58 BRITISH BIRDS 



The Tufte.d Duck. 



This Duck is most frequently met with here in winter, 

 though it sometimes breeds in sequestered spots. It is a 

 stoutly built bird, and about i foot 5 inches in length. 

 It wears a crest of long narrow black feathers with greenish 

 reflections, which make its head look rather out of proportion 

 with the rest of the body; the general colour is blackish 



■^/ 



# 



^"^ 



'■,'.)""- 



Tufted Ducks, 



brown with a metallic lustre, a white bar crosses the wing, 

 and the belly and under parts are white. In the summer 

 the plumage assumes a generally browner shade, which is 

 always the colour of the female. 



The Wigeon. 



This is a handsome Duck with a pale buff head, brown 

 face, light rufous brown breast, canvas back and sides, 

 white lesser wing-coverts, glittering green greater wing- 

 coverts, and blackish-grey primaries. The under parts 



