704 SYSTEMA TIG SYNOPSIS. — LAMELLIBOSTBES — ANSEBE8. 



ward to Guatemala ; abundant along the Atlantic coast, from the middle districts to Texas, 

 especially in the Chesapeake. Wlien feeding on the wild celery the flesh acquires a peculiarly 

 fine ilavor, wliicli lias gained for the bird great renown among gastronomers; but its flesh is of 

 no special excellence under other circumstances, in fact inferior to that of most Kiver Ducks 

 (^AnatincE). There is little reason for squealing in barbaric joy over this over-rated and gen- 

 erally under-done bird ; not one person in ten tliousand can tell it fi'om any other duck on the 

 table, and tlien only under the celery circumstance just said. 

 292. CLAN'GULA. (Lat. clangula, dim. of clangor, a noise.) Whistlers. Gakrots. BiU 

 much shorter than head, about as long as tarsus, very high at base, tapering to end with definite 

 nail, and acute upper corners; frontal and mental feathers little in advance of loral. Nostrils 

 median. Tail about half as long as "^ving, 16-feathered, pointed. Body plump ; neck short ; 

 feet far back. ^ with the head puffy or shghtly crested, dark-colored, iridescent, with great 

 white patches ; lower neck all around, under parts including sides, and most of the wing- 

 coverts, scapulars, and secondaries, white; lining of Tvings dark; most of upper parts black; 

 no waving on back or sides; crissum not black; bill dark; feet light or bright. 9 with less 

 pufl'y dark brown or gray liead, and traces or not of the white patches. Medium-sized and smaU 

 ducks, mostly black and white. They include two types of at least subgeneric value ; one 

 {Clangula jiroper) represented by the garrets, the other (Bmephala) by the buffle-head. 



Analysis of Species. 



Nostrils rather before middle of bill, cf ^'ead uniformly putty, the gloss green; a round or oval white 

 spot before eye, not reaching upper corner of bill ; white of wings continuous; lining of wings entirely 

 dark; eye yellow; feet orange. $ head dark brown, unmarked. {Clangula) glaitciwn 725 



Nostrils as before. J* head somewhat crested, the gloss purple and violet ; an angular or crescentic white 

 space before eye, applied against whole base of bill; white of wings divided by a darji line; lining of 

 wings entirely dark; eye yellow; feet orange. 9 head dark brown, unmarked islandica 726 



Nostrils rather behind middle of bill, cf head extremely puffy, the gloss various. No white before eye, 

 but great white si)ace on side of head behind, meeting its fellow on nape; white of wing continuous ; 

 lining of wing witli some white ; eye brown ; feet flesh-color ; $ head dark gray, with trace of the white 

 auricular patch. {Bucephata) alheola 727 



725. C. glan'cium. (Gr. yXavKwv, glaukion; Lat. (;?a«ci»m, a duck, perhaps this one.) GOLDEN- 

 E'i'^E. Whistlek. Gabkot. Bill with nostrils rather before than behind its middle Une. 

 Head moderately uniformly puffy. Adult ^ : Gloss of head chiefly green. A large round or 

 oval spot before eye, not touching base of bill throughout ; no white behind eye. Bill black, 

 or greenish-dusky. Iris golden-yellow. Feet orange, with dusky webs and black claws. 

 Lower neck, under parts at large, middle and greater wing-coverts, many secondaries, and 

 shorter scapulars in part, white, that of the wings perfectly continuous. Shorter scapulars in 

 part, long scapulars, inner and outer secondaries, edge of wing, primary coverts, primaries, 

 and back at large, black, the latter glossy. Lining of wings dusky, as are some feathers at 

 insertion of legs and on sides of rump. The white greater coverts have dark bases, not exten- 

 sive enough, however, to divide the white wing-surface. $ : BiU, eyes, and feet as in J, 

 but former usually varied with yellowish at end. Head less pufl'y, snuffy-brown, without 

 white loral space. Black parts of ^ inclining to browmish ; white of wings less extensive and 

 complete, often waved with gray tips of some of the coverts ; white of under parts often waved 

 with gray or brown on lower neck and along sides. Length 17.00-20.00 ; extent 27.00- 

 32.00; wing 8.00-9.00; tail 3.00-1.00; tarsus 1.30-1. .50; middle toe and claw 2.50; bill 

 1.30 along culmen, about 2.00 along gape. 9 smaller than (J. Europe, etc.; N. Am. at 

 large, a common fl-inter duck of the U. S., breeding chiefly in high latitudes, but also in 

 U. S. An expert diver. Meat bad — rank and fishy. Nest in trees. 



726. C. islan'dica. (Of Island or Iceland.) Barrow's Golden-eye. RoCKY MOUNTAIN 

 Garrot. Very similar to the last. Bill with nostrils as before. Head modertitely pufl'y, 

 and with lengthening of coronal and occipital feathers into a slight crest. Gloss of head 



