90 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



bill being the principal point of difference. Of circumpolar distribution, breed- 

 ing abundantly on the shores of the Arctic seas ; in winter, south on the west 

 coast to the Aleutian Islands in great numbers. On the east, south irregularly 

 as far as New York. 



Nest, a depression in the ground lined entirely with down. 



Kggs, usually six, grayish-green. 



This is a royal visitor from the north whom we are pleased to- 

 -welcome, though he rarely comes in his royal robes. Nearly all of 

 those found in Ontario are in immature plumage. In this garb Eider 

 Ducks have occasionally been seen near Toronto and Hamilton during 

 the winter, but they all looked so much alike that it was only after a 

 close examination that many of them were found to be the young of 

 the King Eider. 



On the 25th November, 1889, Mr. Cross reports having obtained 

 a fine male in summer plumage which was shot in Toronto Bay. 

 There must have been something irregular about this specimen, for 

 Mr. Murdoch and others, who have seen them in the summer, report 

 that as soon as the breeding season is over the male loses the gay, 

 light-colored plumage, . and assumes a plain brown dress similar to 

 that of the female, the change in the majority of cases taking place 

 in September. 



The species is reported from Lake Erie by Dr. Wheaton, of 

 Columbus, and also by Dr. Bergtold, of Buffalo, but neither mentions 

 in what dress it appeared. 



Mr. Murdoch names this as the most abundant bird at Point 

 Barrow, where it appears in enormous numbers during the season of 

 migration. Very few remain there to breed, the great bulk of the 

 species going along the coast to the eastward of the Point, where they 

 settle down earlv in Mav. 



GENUS OIDEMIA FLEMING. 



SUBGENUS OIDEMIA. 

 OIDEMIA AMERICANA (Sw. & RICH.). 



58. American Scoter. (163) 



Plumage of male, entirely black ; bill, black ; the gibbosity, orange. 

 Female: Sooty-brown, paler below; on the belly, grayish-white, speckled with 

 dusky ; waved with dusky on the sides and flanks ; throat and sides of the 

 head, mostly whitish ; feet, livid-olive ; webs, black. Length, 22 to 24 inches - 

 female, 18 to 20 inches. 



