584 Wisconsin Academy of Sciences, Arts, and Letters. 
of a small body of water. The hollow'was. lined with grass and 
a little down. The nine eggs which the nest contained, w T ere 
fresh. They are greenish buff in color, and average 2.09x1.44. 
The smallest measure, 1.99x1.40; the largest, 2.15x1.47. Spe¬ 
cimens of these eggs were sent to the Smithsonian Institution 
and identified as probably eggs of the Shoveller. 
143. Pintail. 
Dafila acuta* (Linn.). 
This Duck is easily identified by its long, slender neck and 
very long, sharply pointed tail., The nest is usually built in 
the tall prairie grass in close proximity to water, though some- 
times it may be at a considerable distance from any creek or 
other body of water. 
A nest of the Pintail was found on May 14, containing nine 
eggs, in which incubation had commenced. The site chosen was 
on the prairie under a low bush. The nest was well lined with 
down, mixed with a little grass and bits of dry leaves. The 
color of the eggs from] this nest is light bluish or greenish, and 
the surface of the shell is very smooth. Several of the eggs 
measured as follows: 2.10x1.52, 2.16x1.48, 2.17x1.50, 2.22x 
1.46, and 2.20x1.48. 
146. Redhead. 
Ay thy a americana (Eyt.). 
This large and rather handsome Duck was found to be not 
uncommon on the sloughs and shallow lakes of this region. In 
general appearance, it is very similar to the Canvas-back and is 
sometimes confounded with it. Among other features, how¬ 
ever, the shape of the bill and head, alone, will serve to distin¬ 
guish them,. The bill of the Redhead is considerably shorter 
than that of the Canvass-back and the forehead rises from the 
base of the bill in an abrupt arch while the Canvas-back’s fore¬ 
head rises in a gradual slope, following the line of the bill. 
The nests of the Redhead were invariably found in grass or 
reed grown sloughs, or among the rushes on the border of shal¬ 
low lakes. They are situated similarly to the nests of the Coot, 
being basketrshaped piles of rushes or grass, or both, resting 
partly in the water. The Redhead’s nest is situated in shal- 
