340 SURF DUCK. 



is mottled with darkish-brown and greyish-white, the latter colour margin- 

 ing most of the feathers. The neck has a considerable extent of dull grey- 

 ish-white, spread over two or three inches, and approaching toward the 

 cheeks and throat. This colour disappears about the beginning of January, 

 when they become of a more uniform dark tint, the upper part of the head 

 brownish-black, without any white spot; there is a patch of brownish-white 

 at the base of the upper mandible on each side; another of an oblong form 

 over the ear, and on the nape are elongated greyish-white marks; the bill 

 and feet dusky-green, the iris brown. 



Black or Surf Duck, Anas per spicillata, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 49. 



Fuligula perspicillata, Bonap. Syn., p. 389. 



Oidemia perspicillata, Surf Duck, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 449. 



Black or Surf Duck, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 416. 



Surf Duck, Fuligula perspicillata, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iv. p. 161. 



Male, 20, 331 Female, 19, 31^. 



Abundant from Nova Scotia to Maryland during winter, and removing 

 southward to the mouth of the Mississippi in severe weather. Never seen 

 in the interior. Breeds from Labrador northwards. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the length of the head, very broad, as deep as broad at the base, 

 depressed towards the end, which is rounded. Upper mandible with the 

 dorsal outline convex and descending, before the nostrils concave, on the 

 unguis convex and declinate; the ridge broad and convex at the base; the 

 sides at the base erect, bulging, and very broad, towards the end convex, the 

 edges soft, with about 30 internal lamellae, for two-thirds from the base they 

 are nearly parallel and straight, but towards the end ascending, the unguis 

 very large, somewhat triangular and rounded. Lower mandible flattened, 

 with the angle long and rather narrow, the dorsal line slightly convex, the 

 edges with about 35 lamellae. Nostrils sub-medial, elliptical, large, pervious, 

 near the ridge. 



Head large, oblong, flattened above. Eyes of moderate size. Neck short 

 and thick. Bod}^ large, and much depressed. Feet short, placed rather far 

 behind; tarsus very short, compressed, having anteriorly in its whole length 

 a series of small scutella, and above the outer toe a partial series, the rest 

 covered with reticular angular scales. Hind toe small, with a free membrane 

 beneath; anterior toes nearly double the length of the tarsus, connected by 

 reticulated membranes having a sinus on their free margins, the inner with 

 a lobed marginal membrane, the outer with a thick margin, the third and 

 fourth about equal and longest. Claws small, that of the first toe very 



