SURF DUCK. 
51 
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 cfr 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 perspicillata, 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, 33J. 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 soft, 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. Body 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 
