﻿30 
  _ 
  PROCEEDINGS 
  OF 
  THE 
  CALIFORNIA 
  

  

  Polystida 
  Sfelleri, 
  Eyton. 
  (598.) 
  

  

  This 
  is 
  one 
  of 
  the 
  commonest, 
  as 
  it 
  is 
  the 
  most 
  beautiful, 
  of 
  the 
  ducks 
  of 
  Uaa- 
  

   lashka. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  resident 
  there, 
  and 
  also 
  at 
  the 
  Shumagins, 
  where, 
  however, 
  it 
  is 
  

   much 
  less 
  frequently 
  seen. 
  Unalashka 
  appears 
  to 
  be 
  the 
  metropolis 
  of 
  the 
  spe- 
  

   cies 
  in 
  Alaska. 
  It 
  is 
  more 
  or 
  less 
  gregarious 
  in 
  the 
  winter 
  season, 
  and 
  is 
  to 
  be 
  

   found 
  in 
  small 
  flocks, 
  which 
  are 
  sometimes 
  joined 
  by 
  individuals 
  of 
  Somateria 
  

   spectahilis, 
  but 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  noticed 
  the 
  Polyalicta 
  associating 
  with 
  any 
  other 
  

   species 
  except 
  the 
  one 
  mentioned. 
  About 
  the 
  first 
  of 
  May, 
  the 
  pairing 
  com- 
  

   mences, 
  and 
  this 
  duck 
  is 
  never 
  seen 
  with 
  more 
  than 
  one 
  companion 
  during 
  the 
  

   breeding 
  season. 
  It 
  also 
  becomes 
  very 
  shy, 
  and 
  if 
  the 
  nest 
  be 
  visited 
  by 
  any 
  

   one, 
  it 
  is 
  forthwith 
  abandoned 
  — 
  a 
  habit 
  I 
  have 
  not 
  observed 
  in 
  any 
  other 
  duck. 
  

   May 
  18, 
  1872, 
  a 
  nest 
  was 
  found 
  on 
  a 
  flat 
  portion 
  of 
  Amaknak 
  Island, 
  Una- 
  

   lashka. 
  It 
  was 
  built 
  between 
  two 
  tussocks 
  of 
  dry 
  grass, 
  and 
  the 
  depression 
  

   was 
  carefully 
  lined 
  with 
  the 
  same 
  material. 
  Above 
  the 
  nest 
  the 
  standing 
  grass 
  

   was 
  pressed 
  together 
  so 
  as 
  to 
  entirely 
  conceal 
  it, 
  and 
  it 
  would 
  have 
  escaped 
  notice 
  

   had 
  not 
  the 
  bird 
  flown 
  out 
  from 
  under 
  our 
  feet. 
  The 
  nest 
  contained 
  one 
  egg, 
  

   of 
  a 
  pale, 
  olivaceous 
  cast. 
  There 
  was 
  no 
  down 
  or 
  feathers, 
  though 
  these 
  might 
  

   have 
  been 
  added 
  later 
  in 
  the 
  season, 
  had 
  the 
  nest 
  been 
  undisturbed. 
  

  

  The 
  following 
  variations 
  in 
  the 
  color 
  of 
  the 
  eye 
  were 
  noticed. 
  Nov. 
  21 
  , 
  dark 
  

   brown; 
  Dec. 
  18, 
  pale-brown; 
  May 
  18, 
  red-brown. 
  The 
  female 
  has 
  a 
  very 
  

   modest, 
  brown 
  plumage, 
  not 
  as 
  much 
  speckled 
  as 
  the 
  females 
  of 
  the 
  other 
  eiders, 
  

   and 
  a 
  bright 
  blue 
  spectrum 
  on 
  the 
  wing. 
  The 
  bird 
  was 
  also 
  observed 
  in 
  the 
  

   Shumagins 
  in 
  March, 
  and 
  in 
  the 
  summer 
  months. 
  

  

  Lampronetta 
  Fischeri, 
  Brandt. 
  (.599.) 
  

  

  This 
  species 
  was 
  not 
  killed 
  at 
  Unalashka, 
  though 
  it 
  was 
  observed 
  on 
  several 
  

   occasions 
  and 
  reported 
  by 
  the 
  natives, 
  who 
  distinguish 
  perfectly 
  the 
  different 
  

   species 
  of 
  eiders. 
  It 
  was 
  quite 
  rare 
  and 
  very 
  shy, 
  and 
  but 
  one 
  or 
  two 
  individuals 
  

   were 
  observed 
  at 
  a 
  time. 
  It 
  is 
  a 
  winter 
  visitor, 
  migrating 
  early 
  in 
  May 
  to 
  the 
  

   breeding 
  grounds 
  on 
  Norton 
  Sound. 
  

  

  0/demia 
  americana, 
  Swains. 
  (604.) 
  

  

  Eye 
  black. 
  Not 
  uncommon 
  in 
  winter, 
  and 
  migrating 
  with 
  the 
  other 
  ducks 
  

   in 
  the 
  spring. 
  Noticed 
  at 
  Unalashka 
  and 
  the 
  Shumagins. 
  

  

  Melanetta 
  velvetina, 
  Baird. 
  (601.) 
  

  

  Iris 
  white. 
  Killed 
  Oct. 
  27ih, 
  1871, 
  at 
  Unalashka, 
  and 
  noticed 
  at 
  intervals 
  

   there 
  daring 
  the 
  winter. 
  It 
  was 
  not 
  seen 
  at 
  the 
  Shumagins, 
  though 
  it 
  may 
  

   occur 
  there. 
  A 
  winter 
  visitor. 
  

  

  Somateria 
  spectahilis, 
  Leach. 
  (608) 
  

  

  Eye 
  varying 
  from 
  pale 
  clay 
  brown 
  to 
  liglit 
  warm 
  brown. 
  Not 
  uncommon 
  

   among 
  the 
  winter 
  ducks 
  at 
  Unalashka, 
  but 
  not 
  observed 
  in 
  the 
  Shumagins. 
  

  

  Mergus 
  americanus, 
  Cassin. 
  (611.) 
  

  

  Several 
  specimens 
  were 
  killed, 
  Dec. 
  20, 
  at 
  Unalashka, 
  in 
  the 
  outer 
  bay, 
  after 
  a 
  

  

  