WILD FOWL. 



RING-NECKED, OR TUFTED DUCK. 



FuUgula Rvfitorques ; Bonap. Tufted Duck, Anas FuUgula , 

 Wils. Ring-necked Duck, Anas (FuUgula) Rujitorques ; Sw. 

 Sf Rick. Ring-necked Duck, FuUgula Rujitorques ; Nutt. Ring- 

 necked Duck, FuUgula Rujitorques ; Aud. 



"Specijic Character. — Head tufted ; bill about two inches long, 

 very high at the base, the ridge at the base unusually broad, at 

 the base margined with a rather broad band of yellowish-green ; 

 a broader band of the same color between the nostrils and the 

 tip ; the remaining part of the bill dark slate-color ; speculum or 

 wing spot bluish-gray. Adult male with the plumage of the 

 head and upper part of the neck black, with purple reflections ; 

 at the base of the lower mandible, a triangular white spot ; the 

 middle of the neck encircled with chestnut ; the upper part of 

 the breast black ; abdomen white, spotted with brown and 

 tinged with yellow ; flanks ash-gray, undulated with lines of 

 white and dusky ; vent and lower part of the abdomen dark- 

 brown, undulated with faint lines of white ; lower tail coverts 

 blackish-brown, tail brown ; upper tail coverts darker ; back 

 blackish-brown ; primaries the same color; scapulars and lesser 

 coverts greenish-black ; outer secondaries, outer webs, light slate 

 color, tipped with white ; inner webs brown, inner secondaries 

 dark-gi-een ; secondary coverts brown. Length eighteen inches, 

 wing seven and three-quarters. 



" Female with a band of white on the forehead ; head and neck 

 brown ; larger portion of the breast and abdomen white ; the 

 sides of the body brown. About two inches shorter than the 

 male. 



" This bird in general markings is not unlike the Scaup Duck, 

 but it can at all times be readily distinguished by the slate- 

 colored markings on the wings. By our gunners generally, it 

 is considered a hybrid, and familiar to them by the name of 

 ' Bastard Broad-bill.' Along the sea-coast it is not very abund- 

 ant ; still a few are observed almost every spring and autumn 



