. ANATIDiE— THE SWANS, GEESE, AND DUCKS. 157 



Subgenus Aythya Boie., 



Aythya Boie), Isis, 1822, 564. Type, by elimination. Anas ferina Linn. 



SuBGEN. Chab. Culbien longer than inner toe, with olaw; bill not wider near end than 

 at base, much shorter than middle toe without olaw.it s greatest width nearly hall the length 

 of the oulmen, the end moderately depressed, and the nail decidedly hooked. Adult males 

 with the head and upper neck reddish. 



Only one American species, the common Eed-head {A. cumeri- 

 cana), belongs to this subgenus. It is a near relative of, but 

 is decidedly distinct from, the Pochard, of Europe, A. ferina 

 (Linn.). 



Aythya americana (Eyt.) 



BED-HEAD. 



Popular synomyma, Eed-headed Duok; American Pochard; Ked-headed Broad-bill: Bed- 

 headed Batt Duck. 

 Anas ferina WlLS. Am. Orn. viii, 1814, 110, pi. 70 ilg. 6 (not LiNN.). 

 Fuligula ferina Bonap. Synop. 1828, 392.— Sw. & KlOH, F. B.-A. ii, 1831, 452.— Nutt. Man. 

 II, 1834, 434.— AUD. Orn. Biog. iv, 1838, 198, pi. 322; Synop. 1839, 287; B. Am. vi, 1843, 311, 

 pi. 396. 

 Fuligula 'americana Eyton, Mon. Anat. 1838, 155. 

 Aythya ferina S americana BoNAP. Compt. Bend, xliii, Sept. 1856, 651. 

 Aythya americana BaibX), B. N. Am. 1858,793; Cat. N. Am. B. 1859, No. 591.— Eidgw. 

 Orn. 40th Par. 1877, 624; Man. N. Am. B. 1887, 101.— A. O. U. Check List, 1886, No. 146. 

 JBihyia americana Sci,. & Salt. Nom. Neotr. 1873.— Bidgw. Nom. B. 1881, No. 618. 



— B. B. & B. Water B. N. Am. ii, 1884, 36. , _ 

 Aythya ferina, var. americana Allen, Bull. M.'O. Z. Hi, 1872, 183. 

 Fuligula ferina, var. americana Cotibb, Key, 1872, 289; Check List, 1873, No. 503; B. N. 



W. 1874, .575.— Hbnsh. Zool Wheeler's Exp. 1875, 480. 

 Fuligula ferina americana CouES, Check List, 2d ed. 1882, No. 723. 

 Aythya erythrocephala Bonap. Oomp. List, 1838, 58. 



Hab, The whole of North America, breeding from central California, Minnesota, nor- 

 thern Iowa. Wisconsin, Michigan, and Maine, to the Pur Countries ; Bahamas, Central 

 America, etc., in winter. , 



Sp. Chab. Bill much shorter than the middle toe (without claw), broad, the end mod- 

 erately depressed, and with the nail decidedly decurved, the culmen about two and a half 

 times the greatest width of the maxilla, and decidedly concave. Adult male: Head and 

 upper halt, or more, of the neck rich reddish chestnut, the latter glossed with reddish pur- 

 ple ; lower part of the neck, chest, anterior part of the back, lower part of the rump, upper 

 tail-ooverts, and erissum, black ; back, scapulars, sides, and flanks, densely vermiculated 

 with white and dusky in about equal proportion; anal region similarly, but more faintly, 

 marked; entire abdomen immaculate White; wing-ooverts deep plumbeous-gray, faintly 

 and minutely sprinkled with. white; secondaries ("speculum") pale bluish gray, the upper 

 feathers edged with black, the others narrowly tipped with white ; primaries dusky, the in- 

 ner quills slate-gray, except at ends ; tail dusky. Bill pale blue, the end black ; iris bright yel- 

 low; feet light gray. AduUfemale: Head and neck grayish brown, darkest above ; tha anterior 

 part of the head lighter, almost white on the chin and upper part of the throat; chest, sides, 

 and ilanks dull grayish brown, the feathers tipped with fulvous; wings as in the male, but 

 theoovertg plain slate-color; back and scapulars grayish brown, the feathers with paler 



