DUCK. 271 



by a callus, or excrescence, a little elevated, equal, and of a purplish 

 blood-colour ; a second encompasses the base, somewhat elevated, 

 dull purple, with four warts, two on each side; irides yellow ; throat, 

 sides of the neck, crown, and a line behind the eyes, whitish, spotted 

 with hoary or cinereous ; breast, belly, and thighs, whitish brown, 

 crossed with dusky, transverse lines; sides of the breast and belly 

 marked with oblong and hoary ones; tail longish, rounded in shape; 

 legs red ; claws black. 



Inhabits the Nile, in Upper Egypt, but no where else, except 

 perhaps on the Bays of the Red Sea. The Arabians call it Bah :* 

 it is easily tamed, and lives among other domestic poultry ; and 

 seems to approach near to the Muscovy Goose. Bruce observes, 

 there are no Geese in Abyssinia, wild or tame, excepting the Golden 

 Goose, Goose of the Nile, or Goose of the Cape ; these are common 

 in all the south of Africa, and build their nests in trees, and when 

 not in the water generally sit upon them. 



42— MERIAN DUCK. 



Anas Merianas, Merian Duck, Nat. Mis. pi. G9. 



SIZE of the Mallard. Bill somewhat hooked at the end, 

 red, the base and tip blackish ; irides yellow ; the head black, 

 subcristated, and very much carunculated with bright red, currant- 

 like, tubercles about the forehead, round the cheeks, and eyes, and 

 the back of the neck a considerable way down ; neck, breast, and 

 belly, white ; lesser wing coverts green, the next row ferruginous ; 

 second quills blue, with a double row of caruncles along their 

 tips, forming a red band across the wings, the remainder of which 

 is ferruginous; tail coverts green, and curled as in the Mallard ; the 



* No doubt but this is the sort called by Pococke, Bauk ; which he saj-s, when sent 

 England, are called Baw Geese.— Pocock. Trav. i. p. 210. 



