GEESE. 119 
     
    
   
   
    
     always distinguish this species from 0. americana, while it may be known 
     
     from deglandt' by the absence of white in the wings. 
     
    

    
     Range—Breeds from the Gulf of St. Lawrence northward; winters south- 
     
     ward to the Great Lakes and Virginia, and casually to Florida. 
     
    

    
     Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through 
     
     Apl. Sing Sing, common T. V., Oct. 7 to Oct. 22. Cambridge, occasional 
     
     in fall. 
     
    
   
   
    
     Nest, in tall grasses near water. Eggs, “five to eight, pale buff or pale 
     
     creamy bufi', 2-47 x 170 ” (Ridgw.). 
     
    
   
   
    
     167. Eflsmatura. rublda. ( Willa). RUDDY DUCK. Ad. 6 .——Top or 
     
     the 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 my and pointed. Ad. 9 and Im.—-Upper parts dark gray— 
     
     ish brown, the feathers marked with fine wavy bars of hufl‘y; sides of the 
     
     head and upper throat whitish, lower throat grayish, rest of the under parts 
     
     silvery white. L., 15-00; W., 590 ; Tar., 1'15; B., 1'55. 
     
    

    
     Remarks—The short upper tail-eoverts and stifi', pointed tail-feathers will 
     
     always serve to identify this species. 
     
    

    
     Range—Of general distribution from northern South America to the fur 
     
     countries, breeding largely northward, but locally throughout its range 
     
     (Granada, Wells; Guatemala, Salvin; Cuba, Gundlnch; Cape Cod, Miller). 
     
    

    
     Washington, common W. V., Sept. to Apl. Long Island, irregular T. V. 
     
     Sing Sing, common T. V., Mch. 14 to Apl. 6; Oct. 5 to Oct. 28. Cambridge, 
     
     very common in Get. and Nov. 
     
    

    
     Nest, in a slough or marshy place, generally on a mass of floating vegeta- 
     
     tion. Eggs, six to ten, creamy or butiy white, 250 x 1‘80. 
     
    
   
   
    
     “ When rising from the water, it runs on the surface for some dis 
     
     tance. and generally against the wind. If it can not command a. fair 
     
     open space for flight, it will dive, using its tail either as a rudder or as 
     
     a paddle in a vertical motion, and will hide itself away among the 
     
     grass and sedges. When on the wing, it flies low along the surface of 
     
     the water, with a. rapid beat of its broad wings, making a short, plump 
     
     figure quite uncommon for 8. Duck; and it generally flies quite a dis- 
     
     tance before alighting ” (Langille). In swimming, the tail is sometimes 
     
     held erect at right angles to the body. 
     
    
   
   
    
     The MASKED Drcx (168. Nomonyx dominicua) is a tropical species of 
     
     rare occurrence in North America. Single specimens have been taken in 
     
    
   
   
    
     Wisconsin, New York, and near Cambridge, Mass. “ 
     
    
   
   
    
     Suhfirmily Anserime. Geese. 
     
    
   
   
    
     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,