V °8o3n Trumbull on the Scoters. 1 67 



outer side of outer toe dull dusky green; inner side of tarsus, both sides 

 of inner and middle toes and inner side of outer and hind toes dark olive, 

 changing to wax yellow; blackish shading at joints and elsewhere; the 

 outer side of the hind toe almost uniformly blackish ; ' webs solidly black. 



I am not sure just how long it takes for either of our Scoters to 

 mature, and I will not hazard a guess. Features that we regard 

 as indicative of perfection, may in reality be marks of decline. 

 I feel pretty sure, however, that those drakes (of deglandi, the 

 species now in hand) which have the brightest beaks, the most 

 fully opened nostrils, the most cleanly white speculums, the 

 whitest eyes surrounded by the whitest edgings and the largest 

 eye-patches, represent very nearly or quite the fulness of matur- 

 ity. And I am strongly inclined to believe that after the male 

 and female have once reached maturity, there is little or no 

 seasonal change : that when, for example, the male's plumage 

 has become uniformly black, it remains black evermore; that 

 the perfected colors of the bill and feet are fast colors. 



Though we can determine very satisfactorily the comparative 

 ages of specimens, by taking all parts into consideration, the 

 size, as an indicator, is of little value. Several of the larger 

 dimensions which I have noted were taken from birds not fully 

 mature, while some of the smaller measurements are from un- 

 doubted adults. 



In my former article I referred to two accounts which repre- 

 sent the bill of the deglandi drake as red, and simply red, — 

 with the exception of the black portion. I could not imagine at 

 the time how the error occurred. I have since discovered that 

 the purple and orange, and even the white, of nearly mature 

 males, sometimes change within three or four days after death, 

 to an almost uniform purplish red. The descriptions referred to 

 were doubtless taken from such stale specimens. I am careful 

 to say "nearly mature" males, for in such birds only have I 

 observed this change. The fully perfected colors seem to be at 

 least a little more permanent. 



1 The term hind toe in my description of this and the other Scoters is intended to 

 stand (when not otherwise explained) for both the toe itself and its broad membran- 

 eous flap. 



