BookIii. o^nciTHOLogr. ^? 



black. The covert-feathers above the feven white ones are white, all but thofe near 

 the ridge of the Wing. But the bottoms of* thofe of the fecond row are black half 

 way up. The long icapular feathers are alfo mixt or particoloured of black and 

 white. The Tail is three inches and an half long, made up of fixteen feathers, from 

 the outmoftby degrees longer, yet is not the Tail fharp, but rather round-pointed,all 

 of one uniform black colour. 



The Legs are very fhort, of a Saffron or yellowifh red colour, as are alfo the Feet. 

 The Toes are long, dusky about the joynts $ the outmoft thelongeft 5 the inmoft hath 

 a broad appendant membrane. The membranes connecting the Toes, and the Claws 

 are black. The back-toe is fmall, having alfo a broad appendant membrane or fin. The 

 Wind- pipe hath a labyrinth at the divarication, and befides, -above fwells out into a 

 Belly or puff-like cavity. 



Its weight was about two pounds, its length from Bill to Claws nineteen inches : its 

 breadth thirty one. 



Thefe Birds are very common at Venice in Italy, and not rare upon our Sea- 

 coafts. 



Our [matter reddifi-headed Duck* which itfeems is no other than the Female of the 



precedent : Perchance the Anas Schollent ofGefner, or the Anas fera 



fufca alia*?/ Aldrovand, p. 222. 



It is about the bignefs of the Anas fuligula prima of Gefner : Weighs twenty four 

 ounces 5 is from Bill to Claws feventeen inches long. It hath a great Head, of a for- 

 did red colour : A fhort Neck of a grey or hoary : A white Breaft and Belly : Its 

 Back, Tail, moft of the covert-feathers and ten outmoft quills of the Wings are of a 

 dark brown or black. The quil-feathers from the tenth to about the twentieth are 



white. Tq ^ ]^ffr r rnwff ^f 7 n vrr<- f> a * )\ * ' '"- '"■ ^ r > 1 ' v" ' -" <] <r l l l1| i' 1 ■ [The • 



fecond row of Wing-feathers, as many as are incumbent on the white quils, are 

 white, but tipt with black.'] In the leffer rows of wing-feathers there is alfo a large 

 white or afh-coloured fpot: So that in fome the whole Wing almoft feems to be 

 white. The Wings are fmall for the bignefs of the Bird, their feathers being fhort. 

 The Tail is made up of fixteen feathers, and is for this kind long. The Bill is fhorter 

 and narrower than that of the tufted Duck,, thick at the head, fharper toward the 

 tip, the extreme hook or nail being black, and encompafled by a broad yellow fpace,. 

 very elegant to behold 5 the reft of the Bill black. The Eyes were of a lovely yellow: 

 or gold-colour. The Feet large, fituate backwards, of a yellowifh red colour, the 

 Web of the Feet dusky 5 the foal black. I obferved no labyrinth on the Wind-pipe, 

 It hath a fmall Gall-bladder of an oval figure. In the Craw we found a Crab- 

 fifti. 



Since the finifhing of the Latine Hiftory we have been informed that this Bird is no; 

 diftincf kind, but only the Female Golden-eye. And truly, the fhape of the body, 

 the make of the Bill, the length, number of feathers, figure and colour of the Tail, 

 the fafhion and colour of the Feet, and other accidents induce us to think fo, neither 

 is there more difference in weight than is ufual between different Sexes. Befides that,; 

 this was a Female the want of the labyrinth proves 5 but in the next Article I (hall 

 fhew fome reafon to doubt whether of the Golden-eye or not. MxWiUughby alfo was 

 fufpicious that it might be the Hen Golden-eye* 



§. XIV. 



The greater reddift-headed Duck, perchance the fame with the lafi defcribed, or the Male 

 thereof: An Anas Schellent dicfaGemero ? Aldrov. p. 223. 



I T weighed twenty four ounces, being in length from the tip of the Bill to the end 

 I of the Tail eighteen inches and an half,to the end of the Toes nineteen 3 in breadth 

 the Wings being fpread out, thirty, The Bill two inches long, yellow, not only 

 about the tip, like the precedents, but alfo of a fordid or dark yellow all along the 

 middle beyond the Nofthrils, The Irides of the Eyes are of a bright lovely yellow ; 

 The Head of a fordid red: the Neck grey. For that chefhut or red colour of the 

 Head extends not to the middle of the Throat. The Back and whole upper fide are of 

 a dark brown or black. The Throat, Breaft, Belly to the very Tail white 5 but at the 

 Ventis acrofs bar of brown, 



Bbb Each 



