DUCK. 351 



A.— Less than the Wild Duck. Head black, with a violet green 

 tinge; crest as long as the finger; quil Is white on one side ; body 

 brown; bill and legs black; wings beneath white; rump sooty, 

 varied with white. 



B. — Size the same. Head and beginning of the neck rufous ; 

 crest more obscure ; the rest of the neck, breast, belly, legs, and 

 rump, black ; bill yellowish ; back brown ; wings cinereous brown, 

 margined with white ; quills white ; thighs brown ; at the base of 

 the wing a conical white band. 



C. — Head and crest rufous ; temples shining green ; breast 

 whitish, spotted with black; belly pure white; under tail coverts 

 black ; wings brown at the base, then a band of rufous, after that 

 glossy green, and lastly black ; quills brown : how far these are 

 really Varieties of the Tufted Duck I will not undertake to deter- 

 mine. I suspect them to be immature birds, but by no means of 

 the same species. 



The Tufted Duck is found in the winter in this kingdom, and 

 probably in sufficient plenty ; as we often see it in the London 

 markets, sometimes till the end of March, and the flesh is thought 

 delicate ; reaches to the west as far as South Devon, and there called 

 Black Wigeon : is an excellent diver, and observed to feed on the 

 Helix putris, which it obtains by diving, searching for it in the mud, 

 into which it retreats in the winter season.* 



Inhabits the Continent of Europe, as far as Norway ; common 

 also throughout the Russian Empire, going northward to breed 

 frequent also in Kamtschatka. We have it mentioned also as a bird 

 of Surinam, by Mr. Fermin ; but as no other author has given it as 



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* Om. Diet. 



