110 



THE DUSKY DUCK. 



NATURAL HISTORY OF VERMONT. 



THE BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 



Part I. 



THE GOOSANDER, 



e-xpertness. Wild ducks feed upon fish, 

 aquatic insects and plants; and they Hy in 

 the form of the lettiM- >■ , with the meet- 

 ing of the two lines directed forward. 



THE DUSKY DUCK. 

 ^nas ohscura. — Gmel. 



Description. — Upper part of the head 

 deep dusky-brown, with small streaks of 

 drab on the fore part ; the rest of the head 

 and o-reater part of the neck dull yellow- 

 ish-white, each feather marked down the 

 centre with a line of blackish-brown ; in- 

 ferior part of the neck and whole lower 

 parts dusky, the feathers edged more or 

 less broadly with brownish white ; upper 

 parts the same, but deeper; speculum 

 blue, with green and amethyst-red reflec- 

 tions ; wings and tail dusky; the tail 

 feathers sharp pointed ; bill greenish ash ; 

 leers and feet dusky yellow ;/f'wi«/c brown- 

 er!' Length 24, spread 3^. — jXutl. 



Histoky. — This Duck is said to be 

 found only in North America. It is met 

 with throughout the United States and 

 British provinces, from Horida to Labra- 

 dor, and is generally but improperly 

 called the Black Duck. It is found alike 

 alonT the sea coast, in salt marshes, and 

 alono- the fresh water rivers and lakes. 

 They breed in marshes, making their 

 nests of weeds, and laying from 8 to 12 

 eo-crs which are of a dull ivory white and 

 about the size of those of tlie common 

 duck. Tlieir voice, or quack, is also sim- 

 ilar to that of the common duck. 



and the tail liver brown ; sides of the 

 rump and under wing coverts wJiite; un- 

 der plumage reddish-orange, glossed with 

 chestnut on the breast, with blackish 

 spots; bill bluish-black; feet yellow. 

 Female brownish, without the white be- 

 fore the eye and on the rump, and the 

 purple tint on fhe head and nock. Young 

 without the green speculum ; in other re- 

 spects like the female. Length 18 inches. 

 History. — The Blue-Winged Teal in- 

 habits, according to tlie season, all parts 

 of the continent up to the .58th parallel of 

 latitude. It arrives in this state from the 

 south in the latter part of April, and 1 

 have before me a specimen which was 

 shot in Winooski river, at Burlington, 

 about the first of May, 1842. They feed 

 upon insects and vegetables, and are said 

 to be particularly fond of wild rice. They 

 usually become very fat, and their flesh 

 is highly esteemed for food. 



Genus Mergus. — Linnaus. 



Generic Characters. — Bill long, or moder- 

 ate, siraiulu, nearly cylindrical, slender, and 

 broad al ihe base ; the edyes serrated, and tiie 

 teeth subulate, sharp, and inclining backwards ; 

 the upper mandible hooked and furnished with a 

 nail at the tip ; nostrils lateral, open, situated near 

 the middle of the bill ; legs slmri, stroiio, placed 

 far back; three anterior toes wtLbed to their liuints: 

 hind toe articulated high with a broad membrane : 

 wings moderate, acute : Isi and 2d primaries lon- 

 gest : (ail sliort and rounded. Female and youn" 

 ditfer considerably from the male. 



TPIE BLUE-WINGED TEAL. 

 Jlnns discors. — Linn. 

 Description. — Upper surface of the 

 head and under tail coverts brownish 

 black ; a white crescent from the fore- 

 head to the chin bordered with black ; 

 Bides of the head and neck purple ; base 

 of the neck above, back, tertiaries and tail 

 coverts brownish-green ; fore parts mark- 

 ed with semi-ovate pale brown bars; les- 

 ser winff coverts pure pale blue ; specu- 

 lum dark green ; primaries, their coverts 



THE GOOSANDER, OR SHELDRAKE. 

 Mergus merganser. — Linn. 

 Description. — Color of the old mule 

 above nearly black ; head and upper part 

 of the neck greenish black, with reflec- 

 tions; belly white, shaded with rose col- 

 er. Humeral wing coverts blackish ; low- 

 er part of the back and the tail ash; bill 

 red on the sides, but black above and be- 

 low : iris reddish ; legs vermillion. Fe- 

 male, and ynung above light slate or gray- 

 ish ash, shafts of the feathers darker ; sec- 

 ondary wing feathers and their coverts 



