ANATINvE — THE DUCKS — PKLIONETTA. 



99 



IIah. Coasts mxl liii-j;i'r inlmul wators (if Nortlu'in Noitli Ameriia, south in winter to Allantio 

 const, of till! Uniti'il States, to llic Oliio in tin- inti'Hor, ami IiO\vi>r California, on the Pucilic siiU' ; 

 ai'ciiK'ntal in Enroju'. Jamaica (ami otlu'r Wc.^t India isfamls?) in winter. 



Sr. CuAK. Ailitlt mull- : (icncral color deop Mack, very intense above, more sooty on the 

 lower surface ; a white i>atch on the forehead, the anterior outline semicircular or somewhat anj;u- 

 lar, and reaching forward a little in advance of the lateral base of the bill, the jMisterior outline 

 almost directly transverse, and extending; back to a little past the middle of the eye; nni>e with a 

 somewhat shield-shaju'd, or cnneate, 

 K)n,i;itudinal jiatch of jmre white, 

 liavinj{ the upper outline almost 

 directly transverse. l?ill chielly or- 

 an^'c-red, deeper (intense red in 

 Slime specimens) above the nostrils ; 

 swollen base of the ma.villa with a 

 lar^e, irrej^nlarly i.mndish, .some- 

 what quadrate, or trape/.oidal, spot 

 (if dee]) black, with a li^^ht-colored 

 space (blui.sh white in life) in front, 

 as far as the nostrils ; nails dnUer 

 oranj.;e, or diujiy grayish ; iris yel- 

 lowish white ; feet orange-red, the 

 webs greenish dusky ; claws black. 

 " Upper mandible with a nearly 

 siiuare black patch at the base, mar- 

 gined with orange, except in front, 

 where there is a jiatch of bluish white 

 extending to near the nostrils, |U'omi- 

 nent part over the nostrils deep 

 reddish orange, becoming lighter 

 toward the unguis, and shaded into 

 rich yellow toward the margins ; the 

 unguis dingy grayish yellow ; lower 

 niandilde tlesh-colored, ungnisdarker. 

 Iris bright yellowish white. Tarsi 

 and toes omnge-ivd, the webs ilusky, 

 tinged with green; claws black" 

 (.VrinMioN). Ailiill fimiili- : Pilenm 

 ami nape brownish black ; rest of 

 the head ashy brown, with an indis- 

 tinct whitish patch (not always in- 

 dicated) on the lower anterior jiortion of the loii's, bonlering the lateral base of the bill ; upper 

 parts brownish dusky, the contour fer.thers sometimes showing jialer tips ; lower parts grayish 

 brown, becoming nearly wliiti> <>u the abdomen, the feathers of the breast and sides tipped with 

 the same, the anal ii'giou and erissum unifonn dusky. Hill greenish black, scarcely swollen at the 

 base, where the black sjiot of the male is slightly, if at all, indicated ; iris yellowish white ; "feet 

 yellowish orange, webs grayish dusky, claws black" (.Xnu'noN). Viiiiiiii: Similar to the adult 

 female, but head with two (piite distinct whitish patches, one against the lateral basi> of the bill, 

 the other over the auricnlars, behind and Im'Iow the eye ; plumage above, more luiiform than in 

 the adult female, and feathers everywhere of u softer texture. 



Total length, about l!t.(H)-L'(t.(M) im'hes ; extent, . SI .(M>-;VI.(H) ; wing, !».J.") !>.7r> ; culnien, l.:iO- 

 l.tiO; from tip of bill to lateral ba.se, :J.;?.')-;2.(iO ; distance thvongh base of bill liori/.ontally, between 

 most prominent point of lateral swellings, 1.10-1.10; tarsus, I.f).')-1.8.") ; middle toe, 2.15-2.05 

 (twenty examples). 



There is considerable variation among individuals of this species, but we find no constant 

 dilfercnee between specimens from the Atlantic coast and those from the I'acilic. Occasionally, in 



Mi<!c 



