is a southern species, visiting us in summer, and breeding in small numbers on the interior marshes. They resemble long-legged brown ducks, and are of the size of the Mallard.

The Mallard (281. Anas boschas) is numerous at all seasons, and well known as the origin of the domestic duck, common on both continents.

The Pintail (282. Dafila acuta) is abundant in winter on the fresh waters and bays, and is one of the best species for eating. This also is common around the northern hemisphere.

The Green-winged Teal (283. Nettion Carolinensis) is abundant in the colder months throughout North America, and though small, is considered as good eating as any. It scarcely differs from the European species. The Cinnamon Teal (284. Querquedula cyanoptera) is a beautiful species, the male mahogany red, with blue wings. It is common in this State, and in South America, but only a straggler on the eastern slope.

The Shoveler (285. Spatula clypeata) is a common winter species throughout the northern hemisphere, and some breed within our limits. They are about half the weight of the Mallard. The Gadwall (286. Chaulelesmus streperus) is another middle sized duck found throughout the Northern hemisphere. Like the last, they are chiefly fresh water species and good food. The American Widgeon (287. Mareca Americana) is of similar size, with a white patch on the head, from which it is often called Baldpate. It is chiefly a North American species. The European Widgeon (288. Mareca Penelope) is not uncommon here, but merely as a straggler. It is similar in size, but has a brownish head.

The Wood, or Summer Duck (289. Aix sponsa), is a beautiful species, common in summer throughout the United States, living chiefly in woods and building in hollow trees. The male's plumage is too varied for description here, but it is notable for having a long crest, and is often seen stuffed in museums.

Our other ducks are more fond of salt water bays, although most of them are also found inland. They are considered generally inferior for the table, unless we except the famous Canvass-back. The three first are common to the whole Northern hemisphere, the rest only occasionally found in the Old World, though others very like some of them occur there. The three first and four last are exclusively marine and not much eaten.

The Harlequin Duck (290. Histrionicus torquatus) is so called from the bizarre pattern of its beautiful plumage. It visits our northern coast in winter, but is rare. The Old Wife, South Southerly or Long

tail (291. Harelda glacialis) is a duck of middle size, plain plumage, and gets its second name from its peculiar cry. It visits us with the last. The Big Black Head (292. Fulix marila), and Little Black Head (293. Fulix affinis), also called Scaup Ducks and Broad-bills (as is the Shoveller), are nearly alike in plumage, and found plentifully in muddy creeks in winter. The last is peculiar to America. The Ringneck (294. Fulix collaris) is more of an inland species, and like the last, rather fishy.

The Red-head and Canvass-back Ducks are so nearly alike in plumage, that the former is often sold for the latter, but may be distinguished by its light blue bill, lower part of neck more widely banded with black, smaller size, etc. There is, however, little difference in their flavor after all. The female of the first is entirely brown, of the last whitish, waved with black; head, neck and breast brownish. (295. Aythya Americana; 296. A. valisneriana. The Golden-eye (297. Bucephala Americana) is a handsome species, and pretty good eating. The Buffel-head, Butter Duck, or Spirit Duck (298. Bucephala albeola), is a common little species, found with the preceding everywhere in winter, very handsome, and usually very fat. The Ruddy Duck, or Dun Bird (299. Erismatura rubida) is reddish-brown, top of head black, cheeks and chin white. The female is blackish-brown, dotted with white. It is a winter duck, most common in fresh water, and considered fair eating.

The four next species are usually confounded under the names of Surf-Ducks, Velvet Ducks, Scoters, and Coots. They never go inland, live on fish, and are scarcely eatable. Their plumage is black, with white patches on the head or wings, or variously colored bills, which distinguish them. The females are mostly sooty brown. (300. Pelionetta perspicillata; 301. P. Trowbridgii; 302. Melanetta velvetina; 303. Oidemia Americana.)

The Shell-drakes, Saw-bills, Goosanders, or Mergansers, differ from the ducks in having narrow bills with sharp teeth along the edge. They live only on fish, and are scarcely ever eaten. They are, however, very beautiful in plumage. The first two have green heads, black and white backs, and salmon or buff breasts; the females are gray with red crested heads. The third species is called Hooded, from expanded black and white feathers on the head; in the female the black is replaced by brown. They are partial to swift running streams, and the two last are found around the Northern hemisphere. (304. Mergus Americanus; 305. M. serrator; 306. Lophodytes cucullatus.)

The remaining water-birds are exclusively fish eaters and scarcely

ever eaten, unless when young, though the eggs of some are much used. They must be disposed of more briefly than the ducks.

The Pelicans are of two species, the white and gray, the first chiefly found on fresh water, the last on salt, and both abound here in the colder months, as well as near the Atlantic. They are curious and interesting birds, but uneatable. (307. Pelecanus erythrorhynchus; 308. P. fuscus). The Frigate Pelican, or Man-of-War-Bird, (309. Tachypetes aquilus) is occasionally found along the southern half of our coast, as well as in all tropical regions.

Our Cormorants are of three or four species. The first is largest, and found throughout the United States on rivers and sea-shores at all seasons. The others are confined to the rocky coast and islands of the eastern Pacific ocean. They are black, with more or less beautiful tints of green and purple, white patches, etc. (310. Graculus dilophus ; 311. G. penicillatus; G. violaceus? 312. G. Bairdii).

The Short-tailed Albatross (313. Diomedea brachyura) is white with black quills, the young for some years more or less sooty-black, and is one of our largest birds. It is confined to the North Pacific. Length, 3 feet; extent, 98 inches.

The Gigantic Fulmar (314. Ossifraga gigantea) is about the same size, brownish and white, and wanders far at sea over the Pacific Ocean, feeding on dead whale meat, or other similar food, and rarely approaching the land.

Two smaller Fulmars are found near the coast, and live by attacking gulls in the air, obliging them to disgorge, and catching the half digested food as it falls. They are the vultures of the sea. (315. Fulmarus pacificus, and 316. F. tenuirostris). Their plumage is so much like that of the gulls that they easily approach them unnoticed, but their bills are hooked. The Shearwaters are very similar, but obtain their food by skimming off small fish, floating oil, etc., from the waves, and keep off several miles from the coast. They are plain gray, brown, or black and white birds, and should be called puffins, though this name is usually applied to the sea-parrots. (317. Priofinus cinereus; 318. Puffinus creatopus; 319. P. fuliginosus).

The Petrels, or "Mother Carey's chickens," are occasionally seen along the southern half of our coast, and the first named also northward. This is a gray species; the second black; the third black with a white rump, and the only one found in both oceans. They feed like. the last, and follow ships to pick up what is thrown over, as do the Albatross and Puffins at times. (320. Oceanodroma furcata; 321. Cymochorea homochroa; 322. Oceanites oceanica.)

The Gulls are numerous here, both on fresh and salt waters, and several of them are very similar in plumage, usually of some shade of blue above, the rest white, but, when young, mottled with brown. Each, however, has peculiarities in habits, size, etc., and only the second spends the summer on our coast, though another breeds on the islands of Mono Lake. They eat everything of an animal nature they can swallow, and follow ships. The first is entirely white, and is a rare visitor from the Arctic regions. (323. Larus Hutchinsii; 324. L. occidentalis; 325. L. glaucescens; 326. L. Smithsonianus; 327. L. Delawarensis; 328. L. Californicus; 329. L. brachyrhynchus.)

Heerman's Gull (330. Blasipus Heermani) is a small species, dark blue, with white head and red bill, which is often seen accompanying the Gray Pelicans, and catching the small fish they drop from their pouches after a successful dive. Kotzebue's Gull (331. Rissa Kotzebuei) is a pretty little species, similar to the group first named. The Hooded Gull (332. Chroicocephalus Philadelphia) is common throughout the United States in summer; of rather small size, gregarious, and a good fisher.

The Terns, or Sea-Swallows, are much like Gulls, with slender, sharp bills, usually red or black; bluish above, white beneath. They are better divers, and live only on fish. Some are tinged on the breast with rose or salmon color. (333. Thalasseus regius; 334. T. elegans; 335. Sterna Forsteri; 336. S. Pikei.) The first and third are Eastern also.

The little Black Tern (337. Hydrochelidon fissipes) is not always black, but in winter the body and wings are lead-gray, while the young are white, brownish or black above. They frequent chiefly clear inland waters, and have much the appearance of large swallows, feeding on fish, and at times on insects also, as do some of the larger species, when away from the coast.

Three species of this family, of peculiar forms and habits, are said to visit this coast, but have not been recently seen. The first is Arctic, the other two tropical. (Buphagus skua; Creagrus furcatus; Haliplana fuliginosa.) The first, called Yager and Skua, is a sort of marine Eagle; the second is little known, but has a long forked tail; the third is called Sooty Tern, or Noddy, and is found in both tropical

oceans.

Our Loons are of three species, the two first found in all the northern hemisphere; the third peculiar to Northern America. They are large and beautifully colored birds, when mature, but usually seen in a plain brownish young plumage. Their most common names are Great

Northern, Black-throated, and Red-throated Divers, and they frequent both fresh and salt waters. (338. Colymbus torquatus; 339. C. septentrionalis; 340. C. Pacificus.)

The Grebes or Dobchicks resemble Loons, but have the toes lobed instead of webbed. All the species yet found in this State are peculiar to the west coast of America, and, while with us, are grayish black above, and white beneath-though probably obtaining finer colored feathers in their northern breeding places. They vary from the size of a duck to that of a dove, have long slender necks and bills, and dive so quickly as often to escape being shot. (341. Æchmophorus occidentalis; 342. E. Clarki; 343. Podiceps Cooperi; 344. P. Californicus.)

The Thick-billed Dobchick, or Dipper, (345. Podilymbus podiceps), is common, chiefly on the fresh waters of all North America, and remains with us in summer, building a nest floating on the water, and attached to neighboring plants. It has many curious characteristics.

The Tufted Auk, or Sea Parrot (346. Mormon cirrhata) is often called Puffin, (see No. 318). It is an extraordinary bird, of the size of the common green parrot, and much the same form-its bill flattened laterally like a knife, but in profile not unlike the parrot's, being suited for crushing crabs and shells for which it dives. Its color is black and white, with a long yellowish tuft of hair-like feathers, on each side of the head. It is common on the Farallone islands and others in the North Pacific, where it lays one egg each year in a burrow scratched among the rocks. Nearly all the following species also hatch but one young one annually.

Two smaller black and white Auks, with smaller, more pointed bills, and similar tufts on the head, are found along the sea-coast, chiefly in winter. (347. Cerorhina monocerata; 348. C. Suckleyi). They have a curious knob on the bill, above the nostrils. Like all our auks, they fly well, but excel most in swimming and diving. A still smaller kind of the North Pacific only, is remarkable for singing rather musically, when at night they visit their burrows on lonely islands during early summer. (349. Ptychoramphus Aleuticus).

The Pacific Sea Pigeon (350. Uria Columba) is as large as the landpigeon, black with white on the wings, and red feet. It lays and sits on three eggs at a time.

The Californian Murre (351. Catarractes Californicus) is as large as a small duck, head and back brown, beneath white, bill sharp-pointed. They swarm about the Farallones and more northern islands, occasionally visiting open bays to fish. Their eggs form quite an article of traffic in June, when they are brought in boat-loads to San Francisco,