﻿HABLEQUIN DUCK. 173 



and colour, as represented in our Plate ; the texture of the 

 egg is very fine, but without polish. 



The female is very careful of the young brood, and remains 

 ■with them throughout July on the rivers, after which the 

 family depart for the sea. 



The flesh of the Harlequin Duck is very fishy, and it 

 requires an excellent cook to make it eatable. 



The length of the adult male is seventeen inches, its beak 

 one inch six lines. 



Its head and neck are black, glossed with purplish violet. 

 A space between the beak and eye white, and this colour ex- 

 tends in two narrow bands over the top of the head, and is 

 bordered by another band of bright chestnut below each, 

 jointly reaching as far as the nape ; there is another white 

 spot on the ear-coverts ; a white line on each side of the back 

 of the neck ; one irregular space on the side of the breast ; 

 two spots on the lesser wing-coverts ; another on the sides 

 where the upper and under tail-coverts join ; again, a large 

 white space on the scapulars, on the tertials and the tips of 

 the greater wing-coverts that form the steel-blue speculum 

 on the wing ; a white ring divides the plumage of the neck 

 from that of the breast and back. All the white here enu- 

 merated over the body is bordered with deep black. The 

 upper part of the back, the breast, and belly, are black, with 

 a strong bloom of blue like that of a black grape ; the back, 

 wing-coverts, and lower part of the belly, are cinereous or 

 brownish black ; the lower part of the back, vent, and tail- 

 coverts are black ; wings and tails dusky ; the flanks are 

 chestnut ; the beak is black, with oil -coloured edges to the 

 mandibles ; legs and feet bluish oil green ; webs dusky ; the 

 eyes are rich deep reddish brown. 



The female is entirely clad in a soot-coloured garment ; 

 some white feathers appear between the beak and eye, which 



