312 RED-HEADED DUCK. 



pointe aux herbes," and the "Isle aux pins." So many of them, however, 

 were procured by this man, that he after awhile gave up sending them alive, 

 on account of the great difficulty he encountered in procuring a sufficient 

 number of cages for their accommodation. 



Although Dr. Richardson informs us that this species breeds "in all 

 parts of the Fur Countries, from the fiftieth parallel to their most northern 

 limits," I saw none of these birds during the spring and summer months 

 which I spent on the coast of Labrador. I was equally unsuccessful in my 

 search for it in Newfoundland. Indeed, I have never observed it eastward 

 of the State of Massachusetts, although from thence it is more and more 

 abundant the farther south you proceed, until you reach the tributaries of 

 the Mississippi. Beyond the mouths of that river, these birds are rarely 

 seen; and when I was there in April 1S37, none were observed by my party 

 or myself after we had left the South-west Pass on our way westward. In 

 Texas none were even heard of. From these circumstances I have inferred 

 that, along with several other species, the Red-headed Duck reaches the 

 Middle and Southern States by passing overland or following our great 

 streams, such as the Ohio, Missouri, and Mississippi, westward, and the 

 North river, and others eastward, both in its vernal and autumnal migrations. 

 This I am the more inclined to believe, on account of the great numbers 

 which on such occasions I have seen in ponds in the States of Illinois, 

 Indiana, Ohio, and Kentucky. 



I found it abundant in the marshes near St. Augustine, in East Florida, on 

 the Sth of November, 1S31, when the young males of that year had the 

 breast and lower neck mottled with brown and blackish feathers; and yet 

 whilst at General Hernandez's, in that district, on the 20th of December, 

 they were in almost perfect plumage. At this latter period they were shy, 

 and kept in company with Mallards, American Widgeons, Scaup Ducks, and 

 Spoonbills, generally in shallow fresh-water ponds, at some distance from the 

 sea-shore. In South Carolina, these Ducks are now much more abundant 

 than they were twenty years ago, especially on the Santee river, where my 

 friend Dr. Samuel Wilson has shot many of them, as well as of the Can- 

 vass-back species. 



The Red-headed Duck may be said to be equally fond of salt and fresh 

 water, and is found in abundance, during its stay with us, on the Chesapeake 

 Bay, especially in the month of March, when it associates with the Canvass- 

 back and other Ducks, and is offered for sale in the Baltimore markets in 

 great numbers. There I have seen them sold at 75 cents the pair, which 

 was lower by 25 cents than their price at New Orleans in April 1837. 



Although they dive much and to a great depth, while in our bays and 

 estuaries, yet when in the shallow ponds of the interior, they are seen 



