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HAELEQUIN DUCK. 



HARLEQUIN GAEROT. 



Clangula Mstrioniea .... Fi/emeto. 



Fuligula Mstrioniea, ..... Yakrell. 



Anas Mstrioniea, .... LiNNiEirs. 



Canard Mstrion, . . . . Temmtncb:. 



la, from Clango — To sound as a trumpet. Histrionica. Histrio — A stage actor, a harlequin. 



The great beauty of the plumage of this bird has rendered it more generally known 

 than the great rarity of its occurrence on our shores would lead us to expect. The 

 first pair of which we have any record, as occurring in this country, was obtained 

 by Lord Seaforth, in Scotland, at the commencement of the present century. One was 

 also shot on one of the Orkney Islands, by Mr. Simmons. We next hear of one 

 occurring in Devonshire, in 1830, as mentioned by E. Moore, M. D. Mr. Yarrell 

 afterwards obtained two young females in the London market. One has been procured 

 at Yarmouth, in Norfolk. One in Cheshire, in 1840; and in the winter of 1846-7, a 

 small flock was observed for some time about Torquay, in Devonshire, by Dr. R. Battersby, 

 of that place, who was fortunate in securing a male and female. We are not aware 

 of any other specimen having been met with. 



The Harlequin Duck inhabits the northern parts of Europe, Asia, and America; 

 breeds in Iceland, and occasionally visits France and Germany. 



As a bird for the table, it is said to be excellent. 



Little is known as to its peculiar habits; but it is said to be very expert in diving, 

 and to swim well: it also flies rapidly. 



Its note is a whistle. 



The nest, according to Audubon, who had several opportunities of remarking their 

 habits in this respect, is placed under bushes and among grass, at the distance of twenty 

 or thirty yards from the water, (speaking of the shores of the Bay of Fundy.) Farther 

 north they frequent, for the purposes of incubation, small lakes and rivulets a mile or 

 two inland. The nest is composed of dry herbage, lined with fine grass. 



