MiNNEF.6. 



D U C K. SS3 



of the body rufous white, fpotted with black on the belly : fca- 

 pulars like the back ; the larger ones white down the middle : 

 wing coverts cinereous : acrofs the wing a white ftreak: quills 

 brown : the fpeculum green, edged with black, bounded below 

 with white : tail brown : legs blueifh. 



The female is lefs. The upper parts cinereous brown : the Female. 



back edged with rufous : cheeks, throat, and under parts, rufous 

 white : a white line over the eyes, as in the male : fcapulars and 

 wing coverts grey brown, edged with rufous : the reft of the 

 wing much as in the male; but no black in the fpeculum. 



This, though fo fully defcribed, is by many efleemed a doubt- Place ano 

 ful fpecies ; and with great probability fuppofed the female of the 

 common 'Teal. We think it however worth while to preferve the 

 ufual fynonyms of the bird in queftion, as fome guide to the re- 

 fearches of future fyftematifts. Among others, Buffon is dubious 

 of its being a diftincl fpecies j yet gives a formal account of its 

 remaining throughout the fummer, and breeding in France ; and 

 tells us that this bird comes there the beginning of March, when 

 they diftribute themfelves on the coaft. About April they get 

 together a quantity of rujhes and grafs, and make a covered neft, 

 the opening for the moft part to the fouth ; in this they lay from 

 ten to fourteen eggs, of a dirty white, and as big as thofe of a 

 Pullet; and fit from twenty to twenty-three days. This author 

 obferves likewife, that the male lofes the plumage of diftinftion 

 after the time of incubation is over, becoming fo like the female 

 as not to be diftinguifhed from her, but regains it after January, 

 He adds alfo, that this bird cannot bear the cold, and does not 

 frequent the northern countries *. 



* Hift. des Qif. 

 Vol. III. 4 B Americ 



an 



