THE WHITE-WINGED COOT 401 



' ' White- winged Surf Duck, ' ' or more commonly 

 and more simply as the "White-wing." This 

 species is more common in the bays and en- 

 closed arms of the sea than are the others, which 

 prefer the open water. The " White-wing " also 

 is much larger in size. The habits of the three 

 are almost identical. 



In breeding dress and full plumage the male 

 is glossy black all over except the white specu- 

 lum, (wing-mark), and a tiny spot below and 

 behind the eye. The bill with a large lump at 

 the base and feathered to the nostrils, black at 

 the base and on the edge to the nail, on the sides 

 the black merging into a purplish tinge, then 

 grading into deep red, whitening toward the 

 tip, the nail orange. Iris white or pale yellow ; 

 feet and legs deep orange or bright red 

 with black webs; these colors are duller in the 

 females. 



The coloring of the female is of a brownish 

 cast, the edges of the feathers lighter. She has 

 the white speculum as in the male, also the knob 

 at the base of the bill, though this is not so 

 prominent as in the male. The bill is plain 

 black. 



The White-winged Coot in any plumage may 



