North American Birds Eggs. 



81 



162. King Eider. Somafcrid SjX'ctabilis-. 



Range. — Northern Hemisphere, breeding in America from Labrador to Green- 

 hmd and the Arctic Ocean; south in winter to tlie New England States and rare- 

 ly farther on the eastern side, and to the Aleutians on the Pacific; also casually 

 to the Great Lakes in the interior. 



A handsome and very different species from any of the foregoing, having the 

 crown ashy blue, and the long scapulars black instead of wliit(\ It also has a 

 broail \'-shaped mark on the throat. Like all the other p:i(lers, the female is 

 mottled brown and black, the tlifferent species bcMUg very difficult to sei)arate. 

 The nests are sunk in the ground and lined with down. Eggs number from six 

 to ten. 8ize 2. .SO x 1.80. Data. — Point Barrow, Alaska, July ■'>, LSDS. Five eggs. 

 Nest a hollow in the moss on tunilra lined with moss and down Collector' 

 E. A. Mcllhenny. 



163. American Scoter. Oidtiiiia mncricd ihi. 



Range.— Northern North America, breeding from Labrador, the Hudson Bay 

 region and the Aleutian Islands northwaril; winters soutli to Virginia, the Great 

 Lakes and California. 



Scoters or "Coots'* as they are 



generally called are Sea IJucks 



whose plumage is almost wholly 



black; they have fantastically 



colored and shaped bills. The 



American Scoter is entirely 



black without markings; base of 



bill yellow and orange. This 



species nest as do the L^iders, 



often concealing the nest, of 



grass and feathers, under some 



overhanging rock. They laj' 



from six to ten eggs of a dingy 



buff color. Size 2.50 x 1.70. 



Data. — Mackenzie Bay, June 15, 



1899. Ten eggs. Nest a hollow 



n, ^1 in the sand, lined with down. 



[I5utf.^ ' 



i> 



[164.] Velvet Scoter, (fidcmid ftisra. 



An Old World species that has accidentally occurred in Greenland. 

 165. White-winged Scoter. Oidnnia (lef/laiuJi. 



Range. — Ai)undant in North America, breeding from Labrador, North Dakota 

 and British Columbia, northward. Wintering south to the Middle States, 

 southern Illinois and southern California. 



The largest of the Scoters, length 22 inches, distinguished by a large white 

 speculum on the wing, also a white comet extending from under the eye back- 

 wards. It also has a yellow eye. Like the other Scoters, this species often feeds 

 in very deep water. They are strong, active diving birds, and are also strong on 

 the wing, generally flying close to the surface of the water. Their flesh is not 

 regarded as good eating, although they are often sold for that purpose. They 

 nest on the ground, generally in long grass or under low bushes making a 

 coarse nest of grasses, and sometimes twigs, lined with feathers. They lay from 

 five to eight eggs of a pale l)uft' color. Size 2.75 x 1.85. 

 7 



