DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 63 



Subgenus Oidemia. 

 163. Oidemia americana Swains. AMERICAN SCOTER. 



Plumage dark without white markings ; eyes always brown. Adult 

 male : bill swollen back of nostrils, with a large yellow and red spot at 

 base, including nostrils ; plumage black or sooty. Adult female : bill 

 black, with a trace of yellow at base in breeding plumage, not swollen at 

 base ; upper parts dusky brown, under parts grayish brown. Young : 

 like female but lighter and indistinctly barred below. Length : 17.00-21.50, 

 wing 8.75-9.50, bill 1.65-1.80. 



Distribution. Northern part of North America, breeding in Labrador, 

 Hudson Bay region, and Alaska ; south in winter to New Jersey, Illinois, 

 Colorado, and southern California. 



Nest. In grass or willows near water. 



The American scoter is a duck of the northern seacoaats, mi- 

 grating but sparingly into the United States. 



Subgenus Melanitta. 



165. Oidemia deglandi Bonap. WHITE-WINGED SCOTER. 



Bill swollen at base over nostrils and on sides ; tip orange in male ; 

 feathers of lores coming close 

 to nostrils, as far forward as 

 those of forehead. Adult male : 

 eyes white; plumage black or 

 sooty, with white eye patch and 

 wing speculum. Adult female : 

 eyes brown ; plumage sooty 

 gray, darker above ; wing 

 speculum white. Length : 19.75 

 23.00, wing 10.65-11.40, bill 

 1.40-1.70. F . 79 



Distribution. Northern 

 North America, breeding in North Dakota but mainly north of the United 

 States ; south in winter to Chesapeake Bay, Colorado, and Lower Cali- 

 fornia. 



Nest. A depression in the ground lined with grass, twigs, moss, and 

 down ; usually concealed among dwarf willows, rosebushes, or spruces. 

 Eggs : 5 to 8, deep buff. 



The white-winged scoter is more or less common along the Pacific 

 coast, but rare inland in the United States. 



Subgenus Pelionetta. 



166. Oidemia perspicillata (Linn.). SURF SCOTER. 



Bill with swollen sides of base naked ; feathers of forehead reaching 

 to near nostril, of lores only to corner of mouth ; bill black and less 

 swollen in female ; red, orange, yellow, and white in male, with large 

 black spot on side of base. Adult male : entire plumage velvety black 

 except for triangular white patch on forehead and another on back of 

 head ; eyes white. Adult female : upper parts sooty brown, under parts 

 silver gray, usually with white patch at corner of mouth. Young : like 

 female, but with whitish patches at base of bill and back of ear. Male ; 

 length 20-22, wing 9.25-9.75, bill 1.30-1.60. Female: smaller. 



