at the east end. 

 Breeds from the Northern U. S., north- 

 ward. Nest of weeds and grasses, lined 

 with down, and placed in thick growth 

 near water. Eggs eight to fourteen, 

 pale creamy, and about 2%xl% inches. . 



(58) 14 1. Aythya vallisnevia. 

 Canvas-back, (61 7.) 



Head and neck chestnut brown, with dusky 

 markings on crown, and at base of bill. Bill 

 narrow. Back white, finely mottled with black. 

 Breast, rump, and tail coverts black. Length 

 20 inches. 



Probably occurs at the east end as a 



rare straggler. I have never met with it 



alive. Breeds inland and Northward. 



Nest made of weeds and grasses, lined 



rather sparingly with feathers. Placed 



on the ground near water. Eggs eight 



or ten, creamy or greenish, measuring 



about 2%xl% inches. 



(5!)) 148. Aythya marila nearctica. 

 American Scaup Duck, (614.) 



Bill blue, widened at the tip. Head, front of 

 body, rump, and tail black. Head glossed with 

 green, Beneath white, waved lateraliy with 

 black. Upper wing coverts marked obscurely in 

 the same manner. Speculum white. Length 20 

 inches, 



Less common as a winter resident and 

 migrant than the succeeding species. 



(60) 149. Aythya affhis. 

 Lesser Scaup Duck, (615.) 



Very similar to the preceding species but 

 smaller in size. Length 10 Vi> inches. 



The "Broadbills," as the present and 

 preceding species are called by the local 

 gunners, are common in the migrations 

 on the waters of Long Island, arriving 

 from the North on the approach of cold 

 weather. 



They search out the shoals where their 

 food of small clams and other shell fish 

 are abundant, and these places they 

 frequent in such compact bodies as to 

 have received the name of Raft Bucks. 

 On these spots the gunners place their | 

 decoys at break of day, and lying low in 

 their floating "batteries" are afforded 

 excellent sport as the birds return to feed. 

 When their feeding grounds are frozen 

 over the majority of the Scaups go. South, 

 and gather in flocks of thousands at the 

 mouth of the rivers and inlets, where 

 they feed on prawn until they become so 

 fat and tame that 1 have often walked 

 as near as I wished and shot them sitting 

 on the beach where they had crawled up 

 to sun themselves. Breeding habits same 

 as preceding species, but eggs smaller, 

 averaging 2%xl % inches. 



(61) 150. Aythya collaris. 

 Ring-neck Duck (616.) 



Similar to preceding species, but. a narrow 

 ring of chestnut brown around the middle of the 

 neck. Bill black, with a whitish bar near the 

 base, and another near the end. Speculum lead 

 color. Length 18 inches. 



A rare winter visitor. Mr. J. C. Knoess 

 showed me a specimen which was killed 

 near Riverhead. Breeds from the North- 

 ern U. S. northward. Nest placed on the 



