Part 20

Nest.—Of grasses and feathers, on marshes or near ponds; 4 to 9 buffy drab eggs (3.50 × 2.50); May, June.

Range.—Breeds from Labrador, Dakota, and British Columbia northward; winters in Southern U. S. 172a. Hutchins Goose (B. c. hutchinsii) is smaller (31 in.) and found in Western N. A., casually east of the Miss. 172c. Cackling Goose (B. c. minima) is still smaller (24 in.); is found in the same range.

BRANT 173a. Branta bernicla glaucogastra. 26 in.

Head, back and breast black, sharply defined against the grayish-white of the underparts; a whitish patch on either side of the neck. They are very abundant on the Atlantic coast in winter, and when not too persistently hunted are unsuspicious; they do not fly in regular formation like the Canada geese, nor do they appear to have any special leader. They are inquisitive and easily decoyed, and consequently large numbers of them are shot annually. They are noisy, their notes being a peculiar, guttural “car-r-r-rup” or “r-r-rup,” and when in the presence of a large flock, the sound is deafening. (Elliott).

They feed upon tender water plants and roots, which they get from the bottom by tipping up, and not by diving.

Nest.—A depression in the ground, lined with grass and feathers; eggs grayish-buff (2.80 × 1.75); June.

Range.—Breeds in the Arctic regions; winters on the Atlantic coast and less often in the Mississippi Valley, from Mass. and Ill. southward.

BLACK-BELLIED TREE DUCK 177. Dendrocygna autumnalis. 22 in.

Legs and neck long; bill and feet pinkish; eye brown; head and neck chiefly gray; breast and back brownish; belly and under tail coverts, black; wing-coverts white and gray. These peculiar shaped ducks are not rare in certain localities along the Rio Grande in Southern Texas, and are abundant in Mexico and Central America. They are not timid and are frequently caught and domesticated. They can walk and run gracefully, and often feed in grain fields at considerable distance from water; they also eat shoots and seeds of aquatic plants. Like the Wood Duck, they nest in hollow trees, often at some distance from water, and, as soon as the young appear, help them to the ground and lead them to the water.

Notes.—A loud, shrill whistle.

Nest.—Usually lined with down, in cavities of hollow trees; the 6 to 15 eggs are pure white (2.05 × 1.50); May.

Range.—Found in the United States only in the Southern part of Texas.

FULVOUS TREE DUCK 178. Dendrocygna bicolor. 22 in.

Form like that of the last, but with the head, neck, rump and underparts rusty, and with no white in the wings. The Fulvous Duck is much more abundant in the United States than the Black-bellied, and is casually found as far north as Kansas and Nevada, while it is regularly found in Texas and Louisiana, where it is known as the Long-legged Duck. Owing to the nature of its diet, which consists chiefly of grain, roots and water plants, the flesh of this bird is esteemed as an article of food, and many are killed for such. When wounded, they are said to be difficult to capture, owing to the speed at which they can run; they also swim and dive well.

Nest.—Located in the hollow of a tree, the bottom of the cavity usually being lined with feathers. They lay from ten to fifteen pure white eggs, and as many as thirty-two have been found in one nest, but these were probably laid by two or more females; May.

Range.—Texas and Louisiana, and north casually to Kansas and Nevada. Winters in Mexico.

WHISTLING SWAN 180. Olor columbianus. 54 in.

Nostril situated at a greater distance from the eye than it is from the end of the bill; a small yellow spot on the bare space in front of the eye; plumage entirely white; bill and legs black. This is the swan that is found on the Atlantic coast, and is most abundant in the Miss. Valley. It is rare north of Chesapeake Bay, but it is abundant from there southward, in winter. They make a beautiful sight against the blue sky, their immense white wings slowly fanning the air and their long necks extended.

Notes.—A peculiar, flageolet-like “Who, who, who.” (Elliott).

Nest.—A mass of weeds, grass and feathers on the ground; 3 to 6 greenish buff eggs (4.00 × 2.75).

Range.—Breeds within the Arctic Circle; winters south to the Gulf of Mexico; rare north of Va. on the Atlantic. 181. TRUMPETER SWAN (Olor bucinator) is larger (65 in.) and is found west of the Miss. It breeds from Ia., northwards. Nostril midway between eye and tip of bill.

ORDER ODONTOGLOSSÆ FLAMINGOES—Family Phœnicopteridæ

FLAMINGO 182. Phœncopterus ruber. 46 in.

These large, beautiful birds are found in Southern Florida, and casually north to South Carolina, but it is doubtful if they breed within our limits. They fly with their long neck fully extended and legs trailing behind, a remarkable sight when a flock of several thousand is seen in flight. In 1904, Mr. F. M. Chapman visited a large breeding colony in the Bahamas, photographing the birds in every conceivable position. Their nests are mud-built structures, about a foot high, placed close together in the marshy interior of low lying islands, or on sandbars. The top is slightly hollowed out to receive the single egg (3.40 × 2.15), which is covered with a chalky deposit. They sit astride the nest with their legs doubled under them.

Notes.—A honking like that of Canada Geese.

Range.—Resident in the Bahamas and West Indies; north to Florida.

HERONS, STORKS, IBISES—Order Herodiones Family Plataleidæ

ROSEATE SPOONBILL 183. Ajaia ajaja. 33 in.