94 



LA.MELLI ROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



In summer, feuthera of the back, sciiimlar icfjioii, iiiid jugulum imriowly tipped with light brownisii 

 <,Miiy. Bill uiiil'oiiii dusky , iris yellow ; feet us in the uuile, Init duller in color. 



Total length, about I'JT") to 22.50 inches ; extent, 3G.(X) to 4().()0 ; wing, 10.75-12.00 ; commis- 

 sure, 2.82 ; tarsus, 2.08. 



This well-known North American form — the Velvet Duck — is an Arctic species 

 during the breeding-season ; and in the I'all, winter, and spring is distributed along 

 the entire Atlantic and the Pacific coasts, to an extent varying with the severity of 

 the season and the abundance of the food. It is eminently a Sea-Duck, resorting to 



inland waters chiefly during the 

 brief season of reproduction. 

 It is also a winter visitant to 

 the Great Lakes — especially 

 Michigan — and to the rivers of 

 Illinois. It is also said to occur 

 on the Pacific coasts of Asia. 

 Captain Blakiston is very sure 

 that he obtained this species 

 at Chin-Kiang, on the Yang-tse 

 lliver, in China, the specimens 

 there procured being identical 

 with those he saw on the Pacific 

 coast of North America; and 

 he also mentions finding this 

 Duck on Hudson's Bay. INIr. 

 Murray also reports it as occur- 

 ring between Hudson's Bay and 

 Lake Winnipeg; and Mr. Ross 

 met with it on the Mackenzie 

 lliver as far north as the Arctic 

 Ocean. 



On the New England coast 

 this species makes its appear- 

 ance in the fall from the mid- 

 dle to the last of Se2)tember, 

 coming in flocks of moderate 

 size, the old birds often pre- 

 ceding the young by several 

 weeks. It is universally known 

 from Eastport to the Chesa- 

 peake as the " White-winged Coot." It is much hunted ; and although its fles^ is 

 dark, eoarse, and strongly flavored, it is esteemed by those who have become accus- 

 t(3med to its flavor. In its flight, except when the weather is stormy, this bird passes 

 very high ; and when it is thus out of their reach hunters resort to the expedient 

 of shooting, in order to alarm the flock. This often has the desired effect; the 

 foolish birds, alarmed at the unusual noise, make a sudden plunge in the direction 

 of the water, as if that element alone could give them safety, and in their descent 

 present the opportunity desired by the hunter. This habit is peculiar to the Velvet 

 Duck, and has not been noticed either in the Scoter or the Surf-Ducks. 



On Long Island, according to Giraud, large flocks of this Duck keep outside of the 

 beach, and are seen along the entire Atlanti(! district, where they subsist by fishing. 



They 



^^^^fflUS^^ 



Male. 



1 



I 



