143 



281. S. spectabilis Leach. KING EIDER. Bare winter visitant 

 perhaps winter resident to Lake Michigan and other parts of the 

 state. "An adult female, obtained at Chillicothe, on the Illinois Kiver, 

 in the winter of 1874, has been sent to the National Museum by W: H. 

 Collins, Esq., of Detroit, Mich." (Ridgway); "A single specimen has 

 been taken at Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is preserved in a collection 

 at that place" (Hoy). 



Genus CEdemia Flem. 



282. CE. americana Sw. BLACK SCOTER. Rather common upon 

 the Lake. Winter resident. Arrives the first of November and de- 

 parts by .the first of April. 



283. CE. fusca (Linn.}. VELVET SCOTER. Like the preceding a 

 rather common winter resident upon the Lake, and occurs throughout 

 the state, specimens being sent to the Chicago market from the Illi- 

 nois River and various other streams in Central Illinois. 



284. CE. perspicillata Steph. SURF DUCK. A common winter 

 resident upon Lake Michigan and occurs throughout the state at this 

 season. Quite a number of specimens were taken upon the Calumet 

 Marshes during the fall of 1875, and many others seen. Arrives the 

 last of October and departs the last of March. "A single specimen, 

 an immature bird, was obtained at Mt. Carmel by Professor Stein in 

 October, 1875" (Ridgway). 



Genus Erismatura Bonap. 



285. E. rjibida Bonap. RUDDY DUCK. Very common during the 

 migrations. Summer resident. Breeds. The spring migration begins 

 about the middle of April and continues until the 5th of May. A few 

 return as early as the first of October, but the main fall migration 

 commences the last of this month and extends to the first of Novem- 

 ber. The middle of September, 1875, my friend Mr: T. H. Douglas, 

 of Waukegan, found a pair with eight oj ten full grown young in a 

 small lake near that place, and obtained several specimens. As the 

 fall migration of this species does not commence until some weeks 

 later than this, I think it very probable these birds were hatched in 

 the vicinity. This supposition is rendered still more reasonable by 

 the following observations.. The 12th of June, 1875, while walking 

 through the dense grass close to the shore of Calumet Lake, looking 

 for sharp-tailed finches, a female ruddy duck started from the grass 

 a few yards in advance and flew heavily away and alighted in the 

 reeds a short distance out from shore. Being well acquainted with 

 the species, I at once recognized the bird by unmistakable peculiarities 

 of form and flight, as well as coloration, so I did not shoot it as I 

 could easily have done, but instead, made a thorough search for the 



