220 ANATID^:. 



L Nyroca americana. 



Fuligvla americana, Eyton, Mon. Anat. p. 155 ' ; Scl. & Salv. P. Z. S. 1876, p. 400 \ 



Aythia americana, Duges, La Nat. i. p. 142 ^ 



Aytha americana, Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 315 *. 



jEthyia amei-icana, Baird, Brewer, & Ridgw. Water-Birds N. Amer. ii. p. 36 '. 



Aijthya amei-icana, Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 187% 3.29 '; A. O. U. Check-!. N. Amer. Birds, 



2nd ed. p. 52 \ 

 Kyroca americana, Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 340 °. 



Supra uigra, dorso minute albido fimbriato, dorso postico saturatiore, uropygio et supracaudalibus nigris ; 

 tectricibus alarum saturate griseia, paullulum albo vermiculatis ; tectricibua primaTiorum et primariis 

 apicem versus saturate brunneis, his aliter cinerascentibus : secundariis externis pallide griseis, 

 anguste albo terminatis et fascia subterminali uigra notatis ; secuadariis interioribus argentescenti- 

 griseis, exfcus angust« nigro marginatis, intiniis saturate brunneis ; rectricibus saturate bmnneis, 

 pallide brunneo marginatis ; pileo et collo superiore Ifete castaneis, hon purpureo nitente ; collo 

 inferiore, prsepectore et pectore summo nigris, hujus plamis albo marginatis ; corpore reliquo subtus 

 albo, abdomine fusco vermiculato ;' orisso et subcaudalibus fiiscis, harum longioribus ad apicem albo 

 marmoratis : rostro paUide cseruleo, ad apicem nigro ; pedibus casrulescenti-griseis ; iride rubra. 

 Long, tota circa 19-0, alae 9"3, cauds 2'7, culm. 1"9, tarsi 1-65. (Descr. maris adulti ex Zacatecas. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



5 . Supra brunnea, plumis singulis rufo marginatis ; dorso medio et imo albo vermiculatis ; uropygio nigro ; 

 alis caudaque sieut in mari coloratis ; capite et collo sordide castaneo-brunneis, pileo saturatiore, mento et 

 gula superiore albidioribus : prsepectore cum pectoris lateribus et hypochondriis cinerascenti-bruuneis, 

 rufescenti-fulvo late marginatis ; pectore et abdomine superiore sordide albis, vix fusco marmoratis ; 

 abdomine imo crissoque brunnescenti-fulvis : rostro et pedibus sicut in mari coloratis ; iride flava. 

 Long, tota circa 16'5, alse 8-7, caudae 2-5, culm. 1'8, tarsi 1-6. (Descr. feminoB adultae ex Corpus Christi. 

 Mus. nostr.) 



JJab. NoETH America, breeding from California, Southern Michigan, and Maine 

 northward^. — Mexico, Chihuahua, Boca Grande, Janos and Conalitos Rivers 

 {Kenne)'Iy^), Mazatlan {Grayson^), Zacatecas {Richardson^), Guanajuato, Guada- 

 lajara [Ikiges ^), Valley of Mexico {Le Strange - ^, Herrera ^ ''). 



This species is very nearly related to the Red-headed Pochard of the Old World 

 {N. ferina), but the latter differs in having no distinct purplish gloss on the head and 

 neck, and the under surface of the body is finely vermirulated with ashy-grey. 



N. americana is generally distributed throughout North America, breeding in high 

 northern regions and wintering southward in the United States &c., at which season 

 it also occurs on both the Atlantic and Pacific coasts. The species has been met with 

 in Mexico, but has not been recorded from any more southern locality. 



Though occasionally found singly or in pairs, this Pochard is more often seen 

 during the winter season in large flocks, not associating with other species of Ducks. 

 In the estuaries of the rivers the bird procures food by diving, and feeds on the 

 blades and roots of the Vallisneria ; but on the shallower waters of the interior its 

 habits are like those of the Mallard. It also eats grass, small lizards, tadpoles, and 

 shell-fish. 



