DUCK. 20% 



I am informed by Mr. Abbot, that about the beginning of 

 November, a great plenty of large Ducks frequent the rice fields in 

 the lower part of the country about Savannah, and other parts of 

 Georgia, in the rivers, lakes, and ponds ; but the numbers depend 

 on the greater or less plenty of mast, or acorns, in the swamps, on 

 which they feed. These are known there by the name of Roan 

 Ducks; and seem to differ from ours in many things, chiefly in size, 

 being twenty-six inches long, and thirty-eight broad, with the head 

 ash-coloured, mixed with numerous dusky dots as far as the middle 

 of the neck; from thence brown, the feathers margined with dull 

 ferruginous; wing coverts brown, edged with ash; speculum of the 

 wing deep purple, nearly as in the Mallard, but not bounded by 

 white; legs reddish. This sort is often seen with other Mallards in 

 the swamps ; and sometimes in great plenty to the southward, 

 without any Mallards ; it is said to differ too from the Common one, 

 as it wants the two curled feathers of the tail. 



C. — Boschas major grisea, Bris. vi. 326. B. Id. 8vo. ii. 448. Ind. Orn. ii. 831. S. 

 Gen. Syn. vi. 495. Var. B. 



Size of the last, but the plumage ash-coloured. Bill and legs 

 black. 



D. — Boschas major nrevia, Bris. vi. 397. C. Id. 8vo. ii. 449. Ind. Orn. ii. S51. e. 

 Gen. Syn. vi. 495. Var. C. 



This is like the Common Mallard, but differs in having the back 

 black, spotted with yellow. 



E. — Anas adunca, Ind. Orn. ii. 851. ?. Lin. i. 206. Gm. Lin.\. 538. 



Anas rostro incurvo, Bris. vi. 311. 7d.8vo.ii. 445. Borowsk. iii. p. 19. Raii, 150. 



Will. 280. t. 75. Klein, 133. Gerin. v. t. 565-6-7. 

 Die krummschnablige Ente, Bechst. Deuts. ii. 719. 

 Hook-billed Duck, Gen. Syn. vi. 495. D. Jib. ii. pi. 69. 97. Id. iii. pi. 100. Will. 



Engl. 381. pi. 75. Bewick, ii. 338. Graves, Vol. iii. 



This differs not from the other Ducks, being seen in every variety 

 of plumage incident to the Domesticated one ; excepting in the bill, 



