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"Stilt. Long-shanks. Lawyer. Adult. Mantle, constituted by the interscapulars, scapulars, and wings (above and below) glossy-black, prolonged up the back of the neck and on to[ and sides of head, embracing the eyes. A spot over and behind eye, one on under eyelid, forehead to opposite eyes, sides of head below eyes, sides of neck and entire under parts, together with the lower back, rump, and, upper tail-coverts, white; tail pearl-gray. In life the long black wings fold entirely over the white upper parts and tail, so that the bird looks entirely black above. Bill black; eyes and legs carmine, latter drying yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black-necked Stilt

"Stilt. Long-shanks. Lawyer. Adult. Mantle, constituted by the interscapulars, scapulars, and wings…

"Steganopus wilsoni. Wilson's Phalarope. Bill and feet black. Crown of head pale ash, passing into white along a narrow stripe in the nape. A narrow, distinct, pure white line over the eye. Sides of neck intense purplish-chestnut, or dark wine-red; anteriorly deepening upon the auriculars into velvety-black; posteriorly continued, somewhat duller in tint, as a stripe along each side of the back to the tips of the scapulars. Other upper parts pearly-ash, blanching on the rump and upper tail-coverts. Wings pale grayish-brown; coverts slightly white-tipped; primaries dusky-brown, their shafts brownish-white, except at tip. Tail marbled with pearly-gray and white. All the under parts pure white, but the fore part and sides of the breast washed with pale chestnut-brown, as if with a weak solution of the rich color on the neck, and a faint tinge of the same along the sides of the body to the flanks. Bill and feet black. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wilson's Phalarope

"Steganopus wilsoni. Wilson's Phalarope. Bill and feet black. Crown of head pale ash, passing into white…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Wilson's Snipe

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wilson's Snipe

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray, and russet; below, pale warm brown of variable shade, not barred. A dark stripe from bill to eye. Crown from opposite eye with black and light bars; along the inner edges of the wings a bluish-ashy stripe; lining of wings rust-brown; quills plain fuscous; tail black, spotted, and tipped; bill brownish flesh-color, dusky at end; feet pale reddish flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Probing American Woodcock

"Philohela minor. Woodcock. Bog-sucker. Colors above harmoniously blended and varied black, brown, gray,…

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter and narrower than the 4th. Wings short and rounded; when folded, the primaries hidden by the coverts and inner quills. Legs short; tibiae feathered to the joint; tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw, scutellate before and behind; toes long and slender, cleft to the base Bill much longer than head, perfectly straight, stout at base, where the ridge rises high, knobbed at end of upper mandible, very deeply grooved nearly all its length, the culmen and line of gonys also furrowed toward end; very soft and sensitive; gape very short and narrow. Head large; neck short; ear under the eye, which is very full, set in back upper corner of the head. Sexes alike; Female largest." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Woodcock Head

"Philohela. American Woodcock. First three primaries emarginate, attenuate and falcate, abruptly shorter…

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a pale ochrey middle stripe. upper parts brownish-black, varied with bright bay and tawny, the scapular feathers smoothly and evenly edged with tawny or whitish, forming two lengthwise stripes on each side when the wings are folded. Quills and greater coverts blackish-brown, usually with white tips, and outer web of first primary usually white. Lining of wings and axillars white, fully and regularly barred with black. Rump black, the feathers with white tips. Upper tail-coverts tawny with numerous black bars, and tail-feathers black basally, then bright chestnut, with a narrow subterminal black bar, their tips fading to whitish; some of the lateral ones white, with little rufous tinge and several instead of one black nearly white; sides of body shaded with brown, and with numerous regular dusky bars throughout; crissum more or less rufous, with numerous dusky bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Family of Snipes

"Gallinago wilsoni. American Snipe. Wilson's Snipe. "English" Snipe. Jack-Snipe. Crown black, with a…

"Macrorhamphus griseus. Red-breasted Snipe. Gray Snipe. Brown-back. Dowitcher. In summer:Under parts rich rust-red, paler or whitish on the belly; jugulum, breast, and sides fully speckled with dusky. Axillars and lining of wings white, with angular dusky markings. Wing-quills fuscous, the shaft of the 1st primary white, of the others brown; secondaries conspicuously tipped with white. Above, black, varied everywhere with reddish color of the under parts, and on the back and scapulars with white ; the rump snowy-white, unmarked, very conspicuous in flight. Tail and its upper coverts black, closely barred with white or rufous. A dusky line from bill to eye. Bill and feet greenish-black. In winter: Dark gray above, supercilliary line and spot on under eye-lid white; below, white, the jugulum, fore-breast, and sides heavily shaded with gray, leaving chin whitish; the flanks and crissum with wavy dusky spots or bars." Elliot Coues, 1884

Red-breasted Snipe Head

"Macrorhamphus griseus. Red-breasted Snipe. Gray Snipe. Brown-back. Dowitcher. In summer:Under parts…

"Micropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. In summer: blackish, each feather edged and tipped with white and tawny or bay, which on the scapulars becomes scalloped. Auriculars chestnut; a dusky line from bill to eye, and a light reddish superciliary one; upper tail-coverts white with dusky bars. Primaries dusky with blackish tips; tail-feathers 12 ashy-gray, their edges and a central field white; under parts mixed reddish, black, and whitish, in streaks on the jugulum, elsewhere in bars; bill and feet greenish-black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Stilt Sandpiper

"Micropalama himantopus. Stilt Sandpiper. In summer: blackish, each feather edged and tipped with white…

"The post-oral arches of the house martin, at middle of period of incubation, lateral view, X14 diameters. mk, stumpof meckelian or mandibular rod, its articular part, ar already shapen; q, quadrate bone, or suspensorium of lower jaw, with a free anterior orbital process and long posterior otic process articulating with the ear-capsule, of which teo, tympanic wing of occipital, is a part; mst, est, sst, ist, sth, parts of suspensorium of the third post-oral arch, not completed to chy; mst, medio-stapedial, tp come away from teo, bringing a piece with it, the true stapes or columella auris; the oval base of the stapes fitting into the future fenestra ovalis, or oval window looking into the cochlea; sst, supra-stapedial; est, extra-stapedial; ist, infra-stapedial, which will unite with sth, the stylo-hyal; chy and bhym cerato-hyal and basi-hyal, distal parts of the same arch; bbr, br 1, br2, basi-branchial, epi-branchial and cerato-branchial pieces of the third arch, composing the rest of the hyoid bone; tg, tongue." Elliot Coues, 1884

House Martin Skull

"The post-oral arches of the house martin, at middle of period of incubation, lateral view, X14 diameters.…

"Skull of chick, second stage, in profile, brain and membranes removed to show cartilaginous formations, X4 diameters. eth, ethmoid, forming median nose-parts and inter-orbital septum; developing lateral parts, as ale, aliethmoid, als, aliseptum, aln, alinasal, pp, partition between nose and eye; pn, prenasal cartilage; ps, presphenoidal part of midethmoid; 2, optic foramen; as, alisphenoid, walling brain-box in front; pf, post-frontal, bounding orbit behind; pa, pg, palatine and pterygoid; q, quadrate; so, supra-occipital; eo, ex-occipital; oc, occipital condyle, borne upon basi-occipital, and showing nc, remains of notochord; these occipital bound the foramen magnum, and eo expands laterally to form a tympanic wing, circumscribing the external auditory orifice behind and below; hsc, psc, horizontal and posterior vertical semicircular canals of ear; fr, st, fenestra rotunda and fenestra ovalis, leading into inner ear, latter closed by foot of the stapes; mk, ch, bh, bbr, cbr, ebr, parts of jaw and tongue." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Skull of a Chick Stage Two

"Skull of chick, second stage, in profile, brain and membranes removed to show cartilaginous formations,…

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running behind into the septum nasi; on each side of it the premaxillary, px, of which the (inner) palatal and (outer) dentary processes are seen (the upper nasal process hidden); mx, the maxillary, developing inner process, the maxillo-palatine, mxp; pa, the palatal, well-formed, articulating behind with rbs, the sphenoidal rostrum, its thickened under border, the parasphenoid; this will bear the vomer at its end when that bone is developed; j, jugal, joining mx and qj, the quadrato-jugal, joining j and q, the quadrate; mx to q, the jugal bar or zygoma; pg, the pterygoid, making with pa the pterygo-palatine bar, joining q and px; bt, the basitemporal, great mat of bone from ear to ear, underflooring the skull proper, as rbs, a similar formation, does further forward; ic, outer end of carotid canal, to run between the bt plate and true floor of skull, and enter brain cavity at original site of pituitary fossa; ty, tympanic cavity - external opening of ear; as, alisphenoid, bounding much of brain-box anteriorly, and orbital cavity posteriorly; psc, posterior semicircular canal of ear, in opisthotic bone, which will unite with the spreading eo, exoccipital, which will reach the cobdyle shown in the middle line, above the foramen magnum, fm, completed above by so, supra-occipital; 8, foramen lacerum posterius, exit of pneumogastric, glosso-pharyngeal and spinall accessory nerve; 9, exit of hypoglossal nerve, in basi-occipital." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Skull of a Chick Stage Three

"Skull of chick, third stage, viewed from below, x6 & 2/3 diameters. pn, prenasal cartilage, running…

"Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. Ruddy "Plover". Adult in summer: Entire upper parts and neck all round variegated with black, light ashy and bright reddish; on the back and scapulars each feather having a central black field, and being broadly margined and tipped with ashy or reddish. Under parts white, immaculate. Outer webs an tips of primaries deep brownish-black, inner light ashy. A white spot at base of inner primaries. Secondaries mostly pure white; the outer vanes and part of inner on the latter half dusky. Greater coverts dusky, broadly tipped and narrowly edged with pure white. Rump, upper tail-coverts and central tail-feathers dusky, tipped and narrowly edged with ashy-white; lateral tail=-feathers very light ash, nearly white. Bill and feet black." Elliot Coues, 1884

Sanderling

"Calidris arenaria. Sanderling. Ruddy "Plover". Adult in summer: Entire upper parts and neck all round…

"Limosa fedoa. Great Marbled Godwit. Marlin. Feathers not extending on side of lower mandible to a point far beyond those on upper. no white anywhere; rump, tail, and its coverts barred throughout with blackish and the body-color. Lining of wings chestnut; axillars the same, more or less barred with black. General color rufous or light dull cinnamon-red, uniform and nearly uninterrupted on all the under parts, richer and more chestnut on the lining of the wings and axillars; somewhat marked with dusky on the sides of the breast and body; on the whole upper parts variegated with the brownish-black central field of each feather, the blackish predominating, leaving the rufous chiefly as scallops and tips of the feathers. This rufous very variable in intensity; usually paler on upper than on under parts, and strongest under the wings. Primaries rufous, successively darkening from the last to first, the outer webs and ends of the few outer ones blackish, the shaft of the first white. Bill livid flesh-colored, blackish on about terminal third; legs ashy-blackish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Marbled Godwit

"Limosa fedoa. Great Marbled Godwit. Marlin. Feathers not extending on side of lower mandible to a point…

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly speckled to greater or less extent with blackish; this sometimes giving the prevailing tone, but in lighter colored cases the blackish restricted to an irregular central field on each feather, throwing out angular processes and tending to become traverse bars. When such dark fields prevail, the upper parts become quite blackish, speckled with ashy-white, like Totanus melanoleucus, for example. Furthermore, there is often a slight rufescence. Under parts white, sometimes with a rufous or brownish tinge, the jugulum and breast spotted and streaked, the sides barred or arrow-headed, with brownish-black. Axillars and lining of wing, edge of wing and primary coverts, sooty-blackish. Primaries blackish, with a great space white at base, partly overlaid and concealed by the primary coverts, partly showing conspicuously as a speculum; shafts white along this space. Most secondaries white most upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones dark like rump, the longer ones barred like tail. Tail ashy, incompletely barred with blackish; lateral feathers pale, or marbled with white. Bill dark; legs bluish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Willet Head

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly…

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly speckled to greater or less extent with blackish; this sometimes giving the prevailing tone, but in lighter colored cases the blackish restricted to an irregular central field on each feather, throwing out angular processes and tending to become traverse bars. When such dark fields prevail, the upper parts become quite blackish, speckled with ashy-white, like Totanus melanoleucus, for example. Furthermore, there is often a slight rufescence. Under parts white, sometimes with a rufous or brownish tinge, the jugulum and breast spotted and streaked, the sides barred or arrow-headed, with brownish-black. Axillars and lining of wing, edge of wing and primary coverts, sooty-blackish. Primaries blackish, with a great space white at base, partly overlaid and concealed by the primary coverts, partly showing conspicuously as a speculum; shafts white along this space. Most secondaries white most upper tail-coverts white, the shorter ones dark like rump, the longer ones barred like tail. Tail ashy, incompletely barred with blackish; lateral feathers pale, or marbled with white. Bill dark; legs bluish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Willets

"Symphemia semipalmata. Semipalmated Tattler. Willet. Adult in summer: Upper parts ashy, confoundedly…

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill straight or slightly inclined upwards, not with regular curve, but as if bent near the middle, black or greenish-black. Legs very long and slender, chrome-yellow. Above, blackish, more or less ashy according to season, everywhere speckled with whitish, in a series on indentations along edge of each feather; the markings spottle on the back and wings, streaky on the head and neck. A slight white superciliary line. Upper tail-coverts mostly white. Under parts white, the jugulum and fore-breast streaked, the sides and flanks, lining of wings and axillars barred and arrow-headed with the color of the back. Tail like back,with numerous white bars, generally broken on the middle feathers. Primaries blackish, with black shafts, mostly with white tips; secondaries and their coverts the same, but their edges marbled, spotted, or broken-barred with white. The seasonal changes of plumage are inconsiderable, consisting chiefly in the tone of the upper parts, more blackish and white in summer, more gray and ashy in winter and in the young; and in the emphasis of the dark markings of the under parts." Elliot Coues, 1884

Greater Yello-shanks

"Totanus melanoleucus. Greater Tell-tale. Greater Yellow-shanks. Long-legged Tattler. Stone-snipe. Bill…

"Rhyacophilus solitarius. Solitary Tattler. American Green Sandpiper. Solitary Sandpiper. Above, dark lustrous olive-brown, streaked on the head and neck, elsewhere finely speckled, with white; no continuous white on rump or upper tail-coverts. Below, white; the jugulum and sides of neck shaded with brownish and streaked with dusky; sides, axillars, and `lining of wings regularly barred with dusky. Rump and upper tail-coverts like back; tail beautifully and regularly barred throughout with black and white; white prevailing on the outer feathers, where the dark bars may be broken, and white reduced to a series of marginal spots on the middle feathers. Primaries and edge of wing blackish, unmarked; secondaries like back, mostly unmarked, the inner ones gradually gaining white spots. Bill blackish; legs dull greenish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Solitary Sandpiper

"Rhyacophilus solitarius. Solitary Tattler. American Green Sandpiper. Solitary Sandpiper. Above, dark…

"Tringoides macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Above, silken ashen-olive (quaker-color- as in our cuckoos) with a coppery lustre, finely varied with blackish, in streaks on head and neck, elsewhere in wavy or otherwise irregular cross-bars. line over eye, and entire under parts, pure white, with numerous sharp circular black spots, larger and more crowded in the female than in the male. Secondaries. and their coverts broadly white-tipped; some white feathers along bend of wing; axillars and lining of wings white, the latter with an oblique dusky bar. Primaries and most of the secondaries brownish-black, with brown shafts and large white basal spaces, concealed in the folded wing, conspicuous in flight. Upper tail-coverts and middle tail-feathers like back; lateral ones successively acquiring white tips; outer with several incomplete white bars. Feet pinkish-white, drying yellowish. Bill flesh-color, black-tipped; sometimes much of culmen dusky; sometimes much of under mandible orange." Elliot Coues, 1884

Spotted Sandpiper

"Tringoides macularius. Spotted Sandpiper. Above, silken ashen-olive (quaker-color- as in our cuckoos)…

"Tryngites rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Above, brownish-black with a greenish gloss, every feather broadly margined with tawny or yellowish-brown, the latter the prevailing tone. Under parts buff or fawn-colored, without markings except a few small blackish spots on sides of breast. Central tail-feathers greenish-brown, blackening at ends; others paler, often rufescent, with white or tawny tips and subterminal black bar; and usually, also, some black marbling or streaking/ Primaries and secondaries ashy-brown blackening at end, the extreme tip white - most of the inner webs of the primaries, and both webs of the secondaries pearly white, speckled and marbled with black. This curious tracery, best seen from below, is diagnostic; though the precise pattern varies interminably. The patch of under coverts at the bases of the primaries have the same character. Axillars white, lining of wings white or rufescent. Iris brown. Bill brownish-black; legs greenish or yellowish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Buff-breasted Sandpiper

"Tryngites rufescens. Buff-breasted Sandpiper. Above, brownish-black with a greenish gloss, every feather…

"Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. Sickle-bill. Plumage very similar to that of the Godwit, Limosa faeda: prevailing tone rufous, of varying intensity in different specimens, usually deepest on the lining of the wings, which are little varied with other color. Primaries varied with rufous. Top of head variegated with blackish and rufous or whitish, without distinct pale median and lateral lines. Upper parts brownish-black, speckled with tawny or cinnamon-brown, each feather having several indentations or broken bars of this color; rufous prevailing on wing-coverts. Tail-feathers and secondaries cinnamon-brown, with pretty regular dark bars throughout. Under parts rufous or cinnamon of varying intensity, usually deepening to chestnut under the wings, fading to whitish on throat; the jugulum and fore-breast with dusky streaks which tend on the sides of breast and body to arrowheads or more or less complete bars; lining of wings, axillars, and crissum, mostly unmarked, though some spots may appear. No white on rump, tail, or wings. Bill black, much of under mandible pale-flesh-color or yellowish; legs dark. Little variation in plumage with sex, age, and season. Chicks hatch in whitish down, thickly blotched above with brownish-black; the bill straight, an inch long." Elliot Coues, 1884

long-billed Curlew

"Numenius longirostris. Long-billed Curlew. Sickle-bill. Plumage very similar to that of the Godwit,…

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the under parts, and the variegation of the upper, being whitish or ochraceous. No white on rump, tail, or lining of wings. Top of head uniform blackish-brown, with well-defined whitish median and lateral stripes (as in phaeopus, but neither longirostris nor borealis). Upper parts brownish-black, speckled with whitish, ochraceous or pale cinnamon-brown, in same pattern as in longirostris, but the dark in excess of the light colors, and these never strongly rufescent. Tail ashy-brown (not rufous), with numerous narrow blackish bars. Primaries fuscous, marbled or broken-barred with pale color (pattern as in longirostris, tone not strongly rufous). Lining of wings and axillars rufescent, but spotted or barred throughout with dusky. Under parts soiled whitish or somewhat ochraceous, only obscurely rufescent on crissum, if anywhere; the jugulum and fore-breast with dusky streaks which, as in other species, change to arrow-heads or incomplete bars on sides of breast and body. Bill blackish, some part of lower mandible pale; feet dark." Elliot Coues, 1884

Hudsonian Curlew

"Numenius hudsonicus. Hudsonian Curlew Jack Curlew. General tone of coloration scarcely rufous, the…

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle toe and claw. tarsus broadly scutellate in front. No crests or peculiar dorsal plumes; neck-feathers long and loose; plumage blended, spotty and streaky. Neck in part bare behind. Sexes and young alike." Elliot Coues, 1884

Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

"Tantalops loculator. American Wood Stork. Wood Ibis. Colorado Turkey. Plumage white, the wing-quills, primary coverts, alula, and tail, glossy black. The bald head livid bluish and yellowish. Bill dingy yellowish. Legs blue, becoming blackish on the toe, the webs tinged with yellow. Iris dark brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Ibis

"Tantalops loculator. American Wood Stork. Wood Ibis. Colorado Turkey. Plumage white, the wing-quills,…

"Ardea. Great Herons. Of largest size, former well feathered all around. Tibia extensively denuded below. Tarsus longer than middle toe and claw. Outer lateral toe longer than inner. Bill shorter than tarsus, equal to or longer than middle toe and claw. Colors dark and varied, exceptionally white; back without lengthened loosened plumes; scapulars lanceolate, lengthened, but not loosened; lower fore-neck with lengthened feathers; head crested, in breeding season with two long, slender, flowing, occipital plumes. Sexes alike; young similar, but lacking all lengthened feathers." Elliot Coues, 1884

Heron

"Ardea. Great Herons. Of largest size, former well feathered all around. Tibia extensively denuded below.…

"Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors, not dichromatic. Back without peculiar plumes at any season, but scapulars lengthened and lanceolate; an occipital crest, two deciduous feathers of which in the breeding season are long and filamentous; long loose feathers on the lower neck. Adult: Bill yellow, more or less blackened on culmen; lores blue; iris chrome yellow; legs and feet blackish, the soles yellowish. Tibia the edge of wing chestnut-brown. Forehead and middle of crown white; sides of of crown and occipital crest black. Neck pale purplish-gray, with a mixed white, black, and rust throat-line, yielding to white on chin and cheeks. Plumes of lower neck, the breast, and belly, black, more or less interrupted with white streaks on the middle line; crissum white. Upper parts in general slaty-blue; tail the same; long scapular feathers more pearly-gray; wing-quills deepening from this color to the black primaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

Great Blue Heron

"Ardea herodias. Great Blue Heron. Of large size, and varied dark colors, not dichromatic. Back without…

"Nyctiardea grisea naevia. Black-crowned Night Heron. Qua-bird. Squawk. Crown, scapulars and interscapulars very dark glossy green; other upper parts, wings and tail, pale bluish-gray with a lilac or lavender tinge, most decided on the neck. Forehead and throat-line white, shading into the lilaceous of the neck; under parts whitish,tinged with lilac. The long occipital plumes white. Eyes red; lores greenish; bill black; legs yellow; claws brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Night Heron

"Nyctiardea grisea naevia. Black-crowned Night Heron. Qua-bird. Squawk. Crown, scapulars and interscapulars…

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle toe and claw." Elliot Coues, 1884

The Bill of a Bittern

"Botaurus. Bittern. Bill moderately longer than head, shorter than tarsus, which is shorter than middle…

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts singularly freckled with brown of various shades, blackish, tawny, and whitish; neck and under parts ochrey or tawny-white, each feather marked with a brown dark-edged stripe, the throat-line white, with brown streaks. A velvety-black patch on each side of the neck above. Crown dull brown, with buff superciliary stripe. Tail brown. Quills greenish-black, with a glaucous shade, brown-tipped. Iris yellow. Bill on the ridge brownish-black, the rest pale yellowish; a dark brown loral strip. Legs dull yellowish-green; claws brown.

American Bittern

"Botaurus mugitans. American Bittern. Indian Hen. Stake-driver. Bog-Bull. Plumage of the upper parts…

"Parra. Jacanas. Bill plover-like, contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed to end of nasal groove, then convex and decurved; outline of mandibular rami about straight to the gonys, which is ascending; commissure about straight to the decurved end. Nasal grooves along the contracted portion of the bill; nostrils small, elliptical, situate in advance of the base of the bill. Angle of mouth with a leaf-like lobe of skin (rudimentary in our species). Forehead with a large leaf-like lobe of skin, with free lateral and posterior edges, adherent centrally and anteriorly where reaching base of upper mandible. A sharp horny spur on bend o wing Primaries 10, not peculiar in structure; outer 3 about equal and longest, overlaid by the inner quills in the closed wing. Tail very short, with soft rectrices concealed be the coverts. Tibia bare below, and with the tarsus scutellate before and behind, the scutella tending to become confluent in a continuous sheath. All the toes, claws included, longer than tarsus; middle toe alone nearly as long as tarsus; outer toe alone about as long as middle, its claw shorter than that of middle toe; inner toe a little shorter than outer, its claw longer; hind toe only about as long as basal joint of middle toe, but its claw much longer than itself; all the claws slender, about straight, very acute." Elliot Coues, 1884

Parra Jacana

"Parra. Jacanas. Bill plover-like, contracted in continuity, enlarged terminally; with culmen depressed…

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; flanks, axilars and lining of wings, barred with white and blackish; belly whitish; crissum rufescent. Face and central line of throat black, the rest of the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast, more or less intensely slate-gray, the sides of the breast usually also with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Carolina Rail

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with…

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with numerous sharp white streaks and specks; flanks, axilars and lining of wings, barred with white and blackish; belly whitish; crissum rufescent. Face and central line of throat black, the rest of the throat, line over eye, and especially the breast, more or less intensely slate-gray, the sides of the breast usually also with some obsolete whitish barring and speckling." Elliot Coues, 1884

Carolina Rail

"Porzana carolina. Carolina Crake. Common Rail. "ortolan." Above, olive-brown, varied with black, with…

"Rallus longirostris crepitans. Clapper Rail. Salt-water Marsh-hen. Mud-hen. Above, variegated with olive-brown and pale olive-ash, the latter edging the feathers, the variegation dull and blended. Below, pale dull ochrey-brown, whitening on the throat, frequently ashy-shaded on the breast, without decided cinnamon-brown shade. Flanks, axillars, and lining of wings, fuscous-gray, with sharp narrow white bars. Quills and tail plain dark-brown, without chestnut on the coverts. Eyelids and short superciliary line whitish. The general tone is that of a gray bird, without any reddishness." Elliot Coues, 1884

Clapper Rail

"Rallus longirostris crepitans. Clapper Rail. Salt-water Marsh-hen. Mud-hen. Above, variegated with…

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed, the culmen running directly up on the forehead and expanding into a frontal plate of different shape in different species. Nostrils near middle of bill, linear. Feet large and stout; tibia naked below; tarsus moderately compressed, scutellate; toes very long, the outer longer than the inner, with an evident though slight marginal membrane; claws long, slender, little curved, acute. Wings short and rounded, but ample. Tail very short, of 12 weak feathers, with long ample under coverts, as in Rails. Plumage not rich blue." Elliot Coues, 1884

Gallinule

"Gallinula. Gallinules. Water Hens. Mud Hens. Bill not longer than head, stout at base, tapering, compressed,…

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage thick and duck-like, to resist water. feet highly natatorial' toes, including the hinder, lobate, being furnished with large semicircular membranous flaps. The Coots are eminently aquatic birds, swimming with ease, by means of their lobate feet, like phalaropes and grebes; but this ability results from very slight modification of a structure shared by the Rails and Gallinules. There are about ten species, of both hemispheres, distinguished, among other characters, by the size and shape of the frontal shield. That, for instance, is of an exotic species, much larger than that of Fulica americana, and differently shaped. One species is remarkable for having the forehead singularly carunculate; the others closely resemble our common species." Elliott Coues, 1884

Coot Head

"Fulicia. Coot. Bill and frontal plate much as in the Gallinultes. Body depressed; the under plumage…

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the secondaries black. Legs lake-red. Bill black on the terminal part, orange in the middle, the base and bare skin of head yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Flamingo

"Phoinikopteros ruber. American Red Flamingo. Adult: Plumage scarlet, the primaries and most of the…

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris brown. Head and upper neck glossy-green, succeeded by a white ring. Breast purplish-chestnut. Lower back, rump, and tail-coverts glossy-black. Tail-feathers mostly whitish. Under parts from the breast, and scapulars, silvery-gray, finely undulated with dusky; crissum black. Speculum violet, purplish and greenish, framed in black and white tips of the greater coverts, and black terminal border. Feet and wings in the male, Bill blackish, blotched with orange, especially at base, tip and along edges. Entire body-colors with dusky-brown and tawny-brown; the tone paler and in finer pattern on the head, neck, and under parts than on the back." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wild Duck

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris…

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris brown. Head and upper neck glossy-green, succeeded by a white ring. Breast purplish-chestnut. Lower back, rump, and tail-coverts glossy-black. Tail-feathers mostly whitish. Under parts from the breast, and scapulars, silvery-gray, finely undulated with dusky; crissum black. Speculum violet, purplish and greenish, framed in black and white tips of the greater coverts, and black terminal border. Feet and wings in the male, Bill blackish, blotched with orange, especially at base, tip and along edges. Entire body-colors with dusky-brown and tawny-brown; the tone paler and in finer pattern on the head, neck, and under parts than on the back." Elliot Coues, 1884

Mallards

"Anus boscas. Mallard. Wild or Domestic Duck. Green-head. Bill greenish-yellow. Feet orange-red. Iris…

"Cygynus. White Swans. Neck of extreme length. Trachea normally entering sternum. Bill tuberculate or not, the skinny covering in the adults reaching to the eyes; not shorter than head, very high at base, where deeper than wide, broader and flattening toward the rounded end; culminal ridge at base about horizontal, very broad and flat or even excavated, the sides of the bill there nearly vertical. Nostrils near middle of bill, high up. Leg behind centre of equilibrium when the body is horizontal. Tibia bare below. Tarsus shorter than middle toe and claw, entirely reticulate; toes long, with full webs, the anterior reticulate on top for a distance, then scutellate. Hallux small, elevate, with slight lobe. Wings very long and ample. Tail short, rounded or wedged, of twenty or twenty-four feathers. Size large: adults entirely white, with black bill and feet, former usually in part yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Mute Swan

"Cygynus. White Swans. Neck of extreme length. Trachea normally entering sternum. Bill tuberculate or…

"Cygnus columbianus. Common American Swan. Whistling Swan. Bill with a yellow spot or blotch in front of eye, usually small, sometimes wanting. Bill less lengthened and expanded terminally than in C. buccinator, the nostrils across the middle; the distance from the anterior angle of the eye to the hind edge of the nostril more than thence to the end of the bill. Tail-feathers normally 20." Elliot Coues, 1884

Whistling Swan

"Cygnus columbianus. Common American Swan. Whistling Swan. Bill with a yellow spot or blotch in front…

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelids and chin. Breast ashy-gray, abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Brant Head

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around,…

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelids and chin. Breast ashy-gray, abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Black Brant

"Bernicla nigricans. Black Brant. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around,…

"Philacte canagica. Painted Goose. Emperor Goose. Wavy bluish-gray, with lavender or lilac tinting, and sharp black crescentic mark; head, nape, and tail white, former often washed with amber-yellow; throat black, white-speckled; quills varied with black and white; eye brown; feet flesh-color." Elliot Coues, 1884

Emperor Goose

"Philacte canagica. Painted Goose. Emperor Goose. Wavy bluish-gray, with lavender or lilac tinting,…

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and a little of fore part of body, glossy-black, well defined against the color of the breast; on each side of the neck a small patch of white streaks; frequently also white touches on eyelid and chin. Beast ashy-gray, beginning abruptly from the black, fading on the belly and crissum into white, shaded along the sides of the body; upper parts brownish-gray, the feathers of the dorsal region with paler gray tips; rump darker; upper tail-coverts white. Tail-feathers, wing-quills, and primary-coverts blackish, the inner quills whitish toward base." Elliot Coues, 1884

Common Brant

"Bernicla brenta. Brant Goose. Bill, feet, and claws black; iris brown. Head and neck all around, and…

"Bernicla canadensis. Canada Goose. Common Wild Goose. Tail normally 18-feathered. Bill, feet, head, and neck black; on the chin a broad white patch mounting on sides of head behind eyes, sometimes broken on chin; not extending forward to jaws; white touches usually on eyelids. Upper tail-coverts definitely white; rump blackish; tail-feathers black. General color brownish-gray below, all the feathers with paler gray or whitish edges, those of sides of body usually darker than rest of under parts, the lower belly and crissum definitely white. Iris brown." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canada Goose

"Bernicla canadensis. Canada Goose. Common Wild Goose. Tail normally 18-feathered. Bill, feet, head,…

"Dafila. Pin-tail Ducks. Tail (in adult male) narrow, cuneate, when fully developed nearly as long as wing, the 2 central feathers long-exserted, linear-acute: in female and young the tail merely tapering, with acute feathers; tail-feathers 16, including the long middle pair. Bill shorter than head, longer than tarsus, nearly parallel sided, widening a little to the end, the nail small, the narrow nostrils high up in basal third of bill. Feathers of cheeks sweeping in strongly convex outline along side of upper mandible, beyond those on side of lower mandible. Wing acute, the 1st and 2d primaries subequal and longest, rest rapidly graduated. Neck unusually long and slender, and form less "stocky" than that of most ducks. Sexes and young very unlike in color, even to the wing-markings, as well as in shape of tail. Bill and feet dark. Under parts white or whitish." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pin-tail Duck Head

"Dafila. Pin-tail Ducks. Tail (in adult male) narrow, cuneate, when fully developed nearly as long as…

"Dafila acuta. Pin-tail Duck. Sprig-tail. Bill black, with grayish-blue edge of upper mandible; feet grayish-blue; claws black; iris brown. Head and neck above rich dark brown, glossed with green and purple; side of neck with a long white stripe running up from the white under parts; back of neck with a black stripe passing below into the gray color of the back; the lower fore-neck, breast, and under parts usually, white, the sides finely waved with black, the crissum black, white-bordered. Fore back finely waved with narrow bars of black and white or whitish; the scapulars and long tertiaries firmly striped lengthwise with velvety-black and silvery-gray. Lesser wing-coverts plain gray; greater tipped with reddish-buff, framing the speculum anteriorly; this is of coppery-or purplish-violet iridescence, framed posteriorly with black sub-tips and white tips of the secondaries, internally with silvery and black stripes. Tail-feathers gray, the long central ones blackish; sides and roots of tail varied with blackish and buff. It is thus a very handsome duck in full plumage, aside from the trim and clipper-like build." Elliot Coues, 1884

Pin-tail Ducks

"Dafila acuta. Pin-tail Duck. Sprig-tail. Bill black, with grayish-blue edge of upper mandible; feet…

"Mareca americana. American Wigeon. Bald-pate. Bill grayish-blue, with black tip and extreme base; feet similar, duller, with dusky webs and claws; iris brown. Top of head white, or nearly so; sides the same, or more buffy, speckled with dusky-green, purer green forming a broad patch from and below eye to hind head; chin dusky. Fore neck and breast light brownish-red, or very pale purplish-cinnamon, each feather with paler grayish edge; along the sides of the body the same, finely waved with dusky; the breast and belly pure white, the crissum abruptly black. Lower hind neck and fore back and scapulars finely waved with the same reddish color and with dusky; lower back and rump similarly waved with dusky and whitish. Lesser wing-coverts plain gray; middle and greater coverts pure white, forming a large area, the greater black-tipped, forming the fore border of the speculum, which is glossy green, bordered behind by velvety black, internally by the black and white stripes on the inner secondaries. Tail brownish-gray, the lateral upper coverts black; axillary feathers white. Only old drakes have the crown immaculate white, the chin dusky, the auricular definitely green; generally the whole head and upper neck are pale brownish-yellow or reddish-white, speckled with greenish-Dusky." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Wigeon

"Mareca americana. American Wigeon. Bald-pate. Bill grayish-blue, with black tip and extreme base; feet…

"Querquedula (N.) carolinensis. American Green-winged Teal. Bill black; feet bluish-gray: iris brown. A white crescent in front of wing. Head and upper neck rich chestnut, blackening on chin, with a glossy green patch behind each eye blackening on its lower border and on the nape where it meets its fellow among the lengthened feathers of the parts, bordered below by a more or less evident whitish line, which may often be traced to the angle of the mouth. Upper parts and flanks waved with narrow black bars on a whitish ground. Under parts white, becoming, becoming buff or fawn-colored on breast, nebulated with gray, on the breast with numerous sharp circular black spots; fore neck and sides of breast waved like the upper parts. Crissum black, with a buff or creamy patch on each side. Primaries and wing-coverts leaden gray; speculum velvety purplish-black on outer half, the inner half rich green; bordered in front with chestnut, fawn or whitish tips of the greater coverts, behind by white tips of secondaries, interiorly with purplish-black stripes on the outer webs of the lengthened secondaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

American Green-winged Teal

"Querquedula (N.) carolinensis. American Green-winged Teal. Bill black; feet bluish-gray: iris brown.…

"Spatula clypeata. Shoveller Duck. Broad-bill. Bill blackish; iris orange-red: feet vermilion-red. Head and neck dark glossy green. Lower neck and fore breast pure white. Abdomen purplish-chestnut. Wing-coverts sky-blue; speculum rich green, set between white tips of greater coverts, and black subtips and white tips of secondaries; inner secondaries greenish-black, with long white stripe; long scapulars blue on outer webs, striped with white and greenish-black on inner; short anterior scapulars white. Rump and upper and under tail-coverts black; a white patch on each side at root of tail." Elliot Coues, 1884

Northern Shoveler

"Spatula clypeata. Shoveller Duck. Broad-bill. Bill blackish; iris orange-red: feet vermilion-red. Head…

"Aix sponsa. Wood Duck. Summer Duck. "The Bride." Adult Male: Bill pinkish-white, with lake-red base, black ridge, tip, and under mandible; iris and edges of eyelids red; feet orange, with black claws. Upper part of the head, including crest, glistening green and purple; a narrow white line over eye from bill to occiput, and another behind eye to nape, these white lines mixing in the crest. A broad white patch on the throat, forking behind, one branch mounting head behind eye, the other passing to side of neck. Sides and front of lower neck and fore breast rich purplish-chestnut, prettily marked with several chain of angular white spots. A large white black-edged crescent of enlarged feathers in front of the wing. Under parts pure white, the sides yellowish-gray vermiculated with black and white wavy bars; the enlarged flank-feathers broadly rayed with black and white; the lining of the wings white barred with grayish-brown, of which color is the crissum. Upper parts generally lustrous with bronzy-green and purple; scapulars and inner secondaries velvet-black, glassed with purple and green; a green speculum, succeeded by white tips of the secondaries; primaries frosted on outer webs near end. Adult female: Little or no crest, but lengthened feathers on nape; no enlargement or special colorings of feathers about the wings. Bill dusky: feet yellowish-dusky. Head and neck gray, darker on crown, the chin and parts about bill and eyes white. Fore neck, breast and sides of body yellowish-brown, mottled with dark gray, the breast spotted with brown, the belly white. Upper parts dark brown with considerable gloss; wings as in the male, but the velvety-black reduced." Elliot Coues, 1884

Wood Duck

"Aix sponsa. Wood Duck. Summer Duck. "The Bride." Adult Male: Bill pinkish-white, with lake-red base,…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-back Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Canvas-backs Head

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and narrow throughout or scarcely widened toward end, sloping gradually up to the top of the head in line with the sweep of the forehead, altogether somewhat like a goose's in shape; decidedly longer than head, 2 &1/2 inches to nearly or quite 3 in length, measured along the culmen; the nostrils reaching the middle of the bill, their fore end half-way from the upper corner to end of bill. Bill not blue, black-belted, but blackish throughout. Eyes red. Feet grayish-blue. Head and upper neck not coppery brownish-red, but dark reddish-brown, further much obscured with dusky or quite blackish about the bill and on top. Ground color of back white, very finely vermiculated with zigzag blackish bars much narrower than the intervening spaces, and tending to break up, or mostly broken up, into little chains or dots across the feathers; the resulting silvery-gray tone consequently several shades lighter than in the red-head." Elliot Coues, 1884

Canvas-backs

"Fuligula vallisneria. Canvas-back. Adult male: The head close-feathered. Bill high at the base and…

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy, though forming no crest. Bill broad and flattened, a little widened toward end, running into the forehead which arches abruptly over and away from it, not rising gradually into line with forehead; shorter or not longer than head, 2 inches or less in length along culmen, the nostrils within its basal half; the forward end of nostril about 2/5 the way from upper corner to end of bill. Bill dull blue with a black belt at the end. Iris orange. Feet dull grayish-blue, with dusky webs and black claws. Head and neck all around rich pure chestnut, not obscured with dusky-brown, but with bronzy or coppery red reflections. Lower neck and fore parts of body above and below, with rump and tail-coverts above and below, blackish. Back mixed whitish and blackish in about equal amounts, the dark wavy lines distinct and unbroken. Sides of the body under the wings vermiculated much like the back, the undulations subsiding in the grayish-white of the middle under parts. Wing-coverts ashy-gray, minutely dotted with white; speculum hoary-ash, bordered internally with black; lining of wings mostly white. Female: Bill obscured bluish, with black belt near end; iris yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Small Redhead

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy,…

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy, though forming no crest. Bill broad and flattened, a little widened toward end, running into the forehead which arches abruptly over and away from it, not rising gradually into line with forehead; shorter or not longer than head, 2 inches or less in length along culmen, the nostrils within its basal half; the forward end of nostril about 2/5 the way from upper corner to end of bill. Bill dull blue with a black belt at the end. Iris orange. Feet dull grayish-blue, with dusky webs and black claws. Head and neck all around rich pure chestnut, not obscured with dusky-brown, but with bronzy or coppery red reflections. Lower neck and fore parts of body above and below, with rump and tail-coverts above and below, blackish. Back mixed whitish and blackish in about equal amounts, the dark wavy lines distinct and unbroken. Sides of the body under the wings vermiculated much like the back, the undulations subsiding in the grayish-white of the middle under parts. Wing-coverts ashy-gray, minutely dotted with white; speculum hoary-ash, bordered internally with black; lining of wings mostly white. Female: Bill obscured bluish, with black belt near end; iris yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Large Redhead

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy,…

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy, though forming no crest. Bill broad and flattened, a little widened toward end, running into the forehead which arches abruptly over and away from it, not rising gradually into line with forehead; shorter or not longer than head, 2 inches or less in length along culmen, the nostrils within its basal half; the forward end of nostril about 2/5 the way from upper corner to end of bill. Bill dull blue with a black belt at the end. Iris orange. Feet dull grayish-blue, with dusky webs and black claws. Head and neck all around rich pure chestnut, not obscured with dusky-brown, but with bronzy or coppery red reflections. Lower neck and fore parts of body above and below, with rump and tail-coverts above and below, blackish. Back mixed whitish and blackish in about equal amounts, the dark wavy lines distinct and unbroken. Sides of the body under the wings vermiculated much like the back, the undulations subsiding in the grayish-white of the middle under parts. Wing-coverts ashy-gray, minutely dotted with white; speculum hoary-ash, bordered internally with black; lining of wings mostly white. Female: Bill obscured bluish, with black belt near end; iris yellow." Elliot Coues, 1884

Redheads

"Fuligula ferina americana. Red-head. American Pochard. The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy,…

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than before its middle line. Adult male: Head particularly puffy with much lengthened feathers of lateral and and hind parts, splendidly various with purple-violet and green iridescence; a large snowy patch on each side behind eye, blending on nape with its fellow. Bill dull bluish with dusky nail and base. Eyes brown. Feet pale flesh-color, with blackish claws. Upper parts at large black, fading to grayish-white posteriorly. Lower neck all around, under parts at large, scapulars in part, nearly all the wing-coverts, and most of the secondaries, white. Outer scapulars white, edged with black; inner secondaries velvet-black; sides and sometimes across lower belly shaded with dusky; lining of wings mixed dusky and white. Female much smaller than male; head scarcely puffy, but a thin compressed nuchal elongation of the feathers; dusky gray, with trace at least of the white space of the male, and common a white touch under eye. Bill dusky; feet livid bluish-gray, with dusky webs. above at large dusky-gray or blackish, with white speculum on outer webs only five or six secondaries; below white, shaded into dark along sides and across fore-breast and lower belly." Elliot Coues, 1884

Buffleheads

"Clangula albeola. Buffle-head. Butter-ball. spirit-duck. Dipper. Bill with nostrils rather behind than…

"Camptolaemus labradorius. Labrador Duck. Pied Duck. Adult male: Bill black with orange at base and along edges, and grayish-blue along the ridge; iris reddish-brown; feet grayish-blue, with dusky webs and claws. Head and upper neck white, with a longitudinal black stripe on the crown and nape. Neck below ringed with black continuous with that of upper parts, then half-collared with white continuous with that of scapulars. Below, from this white, entirely black, excepting white axillars and lining of wings. Above, black, except as said; the wing-coverts and secondaries white, some of the latter margined with black; some of the long scapulars pearly-gray; primaries and their coverts and tail-feathers brownish-black. Female: Bill, eyes, and tail-feathers brownish-black. Bill, eyes, and feet as in male; several secondaries white, forming a speculum, but no white on wing-coverts or scapulars; axillars and lining of wings mostly white; inner secondaries edged with black; general color dappled brownish-gray, paler and more ashy or plumbeous on wing-coverts and inner secondaries." Elliot Coues, 1884

Labrador Duck

"Camptolaemus labradorius. Labrador Duck. Pied Duck. Adult male: Bill black with orange at base and…