90 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



bill being the principal point of tliti'ereuce. Of circunipolar distribution, breed- 

 ing abundantly on the shores of the Arctic seas; in winter, soutli on the west 

 coast to the Aleutian Islands in great numbers. On the east, south iri'Cgularly 

 as far as Xew York. 



Xest, a depression in the ground lined entirely w ilh down. 



Kggs, usually six, grayish-green. 



This is ;i royal \ isitur from tlie north wlioiii we are pleased to 

 welcome, though he i-arel}- comes in his royal robe.s. Nearly all of 

 those found in Ontario are in immature plumage. In this garb Eider 

 Ducks have occasionally been .seen near Toronto and Hamilton during 

 the winter, but they all looked so much alike that it was only after a 

 close examination that many of them were founfl to be the young of 

 the King Eider. 



On the 25th Xovember, 1889, Mr. Cro.ss rej)orts having obtained 

 a fine male in summer plumage which was shot in Toronto Bay. 

 There must liave Ijeen something irregular al)Out this specimen, for 

 Mr. Murdoch and others, who have seen them in the summer, report 

 that as .soon as the breeding season is over the male loses the gay, 

 light-colored pknnage, and assumes a plain brown dress similar to 

 that of the female, the change in the majority of cases taking place 

 in September. 



The species is reported from Lake Erie by Di-. Wheaton, of 

 Columbus, and also by Dr. Bergtold, of Burtalo, but neither mentions 

 in what dress it appeared. 



yiv. Murdoch names this as the most abundant bird at Point 

 Barrow, where it appears in enormous numbers during the .season of 

 migration. Very few remain there to breed, the great l)ulk of tlie 

 species going along the coast to the eastward of the Point, whei'e they 

 settle down eaiiv in Mav. 



(iicxus OIDEMIA Plk.mi.n«;. 



Subgenus OIDEMTA. 



r)li»i-:.MlA .V.^rERTCANA (Sw. a- Kkh.). 



o8. American Scoter. (Ki'i) 



I'luniagt^ of iiiaU, entirely bhuk ; bill, blatk ; the gibl>osity, orange. 

 Fema/t'.: — Sooty brown, paler below; on tlie belly, grayish- wiiite, speckled with 

 dusky; waved witli dusky on the sides and Hanks: tiiroat and sides of the 

 head, mostly whitish; feet, livid-olive; webs, black. Lcngtli, 22 to 24 inches; 

 female, 18 to 20 inches. 



