DUCKS. 415 



The bimaculated duck is said to have been once observed 

 in Denmark. 



Fuligula, Bp. Diving Ducks. 



Hind toe furnished with a tolerably large lobe; beak 

 about the length of the head^ as high as it is broad at the 

 root ; nostrils placed in the middle of the beak ; tail with 

 twelve to eighteen stiff feathers ; speculum white or grey, 

 rarely coloured as in the last ; body thicker and shorter than 

 in the other ducks ; head thick, generally with more or less 

 bushy feathers. The winter and summer dress not the 

 same. All breed in fresh water, but, except in the breeding 

 season, are generally in the sea. 



Subgen. 1. Fuligula, Proper. 



Bill as long as the head, broad ; nostrils small, a little 

 before the base ; lamellse not projecting. 



266. FULIGULA CRISTATA, Steph. Vig-gen. The Crested 



Duck. D. F. 



Beak at the root 4J 1. broad ; tarsus 1 in. 3 1. (longer 

 than half the middle toe). The male has a small 

 pointed crest at the back of the head. Length 1 7 in. ; 

 beak 1 in. 7 1. ; tail 2 in. 2 1. Male, head, throat, and 

 breast, glossy black, with a green tint ; belly white ; 

 the rest of the body, except the white speculum, black- 

 ish brown, with a green gloss. Male and female, during 

 the summer moult, have the colours all duller, tinged 

 with grey ; belly tinged with rusty brown ; the crest is 

 shorter. The young may be known by the short crest, 

 the brown-yellow iris (which is bright yellow in the old 

 birds), a white cheek spot, and the general plumage 

 being black or grey-brown. 

 I never could detect this bird breeding even so far south 



as Quickiock, but it does so commonly in Munio Lapland. 



Egg rather smaller than that of the pochard, which it much 



resembles in colour, dark grey-brown. 



