BIRDS FULIGULINAE MELANETTA VELVET1NA. 
805 
A fifth species of Oidemia, probably a Pelionetta, if distinct, is mentioned at the end of the 
others as copied from the account of Herbert. If really Pelionetta, its diagnosis would be bill 
black ; secondaries and eye patch white as in Melanetta. 
MELANETTA VELVETINA, Baird. 
Velvet Duck; While-winged Coot. 
Jlnus fusca, Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 137 ; pi. lxxii. Not of Linnaeus. 
,'ivas (Fuligula) fusca, Bon. Obs. 1825, No. 2G6. 
Fuligula (Oidemia) fusca, Bon. Syn. 1828, 390.— Nutt. Man. II, 1834, 419. 
Oidemia fusca, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 449. 
Fuligula fusca, Aud. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 454 ; pi. 247.— Ib. Syn. 1839, 260.— Ib . Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 332; 
pi. 401. 
Oidnnia velvclina, Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. V, Oct. 1850, 12C. 
Oidemia deglandii, Bon. Rev. Crit. Orn. Dcgland, 1850, 108.— Ib. Comptes Rendu?, XXXVIII, 1854, Notes Orn . 
Delattre, 94. 
Melanetta deglandii, Bon. Comptes Rendus, XLIII, Sept. 1856. 
Double macrcuse d'dmerique, Degi.and, Orn. Europ. II, 1849, 474. 
Sp. Ch. — Male. Bill very broad, wider towards the tip than at the base ; feathers extending faralong the side of the bill, and 
on the forehead, for nearly half the commissure, running in an obtuse point about as far forward as the lower corner of the 
outline of feathers on the side, both reaching nearly to the posterior border of the large, open, nearly rounded nostrils ; culmen 
horizontal a little beyond the frontal feathers, then abruptly bent downwards, nearly perpendicularly, to the much depressed, 
nearly horizontal portion ; a sharp indented ridge along the base of culnien, ending in a trihedral tubercle. Color black ; a 
white elongated patch around and a little behind the eye, and a large white speculum on the wing composed of white secondaries 
and tips of greater coverts ; bill black at base and lateral edges ; red elsewhere. 
Female somewhat similar, but lighter beneath ; a large whitish patch on the side of the head behind the eye, but none around 
it ; wings with white speculum, somewhat as in the male ; bill also similar, but less swollen and elevated at base. Length, 
21.50 inches; wing, 11.30; tarsus, 2.08; commissure, 2.82. 
Hab. — Along both coasts of North America, to the north. 
The dates of publication of Oidemia velvetina of Cassin, and of O. deglandii of Bonaparte, are 
so near together as to render it difficult to say which should have priority. I have, however, 
taken Mr. Lassin's as being more in harmony with a common vernacular name. 
The difference of the American Velvet Duck from the European O. fusca according to 
Degland, Ornith. Europ. (II, 474,) consists in the greater extension of the feathers of the 
forehead over the bill, causing it to appear shorter. The white spot of the lower eyelid is also 
much larger, and more triangular in shape. 
List of specimens. 
Catal . 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- Whence obtained, 
lected. 
Orig'l 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. 
Stretch 
ofwings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
905 
9851 
4519 
9850 
9852 
9853 
4405 
4573 
4575 
4576 
9 
Potomac river, I). C 
Presidio,(nearS. Fra'co) 
Dec. — , 1842 
19.75 
10.16 
Bodega, Cat 
Mouth of Columbia.... 
Jan,'—, 1855 
Mar. 2,1854 
Mar. 9, 1854 
April 5,1855 
Feb. 6, 185b 
Li. Trowbridge.. 
Gov. Stevens .... 
56 
59 
188 
214 
212 
211 
S 
Q 
Q 
Dr. Cooper ... 
21.50 
21.25 
22.25 
38.00 
38.00 
Iris very pale gray, feet 
black and purple. 
Iris brown, bill and feet 
black and purple. 
Puget's Sound, W.T... 
Fort Stcilacooni 
Dr. Suckley 
do 
12.00 
3 
23.00 
38.75 
39.00 
11.50 
11.50 
Feb. 1, ie50 
