The Baldpate 



to occiput bright glossy green, the color scattering behind; fore-neck and upper breast, 

 sides of breast broadly, and sides narrowly, deep vinaceous, edged more or less with 

 hoarj' vinaceous; the sides with fine wavy bars; back and scapulars similar, black-and- 

 white-barred, and heavily tinged with vinaceous; tertials lanceolate, velvety black, 

 with greenish reflections on outer webs, and narrowly bordered on outer margin with 

 gray and white; wing-coverts mostly white, the lesser brownish gray, the greater 

 tipped with black; speculum dull black with green gloss only on anterior inner portion, 

 the inner bounding feathers abruptly gray; rump cold brownish gray, lightening to 

 grayish white on upper tail-coverts, both finely wavy-barred with dusky; tail tapering, 

 the feathers sharply acuminate; the central feathers blackish, the lateral ones ashy 

 gray; lower breast and belly white; crissum abruptly black; axillars white; lining of 

 of wings white and brownish gray. Bill grayish dusky, blackening below and black 

 on tip; feet dull grayish dusky; darker webbed. Old drakes have the extreme chin 

 dusky, and are otherwise lighter about the bill, nearly immaculate on throat, and pure 

 white on crown. Adult female : Without white or green on head, — uniformly streaked 

 instead; vinaceous replaced by dull cinnamon-brown; obscurely mixed with dusky, 

 and edged with brownish gray; above dusky or fuscous, barred or edged on back with 

 dull ochraceous; wing-coverts grayish brown sharply edged with white; speculum and 

 boundaries as in male; no solid black on upper tail-coverts and crissum, — fuscous or 

 brownish and whitish instead. Length 457.2-558.8 (18.00-22.00); wing 266.7 (i°-5°); 

 tail 76.2-114.3 (3.00-4.50); bill 38.1 (1.50); tarsus 39.6 (1.56). 



Recognition Marks. — Under Mallard size; white "pate" and green head- 

 patches of male; white of middle and greater wing-coverts ; speculum diagnostic. Head 

 not cinnamon-red, as distinguished from M. penelope (H.). 



Nesting. — Nest: On the ground in meadow or near water; well constructed of 

 grasses lined with feathers. Down: Dark mouse-gray or dusky with white centers. 

 Eggs: 8 to 12; creamy white or pale yellowish gray. Av. size 55.1 x 38.8 (2.17 x 1.53). 

 Season: c. June 1st; one brood. 



General Range. — North America. Breeds from northwestern Alaska and north- 

 western Mackenzie east to central Keewatin, south to northern Indiana, southern 

 Wisconsin, Kansas, Utah, and northern California; winters from Maryland and Dela- 

 ware (casually to Massachusetts), southern Illinois, Arizona, and southern British 

 Columbia, south to the West Indies, Costa Rica, and southern Lower California. 

 Accidental in Hawaii and Europe. 



Distribution in California. — Common winter resident, chiefly upon fresh 

 water, throughout the State. Occurs also on shoal water bays and on brackish ponds. 

 Sparingly resident in summer, at least in the Modoc region. 



Authorities. — Gambel, Jour. Acad. Nat. Sci. Phila., ser. 2, i., 1849, p. 225 

 (Calif.); Dawson, Condor, vol. xviii., 1916, p. 24 (Davis Creek, Modoc Co.; breeding). 



THERE ARE, roughly speaking, four ways of securing a practical 

 acquaintance with any one of the more esteemed table ducks. Each 

 method is limited, and the several ways must be pieced together if one 

 would have anything like a complete knowledge of the species or an in- 

 sight into duck psychology. The first way is the way of the sportsman. 

 He will tell you that the Widgeon is best known by its lisping, throaty 

 whistle, repeated three times in quick succession. This note is sur- 



1762 



