PIED DUCK. 429 



The length of the Labrador Duck is about 20 inches. In the mold 

 the base of the bill, and the edges of the mandibles for two thirds of 

 their length, are pale orange ; the rest black ; towards the extremity 

 it widens, and the sides consist merely of a soft, loose and pen- 

 dulous skin. Irids dark hazel. Head and half of the neck, white, 

 marked along the crown as far as the nape with a stripe of black; 

 the plumage of the cheeks bristly. A black collar round the neck, 

 the same color continuing over the back, rump, and tail coverts ; 

 below this color the upper part of the breast is white, extending 

 itself over the whole scapulars, wing coverts, and secondaries. The 

 primaries, lower part of the breast, belly, and vent, black. The tail 

 pointed, and of a blackish hoary color. Anterior part of the legs, 

 and ridges of the toes, pale whitish-ash, hind part of the same, 

 sprinkled with blackish ; the webs black : the edges of both mandibles 

 pectinated. In young birds, the white plumage is usually tinged 

 with yellowish. 



The female is about 19 inches in length. The bill as in the male. 

 The sides of the front white; head, chin, and neck, ashy -grey; 

 upper part of the back and wings brownish-slate. Secondaries only 

 white ; tertials hoary. Below dull ash, skirted with brownish-white. 

 Legs and feet as in the male. The bill in both is marked posterior 

 to the nostrils with a heart-shaped outline, 



