92 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



•SiBciENus MELANTTTA Bote. 

 OTDEMIA DEGLANDI Bonap. 



•■)!». White-winged Scoter. (165) 



Ma/e: — With a large patch of white on the wing and another under the eye; 

 feet, orange-red, with dusky webs ; bill, black, broadly tipped with orange. 

 Female: — Soot^'-brown, grayish below; whitish about the liea<l ; speculum, 

 white. Length, 24 to 26 inches ; female, 20 to 22 inches. 



Hab. — Northern North America ; breeding in Lalirador and the fur countries; 

 south in winter to the Middle States, southern Illinois and southern California. 



Audubon found this species bleeding in Labrador. The nests were built by 

 the side of small lakes, two or three miles distant from the sea, and usiuiUy 

 placed under low bushes. They were formed of twigs, mosses and various plants 

 matted together, and were large and almost flat, several inches thick, and lined 

 ■v^ith feathers. 



Eggs, usualh" six. ))ale l)urt', clouded with green. 



This is the most numerous of the three Scoters wliieh ;iir found in 

 Ontario, for it seems moi'e j^irtial to the iiihui<l waters than either of 

 the others. 



In spring and fall it is conniioii on all the large lakes, and it is 

 reported at fjutt'alo, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, etc. 



They are large, heavy birds, and their- jet-l)laek color makes them 

 look larger tliaii they really are. 



When moving about from one place to another, they fly heavily, at 

 no great 'height above the water. They have not the restless habits 

 of some other species, and if left undisturbed, will remain foi- days 

 together feeding near the same spot. 



At Hamilton Bay they are regular visitors, appearing toward the 

 end of April, and remaining for two or three weeks. Very soon after 

 their arrival, they are affected l>y some malady which results in manj' 

 of their number being washed up dead on the shoie. These birds are 

 in fine plumage and excellent condition, but that does not save them. 

 Whether the}^ bring the seeds of disease with them when they come, 

 or whether the emptying of the city sewage and refuse from the 

 oil refineries into the bay has anything to flo with their' tr-oub1e, has 

 not yet been deter"mined. 



In the spring of the pr-esent year (1893), this disease pr-evailed to 

 as great an extent as formerly, so many as six bodies being observed 

 in a walk of half a mile along the shore. 



Mr-. Nels(m saw vei-y few of this species irr Alaska, but they br-(H^d 

 abundantly on the lower- Ander-son River-. They have also been 

 observed in summer on Lake Winnipeg and ollui- lakes in Manitoba, 

 wher-e they wer-e supposed to !)(' bi-eeding. 



