BLUE- WINGED THAI, 
The resident teal of Jamaica probably should be separated Bubspe 
cifically as Querquedula discors inornata (Gosse), bul the eastern and 
western boundaries of this form remain to be determined. 
Winter range. Blue-winged teal migrate over a vast extent of terri- 
tory, and arc found in winter throughout northern South America 
south to Brazil, Ecuador, Peru, and Chile They occur abundantly in 
Central America, Mexico, and the West Indies, and are equally com- 
mon during the winter in the Gulf States and north to Noit h ( arolina. 
In the Mississippi Valley few remain much north of the Gulf, though 
these few are scattered widely as far as southern Indiana and southern 
Illinois; a few winter in Arizona, and the small number of Pacific 
coast birds spend the winter in California and north to southern 
British Columbia. 
North of North Carolina this teal can hardl} r be called a common 
winter species, though it is not rare on Chesapeake Bay and win 
ters even as far north as Delaware. This species is one of the least 
hardy of our ducks, and few individuals remain where there is cold 
and ice. 
Spring migration. — The blue- winged teal is among the latest ducks 
to migrate. The first was noted at Erie, Pa., March 27, 1898; Tem- 
pleton, Mass., April 1, 1898; Prince Edward Island, April 20, 1888. 
In central Iowa, where the hardy ducks appear in February, the blue- 
winged teal was noted on the average (ten years) March 26 (earliest, 
March 18, 1899); northern Iowa, April 4, and Heron Lake, Minn., 
April 9. The records of Heron Lake are quite uniform — April 11, 
1885; April 11, 1886; April 10, 1887; April 8, 1888; April 9, 1889; 
April 7, 1890. These dates indicate less variation in the time of arrival 
of this species than of any other. The blue-winged teal appears in 
southeastern Nebraska, March 28; central South Dakota, April 2; 
central North Dakota, April 12; northwestern Minnesota, April 23; 
Aweme, Manitoba, April 27. 
In southern Texas this teal becomes common in spring about the 
middle of March; about the first week in April is the height of the 
shooting season in southern Louisiana. The latest migrants have 
been noted at Gainesville, Fla., April 29, 1887; Baltimore, Md., 
May 7, 1890; New Orleans, La., May 21, 1898; San Antonio, Tex., 
May 14, 1902. Eggs have been taken at Canton, 111., May 16, L897. 
Eggs just hatching were found on the Magdalen Islands, Gulf of St. 
Lawrence, June 16, 1900, and fresh eggs at Waseca, Minn., June 1; 
in North Dakota, June 12; and at Reaburn, Manitoba, June 4, 1894, 
Fall migration. — The blue-winged teal is one of the earliest ducks 
to move southward; during the month of August it reappears through- 
out the northern half of the United States and some especially early 
birds almost reach the Gulf of Mexico. During a period of fourteen 
years the average date of arrival at Alexandria, Ya., was August 31 
