ANATIDJS— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 183 



Oidemia perspicillata (Linn.) 



SURF SCOTIR. 



Popular synonyms. Surf Duck; Sea Duck; Skunk-bill; Skunk-head Coot; Horse-head 

 Coot, or Horse-head; Hollow-billed Coot (New England); Gray Coot; Spectacled 

 Cool; Surf Coot (Long Island); Google-nose; Patch-head; Plaster-bill; (Snuff- 

 taker; Morocco-jaw; Blossom-bill, etc., etc.* 



Anas perspicilbita Linn. S. N. ed. 10, i, 1758, 125;!ed. 12,3, 1766, 201.— Wils. Am. Orn. viii. 

 1821. 49, pi. 6?. 

 Oidemia perspicillata STEPHENS.Gen.Zo61.xii.pt. ii, 1821, 219.— Sw. &Uich. F. B.-A. ii. 



1831, 449.-A. O. U. Check List, 1886. No. 166.— Rldgw. Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 113. 

 Fuligula {Oidemia) perspicillata Bonap. Synop. 1828, 389.— Nutt. Man. ii, 1834, 416. 

 (Edemia perspicillata Coues, Key, 1872, 294; Check List. 1873, No. 518; 2d ed. 1882. No. 



739; B. N. "W. 1874, 582. 

 Pelionetta perspicillata Reich. Syst. Av. 1852, p. viii.— Baird. B. N. Am. 1858. 806; 

 Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 602.— Ridgw. Nom. N. Am. B. 1881. No. 633.— B. B. & ft. 

 Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 98. 

 Fuligula perspicillata Aud. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838/16], pi. 317; Synop. 1839,289; B. Am. vi 

 1843, 337, pi. 402. 

 Pelionetta trowbridgii Baird, B. N. Am. 1858. 806; Cat. N.iAm. B. 1859. No. 603. 



(Edemia perspicillata, var. trowbridgii Coues, Key, 1872. 295; Check List, 1873, No. 518 a. 

 (Edemia perspicillata, b. trowbridgii Coues, B. N. W. 1874, 592. 

 (Edemia perspicillata trowbridgii Coues. Check List, 2d ed. 1882, No. 740. 

 Hab. Coasts and larger inland waters of northern North America; south in winter 

 to Atlantic coast. of the United States, to the Ohio River, Kansas, etc.. in the interior, and 

 Lower California, on the Pacific side; accidental in Europe. Jamaica (and other West 

 India islands?) in winter. 



Sp. Chae. Adult male: General color deep black, very intense above, more sooty 

 on the lower surface; a white patch on the forehead, the anterior outline Isemicireular 

 or somewhat angular, and reaching forward a little in advance of the lateral base of 

 the bill, the posterior outline almost directly transverse, and la little posterior to 

 the middle of the eye; nape with a somewhat shield-shaped, or cuneate. longitudinal 

 patch of pure white, having the upper outline almost directly transverse. Bill chiefly 

 orange-red. deeper (intense red in some specimens) above the nostrils: swollen base of 

 the maxilla with a large, irregularly roundish, somewhat quadrate, or trap.- 

 of deep black, with a light-colored space (bluish white in life) in front, as far as the 

 trils; nails duller orange, or dingy grayish; iris yellowish white; feet orange-red, the 

 webs greenish dusky; elaws black. "Upper mandible with a nearly square black patch 

 at the base, margined with orange, except in front, where there is a patch of bluish 

 white extending to near the nostrils, prominent partoverthe nostrils deep reddish orange, 

 becoming lighter toward the unguis, and shaded Into rich yellow I margins; 



the unguis dingy grayish yellow; lower mandible flesh-colored. Unguis darker. Iri- 



brighl yellowish white. Tarsi and toes orange-red. with webs dnsky, tinged with gi 

 olaws black" (Audubon). Adult/em «n and nap a blaok; rest of the 



head ashy brown, with an Indistinct whitish patch (n I always Indi 

 anterior portion of the lores, bordering the lateral I i bill; upper parts brownish 



''"^ k >' "' ''"'"' feathers sometimes showing paler tip 



1 oming nearly white ,,,, the abdomen, the feathers of the breast and side- tipped with 



"'" • ;l " , '•• ,l "' ;i "'''i region and crlssum uniform dusky. Bill greenish black, scaroelv 

 swollen at the base, where the black spol ol the male is Bllghtly, if at all. Ind oatedj iris 



■ wish whit,-; -feet yellowish orange, webs graj 

 Young: similar to the adult female, but head with 



• .•» and Portraits of Birds. 



