GADWALL. 27 
[Anas aberti Ridgw. Aberl Duck. 
A species known only from the type Bpecimeu taken at liaasatlan, Mexico.] 
Chaulelasmus streperus Linn. . Gad wall 
Breeding range. A largo majority of the North American individ 
ualfi of this species breed in tin- prairie district extending from Mani- 
toba to the Rocky Mountain-. south t" western Minnesota, and from 
northern South Dakota north t<> the Saskatchewan. 
The species breeds commonly from the Rocky Mountain- t<> the 
Pacific, south to southern Colorado, Utah, Nevada, and in nearly the 
whole of California: also probably in the Mogollon Mountains of 
Arizona. The northern range extends to southern British Columbia, 
Alberta (rarely or casually to Lesser Slave Lake), and to F<»rt ( Ihurchill 
on Hudson Hay. There LS no authentic record for the Mackenzie 
Valley, and if the specimen in the British Museum labeled "Bering 
Straits" really was captured there it was a wanderer, as was also one 
taken at (Jnalaska, March L8, 1^7'.'. 
In the Mississippi Valley the gadwall occasionally breeds in northern 
Nebraska and rarely in Kansas. Formerly it bred in Wisconsin (Hori- 
con .Marsh and Lake Koshkonong), there is one record for Ontario 
(St. Clair Flats), and one for Anticosti Island. It is only a straggler 
to New England and the Maritime Provinces north to Quebec and 
Newfoundland, and east of the Mississippi is rare north of North 
Carolina. 
The gadwall is a common breeder in Europe and Asia, ranging south 
in winter far into Africa and to southern Asia. 
Winter range. — The principal winter home of the gadwall is in the 
lower Mississippi Valley, especially Texas. Louisiana, and Arkansas. 
It rarely winters as far north as Illinois, but is more common to the 
eastward in North Carolina and Florida: accidental in Cuba (twice), 
Jamaica, and the Bermudas. The winter range extends to the south- 
ern end of Lower California, to Mazatlan, and the City of Mexico. In 
northern Mexico the species is common through the winter, and birds 
have been found paired in May, the late date indicating that they 
intended to remain and breed. Thence it extends commonly to Utah 
and Oregon, rarely to Washington and British Columbia. 
Spring migration. Only a few notes on the migration of this 
species have been recorded. The average date when the first spring 
migrants reach southern Iowa is March L8 (earliest March 1<». L896), 
it thus being one of the earlier ducks in this part o( its range. It 
reached Heron Lake. Minn., April 1 (earliest March 17. L886); Love- 
land, Colo., March <>, and Terry, Mont., about April 1. The first 
migrant was seen at Awenie, Manitoba, April "jJ.".. L898, and at Indian 
Head, Saskatchewan, April L8, L892, and April 24, L904. Eggs have been 
secured at St. Clair Flats. Ontario, about May :">'>; in western Minne- 
