
ake VV ONG DEAL VAVAS “DLS CORKS, 
ALLAN 
The blue wing is of rather Southerly 
distribution, its range being about coin- 
cident with that of the wood duck; but it 
affects a more open country than the lat- 
ter, and often breeds in Southern Manito- 
ba, Alberta, and Assiniboia; also through- 
out the states of the middle West, being 
less common on the Pacific and Atlantic 

coasts. In the old world its nearest ally 
is the garganey, or summer teal. Females 
of this species and of the cinnamon teal 
can scarcely be distinguished from fe- 
male blue wings. though the drakes are 
all very dissimilar in coloration. In gen- 
eral habits the blue wing is like the shov- 
eller, and is much more closely allied to 
that duck than to the green wing teal. 
The blue wing is a fast flier. I have 
often seen a trip of them get up alongside 
of a train going over the prairies at full 
BROOKS. 
BLUE WINGED TEAL, ANAS DISCORS. 
speed, and after racing for a few seconds, 
dart ahead and cross the line in front of 
the engine. The Southward migration 
takes place early, few being seen in West- 
ern Canada after the middle of September. 
The birds return North rather late and are 
not often observed in Southern British 
Columbia before the middle of May. They 
SESS Ses 
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4 

are most often seen during the floods of 
June, which destroy most of their nests. 
Consequently this duck gets scarcer and 
scarcer each year. It is a good table bird 
though not quite so good as the green 
wing. 
The bill in the male is black; feet bright 
ochre yellow, with webs dusky. The feet 
and under surface of bill, in the female, 
are pale flesh color; iris dark brown in 
both sexes. 
