SPIRIT DUCK. 447 



wounded or hit with shot, they will often dive or conceal 

 themselves with such art, that they seem as though they 

 had voluntarily buried themselves in the water, and probably 

 often remain wholly submerged to the bill, or disappear in 

 the jaws of a pike. 



The length of the Spirit Duck is about 16 inches ; the wing 6 

 inches 8 lines ; the bill above, 1 inch 1 line ; the tarsus 1 inch 4 

 lines. In the male the forehead, region of the bill, nuchal crest, and 

 upper sides of the neck are of a rich duck-green, blending with the 

 resplendent auricula-purple of the top of the head and throat. The 

 broad band from the eye to the top of the occipital crest, lower half 

 of the neck, the shoulders, exterior scapulars, intermediate and 

 greater coverts, outer webs of 5 or C secondaries, flanks, and under 

 plumage to the vent, pure white. Back, long scapulars, and tertia- 

 ries, velvet-black : lesser coverts bordering the wing the same, 

 edged with white. Primaries and their coverts brownish-black. 

 Tail coverts blackish-grey ; tail broccoli-brown. Vent and under 

 tail coverts greyish. Bill bluish-black. Legs yellowish. Nostrils 

 nearer the base of the bill than in the two preceding Clangulas, and 

 the bill also smaller in proportion. Head large, with the upper part 

 of the neck clothed in velvety plumage, rising into a short thick 

 crest. Wings 2^ inches shorter than the tail. 



The fertiale smaller. Head and dorsal plumage dark blackish- 

 brown. The fore part of the back, scapulars, and tertiaries, edged 

 with yellowish-brown. Fore part of the neck, sides of the breast, 

 flanks, and vent feathers, blackish-grey ; breast and belly white, 

 glossed with brownish-orange. The white band on the ears and 

 occiput much narrower than in the male. Lesser coverts and scapu- 

 lars blackish-brown. Bill and feet brownish. Length 14^ inches 

 — The young males resemble the females. Individuals vary much 

 In size. 



