44 



would appear to be equally requisite for the ducks to have them also, as their habits are 

 apparently exactly similar; and besides this the drakes only have these peculiar shaped feathers 

 for a limited portion of the year; perhaps they are for ornament only. A very strange form is 

 apparent in the tertiary feathers of the Mandarin drake, surely they can be ornamental only. 

 In the Eider, and King ducks as well as drakes, the tertiary feathers are curved downwards at 

 the points, this would appear to be for the purpose of helping the birds to get rid either of spray 

 from the rough water, rain, or any water being on them ; the Long-tail (drake only) has the 

 pointed scapulars, as in the Pintail and Garganey drakes. Of all the kinds of wild fowl one has an 

 opportunity to observe alive, none appears to me to be equal, in beauty of shape and harmony 

 of colour, to the Bahama pintail, in it the duck and drake much resemble each other, their 

 whole delicate form is perfection itself, and the exquisite gradations in their rich brown colour 

 are charming to behold, their tout ensemble entirely surpasses that of the other species, lovely 

 as the teal, wigeon, pintail, and garganey are. 



Ducks, geese, and swans, when walking on the snow, often sit down and fold their feet 

 amongst their flank feathers for a time, evidently to warm them; there is no doubt but that 

 the breast fe'athers of such birds are entirely impervious to cold; by wrapping up their feet 

 in this manner they are brought into contact with the warmth of the bird's body: you may 

 also frequently see swans wrap up either one or both of their feet in this manner when resting 

 on the water, and they often swim with one foot only when the other is so happed up. 



