370 FEATHERED GAME 



of its life and habits, and our chance of learn- 

 ing more about them is very slight. It was 

 fully fifty years ago that they were found on 

 our coasts, never in any abundance, for few 

 have been taken at all. 



Audubon's drawings were made from a pair 

 shot by Daniel Webster and by him presented 

 to the naturalist. 



The male bird's head and neck are white, with 

 a broad black line running down over the crown 

 and nape. The lower neck with a black ring 

 encircling it and that connected with the black 

 of the back and upper parts. Below this black 

 collar a broader band of white which nearly 

 meets at the back. Above, entirely black ex- 

 cept the wing coverts, secondaries and scapu- 

 lars, these last pearl gray ; below, wholly black, 

 save the linings of the wings and the axillars, 

 which are white. Primaries and their coverts 

 and the tail feathers brownish black. Bill black, 

 base and edges orange, the ridge blue-gray. 

 Eyes reddish brown ; feet gray with dusky webs 

 and nails. 



The female is a mottled gray and brown duck 

 not much unlike the females of the king eiders, 

 but may be distinguished by her white speculum. 



