ORNITHOLOGY. 



637 



Palmi- spot before the eye, and two bands on the wing, white, 



pedes, breeds in the arctic regions of both continents, and appears 



"""v ~"~ ' on the estuaries and lakes of the more temperate countries 



in winter. The female is of a gray colour, with the head 



brown. 



To this genus belongs the harlequin-duck, Clangula his- 

 trionica (Plate CCCCII. fig. 3), which is distinguished by 

 having a large patch of white on the lore, a spot on the ear, 

 a longitudinal band on the sides of the neck, a transverse 

 band on the neck, and another on each side of the breast, 

 white ; with the speculum or wing-spot blue, and the legs 

 dusky. It derives its name from the singularity of its mark- 

 ings, and inhabits the northern parts of both continents. 



The pochards, genus Fuligula, have the bill as long as 

 the head, broad and much depressed anteriorly, and a little 

 dilated towards the tip ; the upper lamellae not projecting 

 beyond the margin ; the nostrils oblong, sub-basal ; the 

 wings and tail short, the latter rounded. This section con- 

 tains a great number of species, most of which are mari- 

 time and piscivorous, although the flesh of many is consi- 

 dered palatable, and that of one, the canvass-backed duck, 

 has been celebrated by the epicures of the western world. 



The red-headed pochard, Fuligula ferina, of which the 

 head and neck are bright chesnut, the breast blank, the 

 sides and scapulars marked with undulated lines of black 

 and gravish white, is not uncommon on the coasts of Europe 

 during the winter, and is not unfrequently seen in our 

 markets. 



Another common species is the scaup-pochard, Fuligula 

 marila, which has the head and neck black glossed with 

 green, the back and scapulars whitish with undulating black 

 lines, and the alar speculum white. 



The canvass-backed pochard just alluded to, Fuligula 

 valisneria (Plate CCCCII. fig. 4), resembles the red- 

 headed species, and is characterized by having the fore- 

 head and cheeks dull brown; the head and upper part of 

 the neck fulvous, the lower part with a black belt; the 

 back, scapulars, and belly white, marked with narrow 

 black lines. These birds arrive in the United States from 

 the arctic regions about the middle of October, and fre- 

 quent the large rivers and lakes, where they feed chiefly 

 on the roots of a grass-like plant, the Valisneria spiralis. 

 Although extremely shy, vast numbers of them are killed 

 on account of the delicacy of their flesh. Towards even- 

 ing they collect into large flocks, so extensive as some- 

 times to cover several acres, and, when rising simul taneously 

 on wing, to produce a noise like thunder. 



The eiders, genus Somateria, have the bill more elon- 

 gated than that of the garrots, tumid and elevated at the 

 base, and extending over the forehead in the form of two 

 narrow processes ; the lamellae large and distant ; the nos- 

 trils small, oval, and medial ; the wings and tail short. 

 The males are distinguished by their greater size and su- 

 perior beauty. Only two species of this genus are known, 

 both inhabiting the northern and temperate regions of Eu- 

 rope and America. 



The common or St Cuthbert's eider, Somateria mollis- 

 sima, is characterized by having the bill furnished at its 

 base with lateral prolongations, in the form of two narrow 

 flat lamellae. The male has the lower parts black, the up- 

 per parts and the neck white, the top of the head violet- 

 black, and the cheeks pale green. The female has the 

 whole plumage reddish brown, with transverse black bars. 

 This species is extremely abundant in Iceland, Lapland, 

 Greenland, Spitzbergen, and the countries bordering on 

 Hudson's and Baffin's Bays ; but it is also common in all 

 the northern parts of Europe and America. The female 

 lays five or six pale greenish-gray eggs, and lines her nest, 

 which is composed of sea-weeds and other maritime plants, 

 with the fine and elastic gray down, which she plucks from 

 her breast for that purpose. This down is carefully collected 



in northern countries, — each nest being generally robbed 

 twice in the season. One female is stated to yield half a 

 pound of down, which, however, is reduced to one half by v 

 being cleaned. It is extremely soft and warm, and so elas- 

 tic that two handfuls are sufficient to fill a quilt five feet 

 square. In 1750, the Iceland Company at Copenhagen 

 sold so much of this article as produced 3747 rix-dollars, 

 in addition to what was sent directly to Gluckstadt. Be- 

 sides supplying this valuable down, the eiders afford an es- 

 teemed article of food to the Greenlanders, who moreover 

 convert their skins into warm and comfortable under gar- 

 ments. Although the species occurs in Britain, it is no- 

 where so plentiful as to afford enough of down to render it 

 available as an article of commerce. 



The king-eider, Somateria. spectahilis, which has the la- 

 teral prolongations at the base of the bill in the form of 

 two elevated, compressed tubercles, is very similar to the 

 other species, and inhabits the same countries, breeding 

 in the same manner, and lining its nest with down of equal 

 quality, plucked from its own plumage. The skins are 

 formed into winter garments by the inhabitants of Siberia 

 and Kamtschatka ; but as this species is not so numerous 

 as the other, its down is not of equal importance in a com- 

 mercial point of view. 



Other groups of ducks have the hind toe not bordered 

 by any membrane, the head smaller, the feet narrower, 

 the neck longer, the bill less tapering, and the body more 

 slender. They feed chiefly on vegetable substances, al- 

 though they also devour fishes, insects, worms, and mol- 

 lusca. In this section, likewise, various generic divisions 

 have been made. 



The shovellers, genus Rhynchaspis, have the bill longer 

 than the head, with the upper mandible semi-cylindrical, 

 and enlarged at the end, and the lamellae so long and slen- 

 der as to resemble filaments. 



The common shoveller, Rhynchaspis clypeata, inhabits 

 various parts of the north of Europe and America, and is 

 sometimes met with in England. It is about twenty inches 

 in length, with the head and neck glossy-green, the back 

 brown, the breast and abdomen brownish red, and the small- 

 er wing-coverts pale blue. 



Another species, the fasciated shoveller, Fhy?ichaspis 

 fasciata, of a rusty-brown colour, transversely striped with 

 white beneath, and having the tip of the bill membranace- 

 ous, is a native of New South Wales. 



The shielducks, genus Tadorna, have the bill tumid 

 and elevated at the base, where there is a small tubercle, 

 but much flattened towards the point; the lamellae short 

 and distant; the nostrils oval and medial. 



The common shieldrake, Tadorna Bellonii, which is one 

 of the most beautiful species of this family, is not very un- 

 common in some parts of Britain, and occurs also on the 

 coasts of the northern and western countries of Europe. It 

 is characterized by having the head and upper part of the 

 neck greenish black ; the back, wing-coverts, and flanks 

 white ; the scapulars black, and a broad band on the breast 

 ferruginous. The female nestles in a rabbit-burrow, or 

 other hole in the sandy pastures on the sea-shore, gene- 

 rally forming her nest of down plucked from her breast, 

 and laying from eight to twelve white eggs. Instances 

 have occurred of its breeding with the common duck; and 

 Montagu states that it bears confinement well, appearing 

 to enjoy perfect health, provided access to a pond is al- 

 lowed it. 



The musk-duchs, genus Cairina, have the bill also 

 furnished with an elevated tubercle at the base ; the edges 

 of the mandibles sinuated ; the face and lores covered with 

 a bare tuberculated skin ; and the wings furnished with a 

 knob or spur at the bend. 



The common musk-duck, Cairina moschata, which is 

 now generally distributed over Europe in a domesticated 



Palmi- 

 pedes. 



