Vol XViD Norton, Perfected Plumage of the King Eider. I 
= S f fo} 
1900 
which according to Temminck, on the authority of Sabine, is not 
attained until four years (Temm., Man., IT, 852). 
Though this species has been otherwise minutely described, 
there exists considerable discrepancy concerning the nomencla- 
ture of the delicate colors. I hope, therefore, that a detailed 
description of the color masses of this specimen, based upon Mr. 
Ridgway’s ‘Nomenclature of Colors,’ may not seem superfluous. 
As the specimens are dried and without full field data, I have 
nothing to offer concerning the colors of the naked parts, but 
these have been described by Brisson, Audubon, Baird and asso~ 
ciates, as well as by Dr. Coues. 
Band of feathers around frontal processes extending backward in a 
point over lore, wide spot under and extending behind the eye, narrow 
line around upper eyelid, large ~-shaped mark from chin along sides of 
gular region (57 mm. long), scapulars, tertials, secondaries, primaries, 
and their coverts, alule, greater wing coverts, pelvic region of back 
(tergum!), tail with both series of coverts, sides except sides of rump, 
and under parts (venter*) black, very pure and deep on head, throat, 
venter, rump, secondaries, tertials, and both series of tail-coverts. The 
scapulars are washed with slate; the primaries, their coverts, alule, and 
tail brownish, the four falcate secondaries having brownish shafts. 
A spot above the rictus, the chin, upper throat, and sides of neck 
squarely joining the buff below, entire back of neck below the nape, 
interscapular wedge, large area at base of tail, median and lesser wing- 
coverts white. Marginal coverts dusky, with broad hoary tips. Hood 
extends from forehead and includes the nape, not, however, reaching 
upper border of the eye. Pileum proper cinereous, deepening to plum- 
beous on the nape. Lower border of pileum forming a large supra-loral 
area and narrow line to ear, pearl gray, joined at the ear by a dusky line 
which reaches around the nape, thus enclosing the plumbeous area. Spot 
above the eye and narrow line of normal feathers below border of hood 
very pale wash of malachite green. Sides of head covered with feathers 
rendered abnormal by their barbs becoming stiffened, and destitute of 
barbules for at least their exposed portions, thus rendering the parts so 
covered iridescent: these nude barbs are malachite green in color, but 
feathers have barbuled bases white, which color, showing through the 
separated points, gives the cheeks a washed green appearance, so that it 
has been justly deemed ‘‘exceedingly difficult of imitation by colorists.” 
1 Sundevall’s Tentamen, Nicholson’s Trans., p. 297. 
2 Sundevall’s Tentamen, Nicholson’s Trans., p. 2098. 
2 
