TUFTED DUCK. 191 



28. Fuligula cristata, Ray. 



Blyth, Cat. 1788— Sykes, Cat. 225— Jerdon, Cat. 390— A. 

 fuligula, Linnaeus — Gould, Birds of Europe, pi. 370 — Dubaru, 

 H. — Nella chilluioa, Tel. — Golden-eye of Indian Sportsmen. 



The Tufted Ducic 



Descr. — Head and neck, including the long, pendent, silky- 

 crest, glossy black with green and purple reflections ; back, 

 wings, and rump black, slightly glossed and powdered with greyish- 

 white ; breast glossy black; rest of the lower parts pure white; the 

 vent black ; speculum, formed by the secondaries, white, with a 

 narrow greenish-black edge ; tertials glossy green. 



Bill dark bluish-grey, the tip black ; irides golden-yellow ; legs 

 leaden, the webs dusky. Length 17 inches ; wing 8£ ; extent 28 ; 

 tail rather more than 2 ; bill at front 1 T 7 2 ; tarsus If ; mid- 

 toe 2}. 



The female has the colours somewhat duller and more brown ; 

 the crest not so long ; the speculum smaller, and the lower parts 

 spotted with brown. The young want the crest, and have the base 

 of the bill and region of the eyes varied with white. 



The Tufted Duck is very common in Central and Southern India, 

 less so in Bengal. It frequents open tanks, keeping well away 

 from the edges, and is generally found in small or moderately sized 

 parties. It is very late in leaving India, and I once killed one in 

 June, near Hyderabad in the Deccan. It is found throughout 

 Europe and Asia, breeding in the North. It feeds on water-insects 

 and molluscs. The American repre3entative is A. collaris, Don, 

 {rnfitorques, Bonap.) 



Other Ducks of this sub-family are the Sea-ducks, the Eiders, 

 Scoters, Steamer-ducks, &c. 



The Sea-Ducks are classed by Bonaparte under the section 

 Clangulece, and the Eiders and Scoters under Somateriece ; they 

 might perhaps form one sub-family, all having a somewhat similar 

 style of colouring, and being mostly denizens of Northern Seas. 

 Among the Clangulece deserving of notice are the beautiful Harelda 

 glacialis, or long-tailed Sea-duck : this species moults twice a 

 year, and appears to be very distinct from the other types ; 



