HARLEQUIN DUCK. 199 



sitting on the rocks, or sporting in rapids so swift that 

 few birds would be apt to frequent them. 



HISTRIONICUS HISTRIONICUS. 



Geographical Distribution. — Northern portions of New and 

 Old Worlds, ranging as far to the eastward as Japan. In North 

 America from the Arctic regions to the Middle States and Cali- 

 fornia. Breeds from Newfoundland and northern Rocky Moun- 

 tains and Sierra Nevada, northward. 



Adult Male. — Lores, with a stripe extending along the crown; 

 a round spot near the ears, a long narrow .stripe on side of upper 

 hind neck, a narrow collar around lower part of neck, frequently 

 interrupted in front; a broad bar across sides of breast in front of 

 wing; middle of scapulars, portion of tertials, a round spot on 

 lesser wing coverts, tips of some of the greater wing coverts and 

 a round spot on each side of crissum, pure white. Under side of 

 neck, collar, and bar on side of breast above and below, bordered 

 with black. Center of forehead, crown, and nape, black, bordered 

 on either side with chestnut. Rest of head and neck, dark 

 plumbeous, glossed with violet, inclining to black along the mar- 

 gins of the white markings. Upper parts, leaden blue, grading 

 into blue black on lower part of rump and upper tail coverts. 

 Wing coverts, bluish slate. Speculum, deep bluish violet. 

 Primaries and tail feathers, dusky black. Breast, plumbeous; 

 abdomen, sooty gray, grading into the black of the crissum and 

 under tail coverts. Sides and flanks, bright rufous. Bill, bluish 

 gray in front of nostrils, basal part, dark olive gray, tip, paler. 

 Iris, reddish brown or dark hazel. Legs and feet, bluish gray; 

 webs, dusky. Total length, about 17J inches; wing, ^^■, culmen, 1; 

 tarsus, i,^. 



Adult Female. — Lores, spot above and in front of eye, and 

 larger one behind ear, white. Rest of head, neck, jugulum, and 

 upper parts, dark brown, inclining to sooty brown on head and 

 rump. Wings and tail, glossy blackish brown, with an inclina- 

 tion to a purple gloss in some lights. Breast, sides, flanks, cris- 

 sum, and under tail coverts, light reddish brown, with indistinct 

 black spots in the center of feathers on breast. Abdomen, white, 

 becoming much mottled with brown on lower part, and passing 

 into the reddish brown of the crissum. Bill, legs, and feet, dark 



