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SURF SCOTER 

 166. Oidemia perspicillata. 20 in. 



Male black with a white patch on top of the head 

 and another on the nape; eye white; bill red, white and 

 yellow, with a large black spot near the base. Female 

 a uniform grayish brown, lighter below, with a whitish 

 j patch in front of each eye; young birds are like the 

 | female but also have a white patch back of the eye. 

 That they are very abundant is apparent from the si/.e 

 nf a single flock seen by Nelson about 10 miles out to 

 sea from St. Michaels, Alaska; it formed a continuous 

 band for about 10 miles in length and from a half to 

 three-quarters of a mile in width. All the "Coots" 

 have heavy bodies, making it rather diflicult for them 

 to rise from the water, along which they run for a few 

 yards before springing into the air. 



Nest. A feather lined hollow on the ground, like that 

 of other ducks; eggs creamy buff (2.40x1.70). 



Range. Breeds from Newfoundland, Manitoba, and 

 British Columbia northward; winters south to Virginia, 

 Ohio and California. 



