ANATIN^ — THE DUCKS — PELIONETTA. 



99 



Hab. Coasts and larger inland waters of Northern North America, south in Avinter to Atlantic 

 coast of the United States, to the Ohio in the interior, and Lower California, on the Pacific side • 

 accidental in Europe. Jamaica (and other West India islands ?) in winter. 



Sp. Char. Adult male : General color deep black, very intense above, more sooty on the 

 lower surface ; a white patch on the forehead, the anterior outline semicircular or somewhat angu- 

 lar, and reaching forward a little in advance of the lateral base of the bill, the posterior outline 

 almost directly transverse, and extending back to a little past the middle of the eye ; nape with a 

 somewhat shield-shaped, or cuneate, 

 longitudinal patch of pure white, 

 having the upper outline almost 

 directly transverse. Bill chiefly or- 

 ange-red, deeper (intense red in 

 some specimens) above the nostrils ; 

 swollen base of the maxilla with a 

 large, irregularly roundish, some- 

 wliat quadrate, or trapezoidal, spot 

 of deep black, with a light-colored 

 space (bluish white in life) in front, 

 as far as the nostrils ; nails duller 

 orange, or dingy grayish ; iris j^el- 

 lowish white ; feet orange-red, the 

 webs greenish dusky ; claws black. 

 " Upper mandible with a nearly 

 square black patch at the base, mar- 

 gined with orange, except in front, 

 where there is a patch of bluish white 

 extending to near the nostrils, promi- 

 nent part over the nostrils deep 

 reddish orange, becoming lighter 

 toward the unguis, and shaded into 

 rich yellow toward the margins ; the 

 unguis dingy grayish yellow ; lower 

 mandible flesh-colored, unguis darker. 

 Iris bright yellowish white. Tarsi 

 and toes orange-red, the webs dusky, 

 tinged with green; claws black" 

 (Audubon). Adult female : Pileum 

 and nape brownish black ; rest of 

 the head ashy brown, with an indis- 

 tinct whitish patch (not always in- 

 dicated) on the lower anterior portion of the lores, bordering the lateral base of the bill ; upper 

 parts brownish dusky, the contour feathers sometimes showing paler tips ; lower parts grayish 

 brown, becoming nearly white on the abdomen, the feathers of the breast and sides tipped with 

 the same, the anal region and crissum uniform dusky. Bill greenish black, scarcely swollen at the 

 base, Avhere the black spot of the male is slightly, if at all, indicated ; iris yellowish white ; " feet 

 yellowish orange, webs grayish dusky, claws black" (Audubon). Young: Similar to the adult 

 female, but head with two quite distinct whitish patches, one again.st the lateral base of the bill, 

 the other over the auriculars, behind and below the eye ; plumage above, more uniform than in 

 the adult female, and feathers everywhere of a softer texture. 



Total length, about 19.00-20.00 inches ; extent, 31.00-34.00 ; wing, 9.25-9.75 ; culmen, 1.30- 

 1.60 ; from tip of bill to lateral base, 2.35-2.60 ; distance through base of bill horizontally, between 

 most prominent point of lateral swelling.s, 1.10-1.40; tarsus, 1.55-1.85; middle toe, 2.15-2.55 

 (twenty examples). 



There is considerable variation among individuals of this species, but we find no constant 

 difference between specimens from the Atlantic coast and those from the Pacific. Occasionally, in 



Male. 



