KING DUCK. 415 



and moss, lined with the down of the breast in the manner of 

 the Eider. The eggs are 5 or 6 in number, rather less than 

 those of the Goose, and of a whitish color. The flesh is 

 said to be palatable, the gibbous part of the bill being ac- 

 counted a delicacy, and the down, collected by the Green- 

 landers, is esteemed of equal value with that of the prece- 

 ding species. Inhabiting all parts of the hyperboreal re- 

 gions, they are found on the opposite side of America in 

 Siberia and Kamtschatka. 



The length of the male of this species is about 24^ inches; the 

 wing 11^ ; of the bill to the front 1 inch 2 lines : the tarsus 1 inch 

 lOi lines. The height of the frontal plates IJ inches, the breadth 1 

 inch. In the male, the frontlet, circumference of the frontal plates, 

 under eye-lid, edge of the upper one, and two converging bands on 

 the throat, meeting on the chin, rich velvet-black. Top of the head 

 and nape bluish-grey. Cheeks of a shining pistachio-green. Line 

 over the eye extending to the nape, and the breast ochre-yellow. 

 Neck, fore part of the back, most of the lesser wing coverts, and 

 the sides of the rump white. Scapulars, greater coverts, lesser 

 quills, curved tertiaries, rump, tail coverts, and under plumage, ink 

 black. Borders of the wings, greater quills and tail, blackish- 

 brown. Bill vermilion-red, the nail of it strong and vaulted, flesh 

 color ; frontal plates and base of the lower mandible dutch-orange. 

 Legs ochre-yellow. Frontlet, rising from behind the nostrils, nearly 

 perpendicular to the bill, compressed and bounded laterally by 

 two broad, flat, rounded fleshy plates. Nostrils pervious. Wings 

 much shorter than the tail. The bill of the female is shorter than that 

 of the Eider. The young male has the head and neck of a dusky yel- 

 lowish-grey, crowded with blackish spots. The under plumage 

 mostly pitch black, with yellowish-brown edgings. Breast and 

 flanks yellowish-brown, spotted and barred with black. Belly the 

 same color intimately mixed. Bill as in the female. 



