516 



JAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



the Porcupine Eiver, by Mr. Jones ; Fort Yukon, by Mr. J. S. Ibbiston and Mr. 

 Lockhart ; Anderson Eiver, Fort Anderson, the Lower Anderson, Kendezvous Lake, 

 the Barren Grounds, etc., by Mr. MacFarlane ; Kadiak and Fort Kenai, by Mr. 

 Bischoff; and New Westminster, by Mr. H. W. Elliott. 



They are mentioned by ]\Ir. Adams as the first Ducks to arrive — April 28 — in 

 Alaska (" Ibis," 1878), and the only fresh-water species there that was numerous. 

 They frequent all parts of the marshes in groups of three or four, are very wary, and 

 can only be f)rocured by ambush in the lines of its flight. The nests were placed in 

 the rough grass of the marshes, arid very carefully concealed ; the eggs, nine in 

 number, were of a pale green, almost white. 



The eggs of this species are oval in shape, and of a pale grayish-green color. 

 Three eggs in the Smithsonian Collection (No. 4242), from St. George's Island, in St. 

 James's Bay, measiu'c 2.30 by 1.55 inches ; 2.25 by 1.55 ; 2.20 by 1.55. 



Genus MARECA, Stephens. 



Marem, Stephens, Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. ii. lS2i, 130 (type, Anas pcnelopc, Linn.). 



Char. Bill small, shorter tlian the head, rather narrow, the edges parallel to near the end, 

 where they gradually converge to a rounded tip ; culmen gently concave ; lamellae of the maxillae 

 almost concealed ; feet small, the tarsus about as long as the bill ; sexes very different in winter, 

 much alike in summer. Adult male in winter w-ith the scapulars and tertials (in the North 

 Ameiican species the tail-coverts and rectrices also) lanceolate. 



M. pendope. 



The three known species of Marem (all American, but one peculiar to the southern continent) 

 may be distinguished as follows : — 



Com. Char, (ailult males in winter dress). Forehead white ; posterior half of the middle wing- 

 covert regions white, forming a large patch of this color ; sides and flanks reddish ; abdomen 

 immaculate white ; speculum velvety black, with or without green. 



A. Speculum metallic green anteriorly ; jngnbini plain pinkish vinaceous ; sides, flanks, scapu- 

 lars, and liack, delicately undulated with dusky upon a lighter ground ; crissum black. 

 Tail-feathers acuminate, the middle pair projecting considerably beyond the rest. 

 1. M. penelope. Head and neck plain rufous, the forehead and part of the crown white ; 



