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 198 THE CONDOR Vol. XXI Jun 18, about half the young were already hatched, some being, apparently, nearly a month old (fig. 41). The rest of the nests contained eggs in various stages of incuba- tion. In most cases the eggs were laid on the broken-down rules with little or no at- tempt at nest construction. TheF were generally two or three in number, rarely four. Tho pelicans and cormorants wra feeding principally on fish Of the minnow famiIy which are considered af no value for human consumption. The remains of a rainbow trout found in tho colony was the only real food-fish noted. Mergus americanus. American Merganser. Eleven birds seen at Clear Lake April 10. Noted several times at Malheur in late April and early May, one bird May 25, six birds July 3, ten or a dozen August 8, and rather common thereafter. 'Two birds seen on stream near Adel September 2. It is very probable that M. serratot also occurs in the region, but it was not identified. I. ophodytes cucullatus. Hooded Merganser. Single bird seen April at Clear Lake. Anas platyrhynchos. Mallard. Rather common at Clear Lake; nest containing four eggs found in this locality April 10. At Malheur Lake nests abundantly in hay fields, both inside and outside reservation boundary. The earliest of the nesting ducks in the vicinity, beginning to lay the latter part of April, but nesting most abundantly from May 15 to 31. The most common nesting site is on the ground in long grass, though often found in sides of haystacks, under scattering bunches of hay and, occasionally, on dry ground in sage-brush. Eggs generally from eight to twelve in number. As soon as the young leave the nest they are taken out onto the open water of the lake, and during late summer the species is rare in other localities. Chaulelasmus .treperus.. Gadwall. Probably nearly as abundant as the last spe- cies at Malheur, but nests, on an average, much later, being the last duck to finish in- cubating. Nesting localities very much the same as .those of the, mallard excepting that it was not found in haystacks. (Se fig. 42). Many nests were seen in the hay fields and one in the sage-brush. First nest, containing seven eggs, found June 1; height of nesting season June 20 to 30. First young s. een July 5. The eggs in a nest in the Spring- er field did not hatch until August 8, and two broods of young about two weeks old were noted August 22. From seven to eleven eggs is the usual complement, though one brood of fourteen young was seen. Mareca americana. American Widgeon. Not noted in spring, though probably occurs at this season. First seen in fall migration July 31, and became rather common during August. Nettion caroiinense. Green-winged Teal. Common at Clear Lake during my visit in April. First noted in fall at Malheur July 31; common after early August. Querquedula discore. Blue-winged Teal. An adult male seen at Malheur June 13 was the only one identified. It is difficult to distinguish between this and the next spe- cica, however, particularly in case of the females, and it is possible that 8cor8 nests at Malheur in very small numbers. Querquedula cyanoptera. Cinnamon Teal. Abundant nesting bird at Malheur in -hay lands both inside and outside reservation line. Began laying early in May, most plentifully during month of June. Many nests of this and other ducks are destroyed an- nually by ravens, coyotes, skunks and mink. Careful observations in the Malheur region seemed to show that at least fifty percent of the ground-nesting ducks' eggs are de- stroyed by these agencies, ravens and skunks probably doing the most damage. Spatula clypeata. Spoonbill. Breeds at Malheur in small numbers. The only nest positively identified as belonging to this species was found on May 31 and contained eleven eggs. It was situated on the ground in a hay field and was indistinguishable in construction and situation from nests of other ground-nesting ducks. Spoonbills were seen occasionally throughout the summer. Dafiia scuts. Pintail. Pair seen at Clear Lake April 10. Noted occasionally dur- ing the summer at 'Malheur, so probably breeds in small numbers, though no nests were identified. In fall the species began coming in from the outside about July 31 and be- came common the first week in August. Female with five half-grown young seen on canal in Diamond Valley August 28. Marils americana. Redhead. Breeds abundantly in the tules at Malheur Lake,