ANATIDJE — FULIGULINJE: SEA DUCKS. 
709 
feathers. This is as in the scoters, Q^demia; in both of which genera the particulars of the bill 
being specific and in a measure sexual characters, to found genera upon them would be to make 
one for almost every species. Nevertheless, I am now satisfied that I have gone too far in uniting 
Heniconetta and Arctonetta with Somateria. The subgeneric rank accorded to these in the 
following analysis is to be considered as generic ; and among the eiders proper I would now 
separate the king eider subgenerically, under the name of Erionetta, from Somateria proper. The 
characters are given below. In the whole group here presented under the name of Somateria, 
some further characters may be noted as follows : Nostrils averaging median, variable in posi- 
tion ; feathers reaching over, under, or not to them. Frontal angles of bill in one species as 
normally in Fuligulince, in others variously exaggerated. Nail of bill large, fused, forming the 
whole tip. Inner secondaries and scapulars sickle-shaped, curved outward and falling ob- 
liquely over the wing. Sexes very unlike. ^ chiefly black and white, with sea-green on the 
head ; feathers of head in part short, close-set, and erect, like pile of velvet, in part usually 
stifRsh and bristly. Several remarkable species, of the Northern Hemisphere. 
Analysis of ( Genera), Subgenera, Species, and Varieties, 
(f $ Bill not gibbous, without frontal processes, not feathered, to the nostrils, its cutting edge dilated 
and leathery ; no unusual shape or outline of frontal feathers. (Heniconetta.) 
A violet speculum stelleri 731 
(f $ Bill not gibbous, without frontal processes, feathered on culmen to a point beyond nostrils, and 
thence in line sweeping behind nostrils to angle of mouth. (Arctonetta.) 
No speculum ; an elevated roundish white black-bordered area about eye fischeri 732 
J" Bill gibbous at base of upper mandible; outline of culmen variously curved; with long, acute or 
clubbed, tumid process extending in line with culmen on each side of forehead, divided by extension of 
feathers on culmen ; feathers of side of bill advancing to about under nostrils, far beyond those on 
culmen. No speculum. (Somateria proper.) 
(J No black V-mark on chin. 
Frontal processes short, narrow, acute, parallel. Smaller mollissima 733 
Frontal processes long, broad, clubbed, divergent. Larger dresseri 734 
(f A black V-mark on chin v-nigrum 735 
(J Bill extremely gibbous at base of upper mandible, with broad squarish nearly vertical frontal processes 
bulging angularly out of line of culmen, on each side of forehead, divided by extreme projection of 
feathers on culmen far beyond those on sides of mandible, which do not nearly reach nostrils. 
(Erionetta N.) 
cf A black "V-mark on chin spectahilis 736 
(Heniconetta.) 
731. S. (H.) stelleri. (To G. W. Steller.) Steller's Eider. Adult $ : Bill and feet dull 
grayish-blue, the webs rather darker; iris brown. Top and sides of head and collar on 
neck silvery-white, washed across forehead and hind-head with sea-green, the chin with a 
black patch narrowing to run down breaking through the white collar and continuous with 
a broad black ring around neck ; a similar patch around eye, these black areas with various 
lustre. Upper parts at large glossy purplish-blue-black ; wing-coverts white ; secondaries 
violet in their exposed portions, tipped with white, the rest, and the tertials and outer 
scapulars, silvery-white, the inner scapulars violet, striped with white edges ; lining of wings, 
mostly, and axillars, white. Under parts dull chestnut-brown, passing to sooty black on the 
belly and crissum, with an isolated black spot on each side of the breast. The young $ closely 
resembles the 9 • both sexes the bill and feet are of an undefinable dark color in dried 
specimens. 9 differs as in all the eiders : dark reddish-browm, blackening on belly and cris- 
sum, much mottled and barred with black ; no white except on lining of wings and tips of 
greater coverts and of secondaries, these forming two white bars enclosing the imperfect spec- 
ulum. Length 18.00-19.00; wing 8.00-8.50 ; tail 3.50; bill 1.50 along culmen, 1.75 along 
gape ; tarsus 1.25 ; middle toe and claw 2.20. Northern regions of Europe, Asia, and W. 
America ; not yet common in collections, though abounding and sometimes gathering in enor- 
mous flocks on the islands and both shores of Behring's Sea and the Arctic coast of N. E. 
