208 BAY AND SEA DUCKS 



generally over a bed of mussels, which they secure by diving, and which 

 constitute their chief food. 



1890. MACKAY, G. H., Auk, VII, 315-319 (habits in Mass.). 1910. 

 TOWNSEND, C. W., Auk, XXVII, 177-181 (courtship). 



162. Somateria spectafoilis (Linn.). KING EIDER. Ad. d". Region 



about base of upper mandible and a large V-shaped mark on throat black; 

 top of head bluish gray; cheeks greenish; neck all around white; front and 

 sides of breast creamy buff; upper back, sides of rump, and wing-coverts 

 white; rest of plumage black. Ad. 9. Head and throat buffy ochracepus, 

 the former streaked with black; back black, the feathers widely margined 

 with ochraceous or rufous; underparts varying from brownish gray to fus- 

 cous, more or less washed, especially on breast, with ochraceous or rufous. 

 Im. Paler and with less ochraceous. L., 23'00; W., 10*80; Tar., 1'80; B., 

 1-30. 



Remarks. The adult male of this species may at once be known by its 

 bluish gray head and the V-shaped mark on its throat. Females and young 

 birds resemble those of the two preceding species, but are to be distinguished 

 by the generally unstreaked throat and the feathering of the side of the base 

 of the bill, which in this species does not, as in the two preceding, reach to 

 the nostril. 



Range. N. part of N. Hemisphere. Breeds along the whole coast of n. 

 Siberia, Bering Sea (St. Lawrence Island), and Arctic coast of Am. from 

 Icy Cape e. to Melville Island, Wellington Channel, n. Greenland, nw. 

 Hudson Bay, and n. Ungava ; winters on Pacific coast from Aleutian Islands 

 to Kadiak Island, in the interior rarely to the Great Lakes, and from s. 

 Greenland and Gulf of St. Lawrence s. regularly to Long Island, rarely to 

 Ga. ; accidental in Calif, and Iowa. 



Long Island, rare but regular W. V., Nov. 13-Apl. 21. Cambridge, 

 casual in early winter. 



Nest, on the ground, among rocks or herbage. Eggs, 6-10, light olive- 

 gray to grayish green, 3'12 x 1'92 (Davie). Date, Pt. Barrow, Alaska, 

 June 25. 



While in our waters this species does not differ from the preceding 

 in habits. 



163. Oidemia americana Swains. AMERICAN SCOTER. Ad. <?. 

 Entire plumage black, feathers on side of bill extending little if any forward 

 beyond corner of mouth; bill black; upper mandible orange or yellowish at 

 the base. Ad. 9 and Im. Above chest and sides grayish brown; cheeks 

 whitish, sharply denned from crown; belly whitish faintly barred with 

 dusky. L., 19'00; W., 9'00; Tar., 1'70; B. along culmen, 1'75; B. along side, 

 1-85. 



Range. N. N. Am. and E. Asia. Breeds in ne. Asia and Kotzebue 

 Sound to Aleutian Islands, including Near Islands; also on w. shore of 

 Hudson Bay, Ungava, and N. F. ; winters on Asiatic coast to Japan and from 

 islands of Bering Sea s. rarely to Santa Catalina Island, Calif. ; in the interior 

 not rare on the Great Lakes, and casual or accidental in Mo., La., Nebr., 

 Colo., and Wyo.; on the Atlantic coast abundant during migration from 

 N. F., and Maine, s. (rarely to Fla.). 



Washington, casual W. V. Long Island, common W. V., Oct. through 

 Apl. Ossiriing, rare T. V., Oct. Cambridge, occasional in fall. 



Nest, on the ground, near water. Eggs, "6-10, pale dull buff or pale 

 brownish buff, 2'55 x T80" (Ridgw.). Date, Cape Lisburne, Alaska, June 15. 



All three species of Surf Scoters, or "Coots," are abundant winter 

 residents off the coasts of the New England and Middle States. At this 

 time their habits are practically alike indeed, they are often found 



