286 WATER FOWL. 



GENUS ^THYIA 

 (Greek oX9ma, sthyia, a sea bird). 



Aythya (misspelling for jEthyia), Boie. Isis, 1822, p. 564. 

 Type Anasferina, Linn. 



Bill shorter than middle toe without claw, as long as head, the 

 greatest width more than one-third the length of the culmen. 

 Height of maxilla at base equal to its greatest width, moderately 

 depressed toward tip. Nail prominent and hooked. Head 

 bunchy, larger than neck, which is compressed at the throat. 



There is only one species in North America belonging to this 

 genus, the well-known Red Head, as the Canvas Back, which 

 has usually been placed in it, I regard as generically distinct. 

 The genus, however, is represented in South America, and also 

 in the Old World from Great Britain to Japan as well as in 

 Africa, Australia, and some of the contiguous islands. One Old- 

 World species, .<£. ferina, resembles very closely the American 

 bird, and when on the water might be mistaken for it. 



GENUS FULIGULA 



(Latin Fulica or Fulix, a coot. Aim. fulicula, or possibly, dim. of 

 fuligo, soot, black. 



Fuligula, Steph. Gen. Z06I., vol. xii,, pt. ii.; 1824, p. 187. 

 Type Anas fuligula, Linn. 



Bill short, broad, not as long as head, widest at tip, greatest 

 width nearly half the length of culmen, moderately depressed, 

 with a broad nail terminating in a hook. Height of maxilla at 

 base less than greatest width. Tarsus little less than half the 

 length of middle toe and claw. Head bunchy, neck rather 

 slender. 



Three species of this genus are found in North America, one 

 of which, the Big Black Head, F. marzla, is also a native of the 

 Eastern Hemisphere. The specimens of this species obtained 

 within our boundaries have been separated from those of the 

 Old- World by American ornithologists, but the characters relied 

 upon to distinguish the two forms are not apparently tenable, 

 the American examples, even among those shot in one locality, as 

 was clearly shown by Mr. Bishop (Auk, 1895, p. 293), exhibiting 



