108 SEA DUCKS.

bill. as in the Ann/tum. aets as a. sieve 01' strainer. As :1. rule they feed by day and pass the night, at a distance from the shore or ut sea. Some 01' the speeies occur in our11'11ters in large lleeks—indeed, our most abundant Ducks are members of this subfznnily. With one exception they are northern breeding birds, seldom nesting south of our north- ern tier of States.

Their nest is composed of twigs, leaves, grasses, stems of aquatic p11111ts,se¢1\1eedete., lined 111th down from the bre 1st of the incubat- i115r bird.

KEY TO THE SPECIES.

I. Feathers at the base of the hill not reaching '51) forward along its sides. A. Wing over 7'00; axillurs:1111111111stit'1111tull the linings ot'the \1'ings white. (1. 111-1111 and neck black. with greenish or purplish reflections. 11'. Buck black; bill with 11 bluish band 111:;11‘ its tip. 1510. RixG—xucnnn DUCK 5. 61. Buck finely barred with black 211111 white. (1’. Buek 111' head generally with purplish reflections; wing generally under 5'25; nail of bill generally under '2.) in width. 14".] 1: 31' .11'1» D1 '11111 5. 113. Back of head gene 1111' 111th 1rreenish 1elle1tiens'; 111111.—r rener— ully ever 8'25; 11:1il ot l1ill111e1 2.3111 \1i1lth. 14$ .\.\1. 3121111 Dre}; 6. (1. 111-1111 111111 neek rut'ous or 1'111’11115411'011'11,sharply defined from the black

breust. bl. 111-1111 mid upper neek 1'ie11 ruf'ous; bill :5'011 111‘ under: flanks finely barred. like the hawk. . . . . . . . . . . 1411.1212111112111 a. 119. 111‘1111111111 neek 1'111'11115-111'1‘111'11; erown blackish' bill 111 1-1'- ‘ £11111 flanks very slightly it' at 1111 burn-11 . . . . . . . 1117. CANVAsnACK 5 . 0. 1101111 111111 neek brownish or grayish. .\ white puteh in the wing. 1'7 Feathers. at base 111‘ bill white: \1 i112 gener: 1111' under 9 2712111111 of

hill venerall} 11111l1r '25 in \1i1lth . . 14“. 1. F. '1 Drex 9. 05.1‘t‘ltll1‘r\ at, base 111 bill “hitt- : wing generally o\'1-1' S 271: 111111 of bill generally over '25 in width . . . 14%. .\.\1. >1:.\L'1* DUCK 9.

411. No white in wing. (13. An indistinct bluish 11111111 near the tip ot‘bill' bill under 2'00

1/9. Wing under 3'00. . . . . . .1’11L1’1V0 \‘1:1'K1:11 DICK 9.

l4. WingoverS‘OO . . . . . . . . . . . 1413. 1112111111111 9.

(1?. No 11111111 on hill : hill over 2'00 . . . . . 147. ('.\N\'.\SH.\17|\' 9 .

13. Wing; over 7'00; 11xillz11's 111111 must it' not 1111 the under \1'i11g-e1n'e1'ts blackish.

(1. 11111111 111111 throat 11:1rk steelihllle or ste1-l~ureen. 11'. 111-1111 and throat steel—blue: white p:1t1-h :1t l1ll.\'1‘ ofbill 1'011nr111ore in height . . . . . . . . . . 1:32. B.»\1u:o1\"s (1111.111:X»1:1'E 5. 1.1“ He 111 111111 throat steel— mreen' white patch at base of bill less than 1'1111111 height . . . . . . . . . . . 151. A11. (1111.111321—151'15 5.