100 FRANK forester's FIELD SPORTS. 



brown. An elliptical patch between the base of the bill and 

 the eye ; lower part of the neck all round, sides of the body- 

 anteriorly, the lower parts generally, the scapulars, excepting 

 their margins, which are black, a large patch on the wing, 

 including many of the smaller coverts, some of the secondary 

 coverts, and six or seven of the secondary quills, are white. 

 The basal parts of the secondary coverts black. Axillar feathers 

 and lower wing-coverts dusky ; the elongated feathers of the 

 sides have the inner, some of them also their outer margins, 

 black ; that color, in those of the innemiost, covering the whole 

 web. The feathers on the legs, and along the sides of the rump, 

 dusky. The tail brownish-gray. 



" Length to the end of tail, 20 inches ; to end of wings, 17| ; 

 to end of claws, 20^ ; extent of wing, 3H ; bill along the ridge, 

 1| — from the angles, 2 ; wing from flexure, 9 ; tail, 4^ ; tarsus, 

 2/0. Weight, 2 lbs. 4^ oz. 



" Adult female : 



" The female is much smaller. Bill dusky ; a portion at the 

 end, not however including the unguis, dull yellowish-oiange 

 Eyes and feet as in the male. Head and upper part of the neck, 

 dull reddish-brown ; lower part of neck and sides of the body, 

 brownish-gray, the feathers margined with pale gray. Wings 

 brownish-black, seven of their coverts, excepting at the bases, 

 white ; the smaller coverts lighter and tipped with grayish white ; 

 the legs and sides of the rump grayish brown. 



" Length to the end of tail, 16 inches ; to end of wings, 15 ; 

 to end of claws, 17{ ; extent of wings, 28. Weight, 1| lbs." — 

 Audubon^ s Birds of America. 



" This Duck is well known in Europe, and in various regions 

 of the United States, both along the seacoast and about the 

 lakes and rivers of the interior. It associates in small parties, 

 and may easily be known by the vigorous whistling of its wings 

 as it passes through the aii\ It swims and dives well, but sel- 

 dom walks on shore, and then in a waddling, awkward man- 

 ner. Feeding chiefly on shell-fish, small fry, &c., their flesh is 



