THE BIRD BOOK 
137. Baldpate. Mareca americana. 
Baldpate 
Green-winged Teal 
Range. — North America, breeding in the in- 
terior from Texas north to Hudson Bay. 
The Baldpate (so-called because of the white 
crown) or American Widgeon is a handsomely 
marked bird and is regarded as a great table 
delicacy. The male birds cannot be mistaken for 
any other species because of the white crown, 
Creamy white 
wing coverts and underparts and the broad green 
stripe, back of the eye. They breed locally in 
many parts of the country, building their nests 
of grass and weeds, neatly lined with feathers, 
on the ground in marshes. They lay from six 
to twelve creamy eggs. Size 2.15 x 1.50. Data. — 
Lac Aux Morts, North Dakota. Eight eggs. Nest 
of grass and down on ground in a grassy meadow. 
Collector, E. S. Bryant. 
[138.] European Teal. Nettion crecca. 
An old world species that is casually found on 
both coasts of America. 
139- Green-winged Teal. A 
ettion carolinense. 
Range. — Whole of North America, 
breeding chiefly north of the United 
States. 
A small, handsome species, the male of 
which can readily be identified by the 
reddish brown head and neck, with the 
large green patch behind each ear; length 
fourteen inches. Green-winged Teals are 
our smallest representative of the Duck 
family. They are eagerly sought by 
sportsmen, both because of their beauty 
and the excellence of their flesh. They 
are among the most common of Ducks in 
the interior, where they nest generally in 
tufts of grass along ponds, lakes or 
lined with down from the bird. Eggs buffy, 
1.25. 
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