Book III ^^ITHOLOgT: ,V ~Jyf 



Chap. III. 

 The * Mcrgus Rheni of Gefner, ddrov. torn. 3 .' pag. 27 y •' Ri?S£ he 



IT is in bigtiefs equal to a Duck^, and the moft DuckA'ike of any of the Mergi i 

 Its body all over particoloured of black and white: Its Bill and the fpace about 

 the Eyes black. On both fides the back of the Head are black (pots : The reft 

 of the Head is partly black, partly dusky or cinereous. The lower or fore-part of 

 the Neck with the Belly are ofa white colour,but varied here and there with cinere- 

 ous points or fpots, which in the lower part of the Belly and (ides being drawn out in 

 waved lines, makea very pretty fhew, and pleafant to behold. The Legs grow back- 

 wardsabout the bottom of the Belly. The Feet and Toes are dusky, the membranes 

 on the infide black; The Tail black : The Wings and whole back diftinguiftied 

 with (everal black and white (paces alternately. Some call this Bird a White Nun. 



Ifiifpecfthat this Bird was no other than oUr Albettus, next to be defcribed : Only 

 the bignefs and want of a creft forbid it. Perchance Gefner might defcribe it from the 

 relation of others, or from a Pi&ure. I am fure Leonard Baltner, a Fifherman and 

 Fowler of Strasburgh^ who did very diligently obferve, gather together, and caufe 

 to be painted all the birds frequenting the Rhene thereabouts, gives us no other bird 

 of this kind but the AlbeUusf.0 which alfo he gives the title of White Nun. 



Chap. IV. 



The other Albellus of Jldrovand, torn. 2.. p. 279. the Mergus major cirratns 

 of Gefner, AUroV. torn. 3. p. 27 6. We may call it with the Germans the White 



2Zun. 



\ 



IN bignefs it comes near to a Wigeon 5 weighing about twenty four ounces. From 

 the point of the Bill to the end of the Tail, or of the Feet it was by meafure 

 eighteen inches and an half long \ between the tips of the Wings extended twen- 

 ty (even inches broad. The Bill an inch and half, or near two inches long. 



Its Head and Neck were white, excepting a black (pot under the Creft ( which it 

 hath hanging down backward from behind its Head) encompafling the Creft, and 

 ending in an acute angle below, and another on each fide extending from the angles 

 of the mouth to the Eyes. The Breaft, Belly, and whole under-fide is purely white. 

 As for the upper fide, all the Back is black. The long fcapular feathers incumbent on 

 the back are white. At the fetting on of the Wing on each fide there is a crooked line 

 of black, half encircling the Neck juft above the ihoulders, and higher up the Neck, 

 where the black we mentioned in the middle of the Neck begins* there is another 

 fuch like arcuate line on each fide, refembling half a collar. 



The ten outmoft quil-feathers of the Wings are wholly black 5 the tips of the next 

 ten are white, of the hindmoft in order more than the foremoft. Then follow two 

 half white, viz,, on the outfidethe (haft, the other half being black : The reft of the 

 feathers are cinereous : The number of all twenty (even. The feathers of the fecond 

 row growing on the middle of the Wing are black, only their utmoft tips being 

 white. Above, a broad and long fpot or bed of white beginning from the baftard 

 wing reacheth to the twentieth quil-feather. The interiour baftard wing is white. 

 The fide-feathers under the Wings variegated with tranfverfe waved black lines are 

 very pleafant to behold. The Tail is dusky, or between afh-coloured and blacky 

 compofed of fixteen feathers, a quarter of a yard, or three inches and an half long, 

 the middle feathers being the longeft, the reft on each fide gradually fhorter to the 

 outmoft. 



The Bill is of a cinereous or lead colour, Q but at the tip of each Mandible is a fpot 

 of fordid white ~] thicker at the Head, growing (lenderer by degrees toward the point, 

 narrower, and lefs than in the D;/c4-kind. The upper Mandible hooked at the end, 

 toothed on the fides : The Nofthrils oblong, open, at a good diftance from the fea- 

 thers : The Eyes of a dark colour. The Legs and Feet of a cinereous or lead colorr, 

 the Toes being joyned by a dusky membrane. The foremoft Toe and the back- 



Xx Toe 



