155 



THE HARLEQUIN GARROT. 



PLATE VI. 







Anas histrionica, Linn. Canard histrion, Temm. Harlequin 

 Duck, or Carrot of British authors. 



THIS species has been placed here, but in the form 

 of the bill it differs slightly from the true Garrots and 

 approaches to the next genus, Harelda. The colours 

 in this bird are also chiefly black and white con- 

 trasted, but these are harmonized or warmed, as it 

 were, by a mixture of chestnut-red and grey, giving 

 the whole a chaste appearance, though very varied. 

 At the base of the bill, and reaching nearly to the 

 eye, is a large patch of pure white, running off at its 

 upper angle in a narrow line along the sides of the 

 crown ; from the forehead along the centre of the 

 crown and occiput is deep black, bordered on each 

 side by the white line already mentioned, and suc- 

 ceeding that by a continuation of pale reddish-brown, 

 almost meeting at the termination of the central 

 black ; nape and cheeks rich purplish-grey, shading 

 into bluish-black on the fore and lower part of the 

 neck ; behind the auriculars there is an irregular 

 patch, and farther down a lengthened streak of 

 w r hite, having the space between of a deeper black ; 

 the lower part of the neck is terminated by a collar 



