228 ANATID^. 



Central America. It is of accidental occurrence in the United States, and is a more 

 strictly Neotropical form than any of the other Diving-Ducks mentioned in the present 

 work. Grayson * states that he met with the species in some numbers, frequenting a 

 small lake or lagoon near Tepic in Jalisco, as late as the month of June ; the birds 

 were evidently desirous of breeding in that locality, for the ovaries of some of the 

 females shot were enlarged. He did not notice any examples in the neighbourhood 

 of Mazatlan. 



According to Leotaud, JV. dominicus is a social bird in Trinidad, but is essentially 

 a water-loving species. When on land, it sits in an upright position, with its tail 

 resting on the ground. This Duck is an excellent diver, and, when once on the wing, 

 is of rapid flight, but it appears to find some difficulty in sustaining a great speed for 

 any length of time. 



ERISMATUEA. 



Erismatura, Bonap. Saggio Distr. Met. Agg. e Corr. p. 143 (1832) ; Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. 

 xxvii. p. 441 (1895). 



A cosmopolitan genus difi"ering from Nomonyx chiefly in having the nail of the bill 

 bent inwards. Seven species are known, of which four are Neotropical, but one only 

 of these occurs within our limits. 



1. Erismatura jamaicensis. 



Anas jamaicensis, Gmel. Syst. Nat. i. 2, p. 519 \ 



Erismatura rubida, Scl. P. Z. S. 1859, p. 393 '; Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1859, p. 232'; P. Z. S. 1876, 

 p. 403'; Dugfes, La Nat. i. p. 143'; Lawr. Mem. Bost. Soc. Nat. Hist. ii. p. 315' 

 Ferrari-Perez, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. ix. p. 174''; Herrera, La Nat. (2) i. pp. 187, 329' 

 Allen, Bull. Amer. Mus. N. H. v p. 33 ' ; Jouy, Pr. U. S. Nat. Mus. xvi. p. 789 '° 

 A. 0. U. Check-1. N. Amer. Birds, 2nd ed. p. 59 ". 



Erismatura ferruginea, v. Prantz. J. f. Orn. 1869, p. 378 ". 



Erismatura jamaicensis, Salvad. Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. xxvii. p. 445 ". 



Castanea, praepectore et pectore summo saturatioribus ; corpore reliqiio subtus albo, plumis basaliter 

 brunnescenti-griseis ; corporis lateribus castaneis ; subcaudalibus albis ; rectricibus brunnescenti-nigris ; 

 ala grisesceuti-brunnea, tectricibus alarum et secundariis interioribus vix fulvo vermiculatis ; subalaribus 

 albis, axillaribus brunneis, apicem versus albis ; pileo nuchaque nigris ; collo laterali et gutture castaneis ■ 

 mento, lori^, regione parotica et genis antieis pure albis, plagam albam magnam formantibus : rostro et 

 regione periophthalmica cyaneis ; pedibus sordide ciiierascenti-cyaneis, palmis fusois ; iride corylina. 

 Long, tota circa 16-0, alae 6-0, caudsa 3-8, culm. 175, tarsi 1-1. (Descr. maris adulti ex Dueiias. Mus. 

 nostr.) 



5 . Brunnea, plus minusve fulvo angnste vermiculafca ; alls et cauda sicut in mari coloratis ; pUeo brunneo, 

 capitis lateribus et mento albidis, fascia fusca suboculari usque ad regionem paroticam producta ; coUo 

 brunnescenti-griseo ; corpore subtus reliquo sicut in mari colorato, hypochondriis et corporis lateribus 

 fuscis, albo marmoratis et marginatis: rostro fiisco. Long, tota circa 16-0, aire 56, caudse 3-8, culm. 1-5 

 tarsi I"l. (Descr. feminas adultae ex Dueiias. Mus. nostr.) 



c7 juv. feminEB adultiE similis, sed fascia fusca fuciali absente, genis albioanti-fulvis ; subcaudalibus albis. 



Hab. North America, from Hudson's Bay southward ii. — Mexico, Pachico, Sonera 

 {BoUneUe 9), San Luis Potosi [Jouy lo), Mazatlan, Sinaloa, Tepic, Jalisco 



