Page:Condor21(5).djvu/25

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Sept, 1919 BIRD NOTES FROM OREGON AND CALIItORNIA 199 mostly during month of June. Some downies were seen as early as June 7, and they were still in evidence late in July. Marila marila. Greater Scaup. Marila affinis. Lesser Scaup. Scaup ducks were plentiful at Clear Lake in April and both species identified, though, owing to their simi- larity, in most cases identification was impossible, and I am in doubt as to the compara- tive abundance of the two. At Malheur they were fairly common in spring until about May 10, and in fall after August 5. They were also noted occasionally in summer but, in this locality, I was never able to approach dosely enough to be sure of the species. Marila collaris. Ring-necked Duck. The only time that this duck was positively identified was on April 6 at Clear Lake, when three pairs were observed at the mouth o[ Willow Creek. They were approached closely and carefully examined with glasses. The bill markings, white spot on throat and ring on neck were plainly seen on the male birds. Clangula americana. Golden-eye. Noted several times-on Blitzen River in late April and early May. Charltonetta albeola. Bufflehead. Female seen at Clear Lake April 7. Fairly common at Malheur in spring until about May 10. Fig. 4?. NEST OF GADWALL AT M?LHEUR L?KE, ORE?ON. Erismatura jamalcensis. Ruddy Duck. Breeding abundantly in tules at Malheur Lake, generally fairly dose to open water. Several nests noted in sides of muskrat houses. Bulk of nesting in June. Young seen as early as June ? and as late as early August. Chen hyperboreus hyperboreus. Lesser Snow Goose. Four birds seen at Clear Lake April 6. Common locally on meadowlands between Malheur Lake and Burns in late April. Single bird seen on Blitzen River May 12 and two more in same locality June 21. Anser alblfrons alblfrons. White-fronted Goose. About twenty-five birds seen at Clear Lake April 15. Branta canadensis ca?adensis. Canada Goose. Forty-six nests examined on vari- ous small islands in Clear Lake. Began to lay the latter part of March. Most of the nests contained from four to seven eggs, though eight or nine were seen occasionally, ten in one instance and twelve in another. It may be that these larger sets were the product of more than one female. Also in two nests examined were two addled eggs of last year together with newly laid eggs. Most of the nests were on bare ground among the sage-bushes but several were built among the rocks and one was in small cave in