I30 ,WATER BIRDS. 



reckons Jtbove twenty. The moft obvious diftinftion between wild and 

 tame ducks is in the colour of their feet; thofe of the tame duck being 

 black, thofe of the wild duck yellow. 



Sea-ducks, which feed in the fait-water, and dive much, have a broad 

 bill, bending upwards, a large hind toe, and a long blunt tail. Pond- 

 ducks, which fetd in plalhes, have a ftraight and narrow bill, a fmail hind 

 toe, and a lliort pointed train. 



In this tribe» we wiy rank, as natives of our ov/n European domi- 

 nions, tht Eider Duck, which is double the fize of a common duck, 

 with a black bill j.the Velvet Duck, not fo large, with a yellow bill ; 

 the Scoter, with a knob at tiic bafeof ayellow bill ; the Tufted Duck, 

 adorned with a thick creft ; the ScAup Duck, lefs than the common 

 duck, bill greyifh blue j the Golden Eye, a large white fpot at the 

 corners of the mouth, refemblins^; an eye; the Sheldrake, the bill a 

 bright red, fwelling into a knob j the Mallard, which is the ftock 

 from whence our tame breed has probably been produced -, the Pintail, 

 the two middle feathers of the tail three inches longer than the reft ; the 

 Pochard, the head and neck bright bay; the Widgeon, bill lead-co- 

 loured, plumage on the back marked with narrow black and white un- 

 dulated lines, but beft known by its whiflling found; the Teal, the 

 fmalleft of this kind, bill black, head and upper part of the neck bright 

 bay. 



The moft noted foreigners of the tribe are, the Mufcovy, or, more 

 properly, the Musk Duck, fo called from a fuppofed mufky fmell; with 

 naked (kin round ihe eyes j native of Africa. The Brasilian Duck, 

 the fizc of a goofe, all black except the tips of the wings. The Ameri- 

 can Wood Duck, with a variety of beautiful colours, and a plume of 

 feathers that falls from the back of the head like a friar's cowl. To thefe 

 might be added many others. 



All thefe live in the manner of our domeftic ducks, keeping in flocks 

 in the winter, and flying in pairs in fummer, bringing up their young by die 

 i^ater-fide, and leading them to their food as foon as out of the fliell. 

 Their neits are uiually buijt among heath or ruihes, not far from the 

 "water; and they lay twelve, fourteen, or more eggs before they fit. Their 

 nefts arefometimes on the tops of trees; generally compofed of the longcft 

 grafs, mixed with heath, and lined with the birds* own feathers. In pro- 

 portion as the climate is colder, the neft is more artificially made, and more 

 warmly lined with a layer of long grafs and clay y within that another of 



nior% 



