28 | Vol. XXIII 
NOTES ON SOME SPECIMENS IN THE ORNITHOLOGICAL 
COLLECTION OF THE CALIFORNIA 
ACADEMY OF SCIENCES 
By JOSEPH MAILLIARD 
MONG the specimens in the research collection of the Department of Ornith- 
ology of the California Academy of Sciences are some of especial interest 
either by reason of their rare occurrence in this state (California), the par- 
ticular locality in which they were taken, the date of capture, or on account of 
their exhibiting some unusual characteristics. The recent publication from the 
University of California Press, entitled ‘‘The Game Birds of California’’, by 
Messrs. Grinnell, Bryant and Storer—a splendid contribution to California 
ornithology in its particular line, and most painstakingly up-to-date at the time 
work was stopped upon it—is the criterion by which the value of many of these 
records has been determined. Although the existence of much of this record 
material in the Academy’s collection was known to these authors, they did not, 
at the time they were working upon this book, consider it as being available to 
‘hem. The following records, then, seem to be of sufficient value to be worthy of 
note. 
Mergus serrator Linnaeus. Red-breasted Merganser. While this species is a com- 
mon winter visitant along the sea coast of California it has been but seldom recorded 
from the interior of the state. The Academy collection contains one such specimen, a 
male, taken near Merced, Merced County, California, on January 10, 1878. 
Lophodytes cucullatus (Linnaeus). Hooded Merganser. This species of mergan- 
ser was formerly frequently seen in California, occurring as a fall and winter, or even 
spring, visitant in small numbers on various marshes, small streams, and ponds in many 
localities, though probably rarely or never in numbers. In recent years it has become 
scarce and is seldom reported. Its peculiar appearance has led hunters to shoot it on 
every occasion, which is a way with the gunning fraternity, “just to see what it looks 
like.” Its flesh is also fairly good eating, so that this species is in line for extinction 
along with many others, unless carefully guarded. There are two specimens in the 
Academy collection, a male taken near Los Bafios, Merced County, January 4, 1909, and 
a female from Lakeport, March 12, 1908. 
Anas platyrhynchos Linnaeus. Mallard. The collection contains a fine series of 
this species, in many plumages, but the only one to be specially noted here is a parti- 
ally albino female, taken near Los Bafios, Merced County, on September 1, 1908. 
Anas, sp? No. 12581, C. A. S. collection, is a female duck taken near Los Bajios, 
Merced County, California, October 7, 1908, which is labelled Anas fulvigula, and so 
catalogued. The specimen, however, does not entirely conform to the description of 
that species, although approaching it to a considerable degree. This specimen may be 
described as follows: ‘ 
Top of head in color like that of female platyrhynchos, tut the feathers are rounded 
and dusky with edges narrowly buffy, the buff making a sort of fine crescent on each 
feather and creating a scaled appearance, whereas in platyrhynchos the feathers of the 
head are long and narrow with the nearly black centers in strong contrast to the 
broadly marked buff edgings, giving an appearance of dark, longitudinal streaking, with 
the buff quite prominent. Malar region buffy and whitish, with narrow dark brown or 
dusky streak, as in platyrhynchos. Throat and chin buffy white, lightest on throat, 
some of the feathers being buffy with distinctly whitish tips. Lower down on the throat, 
and corresponding to the position of the white neck ring of the male platyrhynchos, is 
a patch of white, about 15 mm. in width, extending approximately half way around on 
