WILD FOWL. 



95 



is black, the rest red, except the lower mandible, which is of a 

 pale yellowish-white ; both are edged with black, and deeply- 

 toothed ; irides, pale cream ; under the eye is a small spot of" 

 white ; general color of the plumage brownish-black, the sec- 

 ondaries excepted, which are white, forming a broad band 

 across the wing ; there are a few reflections of purple on the 

 upper plumage ; the legs are red on the outside, and deep yel- 

 low, sprinkled with blackish, on the inner sides ; tail short and 

 pointed. 



" The female is very little less than the male ; but differs 

 considerably in its markings. The bill is dusky ; forehead and 

 cheeks white ; under the eye dull brownish ; behind that, a 

 large oval spot of white ; whole upper parts and neck dark 

 brownish-drab; tips of the plumage lighter; secondaries white; 

 wing quills deep-brown ; belly brownish-white ; tail hoary- 

 brown ; the throat is .white, marked with dusky specks; legs 

 and feet yellow. 



" Latham informs us, that this species is sometimes seen on the 

 coast of England, but is not common there; that it inhabits Den- 

 mark and Russia, and in some qarts of Siberia is very common. 

 It is also found at Kamtschatka, where it is said to breed, going 

 far inland to lay ; the eggs are eight or ten, and white ; the 

 males depart, and leave the females to remain with the young 

 until they are able to fly. In the River Ochotska they are so 

 numerous that a party of natives, consisting of fifty or more, go 

 off" in boats, and drive these Ducks up the river before them, 

 and, when the tide ebbs, fall on them at once, and knock them 

 on the head with clubs, killing such numbers that each man has 

 twenty or thirty for his share." 



The mode of shooting this bird as practised on the south side 

 of Long Island, is thus described by Mr. Giraud ; his remark 

 about the error in overloading is perfectly true, and I have 

 alluded to the same vicious habit of using unduly large shot, in 

 my remarks on upland shooting. 



'' When migrating, it flies high, performi^ng its long journey 

 from its breeding place at the North in silence. It arrives 



