( 78 ) 



'liC/rl^ The Qreatefi Speckled D'nier. Colyml^us maximus Caudatus. 

 3/jl Numb. LXXXIL 



ITS Length from the Point of the Bill to the End of the Claws is thirty 

 one Inches, to the Tail is twenty eight ; Weight thirty fix Ounces ; 

 the Length of its Bill is three Inches. 



This Bird feems to be of a middle Nature between whole footed Birds 

 with four Toes, and thofe with three j it is near as big as a Goofe, lonp- 

 bodied, hath a round Tail two Inches long ; the upper part of the Neck 

 next the Head is covered with Feathers fo thick fet, that it feems to be big- 

 ger tlian the Head it felf 



The Colour of the upper part, viz. the Neck, Shoulders, covert Feathers 

 of the Wings, and whole Back, is a dark grey or dusky, pointed or fpeck- 

 led with white Spots : Thefe Spots are bigger upon the long fcapular Fea- 

 thers and Coverts of the Wings, and fmaller in the middle of the Back. 

 The lower part of the Neck, Breaft and Belly are white ; the Number of 

 quill Feathers in each Wing are about thirty, fhortand black; it hath a 

 very fhort Tail like a Duck^ made up of at lead twenty Feathers; its Bill 

 is ftreight and fliarp like that of the Guillemot^ both Mandibles black or li- 

 vid, covered with Feathers down to the Noftrils ; it is whole Footed, and 

 hath very long fore Toes, efpecially the outermoft ; the back Toe is very 

 fhort and little ; its Legs are of a mean Length, but flat and broad like 

 the Ends of Oars ; the exterior Surface is brown, and the interior livid or 

 pale blue ; the Claws broad like human Nails : The Legs are fituate very 

 backwards, fo that it feems not able to walk unlefs ercded perpendicular- 

 ly on the Tail. It hath no Labyrinth upon the Wind-Pipe : The Liver is 

 divided into two Lobes, and hath a Bladder to contain Gall ; above the Sto- 

 mach the Gullet is dilated into a kind of Craw ; the Throat is very loofe 

 and dilatable; the Guts large, efpecially towards the Stomach. 



The Stomach is lefs muiculous than in the Bird fhot on the River 71?^^ 

 in fVarwickJh'tre-i and defcribed hy Mr. fViUoughby. Thefe Birds differ one 

 from another in Colours ^ for fome of them have a Ring about their Necks ; 

 their Back, Neck and Head blacker, and painted with little white Lines, 

 others want the Ring, and have the upper Side of their Bodies more alh 

 coloured or grey, varied with white Specks, and not Lines ; perhaps thefe 

 are the Hens, and the other the Cocks. This Bird I had from Newgate 

 Markety brought hither with other Wild Fowl. 



The 



