118 BIMACULATED DUCK. 



in his British Zoology, describes this bird, and adds 

 in conclusion, " Taken in a decoy in 1771, and 

 communicated to me by Eward Poore, Esq." Two 

 other specimens were killed near Maiden, in Essex, 

 in the winter of 1812-13; and Mr. Yarrell informs 

 us, that a specimen has been obtained during the 

 last winter (1842-3) in the London market. These 

 are the authorities for the introduction of the bird to 

 the British list, while out of it we have even still less 

 evidence of its occasional occurrence, and nothing 

 whatever on what we might build a conjecture of 

 its habits. " Mr Procter sent me word that he 

 saw this species in Iceland, but could not obtain 

 it," is observed by Mr. Yarrell, but we have no in- 

 formation of the locality or circumstances under 

 which it was seen. It is a beautiful species, and 

 approaches to the pintails in the lengthened neck 

 and its colours, and in the form of the tail more 

 elongated than those we have left, and whethei 

 united or separated, it will stand on the confines 

 of either sub-genus. Mr. Selby s description of the 

 original specimen is as follows : " Bill blackish 

 grey, passing towards the base and edges into orange 

 yellow ; front, crown, and occiput very deep red- 

 dish brown, glossed with purplish black, and pass- 

 ing on the hind part of the neck into deep violet 

 purple. Between the bill and the eyes, and behind 

 the ear-coverts are two large or regular patches of 

 chestnut brown, margined and varied with white ; 

 sides of the neck and cheeks glossy duck-green, the 

 rest of the upper part of the neck and throat being 



