458 SURF DUCK. 







DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 19'25: stretch, 31 '25; wing, 9'38; tail, 3'50; hi , 

 1'75; tarsus, 1'75. Longestspecimen,2l-50; greatest extent of wing, 33 50; longest wing, 1) 75; tail, 4'(K); hill, T'JO; tarsa?, 

 1-80. Shortest specimen, 17'00; smallest extent (if wing, 2H-00; shortest wing, 9-00: tail, S'OO; hill, 1-0; tursus, 1'70. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS 



Nests, placed on the ground near the water, composed of sticks, weeds, down, etc. Eyys, six to ten in number rather 

 oval in form, and pale yellowish in color. Dimensions from l'HOx2'00 to I'65x2 05. 



HABITS. 



The Scoters are quite common on our coast in autumn and winter but are rather more 

 abundant further south, and I saw large flocks of this species in the sounds and bays from 

 New Jersey, southward, and also found them off the coast during calm weather. When a 

 storm was approaching, however, they would all fly shoreward and take shelter in hind- 

 locked waters; thus a flight of Ducks to the westward always indicated bad weather. When 

 in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, in July, I noticed great numbers of Scoters off the eastern 

 side of the Magdalens, but these were mainly immature birds, the males being in the mixed 

 dress between the young and adult, which often characterizes Ducks of the second year, so 

 I judged that they were not breeding; in fact, those which I procured did not exhibit any 

 indication of it. 



CEDEMIA PERSPICILLATA. 



Surf Duck. 

 Anas persptciltata LINN., Syst. Nat., I, 1766, 201. 



DESCRIPTION. 



SP. CH. Form, robust. Size, large. Bill, very long. COLOR. Adult male. Black throughout, glossed with hluish, 

 with a triangular white patch on top of head, and another on nape, the apex of each pointing in opposite directions. Iris, 

 yellowish-white, feet, reddish-orange, hill, with square black patch at base of the upper mandible, margined with reddish- 

 orange, in front of which is a bluish-white spot which is followed hy reddish-orange that becomes dusky toward tip. Low- 

 er mandible, pinkish. Adult female. Brown throughout, darkest above, with patch at base of bill and on side of head, 

 narrow line on ear coverts, and anterior portions, whitish. Bill, black. Young. Similar to adult female. 



OBSERVATIONS. 



Known in the adult stages hy the two triangular patches on head, while the female and young may be distinguished 

 by the long bill and absence of any decided white markings. Distributed in summer from Lahrador, northward, winter- 

 ing from Massachusetts to the Carolinas. 



DIMENSIONS. 



Average measurements of specimens from North America. Length, 19-50; stretch, 31'75; wing, 9 65; tail, 3'27; hill, 

 1 63; tarsus, 1'65. Longest specimen, 21-00; greatest extent of wing, 32'50; longest wing, 9'80; tail, 3 55; bill, 1 75; tarsus, 

 1 80. Shortest specimen, IS'OO; smallest extent of wing, Sl'OO; shortest wing, 9'5<>; tail, 3 00; bill, 1-50; tarsus, 1-50. 



DESCRIPTION OF NESTS AND EGGS. 



Nfsls, placed on the ground near water, composed of weeds, grass, feathers, etc. yys, six to twelve (n number, el- 

 liptical in form, and greenish-buff in color. Dimensions from rtK)x2'25 to r65x2'30. 



HABITS. 



These Surf Ducks are also quite abundant olf the coast and are, in common with the 

 preceding and following species, termed Coots by gunners. All three species have the 

 habit, shared with many other Ducks, of flying into the mouths of rivers in order to feed at 

 low tide, then retreating to the open water to roost; and they will remain at sea all night, 

 sitting in compact flocks. If, however, an easterly storm of long continuance occur, they 

 will enter the land-locked waters for shelter, but the waves must run quite high before 

 they are obliged to retreat; in fact, I have often soen them ride out a storm, when the 

 breakers were lashed into foam by the driving wind and every billow had assumed a white 

 cap. Then, when one of the great waves came sweeping on, they would float buoyantly 

 upward, and, as it broke, would bow before it and emerge in safety behind the wall of 

 seething water. 



