RING-NECKED DUCK 187 



and downy young, but from the habits, voice and anatomy. The downy young 

 looks very much like the young of Canvas-back or Red-head. Some of the older 

 writers, Bonaparte, for instance, were more nearly correct than recent students, in 

 associating this bird closely with the Tufted Duck (Nyroca fuligula) which it cer- 

 tainly resembles in some respects. 



This is a difficult bird to distinguish in the field except when in the plumage of 

 the adult male. Even then the ring, which appears so prominently in most por- 

 traits, is almost entirely covered up by the "drawn in" position of the neck. Old 

 males, however, are easily told at long ranges by their dark heads and backs, cres- 

 cent-shaped white marks in front of the bend of the wings, and banded bills. With 

 the females and immatures the case is very different and the exact differences have 

 been mentioned under Description. The Red-head is the only species from which 

 it requires to be carefully separated and the field-marks are difficult. The banded 

 bill, darker back (in all plumages) and smaller size of the present species are the 

 only features that are easily noticed. But often these cannot be clearly made out. 

 By sportsmen and market-shooters this duck has nearly always been confused with 

 both kinds of Scaups and the Red-head, so that it is very difficult to get an idea of 

 its status in different regions. 



It is on the whole a strictly fresh-water duck keeping to retired pond-holes rather 

 than to open water. It has a peculiar distribution, with a strong tendency to avoid 

 both Atlantic and Pacific coasts, and a marked west to east autumn migration, be- 

 sides one that takes it almost directly south. 



Wariness. Most of the Ring-necks I have seen have been single stragglers and 

 I noted nothing especial about their tameness or wildness. Not many writers have 

 remarked any peculiarities in this respect. H. H. Sheldon (1907) spoke of them as 

 not as shy as other ducks, but I doubt whether this bird differs much from Red-heads 

 or Canvas-backs. The few flocks which I have been able to watch are certainly 

 more nervous and alert in their behavior than the Scaups. They will not follow a 

 moving flock of wooden decoys as the Scaups do, and are much more lively in their 

 actions. 



Daily Movements. There is little recorded. They probably feed as much as 

 possible during the morning and evening and probably also at night. 



Posture, Swimming, and Diving. The shape of the Ring-neck is Pochard-like, 

 perhaps not so flattened as are the Scaups. They have exactly the appearance of 

 other diving ducks on the water, but the elongate feathers of the head give the males 

 a "full-headed" look, and the flank feathers or water-line in the males have a char- 

 acteristic appearance. 



