ANATIN.E — THE DUCKS — MELANETTA. 97 



character to these — being invariably depressions made in the ground, at the foot of 

 small trees, and lined almost entirely with down and feathers. 



Specimens of this bird were taken by Mr. Kennicott near Fort Resolution, June 5, 

 1860 ; and, a little later, on the Yukon River. In this neighborhood it was also 

 found by Mr. Lockhart in June, 1861 and 1862. 



This Duck is very rarely seen on any of the interior waters of the United Stairs. 

 A male in very shabby plumage was shot near Black-hawk Island, in Lake Kosko- 

 nong, Wisconsin, Oct. 12, 1860 ; and this specimen is still in Professor Kumlien's 

 collection. 



Eggs of this species are of a uniform pale pinkish cream-color. Examples in the 

 Smithsonian Collection from the Yukon (Nos. 6679 and 6678) measure 2.70 by 1.90 

 inches, and 2.7.J by 1.80. 



Melanetta fusca. 



THE EUROPEAN VELVET SCOTER. 



Anas fusca, Linn. S. N. ed. 10, I. 1758, 123; ed. 12, I. 1766, 196. — Naum. Viig. Deutschl. XII. 



1844, 123, pi. 313. 

 Melanitta fusca, Boie, Isis, 1822, 564. 



Helanetta fusca, Ridgw. I'i . I'. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 3, 1880, 205, 222 ; Nom. N.Am. B. 1881, no. 631. 

 Oidemia fusca, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. pt. ii. 1824, 216.— Bonap. Comp. List, 1838, 57.— 



Keys. & Blas, Will.. Eur. 86. — Macgill, Man. II. 180. — Gkay, Gen. 111. 625; Cat. Brit. B. 



1863, 206. 

 Anns carbo, Pall. Zoog. Rosso-As, II. 1826, 244. 

 Anas fuliginosa, Bechst. Naturg. IV. 962, pi. 36. 

 Melanitta Hornschuchii, M. niegapus, and .1/. platyrhynchos, Bkehm. Vbg. Deutschl. 1831, pp. 904, 



906, 907. 

 Velvet Scoter, Yaiii:. Brit. B. ed. 2, III. 312, lig. ; ed. 3, III. 314, fig.; et Auct. 



Har. Palaearctie Region; accidental in Southern Greenland (Reinhardt, Vid. Med. Nat. 

 For. Kjbbenhavn, 1879, 1); AUoknagik Lake, Alaska, July 20, 1883; < '. L. .McKay (spec, in 

 Nat. Mus. Coll.). 



Sp. Char. Adtilt male: Maxilla much swollen near the rictus, the base of the culmen only 



slightly elevated, orange or reddish of the maxilla crossed on each side bj a Mark line running 

 obliquely from the black above the nostril to that on each side of the nail. General color brown- 

 ish black, relieved by a white, somewhat crescentic, patch beneath the eye, and extending some- 

 what behind it, and a white speculum on the wings (involving the secondary quills). "The upper 

 basal prominence of the bill, the nostrils, part of the lateral prominences, the margins of the upper 

 mandible, and a streak on each side of the unguis black ; the sides rich orange, the unguis and 

 part of the ridge reddish flesh-color; the basal half of the lower mandible black, the rest lake- 

 red. The iris is grayish white, with an external dusky ring. The inner side of the tarsus, of the 

 hind toe and its web, as well as of the other toes, with the whole loose web of the inner orpiment- 

 orange ; the outer side of the tarsus, hind toe and its web, as well as of the other toes, bluish car- 

 mine, or lake; the sole of tin' toes and the webs above brownish black ; the claws black " (Mac- 

 cir.i.iYRAY). Adult female: Sooty grayish, or grayish dusky, darker above; wing with a white 

 speculum, but no white spot on side of bead. Bill entirely dusky ; feet as in tie male, but colors 

 duller. 



Wing, 10.65-11.40 inches; culmen. 1.40-1.70; depth of maxilla at base, 1.10-1.30; tarsus, 

 1.80-2.10 ; middle toe, 2.70-2.90. 



