THE PIED DUCK. 235 



than is found in almost any other: so wide indeed, as 

 frequently to lead to the belief that the two are different 

 species or varieties. 



The male is considerably larger than the female, being 

 a bird of upwards of six pounds' weight, and his bill, 

 which is a dusky greenish yellow, runs up very far on 

 the forehead. The top of the head is black, with a white 

 streak, its sides light green, and cheeks white ; the front 

 of the neck is also white, as well as the back, the wing- 

 coverts, and sides ; the breast, under parts, and tail being 

 black. In short, with the exception of the two small 

 green patches on the sides of the head, the whole plumage 

 is black and white. 



The female, on the contrary, is a reddish brown 

 marked with streaks of a darker hue ; the whole back is a 

 dusky brown ; and the bill does not extend so far up into 

 the frontal plumage as in the male. 



The legs and feet in both sexes are a dusky clouded 

 yellow. 



The Pied Duck or Labrador Duck (Camptolcemus 

 Ldbradorius} is common in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, 

 and breeds on its northern shore, a short distance inland. 



It derives its name from its magpie-like plumage; 

 the head and throat being white, with a black stripe at 

 the back of the head, and a band of black encircling 

 the neck and extending over the back; while the rest 



