36 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



•fir 





JEthyia americana. 



THE BED-HEADED DUCK. 



Aiuisfn-ina, Wils. Am. Orii. VIII. 1814, 110, \A. 70, tig. G (not of LixN.). 



Fuliguht, fcrina, IJoxAi'. .Syiioi). 1828, 392. — S\v. & Hum. V. IJ. A. II. 1831, 452. — Nutt. Man. 



II. 1834, 434. — Aui). Oni. lUog. IV. 1838, 198, pi. 322; Syuop. 1839, 287 ; B. Am. VI. 184;!, 



311, pi. 396. 

 Fitliijuin americana, Fa'TOX, Mon. Aiiat. 1838, 155. 



Aijthyn firina, S, amcricna, Boxap. Compt. ItL'iiJ. XLIII. Sept, 1856, 651. 

 Aylhija amcricaiin, Baikd, B. N. Am. 1858, 793 ; Cat. N. Am. 15. 1859, no. 591. 

 jEthyia amcriamn, Scu & Salv. Noiu. Ncotr. 1873. — Uidow. Noiii. N. .\m. H. 1881, no. 618. 

 Aiitlnja frrina, var. americana, Am.KN, Bull. M. C. Z. III. 1872, 183. 

 Fiiliiju/a firina, var. americana, Vvveh, Key, 1872, 289 ; ChcL'k List, 1873, no, 503 ; B. N. W. 



1874, 57.5. 

 Fill iijnla firina americana, CouEs, Che k List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 723. 

 Aijthyri. erijlhroccphala, Bonap. t'omp. 1 st, 1838, 58. 



Hab. The whole of North America, breeding from Central California and Maine, to the Fur 

 Countries ; Bahanuw. 



Sp. Char. Bill much shorter than the middle toe (without claw), l)road, the end moderately 

 depres.scd, ami with the nail decidedly decurved, the culnien about two and a half times the great- 

 est width of the maxilla, and deciiledly concave. Adult male: Head and upper half, or more, 

 of the jieck rich reddish chestnut, the latter glossed with reddish purple ; lower part of the 



neck, jugulum, anterior part of the back, 

 lower part of the rump, upper tail-coverts, 

 and crissum, black ; back, scapulars, sides, and 

 flank.s, densely vermiculated with white ami 

 dusky in about ecjual proportion ; anal vc- 

 gion similarly, but more faintly, nuirkcd ; 

 entire abdomen inunacuhite white ; wiiii,'- 

 covert.s deep plumbeous-gray, faintly and 

 minutely sprinkled with white ; secondaries 

 ('• speculum ") pale bluish gray, the upper 

 feathers edged with black, the othere nar- 

 rowly tipped with white ; primaries dusky, 

 the inner (juills slate-gray, except at ends ; 

 tail dusky. Bill pale blue, the end black ; 

 iris red ; feet bluish gray. Adult fcmuh : 

 Head and neck grayish brown, darkist 

 above ; the anterior part of the head li,L;!it- 

 er, almost white on the chin and upper piut 

 of the throat ; jugnluni, sides, and ilauks 

 dull grayish brown, the feathers tipped with fulvous ; wings as in the male, but the coverts pkiiii 

 slate-color J back and scapulars grayish brown, the feathers with paler tips ; rump, upper tail- 

 coverts, and tail dusky grayish brown ; anal region paler ; longer lower tail-coverts whitish. Hill 

 phunbeoiis, the end black ; iris yellow ; feet phunbeous. Ihwnij younij (No. 82481, St. Clair Flats, 

 Mich., .lune 29, 1880 ; W. II. Coi.Lixs) : Above, ochreous olive-brown, indistinctly relieved by an 

 olive-yellow spot back of each wing, one on the hind border of each arm-wing, and one on each 

 side of the rumj) ; entire head and neck (except pileum and nape), with whole lower parts deep, 

 buif yellow, ]>aler and less yLdlow on abdomen and anal region. No dark markings whatever on 

 side of head. Bill and feet light colored (brownish in dried skin). 



Total length, about, 20.()t>-2I.(H) inches ; extent, 33.(X1 ; wing, about 8.C0 ; culmen, 2.05-2.i.'oi 

 greatest width of bill, .75-85 ; tarsus, 1.(50-1.05 ; middle toe, 2.30-2.40. 



The American Red-head Duck is (ptite distinct from the Pochard of Europe, though resembling 

 it very closely. The latter' has the bill narrower and longer, in fuct nearly intermediate in shape 



Male 





