SEA DUCKS 111 



for such a diet they also had been eating great quantities of 

 mussels. 



Three eggs from Saunder's Island, North Greenland, Peary 

 expedition of 1891, are in my possession. The nest was on 

 the ground and was made entirely of down; internal diameter 

 seven and three-quarters inches and external diameter sixteen 

 inches. These eggs contained feathered chicks when found. 

 They are grayish green in color and measure 2.80 x 1.92, 2.66 

 X 1.89, 2.80 x 2.00. 



Genus 01 DEMI A Fleming. 

 Subgenus 01 DEMI A. 



163. Oidemia americana Swains. American Scoter; Black 

 Coot. 



Plumage of adult male : bill black, except base of and knob on upper 

 mandible which are orange ; feathers at side of bill not extending beyond 

 corner of mouth ; plumage black. Plumage of adult female : dusky brown 

 above, the feathers of the back paler tipped ; below paler grayish brown. 

 Immature plumage : like the female, but indistinctly barred beneath with 

 grayish brown. Wing 8.50 to 9.50 ; culmen 1.70 ; tarsus 1.80. 



Geog. Dist. — Coasts and larger bodies of inland waters of northern North 

 America ; breeds in Labrador and the northern interior ; winters southward 

 to New Jersey, Great Lakes, Colorado and California. 



County Records. — Androscoggin; fairly common migrant, (Johnson). 

 Cumberland; common, (Brock). Hancock; common in fall, winter and 

 spring, rare in summer, never breeds here, (Knight). Kennebec; have seen 

 one shot near Gardiner, (Knight). Knox; resident, (Rackliff). Penobscot; 

 not rare in fall on the larger ponds and lakes, (Knight). Sagadahoc; seen 

 the year around, (Spinney). Waldo ; common in fall, winter and spring, a 

 few in summer, (Knight). Washington; common, (Boardman). York; 

 (Butters). 



This is one of our commonest and most generally occurring 

 Ducks along the coast in fall and spring, and quite often seen 

 in winter. A few remain throughout the summer but do not 

 breed, and those examined have been in no condition to do so. 

 Along the coast they obtain their living by diving, feeding on 

 mussels, clams and other mollusks; inland on the ponds they 



