490 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



A. boschas. Adult male in winter: Four middle tail-feathers strongly recurved or curled ; 

 head and neck brilliant velvety green ; jugulum rich chestnut, with a white collar between 

 it and the green of the neck ; speculum rich metallic violet, bounded anteriorly by a 

 black bar, this preceded by a white one, and posteriorly by a black subterminal and white 

 terminal band. Adult female and nude in breeding season : AVings as in the above ; else- 

 where, variegated with dusky and ochraceous, the former on the centres of the feathers, 

 and predominating on the upper parts, the latter on the borders, and prevailing beneath. 

 Wing, 10.25-1 2.U0 inches ; culmen, 2.00-2.40; tarsus, 1.5U-1.80; middle toe, 1.90-2.15. 

 Hub. Whole northern hemisphere. 



A. boschas. 



b. Sexes alike, at all ages and seasons ; no white on the outer surface of the wing. 



2. A. obscura. Prevailing color dusky, the feathers bordered with dull ochraceous ; head 



and neik dull buff, everywhere streaked with dusky; no black at liase of the bill; 

 speculum usually deep violet. Wing, 10.50-11.50 inches ; culmen, 2.00-2.35 ; tarsus, 

 1.70-1. SO ; middle toe, 1.90-2.10. Hab. Eastern North America. 



3. A. fulvigula. Prevailing color ochraceous, the feathers marked centrally with dusky ; 



entire chin and throat immaculate creamy ochraceous or buff ; base of the maxilla, espe- 

 cially below, black ; speculum usually green. Wing, 10.00-10.50 inches ; culmen, 2.05- 

 2.35; tarsus, 1.70-1.80 ; middle toe, 1.90-2.00. Hab. Florida. 

 E. Size small (wing, 8.50). 



4. A. Aberti ' 9 Prevailing color ochraceous, spotted above and streaked beneath with 



1 Anas Aberti, Ridgway. 



''Anas obscura, Lawr. Mem. Boston Soc. II. pt. iii. no. ii. 1874, 314 (Tcpic, W. Mexico). 

 Anas Aberti, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. N.it. Mus. Vol. 1. 187S, 2.')0 (Mazatlan). 



Sp. Char. Adult female : Size of Querquedula discors and q/anoptera, but in coloration closely resem- 

 bling A . fulvigula. Prevailing color ochraceous-buff, but this everywhere relieved by brownish-black spots 

 or streaks. Head, neck, and lower parts streaked, the streaks finest on the neck and sides of the head, 

 broadest on the jugulum and crissuni, whidi is somewhat tinged with rusty, and assuming the form of 

 oblong spots ou the abdomen, thighs, and anal region ; throat inmiaculate. Back, scapulars, and rump 

 with the blackish predominating ; tlie feathers bordered with ochraceous ; those of the back and the scap- 

 ulars with irregular indentations and occasional bars of the same. Lesser wing-coverts brownish slate, 

 bordered with dull earthy brown ; middle coverts witli their exposed portion velvety Tilack, forming a 

 distinct bar. Secondaries widely tipped with pure white (forming a conspicuous band about .35 of an inch 

 wide), this jireceded by a velvety lilack bar of aliout ecpial width, the basal half or more (of the exposed 



