THE WINTER DUCK. 



THE LAKE HURON SCOTKB. 

 Fuliyula Mmaculata f Canard d'hiver. 



This curious and interesting duck is -not described in 

 any book of natural history, relating to the birds of the 

 United States of JSTorth America ; nor, so far as I can 

 ascertain, is it mentioned or named in any general or 

 local work of ornithology, unless it may possibly occur 

 in Hichardson's Fauna Ijoreall Americana, which I have 

 not had an opportunity of consulting. 



It certainly is not to be found either in Audubon or 

 Bonaparte, much less in Wilson; nor could the latter 

 be expected to have known it, since in his day the 

 regions which it frequents were scarcely discovered, and 

 at the best visited only by rude frontiersmen and voya- 

 geurs, or coureurs des l)ois, who are not expected to take 

 much note of generic or specific distinctions among the 

 varieties of game, which is regarded by them as little 

 more than food. 



It is quite certain, however, that this fine duck is now 

 at least fully entitled to a place in the Fauna of the 



