DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS: Family Anatidae [ 171 ] 



crown and rump; the throat and cheeks, below the lores and the eyes, are white; the 

 under parts are grayish white centrally, shading off on the flanks into the color of 

 the upper parts; the bill is broadly tipped with dull yellow." (Bent) Si%e: "Length 

 17.00-2.1.50, wing 8.75-9.50, bill 1.65-1.80." (Bailey) Nest: "The nest is described 

 as made of down in a tussock of grass." (Bent) Eggs: 6 to 10, varying from "light 

 buff" to "cartridge buff." (Bent) 



DISTRIBUTION. General: Breeds from Bering Sea and Aleutian Islands to James Bay 

 and Newfoundland. Winters south to New Jersey, Great Lakes, and California. 

 In Oregon: Regular but uncommon visitor to coast, most frequently found in winter. 

 Occasional individuals remain throughout summer. 



THE AMERICAN SCOTER is much the rarest species in the great rafts of 

 scoters found off the Oregon coast throughout the year. It is difficult to 

 identify as there are no distinctive field marks whatever. The lack of 

 white head or wing markings would seem to make it easy to distinguish 

 the adult males, but the White-winged Scoter frequently folds its wings 

 in such a manner as to render its white spots invisible. Newberry (1857) 

 reported the American Scoter as common on the Oregon coast, the first 

 published reference to the species for the State. Bendire (1877) recorded 

 it as not uncommon at Malheur Lake, surely a confusion with some other 

 species, as no other observer has found this seafowl in Oregon inland 

 waters. Woodcock (1902.) listed it as a rare winter visitor to Yaquina 

 Bay, a statement that correctly describes its present status on the Oregon 

 coast. There are two specimens in the University of Oregon collection 

 (from the coast of Lane County), four in the Jewett collection (one from 

 Tillamook, one from Lincoln, and two from Curry Counties), and two in 

 the Gabrielson collection (from Lincoln County). All of these specimens 

 were taken between November 2.4 and February 2.3. In addition, we both 

 have a number of winter sight records taken when favorable conditions 

 allowed positive identification, and we believe the species to be a regular 

 but not common winter visitor. A single adult male was noted by 

 Gabrielson off Depoe Bay on May 7, 1932.. It flew by the boat at close 

 range, permitting certain identification. We have only one summer speci- 

 men, a dead bird found at Newport on July 2.1, 192.2.. On the same day, 

 three other scoters that were feeding on the Newport sewer outlet on 

 Yaquina Bay were under observation for an hour at a distance of a few 

 feet. 



Ruddy Duck; Wire-Tail; Pintail: 



Erismatura jamaicensis rubida (Wilson) 



DESCRIPTION. "Bill short and widest near end, bright blue in adult male. Adult 

 male: top and back of head black ; neck and rest of upper parts chestnut; cheeks and 

 chin white; belly gray, washed with silvery white, or sometimes rusty. Female and 

 immature: upper parts plain grayish brown; sides of head whitish with a dusky streak 

 from corner of mouth to back of ear; under parts gray, washed with silvery white 

 or rusty." (Bailey) Downy young: "The downy young, when first hatched, is a 



