KING DUCK, 213 



those seas. On our late voyages comparatively few were ob- 

 tained, although seen in very great numbers. They do not 

 retire far to the south during the winter, but assemble in 

 large flocks ; the males by themselves, and the females, 

 with their young brood, are often met with in the Atlantic 

 Ocean, far distant from any land, where the numerous crus- 

 taceous and other marine animals afford them abundance of 

 food." 



The adult male has the beak reddish-orange, bounded with 

 a black line ; the irides yellow ; cheeks white, tinged with 

 green ; top of the head and the occiput bluish-grey ; lower 

 part of neck behind, the upper part of the back, and the sca- 

 pulars white ; lower part of the back, the rump, and upper 

 tail-coverts black ; the point of the wing black ; wing-coverts 

 white ; all the wing and tail-feathers nearly black ; the pri- 

 maries tinged with red on the inner web ; the ends of the 

 elongated scapulars and tertials fall in curves over the wings ; 

 under the chin a streak of black ; front of neck and breast 

 white, the latter tinged with buff; the lower part of the 

 breast, the belly, and all the under surface black, except a 

 patch on the flank, which is white ; legs, toes, and mem- 

 branes orange-red. 



The whole length twenty-four inches. From the carpal 

 joint to the end of the longest quill-feather eleven inches and 

 a half. 



The female has the beak greenish-brown, and the whole of 

 the plumage of two shades of brown ; the darker colour occu- 

 pying the centre of each feather ; the brown on the head and 

 neck rather lighter in colour than the other parts of the 

 body. 



Young males at first resemble the females ; at a later 

 period one described by Dr. Richardson had the head and 

 neck dusky yellowish-grey, crowded with black spots ; upper 



