312 ANATIM. 



crews of the vessels employed on those seas. On our late 

 voyages comparatively few were obtained, although seen in 

 very great numbers. They do not retire far to the south 

 during the winter, but assemble in large flocks ; the males 

 by themselves, and the females with their young brood, 

 are often met with in the Atlantic Ocean, far distant from 

 any land, where the numerous crustaceous and other ma- 

 rine animals afford them abundance of food." 



The adult male has the beak reddish-orange, bounded 

 with a black line ; the irides yellow ; cheeks white, tinged 

 with green ; top of the head and the occiput bluish-grey ; 

 lower part of neck behind, the upper part of the back, and 

 the scapulars white ; lower part of the back, the rump, 

 and upper tail-coverts black ; the point of the wing black ; 

 wing-coverts white ; all the wing and tail-feathers nearly 

 black ; the primaries tinged with red on the inner web ; 

 the ends of the elongated scapulars and tertials fall in 

 curves over the wings ; under the chin a streak of black ; 

 front of neck and breast white, the latter tinged with buff; 

 the lower part of the breast, the belly, and all the under 

 surface black, except a patch on the flank, which is white ; 

 legs, toes, and membranes orange red. 



The whole length is twenty-four inches. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the longest quill-feather eleven 

 inches and a half. 



The female has the beak greenish-brown, and the whole 

 of the plumage of two shades of brown, the darker colour 

 occupying the centre of each feather ; the brown on the 

 head and neck rather lighter in colour than the other parts 

 of the body. 



Young males at first resemble the females ; at a later 

 period one described by Sir John Richardson had the head 

 and neck dusky yellowish-grey, crowded with black spots ; 



