332 NATATORES. OIDEMIA. SCOTER. 



ish-brown ; the cheeks, throat, and sides of 'the upper part of 

 neck, greyish- white, tinged with pale hair-brown. Its bill is 

 longer and narrower than that of the Scoter, with the nail 

 smaller and suddenly contracting towards its extremity. The 

 first quill-feather is rather shorter than the second, and 

 though tapering and small toward the tip, has not the de- 

 cided notch observable in that of our present species. The 

 tail consists of sixteen feathers *. 



PLATE 68. Represents the adult Male of the natural size. 

 General Bill black, with the exception of a band between the basal 



QGSCrin 



tion. tubercle, the nostrils, and a rounded space in front of 



Male. them, which parts are orange. Circle round the eye 



yellow. Irides brown. Whole of the plumage deep 

 ink-black, the head and neck being glossed with Prus- 

 sian blue. Legs and toes reddish-black. 



Female. The Female is without the marked tubercle at the base of the 

 bill, that part being merely elevated. Head and upper 

 parts of the body blackish-brown, margined paler. 

 Chin and throat greyish- white. Under parts very pale 

 broccoli-brown, with a silky lustre. 



The young males are very similar to the females, but the 

 white upon the throat is less tinged with brown and 

 grey. As they advance in age the tubercle begins to 

 swell, and the orange on the bill becomes apparent. 



* Since writing the above, I have received the second part of that beau- 

 tiful and scientific work, the " Fauna Borealis Americana," and from the 

 description there given of Oidemia Americana, I suspect that my bird be- 

 longs to that species. If so, and I can prove it to be a British killed 

 specimen, it will certainly be entitled to a place in the list of our Fauna, 



