TTTR OANADtAN SPORT-MAN AM. \ \TI IIALHT. 



Of our ducks there are three sub-families, 

 viz., the Anatice, the river of fresh- water di 

 the Fuligulionce, the sea,ordeep water,ducks, 

 and the Merginai, the fish ducks. 



Of our shoal-water or river ducks we will 

 enumerate as belonging t ir avi-fauna: 



The Mallard, Anas boschas.% The' male 

 is also called the green-head, and the female 

 the gray duck. 



The Black Duck, Anas obscurus, % also 

 called dusky duck, and black mallard. 



The Pintail Duck, Anas acuta,% also called 

 the sprigtail. 



The Galdwell, Anas streperus* also called 

 gray duck. 



The Widgeon, Anas Americana,t also 

 called the American widgeon, and bald-pate. 



The Shoveller, Anas clypeata* also called 

 broad-bill and spoon-bill. 



The Wood-duck, Anas sponsa, Jalso called 

 Summer duck and tree duck. 



Of the teal genus we have here: 



The Green-winged Teal, Querquedula Car- 

 olinensis. t 



The Blue-winged Teal, Querquedula 

 discors. t 



Of the deep-water or diving ducks found 

 more or less habitually on our waters during 

 their migrations, we notice : ■ 



The Canvas-back Duck, Fuligula vallis- 

 neria. % 



The Red-head Duck, Fuligula ferina. var. 

 Americana,t also called pochard, red-headed 

 wigeon, and rums-necked duck. 



The Blue-bill Duck ; Fuligula mania, X 

 also called big black head, greater scaup duck, 

 raft duck, flocking fowl, ami shuffler. 



The Little-blue bill, Fuligula qffinis ; f 

 with the same local names as are applied to 

 the next preceeding species, with the word 

 little prefixed. 



The Ring-necked Duck, Fuligula colaris;* 

 sometimes improperly calfed blue-bill. 



The Golden eye Duck, Fuligula clangula, t 

 also called garrot. 



The Iceland Golden eyed Duck, Clangula 

 Islandica,] breeds in trees like the wood- 

 duck. (Nest found in the Province of Quebec.) 



The Buffle-headed Duck, Fuligula albeolat 

 also called butter-ball, spirit duck, and dipper. 



The Lake Huron Scoter, Fuligula bimacu- 

 lala* also called American black scoter and 

 coppernose. 



Of the fish ducks we have three species viz : 



The Goosander, Mergus merganser, % also 

 called saw-bill. 



The Red-breasted M- 

 rator, t also called fish duck and sheldral 

 The Hooded Merganser, Mergm eucuUa/utu J 



also 'ailed saw-billed di Vi r. 



The list embraces a portion of the aq 

 birds frequenting Michigan marshes and wa 

 If we would all cultivate the habit ol 

 and carefully noting novelties, anon 

 and unusual occurrences, it would add im- 

 mensely to the pleasure of our recreation 

 and would give us something to think l» 

 slaughter and a " big bag." 



Your committee ask the further attentit 

 the association for a few minutes while w< 

 view a portion ol the report on nomenclature 

 made last year, which was accepted, and the 



recommendations adopted, excepting thai 

 pertaining to Ortyx Virgimanus* called quail 

 at the North, and partridge at the South. We 

 do not propose to go into a minute description 



of the three birds involved in thi< questioi 

 they are too well known to intelligent 8] 

 men to require it. But we wish to submit a 

 few generalizations. The name quail has 1k-«-h 



applied to the Coturniz communis (the true quail) 

 forages. No one disputes its correctness. It 



belongs to the European bird, that has been 

 quite largely introduced into this country 

 within the last few years. It is equally true 

 and undisputed that the quail, Corturnix com- 

 munis, sometimes called " migratory " quail, 

 is distinct from our American bird, Orlyx 17/-- 

 ginianus, not only specifically but generically 

 distinct. In habits these two birds diflfi 

 essentially as the barnyard fowl from the 

 Guinea hen. It is manifestly improper to call 

 two entirely different birds by the same name, 

 ami as the name quail properly and indisput- 

 ably belongs to Coturniz communis, it certainly 

 does not belong to Ortyz Virginianus. 



Again the name partridge as indisputably 

 belongs to Perdix cinerea. (The true partridge.) 

 No one disputes it. Now. although our Ortyx 

 is nearer to Perdix than it was to Coturniz, yet 

 it is likewise essentially different from the 

 former. Ornithologists acknowledge it to be 

 generically different. And as Perdix 

 christened partridge in vernacular long before 

 Ortyx was known to civilized man, he is cer- 

 tainly entitled to the name. As before stated, 

 it is, manifestly improper to call two distinct 

 birds by the same name. Therefore our Ortyx 

 should not be called partridge. 



In the light of this simple logic we see why 

 the controversy that has been so warmly 

 carried on for years as to whether our bird 

 should be called a quail or a partridge, lias 



