

236 



LONG-WINGED SWIMMERS — LONGIPi'NNES. 



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Hab. Tlic var. Smithsonianus, North America in general, more csjiecially the Atlantic coast, 

 where exteniling from Labrador to Cuba ; breeding from Eastern Maine northwanl ; frequent 

 throughout the interior, on the larger inland waters, and occasional on the Pacific coast. True 

 L. anjcntatiis, cliieHy Palaearctic, but occasional, or casual, in Eastern North America, though 

 appaiontly the iiredoniinant, if not exclusive, form in the region of Cumberland Sound. 



Si'. Char. Adult, in siivimer: Mantle pale i)earl-l>lue (a shade darker than in L. glaiicescais), 

 the secoiidaries and terlials passnig terminally into wliite. Outer primary black, more slaty basally, 

 the tip white, and a large white spot across the inner, and sometimes the outer, web ; next (iuill 



black, tijiped with white, and 

 usually without any white except 

 the apical spot ; third, fourth, and 

 fifth (piills simihir, but the basal 

 half or more light pearl-gray (this 

 extending fartlier on the inner 

 web), the line of deniaraition 

 sharply defined ; sixth (piill liglit 

 pearl-gray, broadly tipped with 

 white, this preceded by a broad 

 subterminal space of black, widest 

 on the outer web ; seventh quill 

 similar, but the black much 

 more restricted, and confined to 

 the outer web ; remaining pri- 

 maries pale pearl-gray, passing 

 gradually into white at ends. Re- 

 mainder of the plumage snow- 

 wliite. Bill ileep chrome or 

 wax-yellow, with a large s]>ot of 

 l)riglit red near the eiul of the 

 numdible ; eyelids bright yel- 

 low ; iris silvery white or pale 

 yellow ; legs and feet flesh-color, 

 claws brownish black. Adult, in n-iufer : Similar, but head and neck, except underneath, streaked 

 with dusky grayish. Bill pale grayish yellow, deepest on anterior half of maxilla, and inclining 

 to flesh-color on basal jiortion of mandible, except along upper edge ; angle of mandible with a 

 large spot of dull orange-red, becoming dusky toward gonys ; iris dull light yellow ; eyelids dusky 

 yellowish ; legs and feet very pale grayish flesh-color. (Fresh colors of a specimen killed at Wash- 

 ington, D. C, Nov. 11, 1880.) Voiiiig, first pliimwje: Prevailing color brownish ash, nearly uni- 

 form below, the head and neck streaked with white; upper parts variegated by bonlers to the 

 feathers and irreguLir spots of pale grayish buff ; primary coverts, remiges, and rectrices blackish 

 dusky. Bill dusky l)lack, more brownish basally; iris brown; legs and feet pnr])lish fiesh-color 

 in life, brownish in the dried skin. Doiniij youiKj : Grayish white, the lower parts (except throat) 

 immaculate ; head marked with irregular spots of black, indefinitely distributed ; back, wings, and 

 rump clouiled with dusky grayish. Bill black, the eml yellowish ; feet brownish.* 



The fresh colors of the European bird (British specimens) are given as follows by Macgillivray 

 ("Hist. Brit, B." V. 546, 551, 552): Adult rmtli-, in winter: "The bill is pure yellow, the lowir 

 mandible with an orange-red patch toward the eml ; the edges of the eyelids yellow ; the iris y:\\e 

 yellow ; the feet flesh-colored ; the claws brownish black." Young, in Jirst winter : "The bill is 

 bluish black, the base of tlio lower mandible flesh-colored ; the iris brown | the feef purplish flesh- 

 colored." After next moult : " The bill is dull yellow, with a dusky patch on each mandible, and a 

 little red on the lower ; the iris yellow ; the feet flesh-colored." 



Wing, 16.25-17.50 (average, 17.15) inches; culmen, 1,9,5-2.50 (2.24) ; depth of bill through 

 angle, ,70-.86 (.80) ; tarsus, 2.30-2.80 (2.57) ; middle toe, 1.85-2.25 (2.10). (Twelve adults.) 



' " Bill brownish Mack, paler at the Imso of the lower mundiblo. Kdgcs of eyelids greenish gray ; iri.n 

 hazel. Feet purplish flesh-color ; claws brownish black " (Audubon). 



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