ANATIDJE — FULIGULIN^: SEA BUCKS. 713 



\nd nape beautiful pearl-gray ; sides of the head waslied with sea-green ; eyelids black ; pro- 

 cesses of the bill framed about with glossy black. Bill reddish ; feet reddened, with dusky 

 webs; iris brown. Length about 22.00; wing 11.00; tail 4.00; bill along culinen 1.25 ; along 

 gape 2.25 ; from apex of processes to tip about the same ; from feathers on side of upper 

 mandible to tip about 1.60. Adult 9 : Indistinguishable from other female eiders in plumage, 

 but readily recognized by the bill, as above said. Bill and feet blackish ; dimensions of bill, 

 aside from the frontal processes, nearly as in the <J. This beautiful eider is a circumpolar 

 species, abounding at various points along the shores of the Arctic Ocean, thence south in 

 winter on the Pacific side in great numbers to the Aleutian Islands and beyond, though rare on 

 tlie Alaskan coast of Behring's Sea; on the Atlantic side south rarely and irregularly to New 

 Yi.rk. 

 297, CEDE'MIA. (Gr. 0*8)7/10, oidema, Lat. oedema, a swelling.) Scoters. Surf Ducks. 

 Bill tumid or gibbous in various character according to the species, and sexes of same species, 

 and outline of feathers equally variable, but always farther on ridge than on sides of upper 

 mandible, without angular reentrance; terminally expansive, with large, elevated, and de- 

 curved nail, fused with and occupying whole tip. Nostrils in middle of bill or beyond. 

 Feathers of chin running far fonvard, more or less nearly opposite nostrils. Color of ^ black, 

 relieved or not with white patches on head or wings, or both ; bill singularly gibbous at base, 

 parti-colored. 9 sooty-brown, bill simply turgid, much widened at end. Young ^ like 9 . 

 Embracing the black sea-ducks, surf-ducks, scoters, or coots, as they are variously called ; 

 maritime moUusk-eating species, scarcely fit for food. Our three species inhabit both coasts, 

 sometimes the larger inland waters, breeding northward, occurring abundantly in winter 

 along the whole U. S. coasts. 



Analysis of Subgenera, Species, and Varieties. 



<f Bill scarcely encroached upon by frontal feathers, which sweep directly across the base ; gibbosity 

 superior, circumscribed, orange. Nostrils median. Nail narrowed anteriorly. Color entirely black. 

 Feet dark. Tail normally 16-feathered. (OEdemia.) 



$ Sooty-brown, paler below, whitish on throat and sides of head ; bill not gibbous, black americana 737 

 (f Bill broadly encroached upon bj' frontal feathers, on culmen nearly or quite to nostrils, on sides to 

 less extent, shorter than head, the gibbosity superior, circumscribed. Nostrils beyond middle. Nail 

 broad and obtuse. Bill black, orange-tipped : feet orange. Color black, with white wing-patch and 

 eye-spot. Tail normally 14-feathered. (Melanetta.) 



$ Sooty-brown, with white wing-patch; bill all black, less tumid fusca 738 



(f Bill narrowly encroached upon by frontal feathers ; on culmen nearly or quite to nostrils, on the sides 

 not at all; about as long as head, the gibbosity lateral as well as superior. Nostrils beyond middle. 

 Bill orange and white, with black lateral spot. Color black, with white frontal and nuchal patch, but 

 none on wing; feet orange. Tail normally 14-feathered. (Pelionetta.) 



9 Sooty-brown, paler below, whitish on head, chiefly in loral and auricular patches; bill black; 

 feet dark. 

 Frontal white patch reaching eyes ; culminal feathers reaching opposite nostrils. Bill about as 



long as head perspicillata 739 



Frontal white patch restricted; culminal feathers not reaching opposite nostrils. Bill rather 

 exceeding head trowbridgii 740 



737. (E. america'na. (Fig. 496.) American Black Scoter. Sea Coot. Bill, etc., as above said. 

 Adult $ : Plumage entirely black, less glossy and jetty below than above, grayish on the inner 

 webs of the quills. Iris brown. Feet blackish. Young $ resembling 9 ■ 9 = Sooty-brown, 

 paler below, becoming grayish-white on belly, there dusky- speckled, on sides and flanks 

 dusky-waved; throat and sides of head mostly continuous whitish, not in special s])ots; 

 bill blacldsh, not bulging ; feet livid olivaceous with black webs. Ducklings covered with 

 black do^vn. Length 17.00-20.00 ; extent 30.00-^6.00 ; wing 8.00-10.00 ; tail 4.00 ; tarsus 

 1.75; middle toe and claw 3.25 ; bill 1.75-2.00. 9 much smaller than<J; near about these 

 lesser figures. Differs from the European GE. nigra in shape and color of the protuberance 

 on the biU of (J. N. Am., chiefly coastwise, where abundant; also on large inner waters; 

 U. S. generally in winter; breeds in high latitudes. Eggs 6-8, 2.25X1-60, buff; nest on the 



