THE AMER ICAN SCOTER. 615 



Arctic regions ; in North America casually in winter to Georgia and the Great 

 Lakes. 



Range in Ohio. — Very rare winter visitor on Lake Erie. — Wheaton. One 

 record for the interior. 



THIS handsome species has a much wider distribution than the preceding 

 form, being, in fact, circumpolar; and it is, therefore, rather more likely to 

 occur on inland waters, upon those rare occasions when it ventures south at 

 all. Ordinarily the Eiders spend their winters on the open sea well off shore 

 and in northerly latitudes. 



There have been no records since Wheaton's time. 



No. 304. 



AMERICAN SCOTER. 



A. O. U. No. 163. Oidemia americana Swains. 



Synonyms. — American Black Scoter; Sea Coot; Black Coot. 



Description. — Adult male : Entire plumage glossy, and sooty, black ; outline 

 of feathers at base of bill not peculiar; base of culmen (especially during breeding 

 season ) swelled or knobbed, — the knob orange, the rest of the bill, including eyes, 

 black. Adult female and young: Sooty gray or fuscous whitening on belly, also 

 on throat, sides of head, and neck, where contrasting with dark fuscous of crown 

 and nape ; outline of feathers at base of bill substantially as in male, but culmen 

 not gibbous. Length 18.00-22.00 (457.2-558.8) ; wing 9.00 (228.6) ; tail 3.00 

 (76.2) ; bill (chord of culmen) 1.70 (43.2) ; tarsus 1.80 (45.7). 



Recognition Marks. — Mallard size; plumage solid black; female fuscous, 

 lightening below, and on sides of neck ; loral feathering not peculiar. 



Nesting. — Does not nest in Oho. Nest, on the ground in marshes of the 

 interior or along the sea coasts; of grasses, lined with feathers. Eggs, 6-10, pale 

 huff or brownish buff. Av. size, 2.55 x 1.80 (64.8 x 45.7). 



General Range. — Coasts and larger inland waters of northern America; 

 breeds in Labrador and the northern interior ; south in winter to New Jersey, the 

 Great Lakes. Colorado and California. 



Range in Ohio. — Casual winter visitor, chiefly on Lake Erie. Not more than 

 half a dozen records. 



THE Sea Coots of this and the following species are abundant in winter 

 along the Atlantic and Pacific Coasts, and are not uncommon upon adjacent 

 inland waters, especially- those which afford some open spaces in winter. The 

 Great Lakes, however, because such open water is not guaranteed, are not 

 often or largely visited during winter, nor are they patronized to any great 

 extent during migrations. 



