62 DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 



Adult male in winter and spring: 

 head and neck bluish black, with 

 white patches ; collar white ; shoul- 

 der bar black and white ; middle of 

 crown black, bordered behind by 

 chestnut ; chest and shoulders dark 

 plumbeous ; belly sooty, sides bright 

 rufous ; wing with steel blue specu- 

 lum and four white spots ; rump 

 black, with white spot on each side. 

 Adult male in summer : colors much 

 duller than in winter. Adult female : 

 head, neck, and upper parts sooty, 

 with a white spot on ear coverts and 

 a large white patch on side of face ; 

 belly mottled grayish. Length: 15.00- 

 17.50, wing 7.40-8.00, bill 1.05-1.10. 

 Distribution. — Eastern Asia, 

 Greenland, Iceland, and northern 

 North America ; south to the middle 

 states in winter ; breeding from New- 

 foundland and the mountains of Col- 

 Fig. 78. Harlequin Duck. orado and California northward to 

 the arctic coast. 



Nest. — In hollow tree or stump or under rocks or driftwood. Eggs : 6 

 to 8. 



The harlequin duck is rare enough in the United States to excite 

 keen interest, especially when found on its breeding grounds. A 

 little flock of the richly barred and spotted beauties fishing in a 

 foaming mountain stream, diving, bobbing on the rough surface, 

 drifting or darting down over the rapids, and then gathering in a 

 bunch below to fly back up stream for another descent, suggests a 

 lot of schoolboys on a coasting party rather than a flock of birds 

 engaged in the serious business of getting breakfast. They seem 

 to enjoy the icy water and their power to dare and buffet its tor- 

 rents. Although breeding more or less commonly in the mountains 

 from Colorado and California nortliward, little is known of their 

 nesting habits. Nests are reported in the far north under shelter of 

 rocks and driftwood. Vernon Bailey. 



GENUS OIDEMIA. 



General Characters. — Bill with base much swollen (except in female 

 americana) , partly orange in males, black in females ; colors mainly black 

 or dusky. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Feathering of head stopping far short of nostrils . americana, p. 63. 

 1'. Feathering of head not stopping far short of nostrils. 



2. Lores not feathered as far forward as forehead. 



perspicillata, p. 63. 



2'. Lores feathered as far forward as forehead . . deglandi, p. 63. 



