. THE RED HEAD. 



ALLAN BROOKS. 



The redhead has a wide distribution, be- 

 ing found throughout the continent from 

 Atlantic to Pacific. Unlike its congen- 

 ers, it is not found in the far North, 

 and is one of the few diving ducks thai 

 breed commonly as far South as the United 

 States. In the old world it is replaced by 

 a closely allied species, the pochard, which 

 differs from the redhead in the coarser 

 vermiculations of the back and flanks. In 

 America the redhead is often confused with 

 the far-famed canvasback; but this can al- 



The redhead is a fine game duck, fre- 

 quenting marshes in preference to salt wa- 

 ter, and is generally a first class table bird, 

 as its food is more exclusively vegetarian 

 than that of most other diving ducks. It is 

 a rapid flyer and an expert diver. A 

 winged redhead will generally make good 

 its escape if there is any cover within 

 reach. 



The redhead seems to be a silent duck. 

 During the pairing season it utters a low, 

 grating cry, at the same time shaking and 



THE RED HEAD, AYTHYA AMERICANA. 



ways be distinguished in both sexes by the 

 long narrow bill, which is entirely black, 

 instead of leaden blue with a black tip, as 

 in the redhead. A much closer ally of the 

 redhead is the ringbill, or ringnecked duck. 

 In form, habits, and coloration of eggs the 

 ringbill and the redhead are identical, and 

 the female of the ringbill is an almost ex- 

 act miniature of the female redhead. Old 

 male redheads also acquire the white sub- 

 terminal band across the bill, though this 

 is never so pronounced as in the ringbill. 



jerking its head about, exactly as if some- 

 thing was stuck in its throat. The ruddy 

 duck has the same action when courting. 



In most localities West of the Rockies 

 the redhead is scarce, and I have never 

 observed in British Columbia the enor- 

 mous flocks of them that one sees in East- 

 ern America. 



In the adult male the iris is deep yellow, 

 in the female more brownish. The feet are 

 dull lead color, with black webs; bill lead- 

 en blue, with tip and extreme base black. 



A Georgia man, who has gone to Wash- 

 ington in search of a government job, gives 

 as his qualifications : "I can not only write 

 poetry and novels, but there ain't a govern- 

 ment mule that can throw me.' — Atlanta 

 Constitution. 



108 



