492 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



umber-brown, this also tinginj^ the adjoining scapuUirs ; wing-coverts uniform deep brownish gray, 

 the hxst row tipped with opacjue velvety black, and with a subterminal bar of pure white ; specu- 

 lum rich metallic violet, with a subterminal velvety black, and terminal pure white bar; primaries 

 plain brownish gray. Rump, upper tail-coverts, and crissum, intense velvety black, showing ftunt 

 retlections of Ijluish green. Tail white, the feathers grayish centrally. Two middle feathers black, 

 slightly recurved ; the two longer upper tail-coverts greatly recurved. Bill olive-yellow or ochra- 

 ceous-olive (in life), the nail black ; iris hazel ; tarsi and toes fine rich orange-red (changing to 

 yellowish in dried skin). Length, about 24.00 inches; extent, 38.00; wing, 11.00-11.85; cul- 

 men, 2.10-2.40; tarsu.s, 1.60-1.80; middle toe, 2.00-2.15. Adult male in summer: "Closely 



resembling the female, being merely 

 somewhat darker in color. This 

 plumage is donned by degrees early 

 in June ; and in August the full 

 rich winter dress is again resumed " 

 (Sharpe & Dresser). Adult fe- 

 male : Wing as in the male. Above, 

 brownish dusky, much variegated by 

 broad pale ochraceous edges to the 

 feathers ; beneath pale ochraceous, 

 the feathers dusky centrally, jiro- 

 ducing a thickly spotted or striped 

 appearance. On the "top of the head 

 the dusky predominates, as it also 

 does in a loral and auricular line, 

 forming a lighter superciliary stripe 

 between this and the crown. Wing, 

 10.25-11.50 ; culmen, 2.00-2.35 ; tar- 

 sus, 1.50-1.80; middle toe, 1.90-2.05. 

 Downy young : ^ Aljove, deep oli- 

 vaceous, relieved by two pairs of yel- 

 lowish buff spots, the first pair on the 

 back, just behind the wings, the second 

 at the base of the tail, the first not 

 confluent with the buff of the lower 

 parts ; wings deep olivaceous, varied 

 on both edges with dull greenish yel- 

 low ; pileum and nape olivaceous, 

 darker on the occiput, lighter on the 

 forehead ; a broad superciliary stripe, 

 including the sides of the forehead, 

 sides of the head and neck, and entire 

 lower parts, yellowish buff', deepest on 

 the head, paler on the anal region and crissum ; sides more grayish, and crossed, between the wings 

 and thighs, by two wide patches of dark olive projecting from that of the back. Side of the head 

 marked by a narrow but very distinct stripe of dark brown from the upper basal angle of the 

 maxilla to the eye, thence back to and confluent with the olivaceous of the occiput ; beneath 

 the latter, almost directly over the ear, an isolated spot of the same. 



The adult males in winter plumage vary chiefly in the extent and richness of the chestnut of 

 the jugulum. Sometimes this is restricted to the jugulum, but occasionally it spreads over the 



Male. 



1 Described from No. 77546, Waslioe Lake, Nev., M.-iy 22, 1877: H. AV. Hensiiaw. This .specimen 

 represents the youngest stage, not long from the egg, and is less than 6 inches in total lengtli, the bill 

 about half an inch long. Older specimens are larger, the size, of course, proportioned to the age, while as 

 they increase in size the bright yellowish tints become gradually replaced with pale dingy grayish ; the 

 olivaceous of the upper parts also becomes more gray. 



