82 NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS EGGS. 



166. Surf Scoter. Oidemia perspicillata. 



Range, Northern North America, breeding north of the United States bound- 

 ary, and wintering south to Virginia and southern California. 



The male of this species is entirely black, except for the white patches on the 

 forehead and nape, and the vari-colored bill of black, white, pink and yellow. 

 They nest either along the coast or in the interior, building a nest lined with 

 down, in the marsh grass bordering small ponds. They lay from five to eight 

 buffy cream colored eggs. Size 2.40 x 1.70. The females of all the Scoters area 

 dingy brownish color, but show the characteristic marking of the species, 

 although the white is generally dull or sometimes mottled. Data. Mackenzie 

 River, June 25, 1894. !Six eggs in a nest of down jm^an'is land in the river. 



167. Ruddy Duck. Erismaturajamaicensis. 



Range. Whole of North America, breeding chiefly north of the United States 

 V , border, except locally on the Pacific coast. Winters.along the Gulf and through 

 Mexico and Central America. 



This peculiar species may always 

 be recognized by the brownish or 

 chestnut upper parts, blackish 

 crown, white cheeks and silvery 

 white underparts. The bill is very 

 stout and broad at the end, and 

 the tail feathers are stiff and 

 pointed, like those of a Cormorant. 

 They build their nests in low 

 marshes places, either placing them 

 on the ground near the water or in 

 the rushes over it. Their nests 

 are made of rushes and grasses, 

 sometimes lined and sometimes 

 not, with down from the parents 

 breast. The eggs number from 

 six to twelve and are grayish in 



[Grayish white.] color. Size 2.40 x 1.75. Data. 



Northern Assiniboia, Canada, June 



6,1901. Eight eggs. Nest made of aquatic grasses, lined with down. Built in 



a tuft of rushes in a marsh. Collector, Walter Raine. 



[168.] Masked Duck. Nomonyx do minic us. 



This is a tropical species which is resident in Mexico, Central America and in 

 the West Indies. It occurs in Mexico north to the lower Rio Grande Valley and 

 has in three known instances strayed to northeastern United States. The gen- 

 eral plumage is a rusty chesnut, mottled with blackish, it has a black face and 

 throat, and white wing bars. 



