1 82 The Water-fowl Family 



migrate in May westward as far as Noank, Con- 

 necticut. From there they pass in evening, high 

 in air, in a northwest course. Possibly these are 

 the birds that breed in the interior from North 

 Dakota northward. This species has many names 

 among our gunners, the best known being velvet 

 duck, velvet scoter, white-winged surf duck, black 

 surf duck, and coot. 



SURF SCOTER 

 (Oidemia perspicillatd) 



Adult male — Large white patch on the back of the neck, and a 

 triangular white spot between the eyes on the forehead ; entire 

 remainder of plumage, black ; bill, striking and characteristic ; 

 upper mandible at base, including nostrils, dull crimson chang- 

 ing to scarlet over the front ; nail, yellow ; on each side of the 

 base of bill a large rounded spot of black, separated from the 

 black feathering above by a streak of orange, and posteriorly 

 by a narrow line of crimson ; beneath these black patches and 

 in front, continuously white ; the remainder of the sides of bill, 

 orange ; the lower mandible similar but terminating at the base 

 irregularly in white ; feet, crimson or orange-vermilion, with 

 joints and webs black ; iris, white. 



Measurements — Length, 21 inches; wing, 9.25 inches; culmen, 

 1.50 inches; tarsus, 1.70 inches. 



Adult female — An indistinct white patch on lores and behind the 

 ears ; head, neck, and upper parts, dusky ; under parts, paler, 

 lightest on abdomen ; bill, black, with greenish or brownish 

 tinge ; iris, brown ; feet and legs, brown, with black webs. 



Measurements — Length, 19 inches; wing, 9 inches; culmen, 1.40 

 inches; tarsus, 1.40 inches. 



Young male — Resembles the female in its general plumage, but the 

 bill is somewhat larger and more colored, and the white on the 

 forehead and neck posteriorly more marked. 



Eggs — Five to eight in number, ivory-white, with a pink tinge, and 

 measure 2.45 by 1.60 inches. 



