80 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



laid PRgs lying on a l)e(l of down so exquisitely soft and warm that, in tliat almost 

 painfully barren and frigid region, the nest seemed to bo the i(U'al of comfort, and 

 almost of beauty. When the bird leaves lier nest witliout Iwing suddenly disturbed, 

 the eggs are generally covered with down, and always so when the full complement 

 has been laid. Tlie largest number found in a nest was six ; and this happened in so 

 many instances that Dr. Uryaiit regard«'(l six as the normal number. In color the 

 eggs present two varieties — one of a pale greenish-olive or oil-green color, and the 

 other brownish or true olive. The first-nunitioued variety is frecpiently marked with 

 Isirge spots, or splaslies, of the same color, of much greater intensity ; the otiier kind 

 is invariably without sjKjts. After tlu! eggs have been incubated for some time 

 they iHJCome more or less scratched by the claws of the parent while sitting on them 

 or rolling them over. In sluipe tlie eggs present but little variety, being always 

 nearly oval. In size tlie difference is less than is the case in the majority of birds. 

 The largest egg measured 3.27 by 2.1C inches ; the most elongated, 2.U5 by 1.85; and 

 the most broadly oval, 2.79 by 2.08. 



Somateria V-nigmm. 



THE FAanC EIOEB. 



Somateria V-nigrn, r.iiAV, P. Z. S. IS.IS, 21'-', pi. 107. — lUiui), 11. N. Am. 1858, 810; (.'at. N. 

 Am. B. 18ol>, no. 607. — Ki.i.ior, Illustr. Am. IJ. pi. 48. — Coi'Es, Key, 1872, 203 j Check 

 I-ist, 1873, no. 614 ; 2d «.l. 1882, no. 735 ; B. N. W. 1874, 581. — Uiuow. Nom. N. Am. B. 

 1881, no. 628. 



Hab. American coasts of the North I'ucilii- ; Yukon ValK-y, Mackenzie River, and Slave Lake 

 districts ; Ktistern SilH-riu. 



Sp. Char. Similar to .S'. moUimma, luil ilcciiKdly larger, tlu" hill broader, and deeper thi-ough 

 the base, the angles of the nuuilla pruportionally shorter and nuich more acute ; nuxle with a 



fi. V-niyrum, 



large V-nhapcd black mark on the thn>at, as in S. spcrtabiliii. Adult nuth: Top of the head 

 velvety Mack, with u slight violet gloss, diviiled mesially, from the middle of the cn)Wii Imck, by 

 n narn)w striiMi of greenish white ; the black cxteniling forwmil in a rather wide stripe along the 

 upiH-r edge of the lores, underii'-ath the Umx\ angle of the miixilli, lint not extending anteriorly as 

 far OS the nostril ; greater wing-coverts, HcconJuries, luiddle line of the rmnp, upper tiiil-cuverts, 



