SPECIES 21. ANAS FUL1GULA.* 



TUFTED DUCK. 

 [Plate LX VII. Fig. 5.] 



Arct. Zool p. 575. Le petit Morillon, BRISS. vi, 41 1. 26. pi. 37. 

 1. BUFF, ix, p. 227. 231. pi. 15. LATH. Syn. in, p. 540. 

 PEALE'S Museum, JVb. 2904. 



THIS is an inhabitant of both continents; it frequents fresh 

 water rivers, and seldom visits the seashore. It is a plump, 

 short bodied Duck; its flesh generally tender, and well tasted. 

 They are much rarer than most of our other species, and are sel- 

 dom seen in market. They are most common about the begin- 

 ning of winter, and early in the spring. Being birds of passage 

 they leave us entirely during the summer. 



The Tufted Duck is seventeen inches long, and two feet two 

 inches in extent; the bill is broad and of a dusky colour, some- 

 times marked round the nostrils and sides with light blue; head 

 crested, or tufted, as its name expresses, and of a black colour, 

 with reflections of purple; neck marked near its middle by a 

 band of deep chestnut; lower part of the neck black, which 

 spreads quite round to the back; back and scapulars black, minute- 

 ly powdered with particles of white, not to be observed but on 

 a near inspection ; rump and vent also black; wings ashy brown; 

 secondaries pale ash or bluish white; tertials black, reflecting 

 green, lower part of the breast and whole belly white; flanks 

 crossed with fine zigzag lines of dusky; tail short, rounded, 

 and of a dull brownish black; legs and feet greenish ash, webs 

 black, irides rich orange; stomach filled with gravel and some 

 vegetable food. 



* Anns ruftiorques, BOXAPAIITK, Journal of the Academy of JValvral Sciences of 

 Philadelphia, TIT, p. 385? pi. 13. fig. 6, tht trachea. 



