94 THE BIRDS OF MAINE 



Subfamily FULIGULIN^. Sea Ducks. 



Key to the species of FULIGULINiE. 



A. Tail feathers very stiff and pointed with very narrow webs; tail 



more than half as long as wing. Ruddy Duck. 



B. Tail feathers normal and with normal webs. 



1. Feathers either at sides of bill or on culmen (or both) extending 



forward beyond the rear of the nostril. 

 §. Only feathers on culmen extending beyond rear of nostril, 

 a'. Feathers on culmen extending forward in a narrow line; 



nostril narrow and elongated. King Eider, 

 a*. Feathers on culmen not extending forward in a narrow line ; 

 nostril rounded. White-winged Scoter. 

 §§. Feathers on sides of bill not extending beyond rear of nostril, 

 sometimes nearly or quite to it. 

 a'. The arms of the V-like bare space on top of bill narrow and 



pointed. Greenland Eider, 

 a*. The arms of the V-like bare space on top of bill broad and 

 rounded. American Eider. 



2. Feathering at sides of bill never extending beyond rear of nostril. 

 §. Wing under 7.00. Bufflehead. 



§§. Wing over 7.00. 



?. Difference between shortest and longest tail feathers less than 

 length of bill from nostril, 

 a'. Bill wider at end than at base, 

 b'. Speculum bluish gray. Ring-necked Duck, 

 b*. Speculum white with black tip. 



c'. Flanks white ; wing generally over 8.25. Scaup Duck, 

 c*. Flanks vermiculated with blackish; wing generally 

 under 8.25. Lesser Scaup, 

 a'"*. Bill not wider at end than at base, 

 b'. Greatest width of bill not more than one-third length of 



culmen ; bill over 2.00. Canvas-back, 

 b^. Greatest width of bill much over one-third ( often nearly 

 half) of length of culmen. Redhead. 

 ??. Difference between shortest and longest tail feathers more 

 than length of bill from nostril. 

 a\ Wings with either speculum or some other portion above 

 white, 

 b'. Speculum metallic violet blue or dusky brownish gray. 



Harlequin Duck, 

 b*. Speculum white or much of wing white. 



c'. Head and neck uniform in color and either all white 

 or all brownish gray. Labrador Duck. 



