942 SYSTEMA TIC SYNOPSIS. — LAiMELLIROSTRES -ANSERES. 



Arctic Ocean, thence S. in winter on the Pacific side in great numbers to the Aleutian Islands 

 and beyond, tliongh rare on the Alaskan coast of Bering's Sea; on the Atlantic side S. rarely 

 but regularly to New York, exceptionally to Georgia, and in the interior to the Great Lakes, 

 though it is a thoroughly maritime bird, sometimes found far at sea, and much attached to its 

 Arctic waters ; individuals found far south are mostly stray young ones. Breeds north from 

 Labrador ; eggs about 6, their variation in number not well ascertained ; smaller than those of 

 other Eiders, commonly 2.75 X 1-80 or less, down to 2.45 X 1.70; color dull greenish-gray; 

 laid mostly in July. 



CEDE'MIA. (Gr. otdrjua, oidema, Lat. oedema, a swelling. Fig. 661.) Scoters. Sea. 

 CoDTS. Surf Ducks. Bill tumid or gibbous in various character according to the species, 



and sexes of same species ; out- 

 ^^^^ ^ta-Bi™J •^^"'^ "^'^ feathers equally variable, 



^^^^^^^^^^ 9|HH but aln'ays extending farther on 

 ^^g||^^BkB^^^^^^^^^^^^e;^^^^H ridge sides upper 



jt^^^^^^^^^^KB^^^^^^^^ ^^^I^H mandible, and without 

 ^^a^KSm ' ^^W^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^ ^k1 terminally expan- 



^^B hBP ^^^ n*^^^^^^B^^^^^^^^^B^^ ' ' '^ sive, with large, elevated, and 

 __^^_^^'''~.::'^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^KK^ decurved fused with and 



^^^^^mHI^^^^^^^^^^^^I occupying whole tip. Nostrils 



_ ^; ^^^^^l^m in middle of bill or beyond. 



,-, ^^. o re . /. A T^ ^ X Feathers of chin running far for- 



FiG. 661. — Surf Scoter. (L. A. Fuertes.) "^ 



ward, more or less nearly oppo- 

 site nostrils. Color of $ black, relieved or not with white patches on head or wings, or both ; 

 bill singularly gibbous at base, particolored. 9 sooty-brown, bill simply turgid, much 

 widened at end. Young $ like 9 . Embracing the black Sea Ducks, Surf Ducks, Sea Coots, 

 or Scoters, as they are variously called ; maritime mollusk-eating species, scarcely fit for food. 

 Our three regular species inhabit both coasts, sometimes large inland waters, breeding north- 

 ward, occurring abundantly in winter along the whole U. S. coasts ; a fourth is only North 

 American as occurring in Greenland. 



Analysis of Subgenera and Species. 



Gape shorter than inner toe without claw. 



(f Bill scarcely encroached upon by frontal feathers, which sweep directly across base ; gibbosity superior, cir- 

 cumscribed, orange. Nostrils median. Nail narrowed anteriorly. Plumage entirely black. Feet dark. Tail 

 normally 16-feathered. (CEdemia.) 



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

 Gape longer than inner toe without claw. 



(f Bill broadly encroached upon by frontal feathers, on culmen nearly or quite to nostrils, on sides to less ex- 

 tent, shorter than head, the gibbosity superior, circumscribed. Nostrils beyond middle Nail broad and 

 obtuse. Bill black, orange-tipped ; feet orange. Plumage 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 and deglandi 



cf Bill narrowly encroached upon by frontal feathers ; on culmen nearly or quite to nostrils, on 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. Plumage black, with white frontal and nuchal patch, but none on wing ; feet 

 orange. Tail normally 14-feathered. (Pelionetta.) 



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



(Subgenus CEdemia.) 



CE. america'na. (Fig. 662.) American Black Scoter. Black Sea Coot. Brown 

 Coot 9 . Gray Coot 9 • Smutty Coot 9 • Broad-billed Coot. Hollow-billed 

 Coot. Pumpkin-blossom Coot. Butter-bill. Butter-nose. Copper-bill. Cop- 

 per-nose. Yellow-bill. Fizzy. Bill shaped as above said. Adult ^ : Plumage en- 

 tirely black, less glossy and jetty below than above, grayish on inner webs of quills. Bill 

 black or blackish, the knob orange or yellow, or partly both. Iris brown. Feet blackish. 



