Species XVII. ANAS RUBIDUS. 



RUDDY DUCK. 



[Plate LXXI. Fig. 8, Adult Male.] 



This very rare Duck was shot, some years ago, on the river Dela- 

 ware, and appears to be an entire new species. The specimen here 

 figured, with the female that accompanies it, and which was killed in 

 the same river, are the only individuals of their kind I have met with. 

 They were both preserved in the superb Museum of my much resuected 

 frieiid, Mr. Peale, of this city. 



On comparing this Duck with the description given by Latham of the 

 Jamaica Shoveller, I was at first inclined to believe I had found out the 

 species ; but a more careful examination of both satisfied me that they 

 cannot be the same, as the present differs considerably in color; and 

 besides has some peculiarities which the eye of that acute ornithologist 

 could not possibly have overlooked, in his examination of the species 

 said to have been received by him from Jamaica. Wherever the 

 general residence of this species may be, in this part of the world, at 

 least, it is extremely rare, since among the many thousands of Ducks 

 brought to our markets during winter, I have never heard of a single 

 individual of the present kind having been found among them. 



The Ruddy Duck is fifteen inches and a half in length, and twenty- 

 two inches in extent ; the bill is broad at the tip, the under mandible 

 much narrower, and both of a rich light blue ; nostrils small, placed in 

 the middle of the bill ; cheeks and chin white : front, crown, and back 

 part of the neck down nearly to the back, black ; rest of the neck, 

 whole back, scapulars, flanks and tail-coverts deep reddish brown, the 

 color of bright mahogany ; wings plain pale drab, darkest at the points ; 

 tail black, greatly tapering, containing eighteen narrow pointed feathers ; 

 the plumage of the breast ajid upper part of the neck is of a remark- 

 able kind, being dusky olive at bottom, ending in hard bristly points of 

 a silvery gray, very much resembling the hair of some kinds of seal 

 skins ; all these are thickly marked with transverse curving lines of 

 deep brown ; belly and vent silver gray, thickly crossed with dusky 

 olive ; under tail-coverts white ; legs and feet ash-colored. 



Note. — It is a circumstance in ornithology well worthy of note, that 

 migratory birds frequently change their route, and, consequently, be- 



(101) 



