150 ANATID.E. 



while tlie whole upper surface aud anterior part of the side were of a deep rose- 

 colour. Irides very light yellowish-hazel. Cheeks and ear-coverts pale greyish- 

 di'ab, except a small space of pure white margining the eye. Forehead pale grey, 

 which colour also extends round the throat, and continues downward so as to margin 

 the entire inner or lower side of the dark chestnut-brown patch on each side of the 

 neck. Central line of lower part of throat, between the two approximating edges of 

 the chestnut patch, white. Top of head very pale buff. Back and lower part of 

 neck all round pure white, which colour extends down between the " shoidders." 

 Scapulars and sides beneath the wings, or " flanks," pale slate-colour. Entiie breast 

 dark chestnut-brown, of the same hue as the patch on the head. Belly and under 

 tail-coverts, white. Tail-feathers : two outer pair pure white ; the tkree next, with 

 a dark longitudinal line near the centre, becoming gradually broader in those ap- 

 proximating the middle of the tail. The second longest pair all black, except a nar- 

 row line of white on each side of their basal portion. The longest paii- wholly black. 

 Tarsi aud toes very pale lead-colour ; webs greyish-black ; nails blackish. 



Length, from point of bill to end of longest tail-feathers 



of wing from carpus 



of bill from rictus to point 



forehead to end of nail 



of tarsus .... 



of middle toe and nail 



in. 



lin 



22 







9 







1 



7 



1 



1 



1 



3 



1 



6 



3 



3 



1 



6 



Longest tail-feathers exceed the others . 

 Next 



Its stomach contained only a Rissoa ulvce. Tliis specimen came 

 into the possession of Capt. Bradshaw, R.N., of Holywood; I 

 purchased all the others. 



Most of the preceding birds appeared in the estuary within 

 a mile of the town, and all of them within three miles. of it. I 

 have never known them to be driven here by severity of weather, 

 under the influence of which alone they are said to visit the coast 

 of Sussex.^ October, November, and December, have hitherto 

 been the mouths of their visits, aud they have chiefly been im- 

 mature. The statement of Wilson and Audubon, (when writing 

 of this bird as a North American one,) that the species lives 

 chiefly on shell-fish, has been corroborated by an examination of 

 the food in the individuals just noticed, in which both univalve aud 

 bivalve forms were found. The latter author (vol. iv. p. 103) gives 



* Knox. 



