Interior of British North America. 149 



HiSTRIONICUS TORQUATUS. 



I examined a specimen of the Harlequin Duck at York 

 Factory, on Hudson's Bay; and the 'Fauna Bor.-Am/ records 

 one from the eastern declivity of the liocky Mountains. Mr. 

 Ross mentions it on the Mackenzie. 



Harelda glacialis. 



A specimen is noted in the 'Fauna Bor.-Am.' from the Sas- 

 katchawan ; and Mr. Murray records it from Hudson's Bay, 

 where I myself saw it, and whence I have since received speci- 

 mens. Mr. Koss also gives the Long-tailed Duck, or " South 

 Southerly," as abundant on the Mackenzie. 



Melanetta velvktina. 



I have seen and examined the American Velvet Scoter from 

 Hudson's Bay ; Mr. Murray records it from the country between 

 there and Lake Winipeg ; and Mr. Koss includes it among the 

 birds of Mackenzie River. The ' Fauna Bor.-Am.' gives Oidemia 

 fusca, the European bird, from Great Bear Lake; but although this 

 may have been a mistake, owing to M. velvelina not being then 

 known as distinct, still I think M. fusca is sometimes found on 

 the west side of the Atlantic, as there is a specimen in the licitish 

 Museum, presented by the Hudson's Bay Company. I may 

 here state, with regard to the geographical range of M. velvetina, 

 that I have a specimen, which has been carefully compared, shot 

 by myself at Chin-Kiang, on the Yang-tsze River, in China. 

 This bird is also found on the Pacific coast of North America. 

 I would also remind observers that its striking dissimilarity to 

 M. fusca is in the form and colouring of the bill, which comes 

 nearer to the Common Scoter [Oidemia nigra) of Britain. 



PeLIONETTA PERSPICILLATA. 



I have received a specimen of the Surf Scoter from York 

 Factory, on Hudson's Bay, from which locality Mr. Murray has 

 obtained it ; besides, there is one from Nelson River in the 

 Smithsonian Listitution, and another is recorded from Great 

 Bear Lake in the ' Fauna Bor.-Am. ;' it is also given as abund- 

 ant, by Mr. Ross, on the Mackenzie. 



Oidemia americana. 



The American Scoter was described by Swainson, from Hud- 



