112 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



lying feathers. Male: Wing, 10.70-11.00 inches ; culmen, 2.05-2.30 ; tarsus, 1.90-2.00; 

 middle toe, 2.35-2.60. Female: Wing, 9.75-10.25 inches; culmen, 1.80-1.90; tarsus, 

 1.65-1.80 ; middle toe, 2.35. Hab. Pakearetic Region. 

 j3. Americanus. Black bases of the greater wing-coverts exposed, so as to form a distinct 

 bar about half way across the wing. Male: Wing, 10.50-11.25 inches ; culmen, 1.90- 

 2.20 ; tarsus, 1.90-2.00 ; middle toe, 2.40-2.50. Female: Wing, 9.60-9.75 inches; cul- 

 men, 1.80-2.00 ; tarsus, 1.85-1.90 ; middle toe, 2.25-2.40. Hub. North America. 

 . M. senator. Nostril situated near the base of the maxilla ; feathers on lateral base of bill 

 extending farther forward than those on the forehead. Adult male: Head dull greenish 

 black, the occiput with a long pointed crest of narrow feathers ; neck and sides of the 

 jugulum dull buff, or light cinnamon, streaked with black; other lower parts mainly 

 white. Adult female : Very similar in color to that of M. merganser, but distinguished 

 by different position of the nostrils, and different outline of the feathering at base of the 

 bill. Size also smaller. Hah. North America and Pakearetic Regiou. 



Mergus merganser americanus. 



THE BUFF-BREASTED SHELDRAKE. 



Mergus merganser, Wils. Am. Orn. VIII. IS14, 68, pi. 68. — Sw. & Rich. F. B. A. II. 1831, 461. — 



Nutt. Man. II. 1834, 460. — Aud. Orn. Biog. IV. 1838, 261, pi. 331 ; Synop. 1839, 297 ; B. 



Am. VI. 1843, 387, pi. 411. — Coues, Key, 1872, 296; Check List, 1873, no. 521 ; 2d ed. 1SS2, 



no. 743 ; B. N. W. 1S74, 583. 

 Mergus americanus, Cass. Pr. Ac. Nat. Sci. Phihd. 1853, 187. — Baird, B. N. Am. 1S58, 813; Cat. 



N. Am. B. 1S59, no. 611. 

 Mergus castor, a. americanus, Bonap, Compt. Rend. XLIII, 1856, 652. 

 Mergus merganser americanus, Kidc.vv. Proc. U. S. Nat. Vol. 3, 1SS0, 205; Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, 



no. 636. 



Hab. The whole of North America, breeding south to the Northern United States. No 



extralimital record except Bermudas. 



Adult male : Head and upper half (or more) of the neck deep black, the elongated feathers of 



the pileum and nape distinctly, other portions faintly, glossed with greenish ; whole back and 



inner scapulars, deep black ; 

 rump, upper tail-coverts, and 

 tail, plain cinereous ; sides of 

 ^-- the crissum (anteriorly) and 



femoral region, whitish, nar- 

 rowly barred with slate-color ; 

 primary-coverts, primaries, and 

 outer secondaries, plain black- 

 ish dusky. Remainder of the 

 plumage fine light salmon-buff 

 in life, fading to bufl'y white in 

 dried skins ; inner secondaries 

 narrowly skirted with black ; 

 base of the greater coverts 

 deep black, forming a distinct 

 bar about half way across the 

 wing ; anterior border of the 

 wing dusky grayish, or black- 

 ish. Bill deep vermilion-red, 

 the culmen and nail black ; feet 

 deep red ; iris carmine. Adult 

 female: Head and upper half 

 of the neck reddish cinnamon, 

 the pileum and occipital cresl 



