ANATIN^ — THE DUCKS — NOMO^iYX. 



10:j 



Nomonyx dominicus. 



THE MASKED DUCK. 



A7ias qitcrquedula dominicensis, Biiiss. Orn. VI. 1760, 472 (St. Domingo). 



Alias dominica, Linn. S. N. ed. 12, I. 17(56, 201 (ex Buiss. 1. c. ). 



Erismatura dominica, Eyton, Moii. Anat. 1838, 172. — Baiud, B. N. Am. 1858, 925; ed. 1860, pi. 



92 ; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, no. 610. — CouES, Key, 1872, 295 ; Check List, 1873, no. 520 ; B. N. 



W. 1874, p. 583 (foot-note). — ScL. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1876, 405 (monographic). 

 Nomonyx dominicus, Ridgw. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus. Vol. 2, 1880, 15 ; Nom. N. Am. B. 1881, no. 



635. — CouES, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, no. 742. 

 Sarcclle, de la Guadeloupe, Buff. PL EnL 1770-1784, pL 967 (female). 

 Anas spinosa, Gmel, S. N. I. ii. 1788, 522 (ex Buff. 1. c). 

 Erismatura ortygoidcs, "Hill," Gosse, Bird.s Jam. 1847, 406 ; lUustr. B. Jam. pi. 113. 



Hab. Tropical America at large ; accidental in Eastern North America (Wisconsin, Kumlien ; 

 Lake Chainplain, Cabot). 



Sp. Char. Adult male, in full j)lurnage : Neck all round, back, and sides dark cinnamon-brown, 

 the two latter with the feathers streaked centrally, broadlj', and conspicuously, with black. Lower 

 parts yellowish rusty, the feathers occasionally showing their brownish centres. Eutii-e fore part 



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of the head, including the chin, cheeks, and pileuin, black, the eye being about mid way between 

 the bill and the posterior edge of the black ; the occiput, however, like the neck. Wings brown, 

 with a conspicuous white speculum on the greater coverts. Tail brown ; lining of wings gray, the 

 axillars white. Length, about 14.50 inches ; wing, 5.75 ; tail, 4.25 ; culm^n, 1.37 ; commissure, 

 L60 ; tarsus, 1.10 ; middle toe and claw, 2.10.^ Adult male (in second year ?) (No. 42014, Spanish 

 Town, Jamaica, April, 1866 ; W. T. March) : Pileum, two stripes along side of the head, and gen- 

 eral color of the upper parts, black ; spaces between the black stripes of the head, including 'heeks 

 and chin, dull white ; neck and jugulum ferruginous, with a purplish-chestnut tinge ; rest of lower 

 parts dull ochraceous, .stained with ferruginous, the feathers with concealed central dusky spot. 

 Middle and greater wing-coverts, basal portion of lower secondaries, and axillars uniform pure 

 white. Dorsal region transversely barred and bordered with ferruginous. " Bill black, under 

 mandible fleshy ; tail twenty-two feathers." Wing, 5.50 inches ; tail, 3.90 ; culmen, 1.30 ; tarsus, 

 1.00 ; middle toe, 1.80. Adult female (Sumner, Wis., summer, 1870 ; T. Kumlien ; Coll. Boston 

 Society) : Similar to the male, but black less deep and not so uniform, the ferruginous paler, or 

 replaced by ochraceous and spotted with black ; abdomen dull ochraceous-white ; wing-speculum 

 smaller. Wing, 5.50 inches ; tail, 3.50 ; culmen, 1.30 ; tarsus, .90 ; middle toe, 1.75. 



' Described from the specimen obtained on Lake Chiimplain by Dr. Cabot, now in the Musenm of the 

 Boston Society of Natural History. 



