92 BIRDS OF ONTARIO. 



SUBGENUS MELANITTA BOIE. 

 OIDEMIA DEGLANDI BOXAP. 



59. White-winged Scoter. (165) 



Male: With a large patch of white on the wing and another under the eye; 

 feet, orange-red, with dusky webs; bill, black, broadly tipped with orange. 

 Female: Sooty-brown, grayish below; whitish about the head; speculum, 

 white. Length, 24 to 26 inches ; female, 20 to 22 inches. 



HAB. Northern North America ; breeding in Labrador and the fur countries; 

 south in winter to the Middle States, southern Illinois and southern California. 



Audubon found this species breeding in Labrador. The nests were built by 

 the side of small lakes, two or three miles distant from the sea, and usually 

 placed under low bushes. They were formed of twigs, mosses and various plants 

 matted together, and were large and almost flat, several inches thick, and lined 

 with feathers. 



Eggs, usually six, pale buff, clouded with green. 



This is the most numerous of the three Scoters which are found in 

 Ontario, for it seems more partial to the inland waters than either of 

 the others. 



In spring and fall it is common on all the large lakes, and it is 

 reported at Buffalo, Ottawa, Kingston, Toronto, Hamilton, etc. 



They are large, heavy birds, and their jet-black color makes them 

 look larger than they really are. 



When moving about from one place to another, they fly heavily, at 

 no great height above the water. They have not the restless habits 

 of some other species, and if left undisturbed, will remain for days 

 together feeding near the same spot. 



At Hamilton Bay they are regular visitors, appearing toward the 

 end of April, and remaining for two or three weeks. Very soon after 

 their arrival, they are affected by some malady which results in many 

 of their number being washed up dead on the shore. These birds are 

 in fine plumage and excellent condition, but that does not save them. 

 "Whether they bring the seeds of disease with them when they come, 

 or whether the emptying of the city sewage and refuse from the 

 oil refineries into the bay has anything to do with their trouble, has 

 not yet been determined. 



In the spring of the present year (1893), this disease prevailed to 

 as great an extent as formerly, so many as six bodies being observed 

 in a walk of half a mile along the shore. 



Mr. Nelson saw very few of this species in Alaska, but they breed 

 abundantly on the lower Anderson River. They have also been 

 observed in summer on Lake Winnipeg and other lakes in Manitoba, 

 where they were supposed to be breeding. 



