THE WHITE- WINGED SCOTER 195 



the primaries are pale brown. The bill and feet are olive- 

 green. 



The Spectacled Eider,i of northwestern Alaska, is a 

 bird easily remembered by its name, and the large, white spot 

 around each eye which at once suggests a pair of spectacles. 

 This bird is limited to our arctic territory, and is said, by 

 Mr. E. W. Nelson, to be threatened with extinction by man 

 at no very distant day. Our occupation of Alaska, after the 

 Russians, has led to the arming of the natives with modern 

 rifles and shotguns, before which wild life generally is rapidly 

 being swept out of existence. 



The White-Winged Scoter^ (sko'ter) quite acceptably 

 represents a group of sea ducks and deep divers, called scoters, 

 and of which there are three species resident in North Amer- 

 ica. These are the blackest of all our ducks. The species 

 known as the American Scoter is glossy black throughout, 

 without a single patch of color save the bright orange-yellow 

 which colors the basal half of the bill and its knob. 



The White-Winged species has a white patch on each 

 wing, technically known as a "speculum," and a white patch 

 of variable shape under or in rear of the eye. Above and 

 in rear of the nostrils the bill and skull together are raised 

 into a conspicuous hump, half covered by feathers. 



Like all the scoters, this bird is a fish-eating duck, and its 

 flesh is so fishy in flavor it is not considered fit for the table. 

 It is widely distributed throughout North America down to 

 southern California, northern Missouri, Illinois and Mary- 



\ Arc-ton-et'ta fisch'er-i. Length, about 21 inches. 

 2 Oi-de'mi-a deg-land'i. Average length, 21 inches. 



