210 
GEESE 
Nest, in tall grasses near water. Eggs, “5-8, pale buff or pale creamy buff, 
2*47 x l*7Q”(Ridgw.). Date, Fort Anderson, Mack., June 25. 
167. Erismatura jamaieensis ( Gmel .). Ruddy Duck. Ad. — Top 
of head black, cheeks and chin white, throat and back rufous-chestnut, 
lower back blackish; breast and belly silvery white; upper tail-coverts very 
short, tail-feathers stiff and pointed ; bill blue. Ad. 9 and Im. — Upperparts 
dark grayish brown, the feathers marked with fine wavy bars of buffy; 
sides of head and upper throat whitish, lower throat grayish, rest of under- 
parts silvery white. L., 15'00; W., 5*90; Tar., 1*15; B., 1*55. 
Remarks. — The short upper tail-coverts and stiff, pointed tail-feathers 
will always serve to identify this species. 
Range. — N. A. Breeds from cen. B. C., Great Slave Lake, s. Keewatin, 
and n. Ungava s. to n. L. Calif., cen. Ariz., n. N. Mex., nw. Nebr., s. Minn., 
s. Mich., s. Ont., and Maine, and rarely and locally in s. L. Calif., Kans., 
Mass., Valley of Mex., Lake Duenas, Guatemala, and in Cuba, Porto Rico, 
and Carriacou; winters from s. B. C., Ariz., N. Mex., s. Ills., Maine, Pa. 
and s. to the Lesser Antilles and Costa Rica; rare in migration to N. F. and 
Bermuda. 
Washington, common W. V., Aug. 20-June 21. Long Island, irregular 
T. V. and W. V., Oct. 17-May 22. Ossining, common T. V., Mch. 14-Apl. 6; 
Oct. 5-Oct. 28. Cambridge, formerly very common in fall; Oct. 10-Nov. 8. 
N. Ohio, common T. V., Apl. 1-May 15; Oct. 10-Nov. 20. Glen Ellyn, rare 
T. V., Mch. 21-May 21. SE. Minn., T. V., and uncommon S. R., Apl. 14. 
Nest, of reeds, in reeds over water. Eggs, 6-10, white, 2*50 x 1*80. 
Date, N. D., June 10. 
This plump little Duck swims jauntily with upturned tail. When 
pursued it dives, unless too hard pressed, and then, after pattering 
over the water, it takes to the air, with rapidly whirring wings and low, 
straight flight which suggests that of a great bumblebee. The male, 
in breeding plumage, is unmistakable and its bright, sky-blue bill is 
distinguishable from a distance. 
The Masked Duck {168. Nomonyx dominions) is a tropical species rare 
north of the Rio Grande. Single specimens have been taken in Wisconsin, 
Massachusetts, Vermont, and Maryland. 
Subfamily Anserince. Geese . 
Excluding the members of the subfamilies Anseranatince and PZeo 
tropterince we have left the true Geese, numbering twenty-five 
species, which are included in the present subfamily. With Geese the 
sexes are alike in color. The male is the larger and he takes part in 
incubation and in the care of the young. 
Geese are vegetarians. When on the water, they feed largely by 
tipping, as with head and neck immersed and tail pointing skyward, 
they search for the roots or seeds of aquatic plants. They are far more 
terrestrial than Ducks, and visit the land to nip the herbage, young 
coin, or cereals. When wounded, they dive readily and, with their 
body just below the surface of the water and only the bill exposed, 
head for the shore, where they attempt to hide in the vegetation. In 
migrating, the flock is formed in a V-shaped wedge, the lead, it is said, 
being taken by an old gander. 
