( 5° ) 



ORD. III. GEN. XL DUCK. 



SPE. XIII. BROWN-HEADED DUCK. 



PI. *57- 



The male of this fpecies weighs twenty-four ounces. The bill is ftiort; 

 the upper mandible arched, and narrow j the bafe, black, below the noftrils 

 orange coloured, nail black : eyes, rich yellow : the feathers of the head, red- 

 difh brown, and very bufhy, overhanging the neck, and appearing as if clipped 

 round : part of the neck, white : breaft, brownifh grey : belly, white : vent, 

 dull black : back, dark grey brown, the feathers on the upper part edged with 

 pale grey : moulders of the wings, grey, edged with white : middle quill fea- 

 thers, white ; the reft, black : tail of a dull black, rather long, and round : 

 legs, orange ; webs, black. 



The female is fmaller, weighing little more than eighteen ounces ; but in 

 the colour and feathering of the head, and the reft of the plumage, it perfectly 

 agrees with the male. 



This fpecies is very common on our feacoafts, and fometimes frequents 

 the frefti waters in hard winters. It has been fuppofed, to be the female of the 

 preceding, but I cannot fee for what reafon. I have Ihot many of the fpecies, 

 and always found males and females of them. The bill, which is the moft diftin- 

 guiftiing chara&eriftic in all birds, is totally different from that of the golden- 

 eyed duck, which is flat and broad j for that of the red-headed duck is much 

 fhorter, and the upper mandible is arched and narrow, as in the widgeon. In 

 fact, they agree in nothing except the colour of the eyes and legs. 



