574 TUFTED DUCK, 
the lakes; had there hatched and reared her offspring; end had now 
returned with her little family, to share with them the sweets of 
civilized life. 
“ The truth of the foregoing relation can be attested by many respect- 
able people, to whom Mr. Platt has related the circumstances as above 
detailed. ‘The birds were all living, and in his possession, about a 
year ago, and had shown no disposition whatever to leave him.” 
The length of this species is three feet ; extent, five feet two inches; 
the bill is black; irides, dark hazel; upper half of the neck, black, 
marked on the chin and lower part of the head with a large patch of 
white, its distinguishing character; lower part of the neck before, 
white ; back and wing-coverts, brown, each feather tipped with whitish ; 
rump and tail, black; tail-coverts and vent, white; primaries, black, 
reaching to the extremity of the tail; sides, pale ashy brown; legs. 
and feet, blackish ash. 
The male and female are exactly alike in plumage. 
, 
TUFTED DUCK.—ANAS FULIGULA. — Fie. 272.— Mars. 
FULIGULA RUFITORQUES.— Bonaparte. 
Fuligula rufitorques, Bonap. Journ. Acad. Nat. Sc. Phil,-— Synop. p. 393.-- 
Me North. Zool. ii. p. 453, ett 
Tuts is an inhabitant of both continents; it frequents fresh-water 
rivers, and seldom visits the sea-shore. It is a plump, short-bodied 
Duck; its flesh generally tender and well tasted. They are much 
rarer than most of our other species, and are seldom seen in market: 
They are most common about the beginning of winter, and early in 
the spring. Being birds of passage, they leave us entirely during the 
summer. 
The Tufted Duck is seventeen inches long, and two feet two inches 
in extent; the bill is broad, and of a dusky color, sometimes marked 
round the nostrils and sides with light blue; head, crested, or tufted, 
as its name expresses, and of a black color, with reflections of purple; 
neck, marked near its middle by a band of deep chestnut; lower part 
of the neck, black, which spreads quite round to the back; back and 
scapulars, black, minutely powdered with particles of white, not to be 
observed but on a near inspection; rump and vent, also black; wings, 
ashy brown; secondaries, pale ash, or bluish white; tertials, black, 
reflecting green; lower part of the breast and whole belly, white; 
flanks crossed with fine zigzag lines of dusky ; tail, short, rounded, and 
of a dull brownish black; legs and feet, greenish ash; webs, black; 
irides, rich orange; stomach filled with gravel and some vegetable 
food. 
In young birds, the head and upper part of the neck are purplish 
brown ; in some, the chestnut ring on the fore part of the middle of the 
neck is obscure, in others very rich and glossy, and in one or two 
