VELVET DUCK. 357 



3y dark, tastes of fish, and is very unpalatable, although I have seen per- 

 sons of great judgment in matters of this kind not only eat it with avidity, 

 but praise it as highly as if it were equal to the most tender and juicy 

 venison. They are sold in abundance in our eastern markets and those 

 of the Middle States, at from fifty cents to a dollar the pair. 



This species is, in my opinion, very closely allied to the Eider, in so 

 much that I frequently call it the Black King-Duck. Along our coasts 

 it commonly receives the name of White-winged Coot. The female is 

 smaller than the male. The young much resemble the female during the 

 first year. The white spots of the head, however, are apparent, although 

 mottled with dusky, and their feet now shew some of the redness of those 

 of the old males ; but I am unable to say with certainty at what age they 

 attain their full summer plumage, and the rich colouring of the bill. The 

 Gizzard, which is not so large as that of the Eider, is of a yellow colour ; 

 the gut very large, tough, and strong, about eight feet in length. 



Anas pusca, Linn. Syst Nat. vol. i. p. 196 Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 43. 



FuLiGULA ruscA, Ch. Bonaparte, Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 390. 

 OiDEMiA FUSCA, Swains, and Richards. Fauna Bor. Amer. part ii. p. 449. 

 Velvet Duck, Anas fusca, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. viii. p. ISJ. pi. 92. fig. 3. 

 Velvet Duck, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 419. 



Adult Male. Plate CCXLVII. Fig. 1. 



Bill abovit the length of the head, very broad, as deep as broad at the 

 base, depressed and flattened towards the end, which is rounded. Up- 

 per mandible with a short abrupt prominence at the base, its dorsal line 

 on the prominence straight, at its fore edge abruptly sloping, then slight- 

 ly concave, and at the end curved, the ridge on the prominence very 

 broad and nearly flat, towards the end broadly convex, the sides con- 

 vex, the edges obtuse with about thirty lamellae, the unguis very large, 

 and elliptical. Nostrils subbasal, elliptical, very large, pervious, nearer 

 the ridge than the edge, and placed on the lower side of the basal pro- 

 minence. Lower mandible flat, with the angle long, rather narrow, 

 rounded, the dorsal line slightly convex, the edges with about twenty- 

 five lamellse, the unguis nearly circular and very large. 



Head large. Eyes rather small. Neck of moderate length, thick. 

 Body large, and much depressed. Wings rather small. Feet very 

 short, placed rather far behind ; tarsus very short, compressed, having 

 anteriorly in its whole length a series of small scutella, and above the 



