497 

 THE BIMACULATED DUCK. 



ANAS GLOCITANS. 



Two central tail-feathers elongated and pointed, black; head deep reddish 

 brown, passing into purple ; before and behind the eyes an irregular patcli 

 of chestnut-brown ; back and flanks undulated with black ; speculum dark 

 green glossed with purple ; under plumage yellowish white, with undulating 

 black lines ; bill blackish grey, orange at the base ; feet pale orange. Length 

 sixteen inches. 



An exceedingly rare species, of which only four or five 

 examj)les have been obtained in this country, and of which 

 little is known. 



THE WILD DUCK. 



ANAS BOSCHAS. 



Head and neck dark green ; at the base of the neck a white collar; upper parts 

 marked with fine zigzag lines of ash-brown and grey ; breast chestnut ; lower 

 parts greyish wliite, marked with fine zigzag ash-brown lines ; speculum dark 

 blue with purple and green reflections, bordered above and below with black 

 and white ; four middle feathers of the tail curled upwards ; bill greenish 

 yellow ; irides red-brown ; feet orange. Length twenty-four inches. Female 

 smaller ; plumage mottled with various shades of brown and grey ; throat 

 whitish; speculum as in the male; all the tail-feathers straight. Eggs 

 greenish white. 



Its size, abundance, and value as an article of food, 

 have given to the Wild Duck an importance which belongs 

 to few other British birds ; and the modes of capturing it 

 are so varied and interesting that they are often to be met 

 with described in works not exclusively devoted to natural 

 history. Eor this reason I shall in great measure confine 

 my notice of this bird to such particulars in its history as 

 the reader may probably have an opportunity of verifying 

 by his own observation in the course of his rambles among 

 places which it habitually frequents. 



The term "Wild Duck," properly applicable to the 

 female bird only (" Mallard " being the distinctive name 

 of the male), is generally employed to include both sexes. 

 The difference in the plumage of the two is very great, as, 



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