236 ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. 



perform this office^ however, they depart northward in 

 April, and, according to Mr. Hutchins, appear upon 

 the coasts of Hudson's Bay in May, chiefly in pairs : 

 the female lays from six to eight eggs ; and after faring 

 their young, the whole depart in flocks to the southward 

 in the autumn. Its most southern limits appear to be 

 the lakes of Mexico, from whence we have received spe- 

 cimens answering to those of the United States. 



The following is the description of the male bird in 

 full plumage : — A white or cream-coloured band ex- 

 tends from the forehead to the nape, bounded behind 

 the eye by a broad dark-green patch, which ends in the 

 nuchal crest: the upper parts and sides of the breast are 

 deep vinaceous red, glossed with grey : base of the neck 

 above, interscapulars, scapulars, and flanks minutely 

 undulated with brownish red and black : hind part of 

 the back imdulated in a similar manner with clove 

 brown and white ; the latter colour prevailing on 

 the tail covers : lesser wing covers, primaries, and tail 

 dark brown ; intermediate and greater covers, sides 

 of the rump, breast, and belly pure white : the wing 

 spot, or speculum, is velvet-black below, and duck 

 or rich green above, bounded on one side with 

 black, and on the other with white : the outer webs of 

 the tertials, and also the lateral and under tail covers, 

 are greenish black ; the former bordered with white : 

 bill bluish grey, bordered and tipped with black. The 

 female has the upper plumage dark liver brown, edged 

 and remotely crossed wnth pale brown and white : the 

 intermediate wing covers are merely edged with white ; 

 and the head is destitute of the green band seen in the 

 male. The tail of the male is acutely pointed ; but that 

 of the female is shorter, and not so tapering. The total 

 length of the male is almost two feet ; but that of the 

 female is nearly ten inches shorter : the bill is particu- 

 larly short, being not so long as the head ; and the 

 lamina on the side are similar to those of the English 

 mallard, or wild duck. 



