Food Habits of Seven Species of American Shoal

U NITED STATE S DEPARTME N T OF AGRICU LTU RE LETI BUL N No. 862

’ C ontribution from th e Bureau of Biologic al Su rvey' W O h E . . N E LS N ief , C

n PRO FESSIO N AL PAPER . Dece ber 30 1920 Washingto , D . C. m ,

FOOD HABITS OF SEVEN SPECIES OF AM ERICAN

AL-WATER DUCKS SHO .

1 M B B Assistant in conomic Ornitholo D A S C . B O . y UGL A OTT , E gy

E N S CON T T .

P e ag. 1 Blue-w inged t eal Cinn mon t eal O O O O O O 2 a O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O O

16 Wood duck 17

D I N INTRO UCT O .

The w ild ducks of the United St ates belong to three main groups : The m n in n n l as ﬁsh u s ill the erga sers (Merg ae) , k ow a so d ck or sawb s ;

“

- i u s Ana ina ll l s al a u l las or . r ver d ck ( t e) , ca ed a so ho w ter, p dd e , p h ,

i in u ks and s ea u s Fuli lin rw is k n n as s, t pp g d c ; the d ck ( gu ae) , othe e ow

‘ deep - wat er or diving ducks Thi s bulletin tre ats of the food habits

' 2 of i s i s s oal- a u s one hi Eu o n e ght pec e of h w ter d ck , of w ch , the r pea s il d k s are wi n is nl a s a l r in ni S a . W u dgeo , o y tr gg e . the U ted t te d c our m s im an m i i lu l of the o t port t ga e b rds , ther va e to the peop e

' 1 D ou a C iffo M a a r f is ll e in w as a mem e the er i Si t R e imen U ni e gl s l rd bbott , utho o th bu t , b r of h o c x h g t, t d ‘ " S a es Ma ine C r s and - artici at ed in all the ar ﬁ htin one a r ani za i n at B ures es t t r o p , p p h d g gd by th t o g t o o ch , S M s k in i n Se m r 1 1 1 e lhi l a ien . H w e a e e 5 9 8 il Be eau Woo Soi on and in the t . e l e as ll d, ss s , t ill d ct o pt b , , wh

Mi iel d w a ur e nea the a e of. Xammi e n a akin ar in n a vance in the a le St . an s e t gp t a d b tt of h , b i d r vill g , r M 12 1893 and e ame a mem e thes aff h F H w n ena Wis . ar iau ur ran e. e as o at t e Th co t, c b r Ar , , ch , , b c b r of t of S D em er 1 1 1 — E D TO Bio o i a u e e 9 5 . . l g c l rv y, c b , I R 2 i B ‘ m d rn a are rea e n ul . 7ZO U S ree er s e ies the a l ar a an s e l . . Th oth p c , l d, bl ck duck, outh b ck duck, t t d l , S L McAtee 35 : 1 D A F H i h M D he U ni e a es W. . . l ec De . r. oo a s of t e a a s t . pt g, d b t ll rd uck of t d t t , by , pp _ , p , 3 1 2 19 8 . ,

N O TE - i s ull e in resen a e ni al s the oo a i s e en s e ies A meri an s al . Th b t p ts t ch c tudy of f d h b t of s v p c of c ho a er s: The a all the al a e the een-w n e ue- nge an d innam n ea s the in ai d gd , b dp g g , w , o l , p l w t uck w t , r i d bl i d c t ‘ t and the oo and in l es a ef n e on the uro ean w i eon i a s ra er in the U ni e w d duck; c ud bri ot E p dg , wh ch is t ggl t d S Th v o r i i w ill serve as ui e er ain - u k oo a ma tates . e egetable fo d p eferences exh b ted gd to c t wild d c f ds th t y be propagated when it is sought to increase the numbers of these valuable game ducks either in the wild B 2 U S A 05 . D . . r n a e or in m i a i n F ﬁ inf rma i n on hi s i see ul . e . e e s es . or s eci c t t do t c t o p o t o t top c, l , pt g, El v Im r an W l - F oo in hi are is sse mu k ra k wee s r i th ia a er elm po t t i d duck ds , w ch d cu d s gss , duc d , f ogb t, , w t , '

am rive ee a d eon a a er ress a er ee and n ail = 25 ﬁ s . Ma 20 1915 sw p p t, lgr ss , wi g gr ss , w t c , w t w d , coo t ; pp , g { y , ; i s e ri e e er o a o B ll . 465 Pr a a i n W in i are s s n ee ls u , op gt o of ild wh ch d cu d wild c , wild c l y, p dw ds ,

el a a a a u a mille and anana a er i . 40 ﬁ s . 35 Feb . 23 1917 . d t pot to, w p to, ch f , wild t, b w t l ly; pp , g , ,

179375 —20 - 1 2 E I 862 U . s . DE P M E OF I E BULL T N , ART NT AGR CULTUR .

s lin s s an s l United St ate tota g hun dred of thou d of do lars . Some of S i s is ull in are m n m s lu l the pec e covered by th b et a o g the o t va ab e , in il l al a an n— i l s a d a . a the p t , gadwal , b dp te , gree w nged te The ducks here dis cuss ed have not thus far been utilized l n duck ‘ a min so a an n as the in allard and bl u but f r g to gre t exte t ack d cks , the w ood duck and the green- w inged te al h ave proved to be a dapted su us e and i l u im n s w ill sult as u to ch , poss b y f rther exper e t re s ccess l s i s n m a i n s n in ful y With some of the other pec e . I for t o pre e ted the follow in g pages show s the preferences of these ducks among y ege

a l m a s i ul in a m in es a t b e foods , tter wh ch sho d be heeded tte pt g to t b lish the more or less n atural conditions which probably will be found necessary for success in the prop agation of some of the species in inclosures D GA WALL.

Chaulelasmu r ru s st epe s . )

P 1 LATE .

w ll uck as it is s m im s all is alm st The gad a , or gray d , o et e c ed , o sm li an l n its is i u i n in mmonl in E u i co opo t d tr b t o , breed g co y rope , As a, and N Am i a and n in s u in i s u n i orth er c ra g g o th w nter to o ther As a ,

' m is an in A i a and in No Am i a so uthern e so e d t ce to fr c , rth er c to the nd li E s of Low er Ca fornia and to southern Puebla . a t of the Mississippi Ri and n N C lin i is a and in ver , however, orth of orth aro a , the b rd r re , l It in N ew E ngland is found only as a s tragg er . breeds most of the s n ni S a s and in s u n C n but its in i al e we ter U ted t te o ther a ada , pr c p br ed ingrange for North America is in the prairie district extending from ani a and s n inn s a R Mount ains ' south M tob we ter M e ot to the ocky , to

N and n Sas a an . ebraska, orth to k tchew The adult m ale gadwall 1s distinguished p articul arly by the scale li m in on as a a on l n and as ke ark gs the bre t , e ch fe ther the ower eck bre t in l i i s n and i d u in a be g b ack w th a wh te cre ce t a wh te bor er , prod c g i s i peculiar mottled or barred effect . The b rd ha a prominent wh te ulum in a e d in n b blaok i an a a spec or w g p tch , bord re fro t y , w th re ' s nu — n on a in m i in mi l of che t t brow the forep rt of the w g, co pr s g the dd e

he m ain . lum is chieﬂ wing coverts . T re der of the p age y gray or o ni a i l The m al l nu s . s s br w sh , tre ked w th b ack fe e ack the che t t

in s and as and i are uf wi a a w g covert , the bre t s des b fy th the barred ppe r n l i in a ce ess d st ct . F D H B S OO A IT .

' In abi s ll m l m all aid in i on h t the gadwa rese b es the , feed g e ther dry l n in ll a n s n l and s ams a d or sha ow w ter ear the edge of po ds , akes , tre , “ ” where it gets its food by tilting or standing on its he a d in the a i . ll and al a s w ter The food of both the gadwa the b dp te , however , ui if n in m a m s q te d fere t so e respects from th t of the allard . The e tw o feed to a very large extent upon the le aves and stems of wa ter A i r . l . 86 2 U . S . De t . r t e Bu PLATE l . , p of gcul u

or SH AL -‘ ATER 3 FOOD HABITS O W DUCKS .

s in l a n i n s s il m ll s plant , pay g ess tte t o to the eed , wh e the a ard feed indiscriminately on both or even shows some preference for the

In a in s u an i of li a n ll s . seed f ct , re pect to the q t ty fo age t ke , the gadwa

' and the b aldp ate are different from all other ducks thus far examin ed u ar l m u l a ian i l i l S . e e by the B o og ca rvey They a so ore p r y veget r , their diet inclu ding a smaller percent age of animal matter than that of any of the other ducks . 3 For a determination of thefood habits of the gadwall 417 stomachs m 1 a a s 9 S s nd C n and i . il l . were ava ab e The e were fro t te a ada , the r i 3 1 ll i n en a er od a s . Onl 24 a n co ect o . ext ded over p of ye r y were t ke during the ﬁve months from April to August and their contents not in lu in m u in a a n a s so a were c ded co p t g the ver ge perce t ge , th t ain n ll and i m n the results thus obt ed apply o ly to the fa w nter o ths . n i l m ni l is a n in summ an in win Co s derab y ore a ma food t ke er th ter , in urs a a m is il l at a im ow g , of co e , to the f ct th t ore ava ab e th t t e of en a nim l summ m n s is year . The perc t ge of a a food for the er o th higher also bec ause there are in cluded in the averages analyses of

” um us s ma n n s of u lin w hi at n ero to ch co te t d ck gs , ch feed to a gre ins A the 11 s m a s ll u in extent up on ects . ll of to ch co ected d r g the month of J uly (9 from North D akota and 2 from Utah) were of _ in s m u a i n a a n n s is young duckl g . A co p t t o of the ver ge co te t of th s i s ll in esul s : Wa u n er e produced the fo ow g r t ter b gs , per ce t ; l s flies and i la a 2 n m dr a onflies and beet e , the r rv e , ; y phs of g ns 2 al nim damselflies i s l n . , other ect , ; tot a a food , per ce t n s 2 mi i n s 12. 55 a l l Po dweed , per ce t ; grasses , edges , ; w ter fo s , sm ar s mi ll n u al a l tweed , sce a eo s , tot veget b e food , n per ce t . Of m ainin 13 s ma s ll in summ all but the re g to ch co ected er , two m m a ur i s i n n s a a were fro t e b rd . The r co te t ver ged per cent nim l and n a l n n a l a a food per ce t veget b e ; per ce t , or e r y lf nim l o nsis n i u it ill n ls . s s a ha the a a f od , co ted of s a Th w be ee th t , so far as c an be ju dged from the contents of such a limited number s m a s summ a ul ir s not i of to ch , the er food of the d t b d do es d ffer a l m i in gre t y fro the r w ter food . A rather large proportion of the total num ber of stom achs ( 131) m ir a i i i na s u ni was fro b ds t ken n Lou s a . The e f r shed the bulk of the ll i ns fer N m ua and ar but a a mu co ect o ove ber , Febr ry , M ch , ver ged ch sam h s m S a s rinci al t m the e as t o e fro the other t te , the p p i e s con sis in e n s Sa ittaria u s s m u i t g of s dges , po dweed , g t ber , grasse , so e c l t i a u r n i y a nd m ll . ns u 57 s ma ted r ce , o sks A ka as co tr b ted to chs a 53 N Ca lina 30 a a 22 and Fl ri a 2 Ut h , ; orth ro , ; North D kot , ; o d , 0 ; main in s a the re der be g c ttered .

3 Seven -six of ree ese e min b . a e W L . ty th w x d y McAtee. 4 E I 862 U . s . DE P M E or E BULL T N , ART NT AGRICULTUR .

VE E TA B E F oon G L .

As computed from the contents of 362 Stom achs collected during six m n s m S m a er n the o th fro epte ber to M rch , p ce t of the food ll nsis s a l m a r hi is ' of the gadwa co t of veget b e tte . T s m ade up as ll : n s n l fo ows Po dweed , per ce t ; sedges , a gae , n ail ass s a a s r i and i coo t , gr e , rrowhe d , ce other cul t y a ain sma w s wil l ted gr , rt eed , d ce ery and a a lili s ma mil and w terweed , w ter e , dder fa y , mi ll n u n sce a eo s , per ce t .

P O N D WE E D S A I AD A E AE C (N C ) , PER ENT .

Oi 4 17 lls s s m a s e amin 155 had the gadwa who e to ch were x ed , e aten tru e pondweeds (P otamogeton 112 widgeon grass (Ruppia i mar tima 20 n n Zannichellia alustris 17 u ) , hor ed po dweed ( p ) , b shy n Na a s exiliS 3 l ass Z ostera marina and 8 n po dweed ( j ﬂ ) , ee gr ( ) , po d weeds which were too far a dvanced in the process of diges tion to be

i n ifi In n a as n i further de t ed. early ll c es the pondweed food co s sted hi l and m an m n S c efl s s d s im u a d u s . e s y of eaves te , o et es b ds t ber e d o£t en s n s m im s in nsi a l num s but a ul were pre e t , o et e co der b e ber , as r e a a m l in i n n s ar un u dl they ppe red to be ere y c de tal . Po dweed e do bte y a i his s i s ll al a and the f vor te food of t pec e , as we as of the b dp te , , they ar a n l on ll a n in as e e te very greedily . The gu let of e gadwa t ke Tex in November cont ained a mass of the foli age o f small pondweed ‘ m n i i s i s (P ota ogeto pusillus ) the size of a b ll ard ball . A er e of 26 stomachs t aken in North Carolin a in Decembercont ain ed practic ally n in but l and s ms n s in lu in u n oth g the eaves te of po dweed , c d g tr e po d n an wi n n s m a e s u d ass . s s w ed , b shy po dweed , dgeo gr Ma y of the e to ch mm n s s n and hr r cra . es we e ed Ofte a few of the eed were pr e t , t ee in a i i n a stomachs cont ain ed dd t o a few s edge seeds . Other r ther large s eries of gizz ards cont aining chiefly foliage of pondweeds were

i i iana a an a a _ a n in l a u s d N o . t ke F or d , Lo , Ut h , orth D k t

SE D G E S E R A E A E (CYP C ) , PER CENT .

s n in a m n f o i ms all The sedges , eco d f vor a o g the o d te of the gadw , ’ ns i u an im an i n his i s ul din u on co t t te port t except o , to t b rd r e of fee gp th l and s ms lan s a an u n for the e eaves te of p t r ther th p o the seeds , l v s and s ms ac i all all are a s fibrous or ea e te of pr t c y the sedges co r e , , i n han e en d and not m a m l . O v woo y , do ke cho ce orse s the other d , ’ ar a i i rn m n mos s — a uc the seeds e a f vor te tle of food a o g t fre h w ter d ks . The sedge seeds mo st often e aten by the gadwall were tho s e of three s ua Scir us americanus 150 ir s ai i ul us S alu q re ( p ) , by b d ; pr r e b r h ( p 2 al —m a s us robustus 24 uni dentified dosa s 7 s ul S. ) , by ; t r h b r h ( ) , by ; ulr us s Scir us 47 ass Cladium e usum 68 b he ( p ; saw gr ( fi ) , by ; an uf as r 1 nsi a l num i s d ch ( p e us by 3 . A co der b e ber of b rd m Mississi i l a u iana had n in u in fro the pp De t , Lo is , bee feed g d r g n H ABI r SH A - TER DU CKS 5 roo TS o O L WA .

J annary and Febru ary almost exclusively on the s eeds of three

- m - had a n us s a l s u a . S s s bul q re o e e te also the root tock of r he , prob b y of the s ame species as the s eeds ; others from the s ame gener al region had varied their diet by feeding to some extent upon the delta B lrus a u s Sa ittaria lat h lla and a n il . u pot to (t ber of g p yp y ) , few s a s h

s s u u ll ns i u ul s m a n en s . eed , however , s a y co t t ted the b k of the to ch co t t al iz ar l c ain d no a Sever gz ds ont e fewer th n to seeds .

A A E LG , PER CENT .

It is not surprising that in a duck which feeds so freely upon the

lia a u i a i n l o m m an one- n fo ge of q at c veget t o , a gae f r ed ore th te th of o al s m a n n s s a n m s l in s in the t t to ch co te t The e were e te o t free y pr g , m im m n m i in 21 n a the ax u co su pt on be g . 6 7 per ce t of the tot l food for 0 th m n a a d minimum 1 4 n in m e n . 6 o th of M rch , the per ce t Dece ber

s l a n nsis mu ass C ara, but Mo t of the a gae e te co ted of sk gr ( h spp . ' al in n sever other k ds were prese t .

' O O A I CeratO h llum demersum C NT L ( p y ), PER CENT .

So far n n ll is nl u i s an as k ow , the gadwa the o y d ck wh ch feed to y n u n lia n ail i s its mm n nam m exte t po the fo ge of coo t , wh ch get co o e fro a fancied resemblance 1n the shape of its ﬁnely branching s tems and l a s ai a n 1 l n n l . s ll e ve to the t of a r ccoo It a so ca ed hor wort , hor weed , and m ass n i s u k mm nl u n or weed . Ma y other spec e of d c s co o y feed po a n a se s lan bu t a s i s 50 ll the h rd, hor y co ted ed of the p t , er e of gadwa s ta n in m 1909 l n ississi i Ri r inn s n ke Dece ber , , a o g the M pp ve orthwe ter Arkans as , had eaten large quantities o f the le aves and tips of the m man i s s lus n all . te , y to the exc o of other food on n s s 50 s m a s a a ll : C on ail The c te t of the e to ch ver ged as fo ows o t , 2 8 7 . 7 u s n n 1 . n 3 . 8 8 s s u us 6 6 per ce t ; d ckweed , ; eed of b tto b h , ; po d

s l 1 - mis ll an us a l in atter weed , a gae , ; sedges , ce eo veget b e , s a las s s — a z and a u t tob t of fre h w ter bryo oa , w ter b gs , n is i if per ce t . It poss ble that s tomachs of the b aldp ate had been il l r m s am r i n is i l mi a s n ava ab e f o the e eg o , th b rd a so ght h ve how a as lia n a H rn il . r ll s t te for the fo ge of coo t oweve , three other gadwa to achs (one from Colorado and two from Louisiana ) contained c on Sl derable uan i i s lan il nl one n i ll e q t t e of the p t , wh e o y of the e t re co e i a a a n t on of b aldp tes h d eaten it to an appreci ble exte t .

RA SS E S RA M I E A E C A N D I I 1 . 31 . G (G N ) , PER ENT ; CULT VATED GRA NS , _ PER CENT

Considerable qu antities of grass were found in s tom achs collected

u in s in m n s i ll a n n un d r g the pr g o th , espec a y M rch , whe the te der yo g ’ shoot s are plentiful throughout t he gre ater p art of the ducks winter

an his nsis l l s s and un l a s r ge . T co ted arge y of the hoot yo g e ve of

i ass anicum re ens and s s am nus but sw tchgr (P p other of the e ge ) , there w l s n m a ass P oa salt rass Distichlis s icata ere a so pre e t e dow gr ( g ( p ) , 6 UL E TI 862 U . 8 . DEP R MEN T OF R U L R B L N , A T AG IC TU E . li l a l Hordeum usillum a ass S nther sma san uinalis tt e b r ey ( p ) , cr b gr ( y i g ) il mill E chinochloa crus— alli ail Chaetochloa lan e cut w d et ( g ) , foxt ( g c ) ,

ass Zizenib sis miliac ea i cut - ass Homdloc nchrus or zoides gr ( p ) r ce gr ( c y ) , saltﬁ rnarsh gr ass (Spartina m ann a grass (P anicularia Mow anthochloé littoralis and a s unid ntiﬁ S a e e . l , few other , d ever of thes e s n nl s s and n u u ll ns i were repre e ted o y by the eed , the they s a y co t t d a m a a i m a m a tu e co p r t vely s all p rt of the sto ch co ntents . The cul tivated gr ain was t abul ated s ep arately from the rem ain der of as s s aus n mi a a it c on the gr e bec e of the eco o c interes t tt ched to . It sis alm s n i l i un in i a s s al ted , however , o t e t re y of r ce fo d the g zz rd of ever

uisiana i s a n in F u a and w s un u dl w as Lo b rd t ke ebr ry , a do bte y te ain One s m a a n in gr . to ch t ke Oregon in Janu ary was crammed with ains a l y and an m N Ca lin a in rua c on gr of b r e ; other , fro orth ro Feb ry , t ain d s al n ls O i u l s l no e ever ker e of corn . bv o s y theea so were of eco n mi im a i a an n am un n . l d o c port ce The r ce , b r ey , cor together o ted

' ‘ ‘ n th nt nts l num of st m a to per ce t of e co e of the who e ber o chs .

W I A MI A LI SM A CE E l A . ATER PLANTA N F LY ( PER CENT .

On e of the f avorite item s of food among many species of du cks in the lower Mississippi V alley dur ing the fall and winter months is t he l a a as s a u s a s i s a a Sa it de t pot to , the t rchy t ber of pec e of rrowhe d ( g

4 “ s ns i u an s ia im taria platyphylla ) are c alled . The e co t t te e pec lly por an i m m n u s in in on ississi i l a L ui t t food te a o g d ck w ter g the M pp De t , o

" siana e u s in a a un an an t a i , wh re the t ber grow gre t b d ce d he v r ety of

u s i n t a n ll s m a s m his i d ck food s o gre t . Ma y gadwa to ch fro t regon n ain nl i ms hi l a n un co t ed o y three te of food , w ch a so h ve bee fo d to be the typic al diet of s ever al other species when wintering on the Delt a :

s s ds hr - s ua Scir us america nus the e were the ee of t ee q re ( p ) , the

l a a and a s i s n il Neritina - ifir inea abun de t pot to , pec e of s a ( g ) , very d ant there : The s tom ach contents of a s eries of 27 gadwalls t aken ne ar the end of theDelta in November aver aged as follow s : Seeds of hr —s u a i s al —m a s ulrus n t ee q re (w th a few of t r h b h) , per ce t ; l a a n s and n il n s ev de t pot to , po dweed , s a s , per ce t ;

‘ al min i ms al a n ail u k w s and a in s s er or te , as g e , coo t , d c eed , few ect m a u m ain de p the re der .

D U CKW E E D S N (LEMNACEAE ) , PER CE T .

It is ra ther surprl smgthat a du ck which shows su ch a m arked preferen ce for the foliage of aqu a tic Vegeta tion as the gadwall should

s are m ll not have e aten du ckweeds to a gre ater extent . The e s a

ﬂoa tin lan s n s n in su a un an in n s l and gp t , ofte pre e t ch b d ce po d , akes , sluggish s treams as completely to cover large areas of their surfaces .

li l lan s are lu i u and n and aff a a i a i l The tt e p t sc o s te der, ord f vor te rt c e i u ck a num s ll of food for many spec es of d . L rge ber of the gadwa

4 — 9 S D A 21 24 1 17 . Bul . 465 F . . e t . r . . l , p g, pp , I or SH A - ATER 7 F OOD HAB TS O L W DUCKS .

' ' ma amin ll in m of uisiana s to c hs ex ed were co ected the swa ps Lo , A ansas and l ali i s u s un bu t rk , other oc t e where d ckweed abo d , the i a w s Onl 1 al maj ority failed to d sclos e ny duck eed . y 7 of the tot num a u s L em a and s m ber of ducks had e ten d ckweed ( n spp . o e of i a i i s thes e only i n very lim ted qu nt t e .

W O O A E AE SMART EEDS (P LYG N C ) , PER CENT .

i The Polygonacea e is on e of the families of plants of which the s eeds i l i alone furnish an importan t art c e of food for bird s . Th s veryprobably

' is the reason why smartweeds are only on e of the minor items in the

ll ll in s i s identiﬁed m food of the gadwa . The fo ow g pec e were fro the

“ stom achs examined : Dock- leaved smartweed (P olygonum lapotki m a ma P m h b olium un in 5 s a s s . a i ium f ) , fo d to ch ; w ter rtweed ( p ) , P a a P nn l ni m a v ul r s P . in 3 and kn e . i ; otw ed ( c e) , e sy va a rtweed ( ’ f - P h dro er la s um P . enns luanicum a . i p y ) , w ter p epper ( y p p ) , dy th b (

. P h dro i ero e an i l ersicaria mil a . id s d p ) , d w ter pepper ( y p p ) , pr ck y i 2 a S s l in w P n . smartweed ( . e ch eed of b ack b d eed a i P o lo a m (P olygonum convoloulus) and nother spec es ( . pe us nu ) were s n in 1 a unidentiﬁed sma s in 2 and s s pre e t e ch, rtweed , eed of dock i 2 ma i m n . S s s s u ll (Rumex spp . ) rtweed eed were pre ent sua y n s all num s but ull one i a n in n ana amm ber , the g et of b rd t ke Mo t was cr ed

“ i a u 3 000 s s a in a i i n w th bo t , eed of w ter pepper, dd t o to a few of dock l a ma e ved s rtweed .

M I D R A IT F I A O R A E A E . ROGB T F LY (HY CH C ) , PER CENT

’ Wild celery ( Vallisnema spiralis) was foun d in the s toma chs of 3 i o il l m a a s s n nd hilotria s . b rd hot Mob e Bay, A aba a , w terweed (P pp ) had been ea ten in generous quantity by a bird from southern Wis si ild l is a im a i m f m con n . W ce ery very port nt food t e o so e s i k pec es of duc s .

W I Y M M A I N A E A E A E . ATERL L F LY ( Y PH C ) , PER CENT

Tw o gadwall s toma chs coll ected in Florida w ere ﬁll ed with the

s eed s of. a white wa terlily ( Casta lia one containing about

“ and s A m am S a ai s . n s n n the other eed ‘ other fro the e t te co t ed 28 a i s s a s i l B a n a h of the h rd ovo d eed of w ter h e d ( r se i sc reberi) .

M ADD M I E R A R B IA E A E . F LY ( U C ) , PER CENT

Twenty- three gadwalls had ea ten s eeds of bu ttonbush ( Cepha Zanthus occ a s a na l a ident lis) . The e s eeds re rrow y wedge sh pe and are borne like minia ture sycamore balls in spherical clus ters on the ends an s lan i is a s u m ll in of the br che of the p t , wh ch hr b or s a tree grow g in‘ la s had n a n wet p ce . They bee e te by few of the ducks in any a num s bu t in s m ins an s ons i u h a gre t ber , o e t ce they c t t ted t e gre ter a m p rt of the s to a ch contents . 8 L E I 862 U . s . DEP ME or GR U RE BUL T N , ART NT A IC LTU .

l EI SCE LLA N E O U S D PE R N VEGETABLE FOO , CE T .

A large number of mis cellan eous item s m ade up the rem ainder of ’ l l a l m a the gadwa s veget b e food . The s to ch of on e du ck from the m u B ea Ri a w as ﬁlled w i r m ains th e s m s o th of r ver, Ut h, th e of te , l a s and s e s ickl e ras s Salicom ia a mb a y un u e ve , e d of p g ( igu ) . A o g d ck fr om the sam e region had made a m eal of willow c atkins (Salix Several gizz ards from the wooded swamp s of Arkans as contained

' fragm ents of s cales fr om the con es of bald cypres s (Taxodium dis ticﬁum and one w as n ir ly ﬁlled w i alls r m s l a s . ) , e t e th g f o cypre e ves

n ro m hi s i n ls c n aine s s ra m n s Ma y f t reg o a o o t d the eed , or f g e t of s s a es Vitis a Celtis ll Ila); eed , of gr p ( h ckberry ( ho y ( and sum a s Rhus S s a i s bur m a i l ch ( eed of beggr t ck , or r go d (Bidens water milfoil ( Myriophyﬂum bottl e brush (Hip ' ums vul aris Ranunculus s i wa nn H dro p g ) crowfoot ( p ) , ter p e ywort ( y cotyle dodder ( 0 118 0t myrtle ( Myrica bur reed (Spargq nium li H eliotro ium - and m n s a n he otrop e ( p a y other , e te

‘ in m ll u a i i s m l th v t abl s i n e e e e e s . s a q t t , co p eted g food of the p ec e

'D I F n AN AL oo .

“ As has en s a vi usly i n animal be t ted pre o , the proport o of food ak en the ll is m ll am un in nl er n t by gadwa very s a , o t g to o y p ce t on n s s m a s amin e lusi of the c te t of the to ch ex d , exc ve of the few i m a in m s m A A s cattered te s t ken dur g the onth fro pril to ugus t . ' In thes e the pres ence of s ev eral s t om achs of ducklings c aus ed the

a si a l average p ercent ge of animal food to run con der b y hi gher . The ﬁgur es given were compiled from the conten ts of the 362 s tom achs ll urin ll and in m n s m S m co ected d g the fa w ter o th , fro epte ber to

March . K 5 T M OLLU S S C 1 1311 . (MOLLUS A) , CEN

A u r - ur hs nim l f ll bo t th ee fo t of the a a ood of the gadwa , or per

- m A il m a n al nsis llu . In 6 s s not ce t of the tot , co ted of o sks pr to ch (

" included in this average) they amounted to p er cent of the l In th ll an d in m n s t an m mon th y food . e fa w ter o th hey r ged fro Ei s i s nothing in Septem ber to 4 p er cen t in January . ght p ec e of nail identified il e unidentifi ed a m n s s s were , wh e there wer fr g e t of ifi i al in 3 m s snails in 5 s tom achs and unident ed b v ves . The o t

’ im an snail N emltina, mr inea i is c ominon on port t was g , wh ch very the Mi ssissippi D elt a and cons titutes one of the princip al item s of food a i is had n of m any species of ducks w in tering in th t reg on . Th bee e aten by 25 gadwalls and r anged from a m ere trace to 7 0 per cent of the food pr es ent . I I NSECTS ( NSECTA) , PER CENT .

m n al s Ins ects a ounted to only per ce t of the tot food . The e ( consis ted of c addisﬂies and their l arv ae Phry o anmdea) per cent ; ﬂi es and i l Di t era 0 07 u s H mi a a a . the r rv e ( p w) b g ( e pter ) , r oom A ITS or S-B OA - WATER U CKS 9 H B L D .

e l s C l e a dra onflies and damselfiies and i be t e ( o eopt r ) , g the r n m s na a and ins s n y ph (Odo t ), other ect , per ce t . One Oregon bird had m ade almost a full me al of a dul t c addisflies in and u - s a la al as s u in October , the t be h ped rv c e were fo nd the s ma s 8 s to ch of other . i a u u ll nsis la a u a but asi n The D pter s a y co ted of rv e or p p e , occ o

ll a ul fli s Six mili s f ll w s z° Crane e . a s n o o a y of d t f e were repre e ted , as flies i uli a un in 1 s m a mi s C i n mi a in (T p d e) , fo d to ch ; dge ( h ro o d e) , 10 soldierflies Stratiom idae in 2 horsefiies a ani a in 1 ; ( y ) , ; (T b d e) , ; ° B i a in 3 and E drida in 8 orbor d e , phy e , . u s a n chi efl a ua i a a m C ix i a The b g t ke were y q t c . W ter bo t en ( or d e) had n a n b 25 ll in a u s Naucoridae bee e te y gadwa s , creep g w ter b g ( ) 6 and a s i s G i a 4 il shorebu s Saldidae by , w ter tr der ( err d e) by , wh e g( ) , stin “ u s Pentatornidae and lan e s ul i a k b g ( ) ; p t hopp r (F gor d e) were a n 1 a t ke by e ch . The most comm on Coleoptera were water s c avenger beetles H o il ida r a i us i in l s is i a und ( ydr ph e) , p ed c o d v g beet e (Dyt c d e) , gro b l s Ca a ida l a l s C s m li a and ils eet e ( r b e) , e f beet e ( hry o e d e) , weev R n a amili s e s n l s ( hy chophor ) . Other f e r pre e ted were rove beet e S a lini a la l s m s i a l u Coc cin el ( t phy d e) , rder beet e (Der e t d e) , adyb gs ( lidae ill l s B rrhidae l a a s S a a a i a a lin ) , p beet e ( y ) , e f ch fer ( c r b e d e) , d rk g l s n i ni a flow er l s An i i a and lis l s beet e (Te ebr o d e) , beet e ( th c d e) , b ter beet e l i a Of 362 i s a n u in ll and in m n s (Me o d e) . the b rd t ke d r g the fa w ter o th , nl 23 had a n l s and s n amoun m an 4 o y e te beet e , the e ever ted to ore th c n s ma n n s Of 11 u lin s a n in J ul per e t of the to ch co te t . d ck g t ke y , all but one had a n l s in r ins an s s however , e te beet e ; th ee t ce the e am oun 15 n and ns i u n ted to per ce t , co t t ted per ce t of the food all of . N o ll had a n n m s dra onfli es Anis a gadwa s e te y ph of g ( opter ) , two s damselflies Z a and one an na m tho e of ( ygopter ) , odo te ny ph , to o oun t o be identifi ed badly gr d . mis llan us ins s nsis an s i n um ns The ce eo ect co ted of a few t , ch e o , B rneno r n ill i a te a a d a a a . etc . ( y p ) , c terp r (Lep dopter ) Together they amoun t o nl n ted o y per ce t .

T R S A E A S . C U C N (CRUSTACEA) , PER CENT

C s n i n l r m s u a ll ru tace a s ev de t y a e not uch o ght fter by the gadwa . M enty—one birds had e aten very small bivalved crust ace ans (Ostra a u u ll in m all num s i a ds n ain cod ) , s a y s ber . Three g zz r co t ed the ﬁn ers a s m ains craw ﬁsh and one s u g of cr b , two the re of , a owb g Oniscus ase us Al h us a ans u nis nl ll . ( ) . toget er cr t ce f r hed o y per n ll ’ ce t of the gadwa s food .

M A PE M IS E A E O S A I R . C LL N U N L FOOD , CENT

The s tom ach of a gadwall from an Open lake in northe astern A ans as n ain s al und m ll u i u s rk co t ed ever h red of the s a reprod ct ve b d , "

ULLETIN 862 u . s. DEP R M E or R B , A T NT AGRICULTU E .

l s s - a B oa s are sim l im s a as . an al or t tob t , of fre h w ter ryoz The e p e anisms i o in c olon es r esémblin m ass s l a a org wh ch gr w i g e of j e ly, tt ched m us Bi s dr i s anim als l s l la to sub erged br h . t of hy o d ( c o e y re ted to als un d in 2 s m a s s i es in 3 a mi s the cor ) were fo to ch ; p d r , ; w ter te in 3 and s al s m ll ﬁsh in 2 ; the teeth or c e of s a , .

D BAL PATE .

Mareca americana .

P II LATE .

R u hl s a in an al a Am ri an i n o g y pe k g, the r ge of the b dp te , or e c w dgeo , ° ll all No Am ica Its din an in lu s a i a . c de pr ct c y of rth er bree g, r ge extends from L ake Michigan and Huds on Bay west to the Paciﬁ c

an and om is nsin C l a and. n n t o n al Oce fr W co , o or do , Orego orth ce tr i all nd C ur hill s not l a nz V a . A aska , the M cke e ey, Fort h c It doe mm nl as Minn s a s u N breed co o y , however , e t of e ot or o th of orth lan i a i s mm mi a i n as f r a l n “A C s t i n in a D akot . A o gthe t t c o t co o gr t o as C s a a and is nl a s a l in New E n lan and he pe ke B ay , o y tr gg er g d

' C In in it is foun d as far s u as l i a u a as n n . e ter a ada w ter o th F or d C b , and Gu atem ala a nd a l in C s a Ri a am ai a Ri and , r re y o t c , J c , Porto co ,

’ ini a n indi i uals win t er as far n s u n B i is Tr d d . Ma y v d orth as o ther r t h C lum ia a N ew i llin is and C s a a and a o b , Ut h , Mex co , I o , he pe ke Bay , m in s u n N w E n l n few occ as ion all y re ain o ther e g a d . The adult b aldp ate is distinguished by the followin g characters on in s in n s ul um is a l a a a i , There rge re , of wh te the w g fro t of the pec which is black with a narrow green are a ne ar its front edge ; the top a in lu in a is w i u in al of the he d , c d g the forehe d , h te , prod c g the b d “ i s its nam us l l appearance wh ch give the bird e . J t be ow the ba d ” s in a si the a m e e a and in lu pot , cover g e ch de of he d fro the y b ck to c d in na n is a a s i l r n l t is gthe pe of the eck , bro d tr pe of g ossy g ee ; be ow h

a and. n are m l a u as and si es the he d eck ott ed gr y , the pper bre t d

ink is n l as and ll i un e ail - s and p h brow , ower bre t be y wh te , d r t covert outer upper t ail coverts black ; the b ack is ﬁn ely b arred with black m s l i m al la s and a buﬁ and um is . gr y or , the r p o t y wh te The fe e ck the white crown and green he adb and ; the b ack is more co arsely l ss min n m l and s a and the hi in s is . ott ed tre ked , w te of the w g e pro e t

D H FOO ABITS .

The feeding habits of the b aldp ate are in general very similar to ll In s m s s simil a i sul s thos e of the gadwa . o e re pect the r ty of the re t obt ained by computing the average percentages of cert ain elements of food in a large num ber of stom achs of e ach species is quite rem ark

ins an a a i n n s N aia da l . ab e For t ce , the ver ge proport o of po dweed ( all s m a s w as n il in ceae) found in the gadw to ch per ce t , wh e the

s n are a sli c as e of the b aldp ate it w a per ce t . There few ght i s al n s a i s s . differe ce in the food h b t of the two pec e , however The b d i D . A r r . Bul. 8 6 2 U . 8 . e t e PLATE II. , pt of gcul u

862 E IN U . S. DE P M E OF BULL T , ART NT AGRICULTURE .

' S al i e ns s on the shores L n slan Sl u s u ever w dg o hot of o g I d o gh , o th

' s n Washin n h ad a n nsi a l uan s we ter gto , e te co der b e q titie of the leay es and o s s l ass Z ostem marina na r ot tock of ee gr ( ) , few of the stom achs ° n ainin no co t g other food .

R A SSE S PE R G (GRAMINEAE) , CENT .

The princip al grass es t aken were switchgrass (P anicum by

11 i ns il i Zizcmia, alustris b 5 and s al ass w dgeo , w d r ce ( p ) , y , tgr Distich is s ica ta 5 ran e rass anicum obtusum a li l r ( l p ) , ; gg ( ) ba by P , tt e ley (Hordeum pusillum),and cul tivated rice (Oryza sativa ) were e aten ' by one e ach ; and in 16 s tom achs were grasses w hich were not identi fied Six ull s m a s ll e in s u en al uisian in . f to ch co ect d o th c tr Lo a March cont ained practic ally nothing besides the rem ains of tender youn g s s s i ass S al m o l ali i s l hoot of w tchgr . ever fro ther oc t e were fil ed with ass fibers and o s s a nd s m n ain ass s s One gr ro t tock , o e co t ed gr eed . " from Oregon held more th an s eeds 0 1 switchgrass in a ddition t o a u se s of an ass i w as not mine bo t ed other gr wh ch deter d . The only cultivated grain found w as a sm all quantity of rice t aken m s m a ll in uisiana in anua n ain fro a to ch co ected Lo J ry , whe the gr ul a l a n an in but as i n has n co d h rd y h ve bee yth g w te . The w dgeo bee ° accused of doing considerable dam aget o fields of growing grain in s in but su m lain s are not n out es n in s i pr g , ch co p t bor e by the pr e t ve t ation i s a l a flocks u s s m li tl g . It very prob b e th t of the d ck do o e t e a m in his but su a i ns are i n at h r t way , ch depred t o the except o r her than the rul e . PE R : ALGAE , CENT

“ Al a nsis in chieﬂ musk ass un i n s ma hs g e , co t g y of gr , were fo d the to c

2 l s an - ir s his o w as a n u in of 5 b a dp ate . More th two th d of t fo d t ke d r g m n s A il and S m du s s in is nsin the o th of pr epte ber , by ck hot W co , d inn s a a l 1n mi ra i n i hi an an . M c g , M e ot , prob b y g t o

‘

SE D G E S . (CYPERACEAE) , PER CENT

' ' The s edges do not play so important a p art in the food of the ll and s al u s a l be l a as i . b a dp te w th the gadwa ever other d ck , prob b y us s s are nl a s u u ll a n and is u evi c a e the eed the o y p rt s a y e te , th d ck l l s s se s a n al a dently c ares itt e for eed . The dge e te by the b dp te were

- r s ua Scer us americanus b 37 ai i ul us (S. al lu Th ee q re ( p ) , y ; pr r e b r h p 2 l us S uviatt lis 5 u identiﬁed ul us s dosus 1 i u . ) , ; r ver b r h ( ﬂ ) , ; n b r he ° E eocharts s 19 u a erus s . r us s 24 s i us ( l . Sci . ( p pp , p ke r h p ; ch f (p p ° C adi m e usum and (7 mariscoiiles 6 s s the ss l u . 5 ; s aw gra ( ff ) , , edge of

nus Carer 12 t brist l@s 4 and unidentiﬁed s s 20 . ge , ; y , ; edge , by u s in C i ua ua x i had s all no l ss an One d ck hot h h h , Me co , w owed e th ' i us As a ul al a s not a 64 000 s s s . , . eed of p ke r h r e the b dp te doe t ke sedge s eeds freely where pondweeds and other a quatic plants with l r ila l tender fo iage a e ava b e . OOD I or SH A - ATE R 13 F HAB TS O L W DUCKS .

FR O G B IT FAM ILY H D H E R . ( Y ROC ARITACEAE) , P CENT

The plants of the frogbit family e aten by the b aldp ate consisted of

f l Vallisner ia, s iralis hi w a s f un in 12 s m a s wil d ce ery ( p ) , w ch o d to ch , otria ca a ensis in 1 Wil l is a i e nd a r hil n d . a w te weed (P ) , d ce ery a f vor t

' - — s . an as a a and a u but food of the c v b ck , redhe d , other deep w ter d ck ,

' ' as a rul e it is not often found in the s t orna chs of ducks which do not i H s m a s al a s m s al if n d ve . owever , the to ch of b dp te fro ever d fere t i ﬁlled i il l l a s is is a l localit es were w th w d ce ery e ve . Th very prob b y due to a pecul iar habit which the b aldp ate has of following the diving ducks and feeding up on the le aves whi ch they bring to the 6 i s b il s n and B as a l i a w a n . W na a su a . s rf ce Th h b t. oted y o o p rte e r y h i l u a i n as 18 3 1 and a s n us i s sin . , bee w de y q oted by v r o wr ter ce the A n t se a l ni l is s Th e i on is ns an ccordi g to he e r y or tho og t , w dge the co t t

' ’ a n an l a can ass- a uck so a un an in tte d t of the ce ebr ted v b ck d , b d t

a i us a s C sa a aid s la u V r o p rt of the he pe ke Bay , by the of who e bo r he as in nui n u to n i m a a su sis n h ge ty e o gh co tr ve to ke good b te ce . The widgeon is extremely fond of the tender roots of tha t p articul ar s i s a u a i lan on hi an ass—ba s and pec e of q t c p t w ch the c v ck feed , for hi a u 1s i n ns an a i i in i . n w ch th t d ck the co t t h b t of d v g The w dgeo , ’ n i s w at ches t he m m n an ass - a s isin who ever d ve , o e t of the c v b ck r g, and has hi s s ll n sna s li i u s m s l , before he eye we ope ed , tche the de c o or e m his m u and m a s is a l a es fro o th ke off . It prob b e th t th e ob ser va i ns are not n ir l a ur a as an as— a is n wn t o e t e y cc te , the c v b ck k o to feed chi eﬂy upon the root stocks of the plant ; the b aldpate merely a ails i s l l a s us cut off u su a and v t e f of the e ve th , bro ght to the rf ce ,

is an as - a d carded by the c v b ck .

W MrLr orr s A O R A IDA E A E ATER (H L G C ) , PER CENT .

M s had n a n 2 Water milfoil ( yriophyllum p . ) bee e te by 4 of the bal a s and l us Hi uris vul aris 1 n 8 . s i s dp te , bott e br h ( pp g ) by Ma y pec e u s u n s e s s lan s 111 m ll num s ut of d ck feed po the e d of the e p t s a ber , b the b aldp ate so far as known is the onl y duck which shows any a i ul n i ia S al s m a s p rt c ar fond ess for the r fol ge . ever to ch were found

n ain s s als and m a 1nst ances redomiq to co t the eed o , very few they p

nated olia but ul . ri m hi s over the f ge , the b k of the food de ved fro t mil lan s nsis n l a s and s m s s i fa y of p t co ted of the t e der e ve te . A er es

f l a s m Kl am a F ll s ia l had o a . a a n b dp te fro th a s , Oreg , e pec l y , p rt ke of

‘ M r llum in c onsiderable u an i i the foliage of y iophy q t t es .

KW 2 2 DUC EEDS (LEMNACEAE) , PER CENT .

i ll al a s s l ss a iali a L ke the gadwa , the b dp te how e p rt ty tow rd the u n s m u s s m a s oi d ckweeds tha do o e other d ck . The to ch thr ee in i idu als one a m Wis nsin U a a d n d v e ch fro co , t h , n Orego , were

6 W r a r Amer O ils n A le an e nd a les Lu ian B na ar e . rni h . 198 1831. o , x d , Ch c o p t , t , III , p , 14 E I 862 U . s . DEP M E o r I E BULL T N , ART NT AGR CULTUR . n a l ﬁlled i the m ll in i i ual lan s alli a u e r y w th s a d v d p t , or th , of d ck weed (L emna These plants are very abund ant in many of the l ali i s m hi al a s a n but s m as n oc t e fro w ch the b dp te were t ke , for o e re o s s m a al t o m m s r n l other food ee ed to ppe the ore t o g y .

W P SMART EEDS ( OLYGONACEAE) , PER CENT .

The seeds of water smartweed (P olygomt mamphibium) were pres ent in 11 al a i a s s - l a sm a P b dp te g zz rd , tho e of dock e ved rtweed ( .

“

i . in six s iden iﬁ d kn la ath olium . t e P avi p f ) Other were otweed ( . on

‘ ’ dro i er and l s - um Zare a P . h P i . ers caria ) , w ter pepper ( y p p ) , ady th b ( p ) , and mil a P dro i er a m w . h oides and la e ch two , d ter pepper ( y p p ) b ck i P co v vu u a h m on a l s e. a h nd . n o l t e s s b weed ( ) , e c The f ct th t eed of sm artweeds are the only edible p arts of these plants prob ably 1s the

‘ ’ as n a m so m ll an i em al a s i re o th t they for s a t of the b dp te d et .

A R R O W- R A SS A M I J I G F LY ( UNCAG NACEAE) , PER CENT .

' The arrow- grass family w a s represent ed in two b aldp ate stom a chs

“ from the St a te of Washington ; both were ne arly full of the seeds of arrow—grass ( Triglochin ma ritime) These plants are quite clo sely

la n s but - unli n s i s s re ted to the po dweed , , ke the po dweed , the r eed a nl a s a n i s re the o y p rt e te by b rd .

WATE R I AM I H H W A M I L LY F LY (NYMP AEACEAE) , PER CENT ; AND ORN ORT F LY HY PER . (CERATOP LLACEAE) , CENT

One stom a ch from Oregon w as ne arly ﬁlled with 50 of the large s s a N m ea s nd a m n s m m s ha . a n e eed of p tterdock ( y p p ) fr g e t of a y or . s c n ain s s of w atershield Bra senfia schreberi and Two other o t ed eed ( ) , h s s an a lil Ca sta ia s one t e eed of other w ter y ( l p . ) ’ As al a s a al a s m s l c the ll as re dy t ted , the b dp te ee to a k gadwa s t te ia n ail Cer t m emer um Onl on for the fol ge of coo t ( a ophyllu d s ) . y e i ( a n in n ih m ) ha d its s m a ull his b rd t ke Orego , Dece ber to ch f of t ' d o hers had a n a s e s lan an t . p t , two t ke few of the e d

M I V E E TA B E D PE R SCELLANEOUS G L FOO , CENT .

The stoma ch of one b aldp ate from low er Ches ape ake Bay c on “ t ained m ains a u 400 s s a - i s i the re of bo t eed of begg r t ck , or p tch forks (Bidens In another from Texas were over 500 s eeds of

’ il li Heliotro fium indicum i are n t aken b a w d he otrope ( p ) , wh ch ofte y ducks l n much smaller numbers ; in this inst ance they furnished 8 0 n n m a m Vi inia w as ﬁlled i per cent of the co te t s . A sto ch fro rg w th ll a t r the rem ains of a great many sma tubers of arrowhe d (Sagit a ia, one from Massachus etts cont ained quantities of the le aves of pipewort (Eriocaulon and one from Ut ah w as from a duck which had m ade a me al of the foliage and s eeds of pic klegrass (Salicornfia n i m un in ll uan i i s i s ambigua ) . Amo gother te sfo d sma q t t e were b t of scal s n s ss Taxod'iu st hum s s bur the e from co e of cypre ( m di ic ) , eed of ’ I or SH A - ATE R 15 FOOD HAB TS O L W DUCKS . reed (Sparganium myrtle ( Myriad s altb ush (A triplex purslane (Portula ca crowfoots (Ra nunculu s brambles

‘ b s l rs Melilotus s and denticulata s u Ru u . Medica o ( c ove ( p g ) , p rge ( Croton sum a c (Ri ms holly (Rea: water h eml o c k n n ( 0750t a d ma y others .

A I A F OD N M L O .

Animal food arnoun t ed t o per cent of the contents of the 229 al a in lu in i n i i b dp te stom achs c ded the computa t on . Eye th s ﬁgur e s a l un ul la aus a a ani al m a prob b y d y rge, bec e the gre ter p rt of the m tter consisted of snails fOund in the gizz ards of a s eries of ducks from s u n n nl lot i s un in alm s lu o ther Orego , the o y of b rd fo d f eed g o t exc

a i - sively upon such food . More th n n ne tenths of the anim al food ' n the t ot al nsis m llus s main per ce t of ) co ted of o k , the re der being ma de up of ins ects per cent) and - mis cellaneous matter 1 n (0 per c e t ) .

O K O PE R . M LLUS S (M LLUSCA) , CENT

a m n s sma ll bi al s un in 6 s s and snails Fr g e t of v ve were fo d tomach , nl al 111 As al a s a a v y es 29 . a mo" (u ) re dy t ted , the gre ter p rt of the lusks ma num n u s t ak en alon s s were fro ber of Orego d ck , gthe hore of lam i n ad l the K ath R ver . Ma y of them h gorged t hemseves u pon s ails and s ns i u a i all 100 n n n s n , the e co t t ted pr ct c y per ce t of the co te t f 13 out 17 s ma s in s i s i 7 n ain n in o of the to ch the er e , of wh ch co t ed oth g l l n s . a a s o e m a i i an n a C i a e e Two other b dp te , fro L ke M ch g e r h c go , and a ani a C n ha d la l u n the other from L ke M tob , a ada , fed rge y po ll mo usks .

I I S . NSECTS ( N ECTA) , PER CENT

Ins ects which amounted to only per cent o f the food of bald p a tes included in our investigation prob ably are e aten to a gre ater in i l in n ur summ m n s s al u l s . No exte t d g the er o th , e pec y by the d ck g u lin s is s i s a aila l but c an be li l u d ck g of th pec e were v b e , there tt e do bt a li the un ll la l u n thea ul s th t , ke yo g of the gadwa , they feed rge y po d t and la a a i in rv e of quat c s ects . More than tw o- thirds of the ins ects e aten b y the b aldp ate ' r n r l in lu a s a n p e ce t of the w hole) w e e beet es . Thes e c ded w ter c ve ger l s H dr ili a un in 8 s ma s a i us i in beet e ( y oph d e) , fo d to ch ; pred c o d v g l s t is i ae in 2 l a a s S a a a i a in 2 l a beet e (Dy c d ) , ; e f ch fer ( c r b e d e) , ; e f s C s m li a in 3 ils R n a in 2 m beetle ( hry o e d e) , ; weev ( hy chophor ) , ; Der e - i stidae in 2 and unident iﬁe ra mns l s ih 16 . On e ard , ; df g e t of beet e , g zz cont ained about 8 5 individu als of a species of rove beetle (St aphylin i a sm all l n a s — i ins i is us u ll d e), a , e o g ted , oft bod ed ect , wh ch a y very common about dec ayinganim al m atter . is n Flies and their larv a e and pup a e furn hed per ce t of the food .

l al a s had a n - 1nid es C i n mi a 9 i Twe ve b dp te e te g ( h ro o d e) , ephydr d flies E i a 3 craneflies i uli a 1 flies mil ( phydr d e) ; , (T p d e); , of the fa y 862 PAR ME 1 6 E I U . s . DE or I BULL T N , T NT AGR CULTURE .

us i a : and 1 n ain ﬂ m ains i not identiﬁ d M c d e co t ed y re wh ch were e . The l arv a e of midges are foun d in imm ens e numb ers in s t agnant

a in m an l ali i s and ar e n an im an w ter y oc t e , ofte port t food item for i water b rds .

' ainin ns s a ount in t o onl m g , m n onsis The re i ect g y per ce t , c ted

a c a ddisfl la a Phr an oidea u s chi efl a a of few y rv e ( yg ) , b g , y w ter bo t I n n C i i a a dr a onfl n emains all e ( or x d e) , g y ymph , r of sm crickets Nemobius sm all a u a i a ill a m ll an s an ( a q t c c terp r, a few s a t , d unidentified s l a a and a ul s of m egg, rv e, d t other for s ,

MI S E A E O S A N I MZAL F O PE R C LL N U O D CENT .

Crus t ace ans furnished less th an 1 per cent of thefood of the bald i a . ns s s an ﬂ eas Arn hi oda i al ru s a p te They co ted of d ( p p ) , b v ved c t c eans s a a and a unid nt d n (O tr cod ), few e iﬁ e forms . O e s tomach from

l slan Al as a a St . au a w s l ull m ains n ﬂ ea s and P I d , k , h f f of the re of sa d ,

n in n - a hin ls . s i i s of r i g , d s a co t ed ot e e The e together w th b t hy o d , few s i s and a m i s and and s al s s ll ﬁsh a p der w ter te , the teeth c e of ma , m de u ain e anim al o p the rem d r of the f od .

EUR OPE N W D GEO N A I .

' M areca e nelo e ( p p .)

E ur an - a i n is a Old W l s i The ope , or red he ded , w dgeo n or d pec es but has been n oted occ as ion ally at a number of points on the Atlantic as N Am ri a an d in N l C n a n d S . co t of orth e c , the orth e tr a L ake tates There are al s o s everal s c attered records of it s occurrence on the

P aciﬁ c co as t . In appe ar ance the m al e E ur opean widgeon is similar to the b aldp ate except th a t the crown is cre amy buff ins te ad of white and the rem ainder of the he a d and upper p art of the neck r is w i l a e n a a a on hin an d r . redd h bro , w th a b ck re the c th o at

O O D . HAB IT S F . N i i i i ot a gre at de al s k nown of ts fo od h ab ts in the Un ted St ates . ' 7 ” ’ San is ussin it s a s a unli Am i an al a ford , d c g , y th t , ke the er c b dp te , it is u n ly s n on s al a in alm s n ir l on freq e t ee t w ter, feed g o t e t e y

‘

s ass in on m . H e al a al s the hort gr grow g the botto owev r, the b dp te o is known to feed comm onl y in s alt water . Only ﬁve s tom achs of the E urop ean wi dgeon were avail able for ex amin ation . Tw o of ° s r m B a s u as n Vi i ia one n ain the e were f o ck B ay, o the ter rg n co t ed foli age of widgeon gras s (Ruppm maritime) and eelgrass (Z ostem i w m marina nl w i n ass . as ) ; the other, o y dgeo gr The th rd fro the

“ ﬂ ats of the Susqu eh ann a River near its mouth in northe as tern M ary lan d an d cont ain ed roots tocks of pon dweeds (P ota mogeton bits of stem s and a few s eeds of dodder ( Cuscuta and a few seeds

bur - S a r a nium ur s m a m i in of reed ( p g The fo th to ch, fro the V c

7 ni ord h W r F m . 91 903 . Sa L C. L B Bis T an D e T e at e 1 and . S V a il , . , . . hop , . yk , fowl y, p , i D . A r t re . Bu 8 6 2 U . 8 . e t l. , p of gcul u PLATE

E I 862 . DE P M E r U . s o I BULL T N , ART NT AGR CULTURE . account of the fact that the birds have little suspicion of m an and ﬂ i m a t ﬂocks a f in o uni i s fo r s s . y n co p c , f ord g opp rt t e pot hot , the green l has n l r u w inged te a bee great y ed ced numbers . It 1s one of our most desirable garne birds and shoul d be c areful ly guarded against further depletion . E E B E V G TA L Fo on .

8 Of n ns 6 53 n— in al s ma s amin the co te t of gree w ged te to ch ex ed , m an nin — n s n nsis a l m ore th e te th per ce t) co ted of veget b e atter . ' By far the largest item of food c ontributed by any one family of

lan s am m s s and his amoun n l - p t c e fro the edge , t ted to e ar y two ﬁfths

er n the t al . N t he s s n w s p ce t) of ot food ext to edge , po d eed i l i i ‘ are a u n u n 11 . 52 the f vor te food s pp y, co tr b t g per cent, whil e ll l l i 11 n sm ass s s a s 5 . 25 l a 4 . 63 gr e fo ow c o e y w th , the rtweed , a g e , i — w 1 . mil l u s 9 a s a ass 0 . 91 and bur d ck eed , w ter fo rrow gr , reed

. r m l m 14 . 0 . 8 5 per cent The e a n g 6 8 per cent i s m ade up of a gre at numb er of smaller items .

s nnens P . (CY ERACEAE) , PER CENT

The sedges form a very constant item of food for the green- Winged al in un in s m m in 5 30 6 53 s m a s and min te , be g fo d o e for of to ch for g the

‘ s l n n 5 1 . U u ll s eeds are a n but a i all all o e co te t of s a y the t ke , pr ct c y

' p arts of the plants are eaten when young and tender . Seeds of bul

us s Se7r a s s . m la s it em amon s es in r he ( p pp ) for the rge t gthe edg , be g foun d in the gre atest number ofs tomachs and represented by s everal i i 2 ‘ species . U nident ﬁed bulrush s eeds were foun d n 05 stomachs . The most commonly identiﬁed species w as three—squa re (Se7rpa s i i (777767 7077 778 ) from 121 stom achs . Seeds of pra r e bulrush (Sc7rpus

aludosus un in 46 s m a s s s al - ma s lrus p ) were fo d to ch , tho e of t r h bu h Sc7r us 7 0 5778 777 8 in 40 Se7r a s 07 06 778 78 in 13 and i bulrus ( p ) , p 7 , r ver h n d (Se7rpa s ﬂuv77 t7l7s) in 5 . Other genera of s edges represe te were F7mbr7st l7s un in 90 s m a s Carer in 72 erus 48 s i e y , fo d to ch , , p , p k us 1276 0 0777 7 78 45 a us s Rh nchos ord 5 saw ass r h ( ) , be ked r he ( y p ) , gr

027777777777 9 1 and unidentiﬁed sed e s ds i n 44 . No an ( ) , g ee fewer th ' seeds of a p erus were found in one stom ach and in

’ ‘ n hil E leocharlf s and F7mbr7st l73 s s als asi nall a other , w e y eed o occ o y

‘

a as i as 1 000 s ma . re ched h gh , per to ch

W I ) POND EEDS (NA ADACEAE , PER CENT .

The pondweed group includes the true pondweeds (P otamoggton di i on ass Ru 7a mar7t7ma n n tch or w dge gr ( pp ) , hor ed po dweed Z ann7chell7d alustrfis l ass ostem and us n ( p ) , ee gr (Z b hy po d m weed ( Naj a s all of which were foun d . in sto achs of the n— in al and S m m a im an l m n o f gree w ged te , ee to for very port t e e e t l but u s i i . In m s as s s s a n are a n the r d et o t c e the eed o e t ke , the d ck

8 T L A ee Mc t . w o hundred and sixteen of these were examined by W . . I or - W E D 19 r oon HAB TS SHOAL AT R UCKS .

eat als s ms leayes u s and u s s m s i s often o the te , , b d , t ber of o e pec e of

mo e on l a s and s s dit ch rass and a s P ota t g , g , e ve root tock of p rt of the

- Pota lia us n el ass and n n . fo ge of b hy po dweed , e gr , hor ed po dweed w 2 m I f w in mogeton (usually s eeds) as found in 5 0 sto a chs . n a e ' s s i s i n ifi m s comm on bein sa stance the pec e were de t ed , the o t g go pondweed (P otamogeton but usually it w as useless to m n i s ies s ds as are so mu ali as atte pt to ide t fy pec by the ee , they ch ke to be indistinguish able in the worn condition in which they are S s hi us un i s m a s . d n n n fo d n the to ch ee of t s ge , however, eve whe

r s i sm all a m n s are asil is in uis m s s p e ent n fr g e t , e y d t g hed fro other eed by the peculiar cur ved shape of the c avity which cont ains the em

‘ s i n ass u in 108 i a s and br o . s y The eed of w dgeo gr were fo nd g zz rd , l iﬁ m h S of l a m n s f a s ident ed . s ass fr g e t o . the e ve were fro t ree eed ee gr

W s n in 3 s m a s us n in 27 and n n ere pre e t to ch , b hy po dweed , hor ed po d 1 One la s m a s n ai m an weed in 0 . of the tter to ch co t ned ore th

s eeds . 11 RA SSE S I . G (GRAM NEAE) , PER CENT

Eighteen spe0 1es of grass s eeds were identiﬁ ed from the birds m amin and unidentiﬁed ass se s n 19 s ma s . ex ed , gr ed were take fro to ch

s th e nus P0 7770um ms mm nl ea n in . Tho e of ge were o t co o y te , be g un in59 i a s n ns i u in a la i n the c on fo d g zz rd , ofte co t t t g rge proport o of '

n s and a in as i as ousan in num ber . te t , re ch g h gh two or three th d

An a i s w as a a n a ass il -mill other f vor te eed th t of b r y rd gr , or w d et E077777 0 07710 c7 077 78 i w as un m 14 s ma s and u u ll ( wh ch fo d to ch , s a y rm ulk n it oc ur ne u fo ed the b of the food whe ever c red . O d ck a n in uisiana in J anuar had a n 6 000 s s un l i t ke Lo y e te , eed of j g e r ce

E077777 0 07770 0, colom s m a and ull in amm ( ) , both the to ch g et be gcr ed

ull a l w l f . Other gr ss seeds eaten by this tea ere wi d rice (Z7aa777a taken by 18 birds ; cut—grass (2720 7770 178 78 by 8 ; i

ail ass s 0 770 070 0 7770 7 70 77 00, and other s i s 9 and M om m foxt gr e ( 9 pec e ) , ; o f l thochl é 16 . A ew kerne s of corn had been taken by one 1 H ll i and i 2 . a s u s e ll dur b rd, r ce by owever, the e d ck w re co ected ing in 1n 0 nths and ri and n un u l as the w ter , the ce cor were do bted y w te

grain . W P SMART EEDS ( OLYGONACEAE) , PER CENT .

Next in order of imp ortance 1n the feod of the green - winged teal m sm a s i one the in i al i ms co e the rtweed , wh ch form of pr c p te of food a m f m of grea t any birds . Thir teen species o s artweed were iden ° in m s im an in a sm a P ol onum t ed , the o t port t be g w ter rtweed ( yg am h7b7um un in 5 s m a s —l a sma P Za a 3 d . p ) , fo d to ch ; dock e ved rtwee ( p i ‘ ‘ th7 0 77um 2 lousa in 9 l usas sm a P . o e num 14 a f ) , ; Ope o rtweed ( p ) , ; w ter

P . h d7 0 7 er 12 and mil a P h d7 0 . 7 er pepper ( y p p ) , ; d w ter pepper ( y p p 1 0 . The other smartweeds were found in only a few s tomachs a and s a n m 22 i s no i iﬁ dent . e ch , tho e t ke fro other b rd were t ed One 20 B E T N s . DE P M E N OF E ULL I ART T AGRICULTUR . duck ha d ea ten seeds of knotgrass (P olygonum m l S s Ru ex s . an an sma ed amil eed of dock ( pp other p t of the rtw e f y , had been taken by 5 birds .

A A E LG PER CENT . 7 m Musk grass ( 0 mm sp . ) for s the bulk of the alga e taken by the green in al in un in 8 9 the96 s m a s i w ged te , be g fo d of to ch wh ch contain ed l All s l a ae. a an are ea n l b t he u s s g p rt of the p t te free y, u t d ck eem t o be es iall n oii onia small s i a - s pec y fo d of the g , very pher c l or egg haped obj ects which form p art of the reproductive app aratus and are l l atta ched to the whor ed eaves . They are usuallyco a ted with lirne and are a a and c ns u n l n r main in st ma r ther h rd , o eq e t y ofte e the o ch after all other p arts of the plant are digesWted Stoma chs were foun d n ainin usan s of m and asi nall ns i u d th co t g tho d the , occ o y they co t t te e i m tOtal n n s . us ass s are n s i s ha co te t M k gr e , of wh ch there a y pec e , ve a V i is i u ion and a n un l n u s ma s m ery w de d tr b t , h y e bee fo d d ck to ch fro practically all p arts of North America .

n CKWE E D s 1 . 9 U C . (LEMNA EAE) , PER CENT

The u w s sim l s and sm all s flow erin lan s m d ck eed , the p e t e t of gp t , for a rather important element in the food of nearly all ducks which live s l s t l as the i al on lan ma . e an a in en a c on p t tter The p t , e t typ c g er , sis m a n l a floa tin l u n the w a i one t of erely fro d or e f gfree y po ter , w th l l T s or more sm all roots d ang ing be ow . he frond are fl eshy and l h ha n and are s o e u reedi b t e u ks . d e n te der, c op d p g y y d c They b e n 44 —653 n— in al amin and a a take by of the gree w ged te ex ed , ver ged

per cent of the total food .

A A E E W . A M I A O R I D A . ATER MILFOIL F LY (H L G C ) , PER CENT

' The w ater rnilfoil family is represented in North America by three l l M rflo h llum m mai — d Proser ma ca genera : Water mi foi ( y p y ) er d wee ( p ) ,

r H s s all s w and bottle brush ( 7ppur7s) . The eed of three of the e ere mil il s s had present in the s eries of gizzards examined . Wa ter fo eed

' n a n 58 r s os l ush 16 and those of bee e te by bi d , th e of bott e br by ,

- mermaid weed by only one.

A IM A F on N L o .

— Insects formed per cent of the total food of the green winged

al main animal nsis in m llus s te , the re der of the food co t g of o k , p er n us a ans and mis llan us the al am un in ce t ; cr t ce , ce eo , tot o t g to per cent .

I . NSECTS (INSECTA) , PER CENT

The larges t item of insect food ea ten by thes e ducks w as ﬂies l ll i a i ns i u er n o al . ea a (D pter ) , wh ch co t t ted p ce t of the t t N r y i m la a u a a ul ﬂies s l m of these were n the for of rv e or p p e , the d t e do

o a l s un had n a n m sur being caught . Pr b b y tho e fo d bee t ke fro the

a as it s not s m li l t a a u ul be f ace of the w ter, doe ee ke y h t d ck wo d H I or S-B A - ATE R 21 F OOD AB TS O L W DUCKS .

— la a mi s C i n mi a a dept at ﬂy catching . The rv e of dge ( h ro o d e) were in 6 1 ma s s m im s in y e la num rs and m found sto ch , o et e ry rge be , for ed ll h i us foodt aken . are a un an in s a the bulk of t e d ptero They b d t h ow,

an in a and sl s ams alm s w in u n st d gw ter ow tre o t every here , feed g po

‘ a a l rna tter and. i n l ar e a l s u dec yed veget b e , ev de t y e ger y o ght by the la a and u a craneﬂies soldierﬂies ducks . The rv e p p e of E als m nl a Stratiom idae and i a n . ( y ) , phydr d e were o co mo y t ke

Al though beetles (Coleoptera) formed only 0 . 65 per cent of the oal s n a la num amili s and t t food , they were repre e ted by rger ber of f e s m s mm nl a genera than the ﬂies . Tho e o t co o y t ken were pr edacious i in l s tis i a a s a n l s H ili a d v g beet e (Dy c d e) , w ter c ve ger beet e ( ydroph d e) , a lin a l s Hali li ae sn u l s and O W ils cr w g w ter beet e ( p d ) , o t beet e ther eev l Rh n a and un e s Ca a i a . ( y chophor ) , gro d b et e ( r b d e)

' Next in order of importance in the insec t food of this teal come 4 n l in u s Herni tera i 0 . 5 z er in u h th true the b g ( p ) , w th p ce t, c d g bot e i a as l a s H s H t a and . omo bug ( e eropter ) the c c d , e fhopper , etc ( p f u u s a a m n C ix i a w ere found in a . O w e ter ) the tr e b g , ter bo t ( or d e) \ 2 ma s s m im s in V la e num s a k sw iM ers 3 s to ch , o et e ery rg ber ; b c (Notonectidae) in 4 s tomachs ; wa ter striders (Gerrid ae) in 4 ; and ’ H m a W s n b i l unidentiﬁed bugs in 6. The o opter ere repre e ted y a s nge

assi l a . j d , or e fhopper Caddisﬁies (Phryganoidea) furnished per cent of t he total food m l i s a in . se a n in a a of the b rd ex ed The were t ke the form of the rv e, a is w ms i a un in ks and onds or an w or c dd or , wh ch bo d cree p , _ y here

' “ in shallow water containing the /Vegetation upon which the fly lar ' li i in sil as s oll w lind r m vae feed . . They ve w th k c e or h o cy e s ade by ms l s and i a a i ma ia s su as ains the e ve covered w th v r ety of ter l , ch gr ' i l us s i c s of m ll l T san s ea s e e usk s l . s of d , b t of ve or r he , or p o he he e as s are n at a end and la a ulls i s l l n b m n c e ope e ch , the rv p t e f a o g y ea s of ai s l s ic i the a can u om one three p r of eg wh h , w th he d , be protr ded fr l 4 end. Ca is a a as s e un in 6 s ma s n in dd rv e or c e wer fo d to ch , ever l very arge numbers . The remalninginsect food (1 per cent) w as made up of damsel flies Z a dra onflies Anis a stoneflies l a ( ygopter ) , g ( opter ) , (P ecopter ) ,

i li all a a ass s drtho tera ant- li ns u b rd ce (M oph g ) , gr hopper ( p ) , o (Ne rop tera m s and u li s e id a an s s and as s l oth b tterf e (L p opter ) , t , bee , w p H m n a and a num mis llan us unidentifie s ( y e opter ) , ber of ce eo d insect thel r u a a la P l l l and s nd a . a a s sin m egg , p p e, rv e rob b y the rge t g e ite among these miscellaneous orders of insects w as the nymphs of ams lfli s and dra onfli s id n ifi m 2 m e e t ed 3 s a s . d e e g , fro to ch

M O U SKS . LL (MOLLUSCA) , PER CENT

ex t ins s m llus s u nis lar s i m anim al N to ect , o k f r hed the ge t te of is l l ll c n a . a , u u food for th te per ; e t of the tot They were s a y foun r alt u l Em e h e snails e e s m im s s n . d b ok n, ho gh w o w r o et e pre e t pty E I 862 U . S. DE PAR M E OF I BULL T N , T NT AGR CULTU RE .

” shells or bits of shell prob ably are often taken by ducks in lieu of

“ a l l in but t is no dou gr ve to he p gr d the food , here bt tha t the mollusks

ms l s an d s iall snails are lis b ir s the e ve , e pec y , re hed y the b d and form an i an l m n mport t e e e t in their food . Three genera of snails were ° ° identiﬁed : sa N 07 777na a d P nor h n la b7s . U nidentiﬁ P y , , ed snails were

’ a n m 44 s ma s and i al s m ‘ B nl . t ke fro to ch , b v ve fro o y 3 roken mollusk s ll s unclassiﬁed W un in 90 i r he , , ere fo d g zz a ds .

A CRUSTACE NS (CRUSTACEA) , PER CENT .

Sm ll us a ans hi are a un an i a cr t ce , w ch b d t n numbers and v ariety in n a l all s ams and i s a sal s ar e r y tre bod e of w ter, whether t or fre h, e a l all ’ sought by ne r y ducks . They furnished per cent of the total — n in al a ma l on - food of the gree w ged te , or pproxi te y e tenth of the

' animal . C i m n s the ostracods sm all i al food h ef a o g the e were , b v ved us a ans hi mi asil mis ak n for minu m ll cr t ce w ch ght e y be t e te o usks . Small shrimplike crusta ceans known as amphipods were taken s m num s and in one s m a la s an uni o e ber , to ch the c w of dentiﬁed crab were found . M I IM D 0 25 PE R SCELLANEOUS AN AL FOO , . CENT .

few s i s and mi s lass A a hni a c enti eds ria a A p der te (c r c d ) , p (My pod ) , ‘ ﬁsh scales 1:ninut e a ua i animal ul a and insi niﬁca m , q t c c e, other g nt ite s ’ m main n- in al s animal for the re der of the gree w ged te food .

BLUE - WINGED TEAL .

° (Querquedu la d7300 7 3

PA TE IV L .

blu - in al lu —Win summ al is sli l m The e w ged te , b e g , or er te ght y ore

“ ‘ its i i u i an —w i . Al u restr cted in d str b t on th the green mg. tho gh it has

n as in in R d slan ain N ew B un swi g , , k bee recorded breed ho e I d M e r c , N S oia ewfoundl and u n a i and N ew Y and ova c t , N , Q ebec, O t r o , ork, ' as far sou as north rn i s u rn ndi ana s u n C l a th e Oh o o the I , o ther o or do , ' N ew x i as U a n n N eVada and n al n Me co , Tex , t h , orther ce tr Orego , it is not c omi non e as t of the Allegheny Mount alns nor on the Paciﬁ c l It ini al summ m i s in in i Am i a s op e. s pr c p er ho e the ter or of North er c e n the R un ains and G a a s m n n b twee ocky Mo t the re t L ke , fro orther w in i al Illinois and N ebraska north to Saskatche an . Its pr c p range n s n h Bri is C lum ia and it urs als a el n exte d ort to t h o b , occ o r r y orth to l l — Alaska Al a and a ou G a S a a . Inw inter u in , bert , b t re t ve L ke , b e w ged als are un u u n n S u Am i a s u t o B a il te fo d thro gho t orther o th er c o th r z , E ua P u and C il ur a un an l in C n al Am i a c dor, er , h e they occ b d t y e tr er c , xi nd s In i s and in U ni S a s are n Me co , a the We t d e the ted t te they fou d n a Gul and as far n as Ca lina and s a in l e r the f, orth North ro , ( p r g y)

ll l - l s u n n iana and s u n in is . U n ik e n in a o ther I d o ther I o the gree w ged te , is is one l as a of our u ks mi a in la in s in th of the e t h rdy d c , gr t g te pr g i D A . 8 6 2 U . S . e . r t re Bul. t , p of gcul u PLATE

862 DE P M E LE I U . 8 . T T OF U L E BUL T N , AR N AGRIC TUR .

SE nG E s I’ ‘ (CYPERACEAE) , PER CEN .

The s edges are grasslike or rushlike plant s which grow inInarshes s n s and u a or on the border of po d stre ams . D cks re especially fond

ir s s hi usuall a re sf all nd a and a a a of the eed , w ch y n a h rd h ve st rchy m l d a l in i . s s 1s a one m isin a u ter or The fa i y of e ge very rge , co pr g bo t i l di i m s s Wi s u . s s s n un pec e , de y tr b ted The eed o t ofte fo d in

’ duck - stom achs are thOse of the bulrushes (Scirpus and the c as e lue— in a is no i n his ul U nidentiﬁ of the b w ged te l except o to t r e . ed

” ul us - s s un in 18 4 s m a s s r1ver ul us b r h eed were fo d to ch , tho e of b r h uvia i in r —s a m r c in il s 18 u S. a e a u i i S. t i n s 10 a ( ﬂ ) , th ee q re ( ) , pr r e l u a u o n and a bul u ? du an u s S l d sus 7 s S . ? ali s d s alt b r h ( p ) i , gre t r h ( ) ° l r bu u in 2 r s a s u us o st s . a m r h b r h (S . ) e ach Othe edges t ken were those nus Carer oun in 5 9 s m a s saw ass Cla dium e of the ge , f d to ch ; gr ( f d riscoides i u a ru 4 usum an 0 . m 5 5 e s in 5 s i f a ) , n ; ch f ( p ; p ke ° E in 33 a u c o 2 u leochams s . Rh n h s om in r sh ( pp be ked r sh ( y p sp . ; d s n a Fimbrist lis 1n 40 and Dulich um an s i in 2. edge of the ge er y , ; , tiﬁed s s s i s lan s a n 2 ir U niden edge eed or b t of the p t were t ke by 7 b ds .

POND WEED S (NAIADACEAE) PER CENT

In 33 of the stom achs ex amined the s eeds or other p arts of pond c ent o f al n Weeds formed from 9 5 to 100 per the tot food co tents .

had n a n 15 1 i s h ue n s Potamo eton s . T e tr po dweed ( g pp bee t ke by b rd , n r ass Ru t a mamtima 87 us n Na as widgeo g ( pp ) by , b hy po dweed ( j

N m 18 l ass Z ostera ma rina b . 3 and ext lis an . o m ﬂ d m a) by , ee gr ( ) y , rf 2 ne s m a l horned pondweed (Zannichellia palust is ) by . O to ch he d

. a u over 7 00 of the hard black s eeds of widgeon gr ss . Most d cks feed

all a s n lan s and lu — in al s ms upon p rt of po dweed p t , the b e w ged te ee and s ms as ll as to pay much attention to the leaves te we the seeds .

G R A ssris I . (GRAM NEAE) , PER CENT

Of the 3—19 blue- winged teals examined, only 13 had e aten cul ti ain One s b ain in Kansas in A il h ad its vated gr . of the e , o t ed pr ,

z a ﬁll ed i 19 n ls n and a m n s m but n giz rd w th ker e of cor fr ge t of ore , cor a hin bu t aken at that time of year could hardly have been nyt g t w aste . 2 i s had a n i and as all ll in Fl i a The other 1 b rd e te r ce , were co ected or d in ovember his oo w as un u dl as e ain . Of ild N , t , t , do bte y w t gr the w

i Zizamla, alustris t a n 22 grasses the favorites were wild r ce ( p ) , ke by ' 18 ails Ghaetochloa birds ; switchgrass (Pdnicum sp . by ; the foxt ( mridis and s 14 i cut - ass Homa locenchrus lance 0 . ( g , , other ) , by ; r ce gr or zoides 9 and M om nthochloé Zittomlis 13 . e s e i s y ) , by ; , by Oth r p c e

‘ a ass uccinellia nuttalliana a less often t aken were me dow gr (P ) , b rn

ass Echinochloa crus— alli cut - ass Zimnio sis miliacea yard gr ( g ) , gr ( p ) , rushgrass (Sporobolus and salt- marsh grass (Spartina I OF - W E FOOD HAB TS SHOAL AT R DUCKS .

- M W E S ART EEDS (POLYGONACEA ) , PER CENT .

Two of theblue—winged te als had e aten s eeds of dock (Rumea: ' All other s eeds of this family t aken were of the true sm artweeds ol onum T s s n d 9 s e i s a nd 16 (P yg he e were repre e te by p c e ,

. l stomachs cont ained unidentiﬁed smartweed seeds . Mi d water l onu h dro i emi es i w as un m 3 1 s ma s pepper (P o yg m y p p d ) , wh ch fo d to ch ; am hibmm i 27 and —l a sma a smar w . w ter t eed (P p ) , n ; dock e ved rtweed m i 2 kinc s s n un Za athc oliu n 6 m . P . ( p f ) , , were the l o t ofte fo d Other ’ ’ a t P a i atum la - m i s a n e i l sm . s tt s u spec e t ke w re pr ck y r weed ( g ) , dy th b P h drd fi er l usas sma e P ersica ria a . ( . p ) , w ter pepper ( y p p ) , Ope o rtw ed P P : o elousdnum nns l ania sma . enns lvam cum and ( p ) , Pe y v rtweed ( p y ) , — P r o o i mcense . dense ﬂ ow ered sm artweed ( . p )

2 95 PE R ALGAE , . CENT .

The greater p art of the seaweeds t aken consisted of musk grass S al s m a hs l m is n in N Da 07mm s . r l ( pp eve to c co ected W co s , orth a and l i a n a l ull hi s al a chi eﬂ o nia F g, y , kot , or d were e r y f of t the o go ll Alt o ether 1n sk ass w as or reproductive c e s. g , u gr found in 3 1 oma s and unidentiﬁed ma n al a s a s in 4 s . t ch , ri e g e , or e weed ,

WA TE RLIL I E S N Y M PH E A OE A E C- T X A ) , PER EN .

a lil eeds had n a n 27 s als W s . ur n had ter y g bee t ke by of the e te Fo tee e aten s eeds of white waterlilies ( Oa smlia and the other 13 had e aten t hos e of the small purple waterlily known as water shield ‘ (Brasenia schreberi) Most of the white waterlily s eeds were found t a a i of du s oll in lo i a ne in he stom chs of ser es ck c ected F r d . o of ’ s wi i s ll hi w as als full n ain the e , together th the b rd gu et , w ch o , co t ed s an a m n s m an - m s eed d fr g e t of y ore .

' W T L HA D PE R NT A ER MILFOI S ( LORAGI ACEAE) , CE .

The plants of the family Haloragida ce ae h ave a very wide geo a i i i i n ar i l a a i and a a s u . e u gr ph c d tr b t o They ch ef y q t c , h ve h rd , li s i sis r s me im in ir a s nut ke seed wh ch per t fo o t e b d stom ch . The thr ee North Americ an gener a w ere represented in the s tom achs amine l us Hi urfis vul ams in 8 1 ern1 aid ex d , bott e br h ( pp g ) , n weed P l m 44 m . roser c in and a mil i M rt o h llu s . ma a s . 5 ( p p , w ter fo ( y p y p

R D P BUR EE S (S ARGANIACEAE) , PER CENT

m ad n a n 39 The seeds of bur reed (Sparganiu sp . h bee e te by of lu - in d eals amin bu t usu all w un in sm all the b e w ge t ex ed , y ere fo d

“

M A DD E R . B . FAMILY (RU IACEAE) , PER CENT

' ' The madder family w as rather sp arin gly represented by seeds of ut n us Ce halanthus ocmdenta lis un in 5 s ma s b to b h ( p ) , fo d to ch ; bed ' m m 1 and u ut nw Diodta s a l a s Gal liu s . 0 tr w, or c e ver ( p ; ro gh b to eed ( teres) 1n 1. E IN 862 ' 26 BU U . s . DEP R M EN T or A CU U E LL T , A T GRI LT R .

M I S E A E O S O C LL N U VEGETABLE FO D , PER CENT .

' A large nurnber of rninor items of veget able food were classiﬁed as ll a l misce neous . Prob ab y the larges t of these consisted of plants of u amil mn a a Al the d ckweed f y (Le ce e) . though found in only 14 tomachs ns i u n a l 100 nt , they co t t ted e r y per ce of the contents of l a severa . E ch of three stom achs collected in Iowa ln Augus t con ' t ained -more than a thous and of the sm all plants of a duck w eed L em s — i t ( na . w n amilies lan s sen p T e ty e gh other f of p t were repre ted , ° m s it n ort ant in as r amil C m si a a e the o t p be g the te f y ( o po t e) , the w t r

lan ain amil Alisrnacea e a sl amil Um lli a p t f y ( ) , the p r ey f y ( be fer e) ,

w amil Ranun ul ac a a amil B a ina a cro foot f y ( c e e) , bor ge f y ( or g ce e) , m l amil i a c a s amil R s a a n amil yrt e f y (Myr c e e) , ro e f y ( o ce e) , hor wort f y a lla a an d t e ain amil na a C V . ( er tophy ce e) , h verv f y ( erbe ce e)

A IM A L F D N OO .

Anim al m atter cons titutes per cent of the tot al food of the

' l - in al W i is m t an im s n a u w . b e ged te , h ch ore h three t e the perce t ge of

“ l a n n— in al is annn a food e te by the gree W g . Over h f of th per

" n is m llusk s m a n in m a u ins s ce t) o , the re i der be g de p of ect , per d mis ll an us n rus a ans an n . ce t ; c t ce , ce eo , per ce t

' M O LIQU SKS (MOLLUSCA) , PER CENT .

The gre a ter p art of the shellﬁsh found in the stom a chs exa mined a l nsis snails al h u small i al s als had n prob b y co ted of , t o gh b v ve o bee nl a n and m a m a i as s s lls had e n so commo y t ke , jor ty of c e the he b e thoroughly crushed by the powerful gizz ards of the ducks as to make it impractic able to dis tinguish between the fragments of

l e s i s la . and uni a s . H 15 bivalves v ve ow ver , pec e of the tter were r r U nidentif1ed unival s lls ti ed and 2 fo me . iden fi , of the ve he were ma s and unidentified i al s l n 2 il a m n s found m 31 s to ch b v ve , wh e fr g e t l of mollusk shells t aken from 106 stom a chs were not c assified. The ll m an a s am in Au us 1907 full stom ach of a duck co ected Iow w p gt , ,

an s snail s amoun in 54 n its contained thous d of egg , t g to per ce t of contents . I NSECTS (INSECTA) , PER CENT

the lu — in al in o The items of insect food of b e w ged te , the rder of

an - are a di s la a e i i as s their import ce , c d rv e (tog ther w th the r c e ) , ir la a dra onfl es and damselflies chiefl in beetles and the rv e , g i ( y the

a bu s fli s chiefl l a a and a small n a nymph st ge) , g , e ( y rv e) , perce t ge of miscellaneous insects . p m0 The larva e of c addisflies (Phr yganoidea ) or their c ases were found

al . s and am un 4 . 5 n 37 stomach , o ted to per ce t of the tot food The i s S m a s ll l n greater p art of these were foun d i n a ser e of to ch co ected l i a s m i al ﬁlled i a m n s F or d , o e of wh ch were over h f w th the fr g e t of s c a ddis c as e . ' “ - D - I S or sH oAL W ER 27 FOO HAB T AT DUCKS .

l a am n 26 2 n Beetles (Co eopter ) ou ted to . per ce t of the food of the

l - in al l ss an one- n al anim al ma e b ue w ged te , or e th te th of the tot tt r Ten s i s a i us i in l s is i a e aten . pec e of pred c o d v g beet e (Dyt c d e) were n 7 of un l s Ca a i a 5 a e s a n l s oted , gro d beet e ( r b d e) , of w t r c ve ger beet e ‘ H dr O hiJidae 4 a lin at l s Hali li a 3 l a ( y p ) , of cr w g w er beet e ( p d e) , of e f l l a s S a a a i a 3 a s C s m li a - 2 a ch fer ( c r b e d e) , of e f beet e ( hry o e d e) , e ch of sn u l s Cur uli ni a and ill u s C lan in a and 1 ea h o t beet e ( c o d e) b b g ( a dr e) , c W irli i e l s G r ini a s inin a i n l s Histeridae of h g g be t e ( y d e) , h g c rr o beet e ( ) ,

ill l s B rrhidae a nd mud . el s Het eroceridae il p beet e ( y ) , be t e ( ) ; wh e m n in i i uals m s se amili s un i on a y d v d of o t of the f e were fo d wh ch , a unt o i a m n a n i i n ul n ot u identi cco f the r fr g e t ry co d t o , co d be f rther la sified l em ains un i n S ma s d U nc s 50 . fie . beet e r were fo d to ch da iselfli Z The nymphs or. young of n es ( ygoptera) and dragonflies

' A is a li in a and afford delic at e morsels for u s ( n opter ) ve the w ter d ck .

— - in als a a n Twenty two of the blue w ged te h d. e te nymphs of dragon flies and two those of damselfiies,whil e three stomachs cont ained i r not identifie ains of nymphs wh ch we e d.

’ Bugs (Heteroptera and Homoptera) constituted per cent of

" “ i s n 10 amili s si s t i i s . s he ma ns the b rd d et The e repre e ted f e , be de re

. i n t identiﬁed a boatrne i i o f a few bugs wh ch were o . W ter n (Cor x dae) ‘

, i in a had en a n b 43 s u s Nauc oridae b . b e e te y b rd , creep g w ter b g ( ) y 1 a s imm s “ N n i a 12 a s i s G i a 5 , b ck w er ( oto ect d e) by , w ter tr der ( err d e) and broad- shouldered water s triders (Veliidae) by 2 e ach, and negro

s C im la ni a s ink u s n a i a ian Wa . u s bug ( or e e d e) , t b g ( Pe t tomd e) , g t ter b g

Bel s m a i a lan o s ul i a and l a s J as ( o to t d e) , p th pper (F gor d e) , e fhopper ( sid ae) by 1 e ach . ’ n the lue- in al s nsis Only 0 . 6 5 per ce t of b w ged te food co ted of tw o i ar a and u a Six amili s re r winged flies and the r l v e p p e . f e were p e ‘ id tified la a u a a n m s m a s s n and un en 8 . e ted , rv e or p p e were t ke fro to ch ° The laivae of soldierflies (Stratiornyidae) and midges (Chironomid ae) ee s n in 1 i a s a h il s flow er flies S r w r pre e t 1 g zz rd e c , wh e tho e of ( y hidae had e n a n 4 ir s and An m ii a E ri a p ) b e e te by b d , tho y d e , phyd d e , l ie imulii a 1 ea and b ack fl s (S d e) by ch .

The miscell aneous ins ect .food consisted of unidentiﬁed fra gments

f ins s a ass o 3 sm al mo s a an s o ect , gr h pper or two , l th cocoon , few t

ins s . ect egg , etc T C CRUS ACEANS ( RUSTACEA) , PER CENT .

I lrust aceans furnished per cent of the contents of all the

‘ l — d al i a s amin d and nsis a b ue winge te g zz rd ex e , co ted of be ch - Am i a un in 7 s m a s sm all i alv a s uds . ﬂe s , c , etc ( ph pod ) , fo d to ch ; b v ed

us a eans s a a in 8 and s al — us a ans a a cr t c (O tr cod ) , ; t k eyed cr t ce (Dec pod ) , in Thelast - mentioned order includes the claw of a crab found in ’ mn on x racilis in t e o one s tomach and a s and shrimp ( C gy g ) h ther . Two North Carolina stomachs collected in March were nearly ﬁlled U E I 862 U . S. DEP M E OF I B LL T N , ART NT AGR CULTURE . ‘

i a ﬂ e s am hi s C a . us ace w th be ch , or p pod r t ans which had been t aken 5 als fra ment ar for identiﬁc ation by other te were too g y .

MI C A N O U NI M E 0 . 31 P R S ELL E S A AL FOOD , CENT .

The mis ll an us anim al o hi am un l 1 0 . 3 ce eo fo d, w ch o ted to ony per n nsis in i all m ains ce t , co ted pr c p y of the re of a few minnows and

small ﬁs hes a s i rs and s al in a mi s other , few p de , ever t y w ter te , or h drachnids y . CINNAM ON TE AL.

uer uédu la no m . c a e Q g y pt .

innam n al is a s n i its e in The c o te we ter b rd, br ed g range in North Americ a extending from e astern Wyoming and western Kans as west the Paciﬁc as and m s u n Bri is l to co t, fro o ther t h Co um bia and s outh w s n Al a s u n t n Cali ni a n r n i e ter bert o th to or her Lower for , o ther Mex co , s u n New i and n al s n It o ther Mex co , ce tr we ter Texas . s dis tribution is . very rem arkable in th at it not only breeds in the Northern

H mis but als o a la a a in S u Am i a tw e phere , o ver rge re o th er c , the o colonies being s ep ar ated by a zone about miles wide in which s ei s is a i all nk n n inn the p c e pr ct c y u ow . The c amon te al of North America migrates in winter only a short dist an ce s outh of its breeding

i range in Mex co and is foun d at this s e ason as far north as Browns

ill Tex n al New i s u n A i na and Tul a a v e , , ce tr Mex co , o ther r zo , re L ke, alif a Sou Am i an ir ds mi a sli l C orni . The th er c b gr te ght y northward ° a n s in but the din s as ns of l ni s are fter e t g, bree g e o the two co o e , of

u s s . co r e , rever ed The m ale cinn amon te al differs from the blu e- wing in appe ar ance in a in a la is a a on a and s nu h v g b ck h re the top of the he d, che t t or

inn am n n on main a n and un a ts c o brow the re der of the he d , eck, derp r ,

i in it l l a - as al g v g the oc a n me of red bre ted te .

FO D 11 1a O .

O nly 41 s tom achs of the cinnamon te al were available for examina i n h s W ll urin i m n s m a t o . T e e ere co ected d g the e ght o th fro M rch to

' and m S a s of C lo a U t ah Ariz ona n an a Octob er, fro the t te o r do , , , Mo t , n and Cali nia ul b in m a and Cali nia Orego , for , the b k e g fro Ut h for .

' Although the number is t oo sm all to furnish an accur ate estim ate of n a s a us s a n n l ss sul s are the perce t ge of v rio food t ke , everthe e the re t of v alue in showing th at this species prob ably does not differ materially i als in h abits from the other two North Amer c an te .

E F D V GETABLE OO .

i n— in and lue- in inn am n al li s L ke the gree w g the b w g, the c o te ve m ainl u n a l his m isin a u u - ﬁfths y po veget b e food , t co pr g bo t fo r s And li per cent) of the tot al contents of the s tom ach examined . ke the other te als its two princip al and most const ant items of food are the A ri lt re . D . Bul. 8 6 2 U . 3 . e t PLATE V . , p of gcu u

E I 862 TM E U . s . DE P OF I E BULL T N , AR NT AGR CULTUR .

i A IMA F0 0 1) N L .

The 4 1 cinnamon te als examined had made of anirinal m atter

' h ir food is i n t e . ns s ins s n per ce t of Th co ted of ect , per ce t ;

“ m llus s c n and a sm all misc ellan eous items o k , per e t ; few , r n pe ce t . I I NSECTS ( NSECTA) , PER CENT .

Over half the insect food of the s eries of cinn am on teals per

' n - of w l nsis l s C l a isr a ce t the ho e) co ted of beet e ( o eopter ) . D eg rding

; s al unidentiﬁed a m n s nl ur families w ere s n ever fr g e t , o y fo repre e ted , a ious i in l s is i a a s a n b l s the pred c d v g beet e (Dyt c d e) , w ter c ve ger eet e

" H hili a l a l s C s m i a and sn u l s ( ydrop d e) , e f beet e ( hry o el d e) , o t beet e Cu ul i ni a ( rc o d e) .

u s He a am u 97 d sis n 2. n an n The b g( teropter ) o ted to per ce t , co ted n i l a a C i i a T s are sm ll e t re y of w ter bo tmen ( or x d e) . he e a brown or mo l u s wi a li le s ll ﬁtt ed s immin gray tt ed b g , th o r ke g we for w g ; they r uent la s n s and s ams u u at a f eq the ke , po d , tre thro gho t the gre er p rt N Am i a and are c orn onl a n m s i s wa of orth er c , m y e te by any pec e of ter i s A r o swimm s it mus ui ui k . s a e b rd they very go d er , t req re q c work

m . 11 on a u s a . un in the p rt of the d ck to c tch the They were fo d , of th 4 1 m a s e sto ch . R m ains dra onfli es Anis a un in iz a s e of g ( opter ) were fo d two g z rd , nd a n m h dr a ams fl l n an r a n a y p of a agonfly or d el y other . The d go flies and damselflies (Zygoptera) together constitute the superorder f inn am n al hi i 0 92 n the ood o . na a u n s . Odo t , w ch f r hed per ce t of of the c te

‘ Th fli S - i a a n m s l l a a and am un e e (D pter ) t ke were o t y rv e, o ted to r n li s f at l as u amili s— mi s Chirono pe ce t . . F e o e t fo r f e the dge ( mi a s oldierfiies Stratiom idae fl ow er flies S hi a and d e) , ( y ) , ( yrp d e) , — l u ins s i s in fli s E drida in . br e e ( phy ek were c ded A few ect egg , b t of the c ases of c addis larvae two sm all hyrnenop t erous ns and m ains an ant r am un in coco o , the re of , togethe o t g to

‘ '

n m a u the rernainder eins . per ce t, de p of th ect food

M O U K M oLLnsoA . LL S S ( ) , PER CENT

' ‘ Four of the cinn amon teals had fed upon snails and two upon ' small i al s and s m a s 15 . c ont ain ed ﬁ ne a m n s b v ve , the to ch of fr g e t '

l d Alto ether 1nollusks am un 8 . 6 9 t c assiﬁe . which were no g , o ted to ’ n i s i a i n nsi a l a t an per ce t of the b rd d et, proport o co der b y gre ter h n— in eal but nl a u al as a as a that of the gree w ged t , o y bo t h f gre t th t

u - in of the bl e w g .

A IM A oon . MISCELLANEOUS N L F , CENT

° s m a a un i ll near Great Salt a a The to ch of yo g, b rd co ected L ke, Ut h , ’ i a in J ul w as alf filled i fine a s . s y, h w th fe ther The e , together w th few H a ni a i al us a ans s a a) and w ater mites ( ydr ch d e) , b v ved cr t ce (O tr cod , m m s m a s all a sm all quantity of un identified atter fro other to ch , of 2 c ent 1:nade u m ain m u 1 . which a o nted to 6 per , p the re der of the m al s i s ani food of the pec e . AL - W E 31 FOOD HABITS or SHO AT R DUCKS .

Da la acuta ( ﬁ . )

P VI LATE .

The pintail breeds abund antly along the northern border of the s a e Su i alm s Paciﬁ c and n United State from L k per or o t to the , orth ward to the Arctic co ast northwes t of Huds on B ay and west to

Al as a is un mm n as a e as a lin e dr awn m k . It co o breed r e t of fro the i uds n B a s n s a i i an wes tern s de of H o y to the we ter hore of L ke M ch g , and s outh of the northern tier of States except on the Gre at Plains . als s ut n n llin is s u n C l a and It breeds o o h to orther I o , o ther o or do , ° s n California w inte1s as far s u - as Cu a and anam a and outher , o th b P , abund antly in the s outhern half of the United St ates: The species breeds als o in thenorthern portions o f the Old World and migr ates

“ ~ Af i d s u n Asi s outh inwinter to n orthern r c a an o ther a . The pint ail is easily recognized by its long neck as well as by the long; pointed middle t ail feathers from which it derives most of its common “ ” nam s In a i i n in ail i is s m im s n w n l all as e . dd t o to p t t o et e k o oc y ” ” “ ” “ “ ” s i i — il s a - ail and s i - ail cinn am n s a . pr g, pr g t , h rp t , ‘ p ke t A o ls i is i l wn in bar s n in s s a o s in . a u bro w g , pre e t both exe , d t ct ve The d t m al has a a n a a i s ri on a si e very d rk brow he d , wh te t pe e ch de of the n and si s and a ﬁnel 1n a i b la and hi eck , the de b ck y rked w th ck w te v lin s w a y e . H F O O D ABITS .

In its general habits the pintail quite closely res embles the mal ~ la al u it a l s n s l ss im eed1n on lan m rd , tho gh prob b y pe d e t e f g dry d re ote fr ni l o a e . i s not a i ul a a at di in but n the w t r It p rt c r y dept v g , ever theless obtains much of its food from under the surfa ce and often

m m ll - o in s a a i in u it . n s s fro the bott h ow w ter, by t pp gp for It e t in low m l u l a s s s u n s m is an m a . e dow or o gh , freq e t y o e d t ce fro w ter ma e i s s l i us 1n ar un at m in The fe l very o ic to the c e of her yo g , te pt g to an in u w m m la in w ounded is a decoy tr der a ay fro the by p y g , or to d tr ct i ° hi s att ntio b i l a l I . u e n in un and ua kin udl . n a tUnin y c rc g ro d q c g o y , pintail s usually g ather in good- sized ﬂocks either by themselves or '

“ i s all - a du s and are mu s u a i w th other h ow w ter ck , ch o ght fter for the r ﬂesh hi s l l aa a . , w ch i very p t b e 1° s ma s 790 in ails ll m a i all all a s The to ch of p t , co ected fro pr ct c y p rt N Am i a m Al as a and Hu s n Ba Calif ni a as of orth er c fro k d o y to or , Tex , and l i a a aila l is in es i a i n: Thela snum F or d , were v b e for th v t gt o rge t bers were taken in the Sta tes of Louisiana Washington Texas Utah Florid a and North Carolina the main ll Of l b in s a . a num a a on re der e g we c ttered the tot ber, d t the

n n s 7 69 s n in m n s m S m a co te t of , repre e t g the o th fro epte ber to M rch, in lusi m us l n u in a a s . c ve, were ed co p t g ver ge

10 Tw o undre an ir -seven e e ere e a - L W . d h s min b . M A h d t ty of th w x ed y c tee. N 862 E 32 U E I U . s . D P M E OF U B LL T , ART NT AGRICULT RE .

V F O D EGETABLE O .

é Vegetable matter constitutes abou t sev en eighths per cent) l il is m of the tota food of the pinta . Th is ade up of the following

’ items f P n s 28 . 04 n s e s s 4 e a s s 9 . 6 o dweed , per c t ; d e , gr e g , ; sm s 4 4 ° 2 a and ks . 7 a ass 4 . 5 mus ass and rtweed doc , rrowgr , ; k gr other l 44 l ° a a 3 . d t 2 4 e a a an a r an ain . 8 s amil g , ; rrowhe d w te p , goo efoot f y, a lil amil u kw s a mil ils w ter y f y, d c eed , w ter fo ,

and mis llan us a l . e n . ce o veget b e food , per ce t

PER CENT .

The on amil lan s i u nis s la s i p dweed , the f y of p t wh ch f r he the rge t tem in ail is t e a i als of s al s i of food for the p t , h f vor te o ever other pec es of u s cludin th ll l T l k in e a a and a a . he a d c , g g dw the b dp te . tter two

' s i s how ever art ake la l l a s and s m pec e , j p very rge y of the e ve te s of l il l f l the an s in ai s s s . O num p t , wh e the p t prefer the eed the who e ber s ma s in ail 254 n ai ed s s a s of to ch of the p t , _ co t n eed or other p rt of widgeon grass (13772729777 a t least four of them with from '

to seeds ea ch . Two others c ont ained about seeds a unidentiﬁ ed s ies u n o amo eton and e ch of pec of tr e po dweed (P t g ) , another held over seeds -of horned pondweed (Zann7chell7a S n o amo eton e 7natus sm ll a lustr7s . s sa t ct a p ) eed of go po dweed (P g p ) , l ol7osus an url nd P . d n P . po dweed ( eafy po weed ( f ) , c y

d7vers7 ol777 8 identiﬁ i a - pondweed (P . f ) were ed n few pondweed s eeds of Which the Species coul d not be determined were S s rn n w s found in 27 1 stoma chs . eed of ho ed po dweed ere pre ent 1 m a s s us n Na as ex7l78 in 23 il 8 s . in to ch , tho e of b hy po dweed ( j ﬁ ) , wh e se s and asi nall l a s l ass Z ostem 777777 77717 the ed , occ o y e ve , of ee gr ( ) were 4 ° in il’ l in 93 and am un . 03 er n a s a found , o ted to p ce t of the p t tot is i m w as 1n s a un an in s m a a s i s food . Th te o t b d t the to chs of er e of birds from the southwestern co ast of Washington .

N S EDGE S PER CE T .

The seeds of sedgesare s econd only to the pondweeds in importance . l lan s is amil o n are in the food of the pintai . The p t of th f y fte l m semisubrner ed in ma s situa ions . a st g , or grow r hy t Prob b y o of the s eeds are taken from the w a ter after they have ripened and

all n al u no u a a m n are i k m s f e , tho gh do bt gre t a y p c ed fro the horter S s the plantsand those wh ich are bent low over the wa ter . eed of mm n — n ul us h —s ua Sc7r us 77717677 co o three cor ered b r h , or t ree q re ( p

canns w ere identifi ed m 155 of. he in ail s m a s h s ) , fro t p t to ch , t o e of fi ‘ a ludosus m 84 sal —m a s ul us S ro ai i ul us S. pr r e b r h ( p ) fro , t r h b r h ( 7 bustus m 29 18 077 977 8 077 66 77 8 78 m 8 i ul us S. 7w 7at7l s) ) fro , 7 fro , r ver b r h ( fl S s saw ass m and unidentified ul us es in 154 . fro 3 , b r h fro eed of gr ( 0777 77777777 spike rush (E leochafi s chuf a ( p erus d s s ne a F7m us Rh nchOS om s . an sp. beaked r h ( y p p edge of the ge r Bu 8 6 U S D f l. 2 . . e t . o A ri t re . , p gcul u PLATE V I.

" ° - I 0 1 A W E . 33 FOOD HAB TS SHO L AT R DUCKS .

( l l br78tyl78 and Oarex a s o were taken very frequent y by these d ucks .

’ As m n as s e s of ak us 3 000 of hr —s ua a y e d be ed r h, , the t ee q re , 3 6 00 s i us and 8 077 7777 8 6 7766778 78 e un m , of p ke r h, of 1 w re co ted fro a i us sin l s to1nachs while o e n ain m an 150 v r o g e , n co t ed ore th of the a Rh ﬂi hos om o la rn s s us c c rn7cula ta . rge, ho ed eed of be ked r h ( y p )

G RA I SSES (GRAM NEAE) , PER CENT .

’ Grrass rem al ns in the pin tail s food consist also very largelyof s eeds . Many of the stom a chs contained thes eeds of s witchgrass (P an7cum il mill E ch7noch oa — l i s . a n a a s l crus all7 i p b r y rd gr s or w d et ( g ) , w d r ce Z7zan7a cut ass Z72a7770 8 78 m7l7a cea sal ass D78 ( gr ( p ) , t gr (

' n l h o h a l t7chl78 a d foxtai ( C aet c lo sp . often in very arge num i s . One w as n n a n s s a n a ass ber fou d to co t eed of b r y rd gr ,

l l of. i h l and another he d near y sw tc grass . Inc uded in the grass

“ l r a 8 a a i w s fami y are c ul tiv ated rice (O yz t77j ) and other grains . R ce a ' ' un in 52 of i tail stornachs— 24 h m m as 18 r m fo d the p n of t e fro Tex , f o

- ui siana and 10 m l i a . n mm ed i i Lo , fro F or d Ma y were cra w th r ce

' k n ls and' cont ined nothin ls but all t aken u in he er e , a ge e, were d r g t m n s N ovember m and uar so can no o th of , Dece ber, Febr y, there be f u a it w as all was ain . O r c ul i a ains do bt th t te gr the othe t v ted gr , n w as un in 3 s m a s a in 3 a l in3 and a s in cor fo d to ch , whe t , b r ey , o t is als a l w as as ain i i n a s Th o prob b y w te gr , w th the except o of o t , a n in N a a in J une and a few ains a a n in t ke orth D kot , gr of whe t t ke

Colora do in. March .

W D A N D D O CK P . SMART EE S S ( OLYGONACEAE) , PER CENT

Many of t he plants of the f amily Polygonacea e grow in or ne ar

a and i s are a a a m a iffe n in s of w ter t he r seed e ten by gre t ny d re t k d , i s Th mil l onum h dro 7 r 7des b . s s a o e o rd e eed of d w ter pepper (P yg y p p ) , un in2 m c s and sm a P in 23 9 s a a . fo d to h , of w ter rtweed ( ni a ri i h il S al als had a n see to be the f vo tes w th t e pinta . ever o t ke ds of - i l sm P 8 a 7 ta tum n P see a . t . pr ck y rtweed ( g ) , k otweed ( P nns l ni sm P nns lvan7cum a P a e . e y v a artweed ( . p y ) w ter pepper ( h dr f r m P a ath ol7um P 9 7 637 67 l . 6 8 76 o i e and t s a s . y p p ) o her rtweed ( p 7f , 2 7 , d P A s o a ma Pol an . u s f s bo t eed rtweed, y ' onum uncta tum un in amm ull and izz a g p , were fo d the cr ed g et g rd m n il m Ala m S s d Ru ex s . o e in a a a . of . p t fro b eed of ock ( p ) were s s pre ent in 7 gizz ard .

‘ - A W Tﬂ loch777 mar7t77na . RRO GRASS ( g ) , PER CENT

A - ass i s a lan of m a s s mu s s low rrow gr p t - the r he , ddy hore , or ° ~ s s are n on s i s a d m a s n ar s al a . e n e dow e t w ter The ed bor e _ erect p ke , Ei a re the only p arts of the plants commonly e aten by the birds . ghty ei in ail s m a s all r m the Paciﬁc coast of as in n ght p t to ch , f o W h gto , 179375 — 20 — 3 62 T E 4 11 11 131 111 8 U . s DEP M o r . 11 ; 3 3 , AR NT AGRICULTURE .

n ain s s s . e n r s n in la m ass s and co t ed the e eed Th y were ofte p e e t rge e , together with the seeds of eelgrass formed the bul k of the contents s m a s m a ion all i we e t a en urin of the to ch fro th t reg , of wh ch r k d g the m n s N m and m o th of October, ove ber, Dece ber .

M K G R Chara N D H U A A . S SS ( ) OT ER ALGAE , PER CENT

‘ s ma s 49 in ails l “ at l ast a s mus ass The to ch of p t he d e tr ce of k gr , " ai l ﬁll i l a d 8 n n a a . ed a a al n co t ed other g e A few were w th g e one . ' ' The fact that a duck has been feeding upon musk grass often c an be s n small a d u ll detected by the pre e ce of the , h r reprod ctive ce s

' o nia i sis in s m a a er all a s a (o go ) wh ch per t the to ch ft other _ p rt h ve been digested

“ W AD AN D WA A TA I I 2 84 AR R O E . PE R . H TER PL N N (AL SMACEAE) , CENT

M n intails s on l a of Mississi i Ri a y of the p hot the de t the pp ver, ° ' L u1 1ana had n in on u es of an a a Sa 7ttama o s , bee feed g, the t b r rrowhe d ( g lat h la w i i s a un an on mud ﬂ t l a s . s p yp y ) , h ch very b d t the there The e ” u s are n n as lt a a and are one t he im an t ber k ow the de pot to , of p ort t 11 f i s s a ads si n ll duck foods o that reg on. The eed of rrowhe occ a o a y

“ l s ll s u s e s i s S e s a aret a en a s a w a . k o , e the t ber of oth r pec e e d of w ter

- 1 4 7770, a ta o a uat ca t al r u i m 178 l n 7 e . n n s a s plantain ( p g g ) we e fo d 6 to ch .

F F AM I H E IA . GOOSE OOT LY (C NOPOD CEAE) , PER CENT

Of -a series of 35 pint ail stomachs collected from a point on the Gulf c oast of as l n O b r 33 con ain s s lass Sal7co n7a Tex cto e , t ed eed of g wort ( r a low flesh leafless lan in in ns l ni s on , y, p t grow g de e co o e i n s s s am mud fl ats toos aline for other vegetat o . The e eed ounted t o 100 er n n n s f 25 of m a s and a a 93 p ce t of the co te t o the sto ch , ver ged er in s i s of 35 s m a s n ain no p cent the er e . Two of the to ch co t ed f a s a Fi in ails had a n s s ewer th n seed e ch . ve p t e te eed of

m s s al s 24757 7 7 s i 0 h no od7u s and one h u 18 7 . p gweed ( e p p. ) t o e of tb h ( 3 p )

WA LILY AMI Y M H . TER F L (NY P AEACEAE) , PER CENT

The stomachs of 34 pintails contained seeds of water shield (Bra

8 77 3 777 6 7 7 10 s s a lili s nus Castal7d 8 7 8 0 8 8 ) the eed of w ter e of the ge , us N 7n haea i in lu s ll n and 6 those of the gen y p , wh ch c de the ye ow po d il O Fl i a s m a n ain 142 s s w a s i l l y . ne or d to ch co t ed eed of ter h e d, i 0718 75771767 and the r mains of a la num er -a 4 of a spec es of , e rge b of dlil species of yellow pon y.

KWE S A AE PE R E . DUC ED (LEMN CE ) , C NT

Only 15 pintails had eaten duckweeds (Lemma Thes e sm all i uck m one cf l ss i ms in plants so rel shed by the wood d , for the e er te the in ail food of the p t .

1 — 1 24 1917 . 8 . . 21 U . . De . See B ll . N o. 465 u , pt Agr , pp ,

36 U L E I 862 U . 8 . DEP M E T or C B L T N , ART N AGRI ULTURE . crab (Hexapcmopeus which f requents the b eaches there ; One gizz ard contained the claws and other rem ains of at le as t 30 of a s n r fish r n es c . c a a e a du s small lan th e r b Whe w e te by ck , p o n m ass s al a us ma e n n as as li s su s co vex e of c c reo tt r k ow g tro th , ppo ed use as m a e ial a new eXoskeleton a ul in n to b e d t r for fter mo t g, ofte are un i fin ers la s sis in in th s m fo d , w th the g or c w per t g e to ach after a s crawfish ar i s m ll l s n other p rt of the e d ge ted . S a biva ved cru t acea s

s ra a had n a n 38 in ails s an ﬂeas a (O t cod ) bee t ke by of the p t , d or be ch ' ‘ fl as A1n hi oda 20 and s u s s a e ( p p ) by , owb g (I opod ) by 5

I N CT I PE R E SE S ( NSECTA) , C NT .

Beetles (Coleoptera) amounting to per cent of the total food intail nsis lar l hr e amili s a i us of the p , co ted ge y of t e f e , the pred c o ' diVin tl s is i a w ater scaven e l s H hilida gbee e (Dyt c d e) , gr beet e ( ydrop e) , n n l s a a i a e s s n n a d grou d beet e (C r b d e) . Oth r repre e ted Were the s out e l s Cur uli ni a l a l s Chr s li ae l af a s b et e ( c o d e) , e f beet e ( y ome d ) , e ch fer S a a a i a a lin a be l s Hali li ae e e tl s ( c r b e d e) , cr w g w ter et e ( p d ) , rov b e e li les Ela e i a la a ee l s Cucu i c ck beet ( t r d e) , f t b rk b t e ( j n i e l s Ci in li a B si s s th dae a d . e e e e e e e ) , t ger be t e ( c de d e) e de th th r w r fragments ofj rnany unidentified beetles and the larvae of aquatic s i s pec e . Flies (Diptera) found in the pintail s tom achs consis ted m ainly lar a and amoun er n the al of v e ted to p ce t of tot food . The ll in amili s flies es n e i s C i on mi a fo ow g f e of were repr e t d ; M dge ( h r o d e) , n 3 1 brineflies E i a i n 15 s oldierflies Stratiom idae i ; ( phydr d e) , ; ( y ) , in craneflies i uli a in 3 orseflies a ani a in 2 a nd 8 ; (T p d e) , ; h (T b d e) , ; n ntifi fl m i ns i n 10 s t ornachs u ide ed y re a . la a n m s and a a ul s dr a onflies Anis a The rv e or y ph , few d t , of g ( opter ) s Z t r o t fur nis 44 r n th n . damselflie e a e 0 . e e e a d ( n p ) , t ge her h d p c t of ’ in ails u s H e ea onsis in chiefl a a p t food ; b g ( et ropt r ) , c t g y of w ter bo t n C ix i a e in at u s Naucoridae a nd ian a 1ne ( or d e) , cr ep g w er b g ( ) , g t w ter bugs (Belost om at1dae) amounted to per cent ; the larvae and al as s c addisflies P-hr anoidea er cen and larV c e of ( yg ) , p t ; other

“ inse s nsis in a ass e s e a an s a nd ct , co t g of few gr hopp r (Orthopt r ) , t H m n a and a li s A na a ale er en s s . wa p ( y e opter ) , M yf e ( g th ) , tot d p c t

M I C A N O U A IM A O PE R . S ELL E S N L FO D , CENT

ma1ns . of small ﬁsh un in 16 s m a s a Rana The re (fo d to ch ) , frog( mandibles of a few marine worms (N6 7 878 tiny water mites dr i s H dr z a c allines z of hy o d ( y o o ) , or (Bryo oa

n Al na ia and - the minu lime—in us e one— ll an a d cyo r ) , te , cr t d , ce ed org

sms n n as aminif a all e e in lu e in the arie ill of. i k ow For er , w r c d d v d b in il fare of the p ta . ro nHABIT or SH OAL —WATER U KS o S D C .

w oon DU CK .

A77: s onsa p .

P ATE VII L .

The wood duck ranges in summ er ne arly thr oughout the United S s s u n B i is C lum ia s u n Sas a an n a i tate , o ther r t h o b , o ther k tchew , O t r o , B unswi and N a S ia it s asu all i n Cuba and IS New r ck, ov cot ; breed c y , a i n al in B mu a i a d J amaic a In in rit u i s cc de t er d , Mex co , n . w te occ p e a i a l u e n al of its summ r an Its s u a pprox m te y the so th r h f e r ge . o thw rd mi rat n is a m lis chieﬂ in and it m s n r ar g io cco p hed y October , ove o thw d ea l in s rin reachin t e la i u n al a usuall rather r y p g, gh t t de of ce tr Iow y a a 20 a d s u n ani a A i bout M rch n o ther M tob pr l 15 . '

‘ s it s nam in i lies the o u inh a i s s lu dl an A e p , w od d ck b t ec ded woo d n n n n n n t s a d l im e s ams m a s its . s i a po d akes a d t ber d tre . It ke e t a ur al a i n a e m hi m u a s un c v ty i tr e , fro w ch the other d ck t ke the yo g soon after they are hatched and c arries them one by one in her beak 12 the a The a ul mal 1s m s illian l l e all to w ter . d t e the o t br t y co or d of Am i an u s and a l 1S as ﬁne l n a a an as an in er c d ck , prob b y ppe r ce y the l Itsm s n r 1s a la i n l wor d . o t s triki g fe atu e rge br ght gree and purp e s i st a in th ol s s wi hi e e e s am . cre t, tr ped th w t , the r of the he d be g of e c or The thr o a t 1s white ; on e ach side of the body i s a row of black and hi n n n s s s a d a ss s ul s are la a d hi e a . w te cre ce t , cro the ho der b ck w t b r u a s ar i i s en ni s o nis la and The pperp rt e r de c t gree h or br w h b ck, the

as is i n t i . Th l a s u e wi . e u bre t r ch che t t, spo t d th wh te p m ge of the m l n n m but a s s mu s am n al a as a ale _ fe e pre e t ch the e ge er p tter th t of the , la ks m s of its i c o t br ght coloration .

D H FO O ABITS.

Although the wood duck often is seen in the haunts of o ther ducks on n s s a m a s lan its u sual din un s ope tretche of w ter or r hy d , fee g gro d are al n an s the w ooded st ams and n s n a hi o g the b k of x re po d e r w ch

' it nests i summ He it not nl s u n s e s and n er . re o y feed po the e d other i a ts the lan s h in n a the Wa er but n it p r of p t w ch grow or e r t , ofte an s far ut i i ar s s i u a ns w der o nto the dr er p t of the wood to p ck p cor , n s i us e and s u s u a s and i s and s ds a s . t , gr pe , berr e , the ee of v r o tre hr b s the inse s a d e animal a n how eV er Mo t of ct n of the oth r food t ke , , are kinds Which either inh abit the water itself or live on plants

' hi in or n a a Some es ial s i s are w ch grow e r the w ter . terr tr pec e

au but it is a l a m s s . are i e u m c ght , prob b e th t o t of the e p ck d p fro the su a a as u s are not ﬁtted su ss ul rf ce of the w ter , the d ck for cce f ly a hin a i ins s on lan are i n c tc g ct ve ect d . They expert , however ,

i a hin s hi ﬂ low a l oVer its su a c tc g tho e w ch y over the w ter or g de rf ce , and obt ain the kinds which swim bene ath the sur f ace ( as well as

12 m k XXIV — Kin r G r th e N s A X . . 3 33 191 W D InVin Y un e : u 3 5 6 7 . s d E . oo u Re O f gfo , . , d ck g. o g o t , , pp , 862 ‘ ” 38 ULLETIN U . 5 . DEPAR MENT or A emcm rues B , T . the s eeds and other p arts of submerged plants ) by half—divin g ,

“ a m ann m all a and s e al e u s fter the er of the rd ev r oth r d ck .

1 3 - s m a s of 4 13 u s a aila l e amin a i n The to ch wood d ck were v b e for x t o . Six s tom achs were rejecte d on account of the t oo me ager or uncert ain na ur of i n n s and s n m m u s l t e the r co te t , eve ore fro d ck co lected during

’ J anna M a and J une aus ot sufﬁcient ry , y , , bec e they were n in number a e ua l e s n s m n hs N n a d q te y to r pre e t tho e o t . o e were t ken during

ul s o a 399 s m a s o m i ﬁnal sul s J y; th t the to ch . fr wh ch re t were c om

ut ed s n nl m n s . m Au us cem e and p repre e t o y the o th fro gt to De b r , m u a A il in lusi is . no as n fro Febr ry to pr ; c ve There re o why the food for J annary shoul d not be similar to that of the other winter months

' in summ n a anirnal o er ; however , the perce t ge of food no d ubt is s m a i St m a hs lle d m 2 o ewh t h gher . o c were co cte fro 4 St ates and the

is i C lum ia m ain and l i a n and li D tr ct of o b , fro M e F or d to Orego Ca ' forni a and m in oi n a io as but a u ﬁ e , fro the Prov ce O t r to Tex ; bo t v i s 26 8 le num a en in uisian e ghth ( ) of the who ber were t k Lo a ; The ul u s now n a un an as s in a i b k of the wood d ck , owhere b d t breeder ; h b t

‘ is iss i i V all an d in in e e ﬁnd i al in and the M s pp ey , w t r th y de feed g living con ditions in the cypress swamps and wooded lakes and lagoons of the St ates bordering the Mississippi from abou t the mouth t he i Ri s u of Oh o ver o thwar d .

' VE G T B Fo on E A LE .

- , Morethan nine tenths per cent) of the food of the wood

‘ nsis s e a l m a is hi i n y e duck co t of V get b e tter . Th gh proport o of eg " a le is simil a a n t he m all a Wi t b food very r to th t t ake by rd . th the wood duck it is quite evenl y dis tribute d among a l arge number of sm all i ems hi am n hi ar e ll in : u kw s t , c ef o g w ch the fo ow g D c eed , n c ss n s and alls s e s s and u per ce t ; ypre co e g , edg eed t bers, ass s and ass s ds n eds and i s s gr e gr ee , po dwe the r eed ,

' a ns and nu s 62 8 s s a lil s and leaves a cor beech t , ; ee d of w ter ie of w ter shi l s s a e ehn and its alli s of smar s and e d , eed of w t r e , tweed

s of n ail a - a um and skun a a dock , coo t ; of rrow r k c bb ge ; bur m a i l and m si s u n us of r go d other co po te , of b tto b h and alli l an s b in il l and i ed p t ; of reed , w d ce ery frogb t , nu s i an a s s and s s s am t of b tter pec ; gr pe eed , eed of w p i an d ash n m ainin n w as m a pr vet , per ce t . The re g per ce t de la num min i ems up of a rge ber of or t .

D KW D E M A E A E E N T UC EE S (L N C ) , PER C .

W n s n in din un s t he u u he ever pre e t the fee g gro d of wood d ck , d ck

. l are its a i E a in i i u al l an con weeds prob ab y f vor te food . ch d v d p t sis s sim l a small ﬂesh l a dis s a n a l s o ﬂ oatin t p y of y e f , k h pe d or e r y ; g

' im l s an lin on sur a a i one m s . the f ce of the w ter , w th or ore p e root d g g

13 - E i r L McAtee. ghty six of these we e examined by W . . ‘ - w D A ri t re . p l_ A rE e t . Bul. p of gcul u

r o IT or - W E KS 39 o n HAB S SHOAL AT R DUC .

' Duckw eeds are especially abundant on the still waters of southern ss sw am s f n in n i e su a and u nish n cypre p , o te cover g the e t r rf ce f r i g a un an su l u s in in an b d t pp y of food for the d ck w ter g there . The stom achs of m any of the wood du cks t aken in such loc alities in Louisiana and Missouri were ﬁlled almost entirely with duckw eed lan s nd ull s als se eal m amm p t , a the g et o of v r of the were cr ed . A u ks m l ali i s as Ar ans as llin is New Y few d c fro other oc t e , k , I o , ork, and n a i had a en his 111 nsi a l uan i i s Al O t r o , t k t food co der b e q t t e . to 99 u s had een edin u n a e u gether , of the wood d ck b fe g po gre t r d ck S irodela ol rhiza and 18 7 on e u e s Lemna s weed ( p p y ) oth r d ckwe d ( pp.

I E A MI I A E A E E T P N F LY (P N C ) , PER C N .

The pinef amily. w as represented in the wood duck stomachs entirely by cone s c ales and galls from the b ald cypress ( Ta xodium d h m i ssi l a m n ss T isti u . as nd ns c ce e . ) , w th po b y few fro po d cypre ( ) This peculiar diet is indul ged mby this duck to a much greater ex n an an a l an e ir te t th by y other , or prob b y by y oth r b d . The n s ess are a ou an in In di am m a and n a l co e of cypr b t ch eter , co p ct e r y s i al and n ull InatUre eak u in an ul ar pher c , whe f y b r p to g woody

l s each b o t ainin a s ee It . is es s al s hi h d s s a n . u c e , g d th e c e w c the ck pick up and which when ground by the powerful gizz ards yield a st archy food material in the s eeds; Several kinds oi ins ect g alls ' ’ found on diﬂ erent p arts of cypress trees also were eaten by the u s Th n m s mm nl ta w as a ar i al al . n s d ck e ki d o t co o y ke h d, pher c g l made in the cone b y a species of cecidomyi d ﬂy (Retinodiplosis ‘ i Cypress gall s of yarious kinds were found in 35 of the s ma hs hil 18 3 n ain e s al s s me the n to c , w e co t ed con c e , o to exte t of

‘ -100 n the contents per ce t of .

D E RA E AE E NT SE GES (CYP C ) , PER C .

S s s are mm n artl cles of the u edge eed co o food of wood d ck , though not so mu so as of m s u s in i O n m a s s ch o t of the d ck which hab t pe r he . A species of bulrush (Scirpus cubensis) which grows in swamps in

' the Gulf St ates far outweighed In import ance any of the other sedges identiﬁed 1n s m a hs amine s ds his lan the to c ex d . The ee of t p t were un m 47 s ma s in s al ins an es m 000 to m an fo d to ch , ever t c fro ore th in s n i en u s had at n la be g pre e t . F fte wood d ck e e the rge ,

a s ll w a us Rh nchos om com iculata be ked eeds of po y og or be ked r h ( y p ) . In a s i s 3 s ma hs m e n e S am Ge ia s er e of to c fro Ok fe ok e w p , org , the e s s ns i u 10 17 and 35 er Cen r s i l con~ eed co t t ted , , p t , e pect ve y, of the ’ en s srnall a s i al s s s aw ass Cl i m . u t t The ; h rd, pher c eed of gr ( ad e usum s n in 15 s m a s s nut us Scleria ﬁ ) were pre e t to ch , tho e of r h ( l n e s r s s e un 4 m 3 s ufa e u . m 5 s a S . S s p . ed of ch ( p pp w re fo d to ch , usuall In small num e s and In one s ma h m inn soaw as y b r , to c fro M e t one la r r s es n s S eds n rge tube of chuf a (p e u cule tu ) . e of the ge us 862 40 U E I U . s . DEP M E or AGR T RE B LL T N , ART NT ICUL U .

0am): e mmonl a en usuall in smal wer co y t k , y l numbers unidentiﬁed ’

‘ ‘ in s s n in 33 i a s the s eds ani l k d were pre e t g zz rd , e of p c ed s edge ( Oarex decom os7ta in 21 n h0 s a e 0 . 1u ul orm7s in 8 p ) , p dge ( p 7f ) . O ther S d s e s s un e se i ul us Sc7r us uv7at7l7s edg eed fo d wer tho of r ver b r h ( p fl ) , F7mbr78 t l7s s i us Eleo hafi s c s . a rus Rh n y , p ke r h ( p be ke d h ( y chospom s d iden ified . an un t s s p edge .

RA SSE S R AMI E AE CE T G (G N ) , PER N .

Chief among the grasses which contribu te to the food of the wood dil ck is il i Z7za777a a ustris I s s a n w d r ce ( p l ) . t eeds re fed upo by prac tl all all es a u ks and it s n s u an a c y the fr h w ter d c , pre e t s ch ttractive source of food supply as to entice eV en the Wood duck from its s lu aun s the n ma s s e th il i ec ded h t to op e r he wh re e w d r cegrows . 14 “ A rdin Kumlien and H llis u k in all s s cco g to o ter , the wood d c , f , re ort .

the a il i e m ars s and hil t e ice las a s ms to gre t w d . r c he , w e h r ts th t ee to i s in i al il i had n a n 1 be t pr c p food . W d r ce bee e te by 7 of the w ood u s amin and n s n usu all u nis ul d ck ex ed, whe pre e t y f r hed the b k of the n ll n . s ma a d u e o e u s a t in l food The to ch g t of d ck hot Po t Pe ee, ' n a i n ain no an s s il i i h O t r o, co t ed fewer th eed of w d r ce, w t main s . An u a n a San in i k t . re s of other other wood d c , t ke d Po t, M ch , in Au us had ﬁlled its a and i a i a u 400 ﬂo g t, cr w g zz rd w th bo t w ers of 1ant h l a s i ad n all a i l w o e s . An c the p , he d of wh ch h bee w owed rt e of food which seems to be Very mu ch relished by the du cks wherever

’ found is the seeds of meadow grass(Pan7culd77cz nervata ) : Of a s eries of 22 wood ducks taken at CaruthersV ille, in extreme s ou the as tern iss u i 17 “ had n in n t s s s " The s m a s and M o r , bee feed g upo he e eed to ch ull s 7 n ain s i l r m s s a g et of co t ed; re pect ve y, f o to eed to e ch in ivi ual n i u in m 6 n s s s 75 9 . d d , the eed co t t t g fro to per ce t of the food The Seeds of a switchgrass (Pan7cum subgenu s D7chanthel7um) were found in considerable quantities in seV eral of the stom achs frOm uisiana s m hi n ain in a i i n m ains s ems Lo , o e of w ch co t ed dd t o re of the t n a h am a In a i i n ass s al a a d l e ves of t e s e gr ss . dd t o to the gr e re dy m n i n s s o Swi h ass s Pan7c71/m il e t o ed, the eed of ther tc gr e ( w d

- - mill ch7nochloa, crus all7 cu t ass Z7zan7o s7s m7l7acea rl ce et (E g ) , gr ( p ) , — l E a s cu t ass Homalocenchrus Or zo7des and ass r ro t7s s . gr ( y ) , ove gr ( g p ma n u a n n a hi a eidentiﬁed. s o e k C wer The to ch of wood d c t ke e r c go , 111 in w as ﬁlled i n and one m uisiana n ain , October, w th cor , fro Lo co t ed a ul i a i tr ces of c t v ted r ce .

W D S AIA DA A N T O N D E E E E CE . P (N C ) , PER

In the pondweeds is another family of plants which is important as a source of. food for many species of ducks and to s ecure which t he n wood duck dep arts to some extent from its norm al feedi g habits .

14 I S II . 21 W s ns at . His . oc . K I i lis r B ir s Wis nsin Bul . i in N nJ n L fin N . H he : u e . e T , , d ol t , d of co l co t , , p ,

1903 .

2 e 86 . D T 111 .1313 U . 5 EP R M E 131. T or AGR T R , A N ICUL U E .

W I Y AM I N YM PHA E A CE XE E NT ATERL L F LY ( ) ; PER C .

S s a e li i s are ui u n l a n u l eed of w t r l e q te freq e t y e te by d cks . Twe ve u s had a n s s ll w ondlili es of hi of the wood d ck e te eed of ye o p , w ch

‘ ' - s ies c ow lil N m ha ea a vena an h m two pec , the y ( y p d ) d t e s all yellow

“ pondlily (Nympha ea m7crop77yllc7 ) were identiﬁed; 10 contain ed . s ds i a lili s hi 2 s i s 0 astal7a o o n ee of wh te w ter e , of w ch pec e ( d mta a d _ uberosa id n iﬁ 0 . t ) were e t ed; and 11 contained s eeds of water shi eld

‘ 8 7 7 96 77767 Of t he la one n ain 3 8 0 s s and ( tter, co t ed eed ; the s tom ach and di stended gull et of a wood duck t aken near Chi

a 111 l 5 7 7 s s a hi a lil Casta l7a tuberosa c go , , he d eed of w te w ter y ( ) ,

' i a m n s s al m in addi i n m t o o i . w th fr g e t of ever ore, t other te s Two s tom achs from s ou theastern Missouri con tained qu an tities of the

~ rem ains of stem s and leaves of Carolin a wa ter shield ( Oabomba

' N E I‘TL E F M IL Y E N T A PER C .

n l amil lan s w as sen e in u The ett e f y of p t : repre t d the woo d d ck 19 s ma hs chieﬂ b s s a elm la nera, a uat7ca hi to c y y the eed of w ter (P g ) , w ch had n a n 6 6 ese u s an s uisiana bee t ke by of th d ck . M y duck in Lo had ms l s u n es l r s s i ull s and iz gorged the e ve po th e a ge eed , the r g et g z i O e o u ha(1 l 0 ards be ngcr ammed . n wo d d ck devoured ne ar y 30 at its l as m al s i s 13 i a ds om A ell s a is L a t e . A er e of g zz r fr voy e P r h, . ,

" n ain s e s a elm a ra en oi 0 48 n co t ed e d of w ter to the ve ge ext t Ver per ce t, most of the rem ainder of the food consisting of the seeds of coont ail ( Ceratophyllum The stomach of a duck from s outheastern is uri w as l d e m s M s o ne ar yﬁll e w ith the seeds of another lm ( Ul u sp .

An m Alabam a . ont ained em ain s al Inul other , fro , c the r s of ever re d berries and eight of the har d drupes of hackberries ( 0 6 1778 both

- i el n his amil lan s sm all ds oi - als of whch b o g to t f y of p t . The see f e ' nettle (B oehme77a cyl777 d770 c7) were present in three stomachs

sm r wnnns E NT (POLYGONACEAE) , PER C .

In a ddition to a few seeds of dock (Rumesc which were found in s n i zar s and unidentiﬁ ed sma s in 17 ten S e i s eve g z d , rtweed , p c e of smartweed seeds were identiﬁ ed as haVing- been eaten by the woo d u ks Oi se a e smar e P ol onum am h7b777m and d c . the , w t r tw ed ( yg p ) ' mil at P h dro i ermldes e m s mm nl d w er pepper ( . y p p ) wer the o t co o y a n lar s num of sm ar s ds un in an on t ke . The ge t ber twee d ee fo d y e wood duck s tom ach w as t aken from a bird collected in Avoyell es a is L a hi had ea en the small la s ds P r h , . , w ch t over of b ck ee of ol onum o elousanum P yg p .

m d m E T I CeratO h llu emersu N . COONTA L ( p g/ ) , PER C

C n ail is - a l ss su m lan mu - an s ms oo t root e , b erge d p t , the ch br ched te m l a s N a n mass all l _ s of which be ar bushy es of s whor ed e ve . e r the e d

19 — 2 For a full es ri ti n this ant and its seeds see B ll . 205 U . S. D e . A h . 9 1 1915 . d c p o of pl , u , pt g, pp , - - W ER CK 43 FOOD HABITS OF SE OAL AT DU S.

b an s are n the ui s nsist in a l n ﬂ at of the r che bor e fr t , co g of h rd , ob o g ,

en s s a li l m e an one- i an in l n and usu all t ed eed tt e or th e ghth of ch o g , y in be aring on their outer covering from one to thr ee woody sp es . A u s s iall a all and i n lis lia few d ck , e pec y the g dw w dgeo , re h the fo ge of

- on ail but m s s i s in lu in u s s. co t , o t pec e , c d g the wood d ck , prefer the eed nl a s ma s his s i s n ain lia n ail O y very few to ch of t pec e co t ed fo ge , of coo t , and 111 these c ases it w as present i n such small qu antities as to indi a a i n all l an has a e i c ate that it had been t ken cc de t y. The p t V ry w de is i u ion and 1s un u u N AIneric a i n d tr b t , fo d thro gho t orth except the emen T e se s un m s mm nl in extr orth . h ed were fo d o t co o y, however , m s u s m the S u n S a s In a se i s the s to ach of wood d ck fro o ther t te . r e

‘ r i L ll but hi ine 6 5 i a s m Mo eauV lle a . a n a of g zz rd , g , two of w ch co t d _ fro ' eeds of n ail e a a a u 12—- n thet ot al s coo t ,th y ver ge d bo t 5per ce t of food . Inan s i s 13 in num e mA lles a is a s s other er e , b r , fro voye P r h,L , eed of

n ail am un m an 38 ' en Thel ar est num e coo t o ted to ore th per c t . g b r n i ne i w as 12 i a m n s O e s u n o a 7 . fo d g zz rd , w th fr g e t of th r

R M A M I A A E A E E T. A U F LY ( R C ) , PER C N

la s a s s a - a um eltandra v77 7777ca e The rge , t rchy eed of rrow r (P g ) w re mi s n in , u s m a s a n re e pre e t 5 of the wood d ck to ch ex ed . Th e of thes froni a e a - i i an ll ﬁll ed one c ont a1n1n 5 1 Port gL ke , M ch g , were we , g s s and mains s and iz- a ein amm eed re of other , both crop gz rd b g cr ed . i r In s ome loc alit es these seeds are a very i nport ant item in the . wood ’ In 1 14 illiam u s o . anu a 9 f un d ck fo d J ry , , Lord W Percy o d wood ducks in the E V erglades of Florida fee ding almos t exclusively on the

“ s P e c dm P Al an i in a isi seed of lt m . C. . ex der, wr t g of V t to the Kin “ l un Clu Sou Ca lina S m e 5 19 15 s a s : As w e och G b, th ro , epte b r , , y a a s al un summ u s r din ppro ched , ever h dred er d ck we e fee g nd ﬂe ll u s 0 1 2 12 n aminin the l a w up in sma gro p to . Upo ex g p aces _ ’ from which they arose I found thousands of the seeds of P eltcmdm all ° neatly shelled out and the outer co ats ﬂ oatingl n sm all groups in the

a - T-he s a s m i a n u w ter . p the fro wh ch they were t ke occ rred by the l in i s o e a i a la h n s . u s e c r , e ch w th rge o e tor the de Two of the d ck wer d ll P ndm s c s an a s u elta . an no hot the cr w were f of _ eed There be u im an hi s l an as a A773 at l as do bt of the port ce of t p t food for e t . The gullet and s tomach of one wood duck from Connecticut cont ained 3 1 s s of s un a a S m locar us oet7d77 8 i m ains eed the k k c bb ge ( y p p f ) , w th re s e al m of ev r ore .

M I C I c E NT. CO POS TES ( OMPOS TAE) , PER

° The fl at s in seeds of bur Ina i ol( (B7de778 kn n as , p ed r g1 ow a — ic s s i i s w s n in 25 1zz ards s m im s begg r t k or t ck t ght , ere pre e t g , o et e in nsi ea le n m es h frOIn A o ll s a is L a W co d r b u b r ; t ree v ye e P r h, , ere l m Two u s oll in nr near y filled with the . d ck c ected o theastern K s ds ian ra Ambros a 7 7 ansas had fill ed up on the ee of g t gweed ( 7 t fida) . E I 862 EP R M N 4 UL 5 . D T E F A m 4 . O c cu rme B L T N , U A T m .

° °

M A D D E ﬁ FAM II J Y I E T (RUB ACEAE) , PER C N .

’ One of thes taple ar ticles of food of the ducks feeding— in the southern s am s is s s u n us Ce halanthus occ7de77 a f w p the eed of b tto b h ( p 75 l7s) . O

al 4 13 s ma s u s 192- n ain s . the tot of to ch of wood d ck , co t ed the e seeds

h . resent i n n of s ma s m uisia a T ey were p per ce t the to ch fro Lo n , ll ll usu a in sma num s . asi nall s al un y ber Occ o y, however, ever h dred were present in sin gle stom a chs,in -w hich they m ad e as much as 7 5

“ or even 90 per cent of the contents Remains of t he s eeds of b utton

“ weed were found in 6 stomachs ; those of cleavers

(Gal777m i. n one.

BU R R E E DS S A R A NIA E A E PE R E T. ( P G C ) , C N

‘ " The a nu li s ds of buI s S ar an7um s . e h rd , t ke ee reed ( p g pp ) wer B ‘ s n in 53 u k s ma s . ur r eeds are a ua i pre e t _ of the wood d c to ch q t c plants with ribbon- shaped leaves and with s eeds borne in clus ters

m li s a s - s s res e b ng bur t the end of the branches . When the e eeds are ’ un in duck i z ards u c in s are usuall n oﬁ fo d gz the o ter over g y wor ,

l f - I 17 but the hard kerne s persist er s ome time . n ins tances the s eeds were - identiﬁed as thos e of the bro ad—frui ted bur reed (Spar a m eur r um gn777 yca p ) .

F O I A M I H YD R O CH A R ITA GE A -E E T R GB T F LY ( ) , PER C N .

" Remains of the m any—seeded frui ts of frogbit were foun d in 12 ’ m S l wood ducks s to a chs . evera full stomachs from Louisiana con tained this food to the extent of from 65 to 90 ' per cent of their ' l i r n n s . an is a ua and its i s a e u n b co te t The p t q t c , berr e fed po y

ur . u s in u many species of ducks . Fo wood d ck had been feed g pon

' l ' m ‘ il r Vall78 77 67 7a s 7ml7s . One s a n r w d ce e y ( p ) of the e, t ke f o the s all s at m u theSus u anna Ri e in a lan had h ow the o th of q eh v r, M ry d ,

- s all . 30 of thes u in in u s lan and n r w owed pro t g w ter b d of the p t , a othe D i lan is m elaV an Wis had ﬁll ed u on sam o ; s fro , , p the e f od Th p t ° a mu m eim an l m n in “ e of s m of ch or port t e e e t the f od \ o e the deep

a du s as - a and the an as— ac W i ain w ter ck , ; the red he d c v b k, h ch obt the winter buds and rootstocks by diving .

W A IL A D A E A E E NT M J . ALNUT F Y ( UGL N C ), PER C

’ The powerful crushing and grinding ability of the w ood duck s gizz ard is - shown by the presence in7 6 of the stom achs ex amined of

' ’ fragments of the nuts of the bitter pecan (H7c0 7 7a a guat7ca ) . These ' nuts hav e as a a s ll as n of n n - i nu s h rd he a y the orther h ckory t , yet they are broken as they enter the gizz ard and before they c an pos sibly have been expo sed to the full crushing power of tha t org an . All of the bitter pecans identiﬁed were from ducks taken in Louisi ° i bird from ansu a L a nsis ana . n one The e t re food of M r , , co ted of uall ans one whole pecan with fragments of s everal others . s pec _ U y m n n amounted to from 5 to 20 per cent of the sto ach co te t s . - r a W E R 4 5 FOOD HABITS o SHOAL AT DUCKS .

I F I Y V ITA E A E . V NE AM L ( C ) , PER CENT

‘ s im a a a e n a remaln s a s The e t ted ver g perce t ge , of the of gr pe a uall un in u s tomachs undoubted1 i s Inuch ct y fo d the wood d ck , y l ss an u i n a s nsum s ins e th the tr e proport o of gr pe co ed , for the k , ul and uic are ui kl di est d 1eaV in n in but p p , j e very q c y g e , g oth g the mu m mm nl a m nts e to s a seeds, or ch ore co o y, fr g e of se ds, how th t l s a s had n a n . is r a a m s s a gr pe bee e te It p ob b e th t o t of the e gr pe . ° are i k u m u ln the w s h u s m ma p c ed p fro the gro nd ood , t o gh o e y be ° a s o f l m s t aken from the Vines . Tr ce grapes (a ways In the for of s eed

- or seed fragments) were present in 14 1 of the wood duck stoma chs .

O I A M I O L E A E A E L VE F LY ( C ) , PER CENT .

7 N o wood ducks had eaten s eeds of ash ( 1 7 77777777 8 (777767 707 777 and

“ - s i s . m ain o m is amil lan s other pec e ) , The re der of the f od fro th f y of p t f w A hi Consisted of the s eeds o s arnp privet ( dél7a, w ch 1 is faV rit il c s were pres en t in 3 stomachs . This a o e food for w d du k n s m s u n l ali i s “ a in t het estimon nume us i o e o ther oc t e , ccord g to y of ro “ s ri ul a r ai x l hun ters . Wood duck in p a t c r a e s d to feed e tensive y b o i h se u n its s s . ks s s u s ar i e _ po eed Wee efore ther pec e of d ck r v t e ° birds a re abund ant 111 the country where swamp privet grows and are said nsum m s of the c of seeds 1eaV in li le to co e o t rop , gtt for other ° 2° T 1 ll h i u s . he an 1s a s ru or sma and eS e d ck p t h b tree, t e d , wh ch ° has a ﬁbrous i a is in l s a a lue , r dged co t, c o ed m w tery b berry from ° — l —f f l s i s ri en one ha f to three our ths o an inch l n ength . The e berr e p in May and J une and f all into the wa ter ; many of the n are picked ° r up from the bottom by the ducks 1a ter m the season The sw arnp ' i e s in sam kin l ali i s as th e a elm and its pr v t grow the e d of oc t e w ter , seeds usually were found in comp any w ith the seeds of tha t plant m a of On ma an is n in the sto chs wood ducks. e sto ch d d te ded crop un i l 157 s la e s e i mai s were fo d wh ch he d of the e rg e ds, w th re n of l w severa more. A sprig of swamp privet as sent to the Biological i ll T X w m S . . i h a u C G W Da as e . h t e s n ha it rvey by r ght, of , , t t te e t t t ’ w as r n m s a n r m a w oo(1 u s i a i w as g ow fro eed t ke f o d ck g zz rd , wh ch l l m abso ute y full of the .

M I S E A E O S G D C LL N U VE ETABLE FOO , PER CENT .

- A a num small i ms i amoun l ss gre t ber of er te , each of wh ch ted to e ’ han 1 n a u emain the w u s- a l t per ce t, m de p the r der of ood d ck veget b e _ _

" I s m l ali i a food . h o e oc t es the ducks h d fed upon the tubers and s eeds of arrowheads (8 779777777 777 Zat7fol777 and other species) ; and thr ee m ill M had ff m l Ca u s o . s u t se es i s ms fro r ther v e, , t ed he v w th the te , l ea s and s s a Ranunculus s . r a ve , root tock of crowfoot ( p Th ee t ken in k nok - S am Geo ia in m 1916 had n O efe ee w p , rg , Dece ber, , bee feeding upon the crimson rootstocks of red—root or p aint—root (Gyrotheca

Im r n - é - a Wi d du k N o. 205 U s D . . e . . ; 12 13 1915 po t t l , pt of Agr , pp , . ° f 4 6 E I 862 U . s . DE P M E or AGR T RE BULL T N , ART NT ICUL U .

7777 070 7 777 n 50 6 0 and 7 0 n s i l ) to the exte t of , , per ce t, re pect ve y, of their stom ac h contents . These roots are said to be fed upon quite si l b a l in a l ali exten ve y y other w terfow th t oc ty . Several stom achs from southe astern Missouri cont ain ed from ’ nea l s s a liz a s— ail 0 7777 7 777 778 W il to r y eed e ch of rd t ( . h e s chi eﬂ m uisiana sw am s he d usa s sm ll , y L p , 1 of the a other fro o ~ tho nd seeds of the primros e willow ~ (J u8 8 7770 7 ﬂ at seeds of water 0 . The o m s n H droc t le s . s n in 44 s a but ne r pen y ( y y p ) were pre e t to ch , ve in s Am n large number . o g the other aquatic plants whose seeds were mm nl a n th a milf ils M 770 77 ll77 777 P7 0 s . co o y t ke were e w ter o ( 9 p y p , 7 7 77 a nd 5 7 77 78 i P 8 0 77770 s . 7 l 077 70d07 777 0 0 7 p p , 771 7 p ckere weed ( ’ - i 7 7 n n fog fru t (L pp a sp . a d sw arp looses trife (D0 0 0 d0 77 7707 ‘ S s il li H 7 t707llc77778 ) . eed of w d he otrope ( 0Zot7 op777777 777 717077777) and ° 7 22 n 1 m n 0 0 70 s . un 111 d 6 s a i 77 a s s l . croto ( p were fo d to ch , re pect ve y

- Ma dl an s u s s and Vin s in a i i n s ny woo d hr b , tree , e dd t o to tho e already mentioned were represented by their s eeds in a few stom achs nl s s m n m lli a b a in a s a s . s in lu s e ch , or y o y few eed y to ch The e c ded ho e h’ sum a s R U/S . su l a 3 7 0 77 777777 (170 7 spp . ch ( spp pp e j ck ( 0 0 n 12770 777 778 l N an N buckthor ( 77 tupe o ( yssa d . m l s 0 7 s a s . s dogwood ( 0 77778 spp . tor x p yrt e

7111 770 77 0 07 7 07 77 an d s i s a ns 07777770 77 8 am ( 77 f other pec e ) , h wthor ( 9 br l s 1 77 677 8 hornbearn 077 777777 8 0 a7 ol7777c777a sw um b e ( 7 ( 77 ) , eet g

L7 77 7da777607 8 7 7 a07 7777 n iar S7777l777: S and a s . ( g y ﬂ ) , gree br ( p) , few other

A I FO O D N MAL .

’ T u s anim al i amoun nt he wood d ck food , wh ch ted to per ce of

al nsis chieﬂ ll in i ms : Dr onﬂies - and the tot , co ted y of the fo ow g te ag

‘ dams elﬂies and i n m s n u s l s the r y ph , per ce t ; b g , beet e , ' ass s and i s ﬂies and ants bees and as s gr hopper cr cket , , , w p , mis llan us ins s i s and mi s us a ce eo ects , p der te , cr t ° m l n n m n T us eans and is la us a imal a . c ce eo tter , per ce t h ,

‘ - f nearly two thirds of the animal food consisted o insects .

DRA O N I E S A I SO TE R A A N D DA M SE I E S Z O TE RA PE R G FL ( N P ) ; LFL ( YG P ) , CENT

The food of 72 wood ducks inclu ded therem ains of dr agonﬂies and damselﬂi es or their nym phs . The nymphs or larva e are much more i ' mm nl a n han a ul s as are as a . co o y t ke t the d t , they e er to c tch The 10 0 01 from this group of ins ects averaged per cent of the total 9 u s a n A r il and n 16 a for wood d ck t ke in p , per ce t for the in M rch . h m in h m small uan i i s a n During t e re a der of t e year uch er q t t e were t ke .

BU G S H O TE A A ND O M O TE RA PE R . ( ETER P R H P ) , CENT

“ Bu s chieﬂ a ua i are a ns ant i m o g, y q t c , Very co t te of food for the wo d u at l as 17 amili s in r s n in n n s d ck , e t f e be g epre e ted the co te t of the s m m f m s im an e e to achs exa ined . O these the o t port t w r the creep D I OF A - W E FOO HAB TS SHO L AT R DUCKS . in a bu s N aucoridae i sm all ﬂat a i us gw ter g ( ) , of wh ch the , , pred c o bugs of the genus P0 10 0 0 7 78 had been t aken by 43 of the ducks ; the giant w at er bugs (Belostomatidae) represented by the genus 19 010 8 70 777 77 in 37 s ma s a s i s G i a un in 30 a - sw nnl ners to ch w ter tr der ( err d e) , fo d ; b ck otonectidae in 20 and w a a m n C ix i in 1 B s a 5 . u (N ) ; ter bo t e ( or d e) , g of the last three families mentioned are without exception very

‘ a i e in t ir m m n s on in the a and i s n ct v he ove e t or w ter, the r pre e ce

“ ‘ in so man stomachs the duck no u is a un y of wood v do bt cco ted for b i a a un an e in la s and i s hr u u m s y, the r gre t b d c ke r ver t o gho t o t of n u a n a Ald n is in A s Anaeric a . O e t W u u North wood d ck t ke e , , g t ,

“ 1908 had n in u n a s i s of lan l us Rho a10 8 7 7777m , bee feed g po pec e p t o e ( p p n m 72770 770 i in ain s a s its l m n inha i s the y p ) wh ch _ cert t te of deve op e t b t ’ l s bird s zz ard n ain eaves of waterlilie . The gi co t ed about of _

s lan li as ll as ins s and s s . the e p t ce , we other ect eed

O E O TE R A BEETLES (C L P ) , PER CENT .

Beetles of at ' least 15 f amilies were repres ented in the food of the m Of s a s a n l s H wood ducks exa ined . the e the w ter c ve ger beet e ( ydro

li a i us i in l s tis i a and l a b l s phi dae), pred c o d v g b eet e (Dy c d e) , e f eet e m mm nl a n ﬁr st amili (Chrysomelidae) were ost co o y t ke . The two f es m n i n as i nam s im l are s i l a ua i il the hi e t o ed , the r e p y, tr ct y q t c , wh e t rd

‘ w as s ne alm s n ir l b beetles nus D0 77770777 man repre e t d o t e t e y y of the ge , y hi u n a ua i lan s s u as ondlil s a of w ch feed po q t c p t , ch the p y, p tterdock, w n - e s l s D0 77770777 un etc . T e ty thre of the e beet e ( were fo d

f in one s ma i a lar num s s . u u to ch, together w th ge ber of eed of the t bero s white waterlily ( 0778 7771777 the plant on which they prob ably w r i l i mil W rli i a u . s a ua a s hi ere c pt ed Two other tr ct y q t c f ie , the g g beetles (Gyrinidae) and craw ling' w aterbeetles (Haliplid ae) were well s n Six enera b f un l s Ca a i a ide ti repre e ted . g gro d beet e ( r b d e) were n ﬁed and l a a s S a a a i a l n - n l s C am , the e f ch fer ( c r b e d e) , o g hor ed beet e ( er b cidae and sn u l s Cu uli ni a had ‘ been a n in co y ) , o t beet e ( rc o d e) e te n \ siderable num e s The a that scarabaeid l s a b r . f ct beet e h ve been e aten is n the s n e small a in in la s m ofte detected by pre e c of , h rd gr d g p te fro

“ i a s hi u n l sis in i s ma s l n a all the r j w , w ch freq e t y per t b rd to ch o g fter a s e l s a n i s ulia li l sil other p rt of the be t e h ve bee d ge ted . Pec r tt e ken as s n ainin s a s a n el s usuall a a c e co t g egg of w ter c ve ger be t e , y tt ched to a su m e l a b the em al l s l are not b rged e f or to the ody of f e beet e her e f,

- m m L uis infrequently foun d in duck sto achs . In two fro o iana they m i 70 a 7 n s i l al n n s l nd 7 . ade p per ce t , re pect ve y, of the tot co te t

“

R A SS O E R S RI KE TS . O RT O TE RA . G H PP , C C , ETC ( H P ) , PER CENT

Grasshoppers of the genus 0 7 07701777777 777 were found in the s tomachs

: 11 u s m iss uri 39 man i l s s n in at l as of wood d ck fro M o ; d b e , repre e t g e t 20 ass s s n in one s ma 8 u s had gr hopper , were p re e t to ch ; wood d ck T i e aten grouse locusts ( ett ginae) . '

E I 862 U . S. DE P M E OF R E BULL T N , ART NT AG ICULTUR .

DI TE R A A TS B E E S WA S S H YM E O TE R A FLIES ( P ) ; AND N , , AND P ( N P ), PER CENT .

s flies a n o u s in la l m Mo t of the e te by wo d d ck were the rva for . a a soldierfij es Stratiom idae mina a in L rv e of ( y ) predo ted , h v g been a n 33 the u s il the na s a nd mi s C ir n mi a t ke by of d ck , wh e g t dge ( h o o d e) , craneflj as i uli a flow erflies S i a and S a i (T p d e) , ( yrph d e) , the c tophag d ae l es A mm l e e s arin n . n s e n a n but al a s w r p g y repr e ted t wer co o y e te , w y sin l or in small num ers n ns i u in a la g y b , ever co t t t g very rge percent age l S the a . n en a identifi ed 0 7 07777770 778 707 of tot food eve g er were , 9 and 777 9 77 mi in 077 1 0 770 7 8 predo nat g . Wasps (Vespo1dea) p arasitic wasps Ichneurnonoidea s aw flj es n r in i a s A i a al ( ) , (Te th ed o de ) , bee ( po de ) , ch i s C alci i a and ser hoids S i a als c d ( h do de ) , p ( erpho de ) o were occ asionally n t ake . MI S E A E O S I PE R . C LL N U NSECTS , CENT

Prominent among themis cell aneous ins ect foodof the wood ducks Were the caterpill ars and chr ysalides of moths and butterﬂies (Lepi do ter-a and thela ae andla al as s c addisﬂies p ) , rv rv c e of One s ma ex amin n ain no e an 8 5 n uid m hs to ch ed co t ed few r th oct ot , m m wi s is amil i lu s u m m an h . n y of the t egg Th f y c de the c twor oths,

‘ and a i all all of its m m s are in uri us ul i a pr ct c y e ber j o to c t v ted crops . A Ma ﬂ n m s (A na a t mi s a unidentiﬁed few y y y ph g th ) , er tes (I opter ) , l r in lu am mi ll ar ae u a and a s . n s an l v , p p e , g l , etc , we e c ded o g the ce eous i s nsect . T S ID E R S A N D M I A R A N ID A E . P TES ( CH ) , PER C N

’ i s i s ui m S l The wood duck s t aste for sp der q te arked . evera full s tomachs from southern localities cont ained remains of from 20 to 40 s i s s l n s m as s ns i u in as mu as 7 5 8 0 n p der , the e o e c e co t t t g ch or per ce t a Or silk n as s n ainin s 1der e of the contents . Le thery e c e co t g p ggs i nall are a n and in Wa mi s H a hni a e occas o y t ke , t y ter te ( ydr c d e) wer

“ m s found l n 5 sto ach .

MI SCE A N E O S N IM O OD PE R N LL U A AL F , CE T .

Con ar to the a i m s u s o u k a s tr y h b t of o t other d ck , the wo d d c p y li le a n ion t o m llus s a l aus t a e not l n i ul tt tte t o k , prob b y bec e hey r p e t f i i ts A e snails and small i al s un n ts usual haun . v ry few b v ve were fo d x mi Cru a s 0 08 n als s a e n . o in the stomachs e a ned . t c ( per ce t) were s a in s n a ac fleas Am i a s w u s c rce,be g repre e ted by few be h ( ph pod ) , o b g nis i a a as ls Aselli a and asi nal la s craw fish (O c d e) , w ter e ( d e), occ o c w of ' A i m ins of small fishes un in 5 s m a s nes s a a . e a ( t c d e) R , fo d to ch ; bo s in 2 2 n i s and a u i u s of frog , ; ce t pede , few of the reprod ct ve b d , or

- s a las s s a a m l lis i ms . t tob t , of fre h w ter bryozo , co p ete the t of food te

I N 862 U 8 . DE PARTM E N T F A R U T BU LL . O G RE 50 ET , IC L U .

B E — 170m8 e etable 7d07777 70d 777 7770 8 70 777770778 7770 7777 0778 ea ed 777 7 TA L I . of vg food f of tr t 7 778 77 7707777 777777 7770 7 77 777 77 07 s mac s 77 70 7770 77 ound— n 77 7 of to h 7 f Co tinued .

Total number of stomachs

D E R MA TO HY TA— C ntinu d SUB KIN G OM SP P o e .

— n inue A lismaceae Co t d. A lisma plantago-aquatica (water plantain) a a 11778 777 7 8 77b007 d77 777m ( American water pl nt in) . 78 77 lan ain A 7 m Sp . (water p t ) a Hydrocharit ceae. ' 770 770778 78 Ph770 77 777 0 0 . . (w t w ) p a er eed p

170 7778 77 07 70 8 1977 0 778 (Wil d celery) 7 77 70, Wil " 1 0 7778 07 Sp . ( d celery) 8 77 777 f o L7m770 b777m 190 9 ( r gbit) .

G amineae.

r 7 U nidentiﬁ ed grasses P aspalum sp Syntherisma 8 7777g7777777778 (crab gras s) ' ' P anicum 0 7717777777 0 (tumble Weed)

P anicum sub enus D 70ha777h07777m g _ i swi h P an cum Sp . ( tc grass) P anicum obtusum ( range grass) E chinochloa 07 77 8 -g77777 (Wild millet) E chino0hloa 0 0 70 7777 (j ungle a s ur Echinochlo Sp . (cock p Chaetochloa g777770 77 (fox tail) Chaetochloa 7777 77778 (green fox tail ) Chaet ch a S fox t a o lo p . ( il) Z 720 77777 170 777 8 77 78 (Wild rice); ' Z izamopsis 777777770077 (cut-grass) ' Homalocenchw s 0 7 7720 77708 (rice cut-grass) 0 771277 8 0 772267 (cultivated rice) -ma 8 7777 777777 abra var . 7770 8 77 a 1 gl , 7 (s lt rsh grass)

i al -ma ass Spart na Sp . (s t rsh gr ) Ph7077 m alpinum (mountain b us us - a s Sporo al Sp . (r h gr s ) ' a s Ag7 08 778 Sp . (bent gr s ) B 00km777777777 07 770 77 0form78 (B eckmann gras§) Cynodon dactylon (Berma da grass) D 78 770 h778 8 p70 77777 (salt grass) M onanthochloe 777707 77778

o E 7 77g7 08 778 Sp . (l ve a ar as P o Sp . (spe gr s) P an7077 7777 77 7707 7 77 777 (meadow gras s) '

ni ia ass . P a cular sp . (meadow gr ) ' P 7700777 07l7a 7777770 7770 7777

“ 77 77 f as F 08 7 0 sp . ( escue gr s) A vena 8 677a (cultivated oats) H ordeum vulgare (cultivated barley) Hordeum p77 877777m T77770 77m 7177 79777 0 (cultivated w heat) Z 077 77777 8 l iv n _ 71 (cut ated cor ) F H ABITS OF SH A - ATE R KS 51 OOD O L W DUC .

7 B I - I t ms 770 077777 70 00 77 777077 77 7077 777 7770 s mac s o 7770 77770778 77 0777077 777 77778 TA E . e L _ of 9 1 3 to h f r 077777077 77 70 77 077 ound— n 7777 7707777 and 7770 numb e of 8 7 8 7 7 f Co tinued .

f o Kin d o f od .

f h x n T0 73 7 number o stomac s e ami ed .

— SU BKIN GDOM SPE R MA TO PH Y TA Continued .

r Cype aceae. U ni dentifi ed sedges 0 717707 77 8 08 077 70777778 (chufa) u h f Cy e s Sp . ( ) p r . c u a D 70h7 0m0na Sp ’ ’ — D77 770 h777 777 arundinaceum (three ways sedge) ‘ 0 h777 78 s S ik e u E7 00 p. ( p r sh) ' F7mb7 78 7y778 Sp Scirpus pauciflorus (few -fiow ered bulrush) 8 077 p77 8 0 77707 700 7708 (three-Sqliare) 8 077 7777 8 770 777 7 08 77 8 (prairie bulrush) 8 0773977 8 7 0 b778 7778 (salt-marsh bulrush) 8 077 17778 77777 77777778 (river bulrush) 8 077 7077 8 077b0778 78 (bulrush) 8 077 p77 8 77777777778 (great bulrush) 77 777 8 unid ntified bfilrushes 8 0 1 Sp . ( e )

7 07777 77 77 7 8 77 r lla rass F 77 7 8 71 7 0 (umb e ; g )

77 7 07777 umbr llaf rass F 7 Sp . ( e g ) Rhymhospom 007 77707770 70 (beaked rush) h R ymhospora Sp . (beaked rush) Cladium 017778 77777 (saw Cladium 7n777 78 00 7d08 (tw ig- rush) 707 777 ut r 8 0 sp . (n ush) 0 777 07: decomposj ta (pani cled sedge)

’ 0 777 07: 777p77 77f07 m78 (hop sedge) Carex sp .

Araceae. P 0777777d7 77 7777 97777077 ( arrow-arum) 8 y777p7000 7 p77 8 f0 077d778 (skunk cabbage)

Lemnaceae.

’ 8 p77 0 d0777 p0 7y7 h7z77 (bigduckweed) L 07777777 3707 1777 8 7770 (minute duckweed) L 07n7777 7777770 7 ( ma ckw ) _ s ll du eed ' ' 77 ﬁ L em 77 Sp . (unidenti ed duckweeds)

Eriocaulaceae. 137 7000 77 70 77 d007777 77 7777 0 i e rt l g (p p wo ), E i au n r r oc lo Sp . (pipewo t)

Pontederiaceae . P 0 77 0d07 777 07 7777 777 r 7 0 (picke el w eed) . ' H 0707 77777h07 77 d7777777 (w ater star-grass) 0 07 77 h 7 77 u la H 7 77 7 0 Sp . (m d p ntain)

J uncaceae.

J 77 770 778 s . h p (bogrus ) . a a Lili ce e. P 0 7yg0 7777777 m biﬂorum (hairy Solomon’ s

‘ i a Sm l x sp . (greenbriar)

‘ Haemodoraceae . Gyrotheca 77770 70 7 777 (red-root)

Piperaceae. ’ 8 7777 7 77 7 778 007777777 8 (lizard s 5 2 BUL L IN 862 U . 8 . DEPARTM E N T OF AGR T RE ET , ICUL U .

B E I -I tems 770 07777770 0 0 d 777077 77 077 777 7770 s mac s 7770 77770 k 7 77 TA L . 0f 9 f ﬁ to h of 8 7 00 7077 7 77778 bu77077n 777777 the num e s mac 77 70 7 — 7077 77 . b r of to hs 7 7 f0 nd Conti11ued

T otal number of stomachs ex amined

‘ I N DOM SPE R MA T PHY TA — Con in ed SU BK G O t u .

a a Sali c ce e. 7 Wi o 8 7 1: S . 0 p ( ll w) , 7 Wil o 8 0 7 7: s . p ( l w),

Myricac eae.

My7 70 0 cerifera (w ax myrtle) . M y7 70 0 0 0 77f0 7 7770 0 ( California myrtle) dentiﬁ ed m es Myrica Sp . (uni yrtl )

J dglandaceae. 117007 70 0 0770 7700 ( bitter pecan)

Betulaceae . 00 719777778 00 7 0 777770 770 (hornbeam ; blue beech)

B0777 70 Sp . a e A Z7777 8 sp. ( ld r) a a Fag ce e.

Fag778 07 0 7777770 770 (American beech) . Q 7707 0778 7 77b7 0 (red oak ) Q 7707 0778 770 777877 78 ( pin dak ) Q 77 070 77 8 77797 0 (water oak ) Q7707 0778 7770 7 7170 777770 0 (black-j ack oak ) ak Q 77 07 0778 Zobata (vallef o ) . ntiﬁed a ns 6277 07 0778 sp. (Unide cor ) U rti caceae :

P 70 7707'0 0 71770 7700 (water elm)

M 07 0 8 7 77b7 0 (red mulberry) B oehmeria cylindrica (falsenett le)

ia a e ne e . Boehmer Sp . (f ls ttl ) a Polygonace e. Rumex 1907 8700 7 70 77708 (golden dock) e Rum x Sp . (dock) P olygonum amphibium (water Polygonum arifolium (prickly smartweed) P olygonum 0 0707770 7 0 (knt eed) Polygonu/m 000 00 7077 777 8 (b lack bindweed)

Polygonum hydropiperoides (mi ld wafer pepper) P olygonum Zapath-ifolium (dock -leaved smart : w eed) ; Polyymmm 0 17070 778 0 77 77777 (smartweed) P olygonum 17077778 7170 0 a ( Pennsylvani a

’ Polygmum 1907 8 70 0 7 70 (lady s-thumb) P olygonum 1707 707 700778 0 (dens e-ﬂ ow ered smart

Polygonum pwnet atum (dotted smartw eed) P0 7ygo7777 m 8 0 07770777777 ( arrow-leaved smart

w eed.)

entiﬁed ma t e PolygonumSp . ( unid s r we ds) H OF SH A - ATE R K AB TS _ S 53 FOOD I O L W DUC .

‘ B I — ems ve etable identi ed in the s mac s o the-ducks ea ed in is TA LE . It of g food ﬁ to h f tr t th bulletin and the numb er of stomachs in w hich found— Oontinuedl

Kin of d food .

Total number of stomachs examined

T — n ed SUB KINGDOM SP E R MA TOPHY A Co tinu . Clienopodi aceae:

’ Chempodiumalbum (lamb s-qp arterS) heno diu i e C po énSp . ( p gw éd) _

A m ex S h pl p, (saltbus ) Salico mia ambigua (glasswort; picklegrass) ha a Amarant ce e. ' ‘ A maranthus rétroﬂexus (green amar anth) mdranthus S e d A p . ( pigw e ) . r 0 h 11a a Ca y p y ce e.

’ S e gula arvenszs (co n Spu ey) ~ p r r rr A f enaria Sp

P ortiﬂ acaceae. P ortulaca oleracea (common purslane) P u aca r an ort l Sp . (pu sl e) rat O h ll a Ce p y ace e. Ceratophyllum demersum (coontail ; hornw ort) h Nymp aeaqeae.

- Nymphaea advena ( cow hlyj Spatter dock) . Nymphaea microphylla (small yellow pondlily) Nymphaea mei icam (banana waterlily)

’ m haea S o o hl Ny p p . (yell w p nd y) Castalia odorata ( sweet- scented waterlily) Castalia tuberosa (White waterlily)

Castalia Sp . as a ia C t l Sp . tubers

- ~ Brasch ia schreberi (water shield) Cabomba carolinidm ( Carolina water Ra u nunc laceae. R anumulus delphinifolius (yellow water-crow f _ oot) anun r f R culus Sp . (C ow oot) a a a a P p ver ce e.

b Bar area Sp . (Winter cress) H a a amamelid ce e. L iquidambar styraciﬂua (sw eet gum) Ro a sace e.

’ Cra ae u h h 3 t s a . g S . ( wt ) p _ orn F ra aria S g p .

Rubus br bl Sp . ( am é)

R sa o o sp. (r se)

Leguminosae. Cassia marylandica (A merican Senna) Cassia tiﬁ hn Sp . (unidep ed se a) ﬁ olium ens ’ -f ve T f arv e (rabbit s oot clo r) . Tri i m 8 v fol u 13. (clo er) BU LLE IN 862, U . 3 . DEPARTM EN T OF AGR C L T RE T I U U .

' E — ems v etable ii n i TAB L I . It of eg food e t ﬁei i n the stmmwhs of the ducks trea ted {n this ulle in a nd the num er O s mac s {n which ouni — b t b f to h f Con tinu ed .

BKIN GDOM SFER MA TOPH Y TA — n SU Co tinu ed .

M edfoago demic umm(bur cl oTer)

' Rhus glabm ( smooth sumach) R hus toricodendron (p ois on iw )

5 E ez sp . (holly)

B erchemzia scandcm( sup ple j ack) R ha mnus cathartica (bu ckth orn)

V itis oordifelia (ﬁ ost grap e)

A but ilon abut ilon ( Iﬂ dian mall ow)

f -W St . J hn H ypericmn sp . ( o s ort )

k Opunt ia sp . (pric ly pear)

Lythm eeae. ' D ecodon vertic illartw (M p loosestnie; Will ow

will w J us siaea sp . (primrose o )

' h l r w il M yriop y lum t ertic zZZatum ( horled miho ) . ' M h w at e mﬂ f il yriop yll um Sp . ( r o )

P s i , me d w eed ro erp na ca sp . ( rmai )

’ Hippuris vulgaris (bottlebrush) ' F D HABITS OF SH - W TER DU CK “ 55 OO OAL A S.

A B E I — ems ve e a le ood identi ed in the s mac s the duck n T L . It of gt b f ﬁ to h of s treated i this ulle in and the num e s mac s in w c un — n b t b r of to h hi hfo d Co tinued .

ind K of food .

Total number of stomaghs ex amined — SU BKIN GDOM SPE R MA T O PHY TA Continued.

m if e U bell era . A i m W u s . p ‘ p ( ild parsley) t w e H ydroco ylesp . ( at r penn yw ort ) ' ' Centella asiatica (marsh penn yvsiort) Cicuta cu tisii w a e ml ck r ( t r he o ) . w at e hem Cicuta sp . ( r lock)

Comaceae.

Camus dmomum (kinnikinni k) ' ’ Gornus asperifolia (rough—leaved dogw ood) o w oo Camus sp . (d g d)

ssa s vatica m y ( ou gu ) . N yl s_ r N yssa aquatica (large tupelo) e Nyssa sp . (tup lo) E ‘ ncaceae. Gaultheria spf(Wintergreen)

’ a uss ia h c ebe G yl ac sp . ( u kl rry)

’ ' V e e accimum sp . (blu b rry) e e Styraéac a . Styrax grandifolia (storax )

Styrax sp . (storax ) O leaceae. Fraxinus americana ( w hite ash) F axinus ash r Sp . ( ) A delia acuminata (swamp privet ) en ian e e G t ac a . M b be ﬁ enyanthes trifoliata ( og a ) . A sc e i e e l p adac a . Asc e ia mi w ee l p s sp . ( lk d) Conv olvulaceae uscuta o e C sp . (d dd r) B a in e or gac ae. ' Heliotropiu rhindicum (Wild heliotrope)

‘ Ver e e b nac ae. Verbena hastata (blue ' Verbena v sp . ( erbena) L ippia nodiﬂom ( fog-fruit ) i f L ppia sp . ( og 'Cfallicarpa americana ( French mulberry) L abiatae.

' f e Trichostema sp . (blu hurls) M entha s min p . ( t) . n e e Sola ac a . anum ni h sh e Sol sp . ( gt ad ) ' Scro h ri p ul ja aceae.

’ ’ M onmera rotundifolza (w at er hyssop) P ant a inacea l g e. P anta s an ain l go p . (pl t ) ‘

56 B LLE N 862 U . s. DEPARTM EN T OF AGR C T RE U TI , I UL U .

( ' ' ' B — A I ms v etabte od id n i _ T LE Ite of g fo e t f ed in the stomachs of the ducks treated in this e i ‘ ‘ ‘ ulle in and the num er s mac s in w ic u d— C n inu b t b of to h h h fo n o t ed .

Total number of stomachs ex amined ' '

K DOM SPE R M A TO PII Y TA ﬁ Cont d SUB mG inue .

Rubiaceae.

a ium c eave s G l sp . ( l r ) Diodia virginiana ( buttonw eed) D i dia te es o butt nw eed o r ( r ugh o ) . Cephalanthus occidentalis

Caprifoliaceae. ' m h a ‘ snow beri Sy p oric rpos sp . ( y) ‘

~ m Sa bucus sp .

C m si e o po ta .

A mbrosia aftemisifolia (ragw eed) _ A mbrosia triﬁda (giant ragweed)

A mbrosia sp .

’ X anthzum spinosum ( cock lebur) e ianthus maximitiana sunﬂ ow er H l ( ) . n s ﬂ ow er Helia thus sp . ( un ) n b r malri old B ide s sp . ( u g ) a lanieless thi st e C rduus Sp . (p l ) xa dande i n Taia cum Sp . ( l o )

TAB E 11 — ems animal ood identi ed in the s mac s O the ducks rea ed in is L . It of f ﬁ to h f t t th a d um ma in w ic un bulletin n n ber of sto chs h h fo d .

Tot al number of st omachs

D SU BKING O M PR O TOZ OA .

R ATA SU BKINGDO M COE LE N TE .

Hydrozoa (hydroids) a a Alcyon ri .

A S U BKINGDOM MOL LU SéOID .

' Phylact olaemat a (fresh-w ater Bryozoa)

D SU BKING OM A N N U LA TA .

Nereidae. '

i ma e w ms . N ere s Sp . ( rin or )

Sunx xﬁenoﬁ A R THR OPODA .

STACE A S CLASS Crust acea (CRU N ) .

U nidentiﬁed

‘

IN 862 . D éARTM EN T F A RI 58 BU LL U . s El O G T RE ET , CUL U .

’

T B 11 — ems animal ood identi ed in the st m c s the duchs ea d n A LE . It of f ﬁ o a h of tr te i this n an u h -w ic und— n u bulleti d n mb er of stomachs i h h fo Co tin ed .

nd Ki of food .

Tot al numbei of §t omach s ex amined

A SS M CL yriap oda .

en iﬁ e e i U nid t d c nt pedes .

C ASS n e t SE CT L I s c a ( IN S) .

U nidentiﬁed insect a ment s e s a vae and fr g , gg, l r , pup ae U nidentiﬁ ed insect galls

e THY SA U R A Ord r N .

U nidentiﬁ ed

S PHIB I TI uperorder A M O CA .

’ l fii m hs U nidentifi ed daimse fii es or dragon es andny p .

O rder ZY G O PTE R A ( Dapdgelﬂ ies) .

U niaentiﬁ ed damselﬁi es and nymphs

Agr i oni dae. N ehalennia sp m s E nallaga p . .

Order A N I SO PTE R A ( Dragonﬂ ies) .

U ni dentiﬁ ed dragonﬂi es and nymphs

L ibellulidae.

ofder A GN A THA (M ayﬁies) .

U nidentiﬁ ed M ayﬂy nymph s

S fl Order PL E CO PTE R A ( t one ies) . U nidentifi ed st onefiy larvae

O rder ISO PTE R A ( T ermites) .

m a taneus e mi e CZaoter es c s (t r t ) .

e O R THO PTE R A assh e s Ord r ( Gr opp r ,

U nidentiﬁ ed grasshopp ers and their eggs r

Acridiidae.

M elanoplus sp .

' Tettiginae (grouse locusts) U nidentiﬁ ed

‘ L ocustidae (gr een giasshOppers) . htiﬁed U nide .

Orchelimum sp

s Gryllidae ( cricket ) . N emobius sp ' " D H AB TS OF SH OAL - WATER KS 59 F OO I DUC .

‘ B I —I te7ri animal ood identi n ’ n is TA LE I . s of f ﬁed i the stomachs of the ducks treated i th

n r ~ bulletin and umb e of stomachs in whichfound Coi1tinued .

in d f o K o f od .

ta num e st machs ex aminéd - L To l b r of o .

C ASS nsect a— C n inue L I o t d .

O M AL L O PHA GA B rder ( ird Lice) .

“ e HE TE R O TE RA r B Ord r P ( T ue ugs) .

ixidae w a e b me Cor ( t r oat n) . U nidentiﬁ ed -species Corixa Sp ' B e st matidae iant Wa e s lo o (g t r bug) . B elostoma sp

‘ N e idaé Wa e sc i ns p ( t r orp o ) . R anatrafusca i N uc fi e ee in e s a o da ( cr p gw at r bug) . P m élocofié fe omtusn

N ot onectidae(b ack-swixﬁm ers) Notonecta Sp ' B uerwa sp P lea striola ' al a h or S did e (s ebugs) .

~ Salda sp

V elii a - w at d e (broad sh ouldered er striders) . M icrovelia Sp

Ve ia aust a is l r l . a w at t Gerrid e ( er s riders) . Gerris marginata e is . G rr c m t i a Hydr o e r d e. Hydrometra Sp Mi a rid e.

‘ ~ L us atensis Z , yg pr M ov li es e idae. - M esovelia mulsanti

H bri a e d e.

H ebrus

R eduvﬁ dae ( assassin bugs)

a Coreid e. D armistus Sp

t at mi a t Pen o d e (s ink bugs) .

M enecles incertus

E uschistws bariolarius

E uschistus Sp C im or elaenidae. Corimelaena nitiduloides 6 0 BU LL IN 862 U . s . EPARTM E N T OF AGR C T RE ET , D I UL U .

' T B 11 — I ems anima l ide i t ed in the stdmachs the duclc A LE . t of food i iﬁ of s treated in this ulle in and num e s ac s in whic und— C nt inue b t b r of tom h h fo o d .

Tot al number of stomachs ex amined

LA S nsect a— Con inued C S I f t .

O O PT O rder H M E R A .

a Cicadellid e. D raeculacephala mollipes

- Fulgoridae‘

Scolops Sp D icranotropis Sp

J assidae (leafhoppers) .

A l t - phididae (p an li ce) . Rhopalosiphum ﬂ ymphaeae

“ ’ Order M E GA L O P PE RA ( Fishﬂ ies) .

U nidentiﬁéd larvae

Order NEU R O PTE R A . tfmdemiﬁ ed t Sialidae (dobson; e c . )

D - Order PHY R Y GAN OI E A ( Caddis ies) .

Uni dentiﬁ ed larvae and cases a Phrygneidae. Phryganea improba

eno h St p ylax Sp .

S icost omati er dae.

B rachycentrus imanus

H dro s ehi y p y dap. HydropsycheSp

B h Order LE PID O PTE RA ( utterﬂi es and Mot s) .

. . o o o o n o o n r

ineidae c c n T , o oo

mbths r U ni dentiﬁed . .

U nidentiﬁ ed pupae. U nidentiﬁ ed caterpillars

B t Order COLE OPTE RA ( ee les) .

h U ni dentiﬁed fragments and -larvae Cicindelidae (tiger beetles) r Carabidae (g ound beetles) .

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

n . . Q Q Q Q Q Q Q - Q Q C - o o o o o F SH A - W E ﬁ CKS FOOD H ABITS O O L AT R U .

1 — I ms ani al identi ed in the s mac s the duc s trea ed in is TAB LE 1 . te of m food ﬁ to h of k t th ulle in and numbe o s machs i n w ic und— Oontmued b t r f _ to h hfo

d Kin of food .

ma h x a d To tal number of sto c s e mine .

' ' — n inu CLASS Insect a Co t ed. O rder CO L E O PTE R A— Continued f — Carabidae round beet es C ntinued . _ (g l ) o ' A spidoglossa subangulqta B embidium intermedium

B embidium insulatum ;

B embidium Sp

* L oxandrus zelox .

P latynws Sp L Chlaenius Sp . A nomoglossit s pitsillus

' Harpalus cdliginosus Selenophorus Sp Stenolophus cbnj wrictus A nisodactylus dulcicollis

" A nisodactylus ( usticiis t t s Haliplidae( craw lingw a er bee le ) .

P eltodytcssimplex P eltodytes callosus P eltodytes Sp t Dyﬁ scidae (predacious divingbee les) . U nidentiﬁ ed adults and larvae

- Canthydms bicotor

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Coelambus inacqualis

Coelambwsturbidus Coelambus Sp Hydroporus Sp

Coptotomgt s interrogatus . . o t tomu’ s S C p g p ,

‘ Agabus sp

’ i zens Litccophilus dec p . E I 862 U . 5 . DE PARTM EN T OF A GR U T RE 6 2 BULL T N , IC L U .

— I ems animal odd identi ed in the s mac s the ducks ea ed in is TA B LE 11 . t of f ﬁ to h of tr t th

“ in and num e s mac s in which ou d— nﬁ n lle Co ued . b u t b r of to h _ f n

d d Kin of foo .

Tot al number of stomach s ex amined

— CL ASS Insect a Continued .

e — n in ed Ord r CO L E O P T E R A Co t u .

ini e i i e Gyr da (Whirl ggb et les) .

Gyrinus sp 1

Hydrophilidae ( w ater scavenge; beet les) .

U nidentiﬁ ed beetles and larvae. U ni dentiﬁed egg-cases

Hydrophilus californicus . Hydrophilus sp Tropisternus sp Helophorus sp Hydrocharis obtusatus

B e u nth ros s pa erinus . B erosus peregrinus B e u t t ros s s ria us . B erosus sp P hilhydrus perplexus P hilhydrus nebulosus Philh drus s y p .

Cercyon sp ' Staphylinidae (rovebeetles) Coccinellidae (Iadybugs) U nidentiﬁed

M a m . e i a a gll acul t . Hippodamia sp Cucu idae ﬁ at b ee j ( ark b tles) . Silvanus surinamensis ' De mestidae a e ee e r (l rd r b tl s) .

Uni dentiﬁed . D ermestes lardarius Hi i stegdae. Hister sp i ‘ Nit dulidae, Stelidota geminata B yrrhidae

Parnidae.

“ E lmis vittatus ' ’

Heteroceridae.

E lateridae

Lucanidae. P assalus cornutus e h e Scarabaéidae (l af c af rs) .

U nidentiﬁ ed .

Onthophagus hecate. A phodius inquinatus

P h h yllop aga sp .

H Dyscinetus trachypygus H ABITS OF S'H OAL —WATE R KS 6 3 FOOD DUC .

' E 1 — em animal identi ed in h tcmachs the du k r n TABL 1 . It s of food ﬁ t e s of c s t eated i this ‘ bulle in and num e s mac s in w ic und— on t b r of to h h h fo C tinued . J

Total number of stomachs examined

n — tinued CLASS I secta Cbn .

— Order CO L E O PT E R A Continued .

I - Cerambycidae ( onghorned beetles) .

L eptostylus aculiferus L iopus

Chr ysomelidae (leaf beetles) . iﬁ ed U nident .

D onacia cincticornis

’ D onacza subtilis D onacia proxima ‘

a . D onacz sp .

’ X anthoma decemnotata

P rasocwris phellandrii

Luperodes meraca

P hyllotreta pusilla Z P hyllotreta sp _ Tenebrionidae

Melandryidae. Synchroa punctata Anthicidae ( ﬁow ei beetles)

’ A nthicus haldemam

A nthicus sp Meloidae (blister beetles)

Sub order RHYN CHOPHORA

i en iﬁ e a U n d t d dults.

a U nidentiﬁed larv e. ' C c mdae sn t beet ur ulio ( ou les) .

H ypem punctata

B agous sp E ndatus sp Sphenophorus acquatis

Sphenophorus ochrews i S hen h us s p op or p . Ca a d a l n r sp .

de DIPTE R A Flies . Or r s ( )

U nidentifi ed adu ts a vae and u ae . l , l r , p p i li ae efi T pu d ( cran ies) . U nidentifi ed ad ts a vae and u ae ul , l r , p p Cteno horinae a ae p , l rv 4 U L L I N 862 U . 5 . DE PARTM EN T OF AGRICU LTU RE c 6 B ET , .

. — I ems animal identi d in the s mac s the ducks ea ed in is TA BLE 11 . t of food ﬁe to h of tr t th n an m ma in o — bu lleti d nu b er of sto chs w hich f und Continued.

in d K of food .

Total number of stomachs ex amined

CL S ns — t ue AS I ecta Con in d .

e D P T R — tinu d Ord r L E A Con e . C mi mi hirono dae ( dges) . U nidentiﬁe ad la ae and ae d ults v u " , r , p p Chironomus

Stratiom ddae s ldie j ( o rﬂies) .

O dontomg/ia sp Nemotelus sp

Tabamdae horsefiies l vae ( ) , ar fi w Syr hidae ( o erflies) . _ p ‘ ' Unidentifi ed larvae and pupae Syrphus sp Anth m iidae adults o y , A ‘ fi sihdae ( robber ies) , adults

- D olich odidae n ted ﬂies adu ts m pp (lo gfoo ) , l idae Musc .

Borboridae. E h dridae b ine ﬂies ar ae and u ae p y , ( r ) , l v p p

Scat ophagidae; ' a on H ydrorhyz c ﬂuens .

O HY ME N O PTE R Ants B ees and rder A ( , , Wasps) .

U nidentiﬁed adults and c ocoons Tenth edinoidéa saw ﬂies c c n t ( ) , o oo ‘ P ICHN E U M ON OIDE A ( arasitic w asps) .

' Vipionidae.

Braconi dae. B assus

Ichneﬁmcni dae.

o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

n o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o o

Chalcididae.

“ halets S C p . Spilochalcis Sp

’ SERI HOIDEA.

2 6 6 BU L L IN 86 U . 5 . D PAR M N OF I E ET , E T E T AGR CULTUR .

TAB L E — I s animal identi ed in the s mac s 11 . tem of food ﬁ to h of the ducks trea ted in this ulletin and num er o st mac s in w i und— nti b b f o h h ch fg Co nued .

d Kin of food .

Total number of stomachs ex amined

a— C n in CLASS Pelecyp o d o t ued .

C r ni — y e dae Continued . ha u Sp eri m sp .

Myidae.

U u m ﬁw s . CLASS Ga st ropo da. ( )

Ternatinida e.

A mnicola depressa

A mnicola sp

P lanorbis glabmtum

i e N ass da . H ABITS OF SH OAL - WATE R KS 6 FOOD DUC . 7

— I ms o aniinal identi ed iii the s mac s the ducks rea ed in TAB LE II . te f food ﬁ to h of t t this ' m r stomqchs in w ic nd— i bulletin and nu be of h hfou Cont nued .

0 Pin Wood Kmd offood. a d t i . u l ck .

a ma h x a d Tot l number ofsto c s e mine .

a — CLASS Gastrop oda Continued . l m lli Co h be dae.

A nachis obesa A styris Zunata

Turbonillidae;

Turbonilla sp P i de li e yram l da . m Odosto ia a

Odostomia sp A i ur cil lidege.

’ M elampus borealis livi e O da , Olivella mutica Li im‘ ttor dae. Littorina rudis L ittorina irrorata

Cerithiidae.

Bittium

B ittium sp D iastomia varia

Cerithidea tennis iss id e R o a . Hydrobia californica B ithinella texana ' B ithinella sp

‘ ’ ’ F lumzmcola nuttallzana

’ P yrgulopszs spinosus iminei ae A ss d .

‘ ‘ A ssiminea aﬁims V v i al at dae.

. Valvata virens I Valvata tricarinata ' N e i i e r t da . N eritina reclivata N eritina virginea

SUB IN DOM H R DA TA V ERTE BRATE K G C O ( S) .

CL Pisces FISHE s ASS ( ) .

U ni dentiﬁ ed t eeth sca es etc , , l , P i ii oec l dae. Fundulus Sp

CL Am hibia FRO GS TO D AN D S L ASS p ( , A S , A A M DER AN S) . R anidae f s ( rog) .

R ana sp I THE P BLICA ONS O F U . s DEPA TM ENT F U T . R O AGRICULTURE RELATING TO THE FO O D HABI S O F WILD BIRDS T .

V I L BL FO R FR EE DISTRIB U TI N BY THE D P RTM N T A A A E O E A E .

’ Th En lish S arrow as a s Fa1 m 1 s l t e g p Pe t . ( e B u le in ’ me Common Game A uatic and a aci us i ds m la i n t M n r So , q , R p o B r Re t o o a Fa mers B ulletin ’ F0 0 1 s me WelI- kn wn Birds of s rm and r n e a Ga e . a m s o o For t , F , d (F r er B ulletin 5n3 ’ m C mmon irds s f r e o ul th Farm a m s l . So B U e to e e . (F r er B u letin 0 0 1111 10 11 B11 ds of u heast nited ates 111 ela i n t A ric F 1 r 1 So t ern U St R t o o g ul ture. ( a me s

B ull etin 755 . ’ The 01 0 W 111 Its la i n A ic t a m s ll in Re t o to gr ul ure. (F r er B u et a a ion of Wild k Fo s a tm n B ll in Prop gt duc od . (D ep r e t u et h 1 0 W and Its la n M n D a1 tm nt ll in T e 0 Re tio t o a . ( ep e B u et E c onomic Valu of th a lin 111 t h ni d a s m n e e St r g e U te St te . (D epart e t B ulletin

FO R S L BY THE SUPERIN ENDEN O F D O CUiVIEN TS G O VE RN M E N T PRIN TIN A E T T , G [

O FFICE W SHIN T N D C _ , A G O , . .

Fif Comm on B11 ds of arm and ulle in 513 c olored lates ty F B t , p P11 0 e 15 c en s . , t Birds 111 la i n t h Alf l W 1 tm n l 1 e o t a a. vil . D a. t u l in 07 . i 1 R t o e f ee ( ep e B et Pr ce 5 c ents . E l v n m n W F ds 1 nt a l k oo . D a. tm in i c n e e u e e ull e c e 5 e s . I port t i d d c ( p B t Pr , t Ha i s f th Th sh s f th ni a s a m n ll in Food b t o e ru e o e U t ed St t e . (D ep rt e t B u et P1 1 n 0 5 c ts . e, e

Birds 1 R . a nt l 2 P1 1c 0 c n i . s 0 o e tme ul e n 3 6 e 3 e . Porto ic (D p r B t , t H i h ri P c c n s . ab s of t e ulle in 619. e 5 e Food t B t , t Ha i s f h Mallar c f th ni d St s D a1 tm nt ul l in Food b t o t e d D u ks o e U te éte . ( ep e B et P110 5 c n e e s . , t i 1 Wa f w l Wa e f w l and Thei F lants andhil l e 0 11 of Neb ask a t . e t r o r ood P S R g r ; p , t r o

r f h n i n 1 ras a a : 2 W11d k ds t a dhill N k . 111 N eb aska t . u oo o e e 0 eb e p , d c F S R go (D p rt

men ull e in 794 P1 1c e 15 c en s . t B t ) , t 1 1 ic rr A B1 1 ica.l u v ull in 15 . The ela i n of S a oWs t o icultu e. 0 0 e e e R t o p g ( g S r y B t Pr , 10 c n e ts .

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ADDI TI ON AL CO PIE S OF THIS PU BLICA TION M AY BE PRO CURE D FR OM 1 111: SU PE RIN TENDENT OF DOCU M ENTS G OVE RN M E N T PRINTIN G OFFICE

A SHINGTON D . C. W , AT 25 CE N TS PE R COPY V