DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 63 



Subgenus Oidemia. 

 163. Oidemia americana Swains. American Scotek. 



Plumage dark without white markings ; eyes alwajs brown. Adult 

 male : bill swollen back of nostrils, with a large yellow and red spot at 

 base, including nostrils ; plumage black or sooty. Adult female : bill 

 black, with a trace of yellow at base in breeding plumage, not swollen at 

 base ; upper parts dusky brown, under parts grayish brown. Young : 

 like female but lighter and indistinctly barred below. Length : 17.00-21.50, 

 wing 8.75-9.50, bill 1.05-1.80. 



Distribution. — Northern part of North America, breeding in Labrador, 

 Hudson Bay region, and Alaska ; south in winter to New Jersey, Illinois, 

 Colorado, and southern California. 



Nest. — In grass or willows near water. 



The American scoter is a duck of the northern seacoasts, mi- 

 grating but sparingly into the United States. 



Subgenus Melanitta. 



165. Oidemia deglandi Bonap. White-winged Scoter. 



Bill swollen at base over nostrils and on sides ; tip orange in male ; 



feathers of lores coming close 



to nostrils, as far forward as 

 those of forehead. Adult male : 

 eyes white; plumage black or 

 sooty, with white eye patch and 

 wing speculum. Adult female : 

 eyes brown ; plumage sooty 

 gray, darker above ; wing 

 speculum white. Length : 19.75- 

 23.00, wing 10.0.5-11.40, bill 

 1.40-1.70. 



Distribution. — Northern 

 North America, breeding in North Dakota but mainly north of the United 

 States ; south in winter to Chesapeake Bay, Colorado, and Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



Nest. — A depression in the ground lined with gra.ss, twigs, moss, and 

 down ; usually concealed among dwarf willows, rosebushes, or spruces. 

 Eggs : 5 to 8, deep buff. 



The white-winged scoter is more or less common along the Pacitic 

 coast, but rare inland in the United States. 



Subgenus Pelionetta. • 



166. Oidemia perspicillata {Linn.). Surf Scoter. 



Bill with swollen sides of base naked ; feathere of forehead reaching 

 to near nostril, of lores only to cunier of mouth ; bill black and less 

 swollen in femah' ; red, orange. yt41ow, and white in male, with large 

 black spot on side of base. Adult male: entire plumage velvety black 

 except for triangular white patch on forehead and another on back of 

 head; eyes whit«*. Adult femah' : upi)er parts sooty black, under parts 

 .sooty gray, usually with white patch at corner of mouth. Young: like 

 female, but with whitish patches at base of bill and back of ear. Male : 

 length 20-22, wing 0.25-0.75, bill 1.30-1.00. Female: smaller. 



