206 ANAS DISCORS. 



with rice, and by the common contrivance called a 

 figure four, they are caught alive in hollow traps. In 

 the month of April they pa>s through I'MUIM Ivania for 

 the north, hut make little stay at that season. I have 

 observed them numerous on the Hudson opposite to 

 the Katskill Mountains. They rarely visit the sea 

 shore. 



This species measures about fourteen inches in length, 

 and twenty-two inches in extent; the bill is Ion;: in 

 proportion* and of a dark dusky slate ; the front and 

 upper part of the head, are black, from the eye to the 

 chin is a large crescent of white, the rest of the head 

 and half the neck are of a dark slate, richly glossed with 

 green and violet, remainder of the neck and breast 

 is black or dusky, thickly marked with semicircles of 

 brownish white, elegantly intersecting each other; 

 belly, pale brown, barred with dusky, in narrow lines ; 

 sides and vent, the same tint, spotted with oval marks 

 of dusky; flanks elegantly waved with large semicin l.-s 

 of pale brown ; sides of the vent pure white ; under tail- 

 coverts, black; back, deep brownish black, each feather 

 waved with large semiovals of brownish white ; lesser 

 wing-coverts, a bright light blue; primaries, <lusky 

 brown ; secondaries, black ; speculum, or beauty spot, 

 rich green ; tertials, edged with black or light blue, and 

 streaked down their middle with white ; the tail, which 

 is pointed, extends two inches beyond the wings ; legs 

 and feet, yellow, the latter very small; the two crescents 

 of white, before the eyes, meet on the throat. 



The female differs in having the head and neck of a 

 dull dusky slate, instead of the rich violet of the male, 

 the hindhead is also whitish. The wavings on the back 

 and lower parts more indistinct ; wing nearly the same 

 in both. 



