347 



THE KING DUCK. 



-HFuligula spectabilis, Linn. 



PLATE CCCCIV.— Male and Female. 



This beautiful species rarely advances farther south along our eastern 

 coast than the neighbourhood of the Bay of Boston. I have, however, been 

 assured by old and trustworthy gunners that the King Duck, about thirty 

 years ago, was by no means of rare occurrence there during winter, and 

 that a few had been known to breed in company with the Eider along the 

 coast. At the period of my arrival at Labrador, the greater number of the 

 King Ducks had proceeded farther north; and although some were seen 

 there, we found none of their nests. I can say nothing of the habits of this 

 bird, which, although they may be similar to those of the Eider, must yet 

 differ in many particulars, as is the case with all birds that are nearly allied 

 in form. The eggs of the King Duck collected by Captain James Clark 

 Ross, R. N., measure two inches and five-eighths by one inch and three- 

 fourths, and have a smooth shell, of a uniform dull greenish-colour. 



Fdligdla spectabilis, Bonap. Syn., p. 389. 



Somateria spectabilis, King Duck, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., vol. ii. p. 447. 



King Duck, Fuligula spectabilis, Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 414. 



King Dock, Fuligula spectabilis, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 523. 



Male, 25; wing, Hi Female, 20; wing, 10^. 



Rare in Massachusetts during winter. Breeds from Labrador to the 

 Arctic Seas. 



Adult Male. 



Bill shorter than the head, much deeper than broad at the base, somewhat 

 depressed towards the end, which is broad and rounded. Upper mandible 

 with a soft tumid compressed substance at the base, extending perpendicu- 

 larly upon the forehead, and by a medial band of feathers divided into two 

 broad lobes, the dorsal line beyond this descending to the unguis, then 

 slightly curved, the ridge broadly convex, the sides sloping and convex, the 

 edges perpendicular, with about forty-five narrow internal lamellae, the 

 unguis very large, broadly elliptical. Nostrils sub-medial, oblong, large, 

 pervious, near the ridge. Lower mandible flattened, with the angle very 



