234 AVES NATATORES. [ANAS. 



A. Boschas, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 835. Common Duck, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet. $ Supp. Common Wild Duck, Selb. Illust. 

 vol. n. p. 305. pis. 50 & 50*. Mallard, Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. 

 p. 325. (Trachea,) Linn. Trans, vol. iv. pi. 13. f. 10. 



DIMENS. Entire length twenty-four inches : length of the bill (from 

 the forehead) two inches three lines, (from the gape) two inches seven 

 lines; of the tarsus one inch eleven lines; of the middle toe, nail included, 

 two inches five lines ; of the tail three inches five lines ; from the carpus 

 to the end of the wing ten inches nine lines : breadth, wings extended, 

 three feet. 



DESCRIPT. (Male.) Head, and upper half of the neck, deep emerald- 

 green, approaching to black on the cheeks and forehead; beneath the 

 green a white collar ; rest of the neck, and breast, dark chestnut ; upper 

 part of the back, wing-coverts, and primary quills, cinereous brown of dif- 

 ferent tints, the first with fine transverse lines of gray ; rump, upper and 

 under tail-coverts, blackish green ; scapulars, flanks, abdomen, and sides 

 of the rump, grayish white, with fine transverse undulating lines of clove- 

 brown ; some of the outer scapulars chestnut, with the transverse lines 

 darker : speculum deep Prussian-blue, with purple and green reflections ; 

 bounded above and below by a double border, the inner one velvet-black, 

 the outer one white : tail grayish brown, all the feathers bordered with 

 white: bill greenish yellow: irides reddish brown: legs orange. (Female.) 

 Smaller : all the upper parts umber-brown, of diiferent shades, the fea- 

 thers edged with pale reddish brown: head and neck with dusky streaks; 

 throat whitish ; breast and under parts yellowish gray, obscurely spotted 

 and streaked with brown : speculum as in the male : four central tail- 

 feathers straight : bill greenish gray. The young males, till after the 

 Jirst moult, resemble the females. (Egg.) Smooth ; greenish white : long, 

 diam. two inches three lines and a half ; trans, diam. one inch seven lines. 



A common species in most parts of the country during the winter 

 months, some few remaining to breed. Frequents lakes, marshes, and 

 rivers. Nest generally placed on the ground amongst aquatic herbage ; 

 sometimes in trees. Eggs ten or twelve in number. The young are called 

 Flappers. Food, insects, slugs, grain, and aquatic vegetables. Obs. The 

 Domestic Duck derives its origin from this species. 



* (19.) A. adunca, Linn. (Hook-billed Duck.) Lath. Syn. vol. HI. 

 p. 495. Don. Brit. Birds, vol. ix. pi. 218. 



Differs from the Common Mallard in the bill being broader, longer, and 

 inclined more downwards at the tip. In other respects similar. It does 

 not seem to be satisfactorily determined, whether it be a peculiar species, 

 or only a variety of that last described ; probably, however, the latter. Not 

 uncommon in the domestic state. 



243. A. Querquedula, Linn. (Garganey.) Crown, 

 occiput, and list on the nape, dark brown ; a white stripe 

 from the eye down each side of the neck : speculum 

 grayish green. 



A. Querquedula, Temm. Man. d'Orn. torn. n. p. 844. Garganey, 

 Mont. Orn. Diet, fy Supp. Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 372. 

 Garganey Teal, Selb. Illust. vol. n. p. 318. pi. 53. (Trachea,) 

 Linn. Trans, vol. iv. pi. 13. f. 2, & 3, 



