5 8z o^^cTrWoTog^ Book hi. 



manner different from Geefe and Ducks, hooked at the end, alfo fhort and broad. In 

 theHeadrifesup fomething of a red colour like aCreft, but much different from 

 a Cocks Comb. For it is a certain tuberous eminency, fituate between the Nofthrils 

 exacfly refembling the figure of a red Cherry. The Temples near the Eves are 

 without feathers, the skin (hewing like a red hide $ of the fame fubftance with that 

 Cherry-like bunch between the Eyes: By which Marks I think it may be certainly 

 known and diftinguifhed from other Birds. But this one thing may feerri very ftrange 

 in this Bird, that it hath fo great a privy member, that it is an inch thick, and of tour 

 or five inches length, and red like bloud. If it were not very chargeable many 

 more of them would be kept than are: For if you give them but meat enough they 

 will lay many Eggs, and in a lhort time hatch a great number of Ducklings. Their 

 flefh is neither better nor worfe than that of a tame Go ofe or Duck- 



Thisfeems to me to be the very fame Bird with Aldrovands Cairo-Duck, for mofl of 

 the marks do agree,as will appear to him who will take the pains to compare the defer 'ipiions • 

 and alfo the famh with our Mufcovy Duck. For Scaligers Indian DucJ^, which Afdro- 

 * Africm or vand makes the fame with his *Libyc, is the fame with our Mufcovy-Duck^ or we are 

 GuinnyV\\& t ver y much deceived. So that IJirongly fufyeB our Mufcovy- Duc\, theGitinny Duck, of 

 Bellonius, and Aldrovands Cairo-Duck, yea, and Gefners Indian Duck, too, to be all 

 one and the fame bird, more or lefs accurately defcribed. Perchance alfo the Birds themfelves 

 may differ one from another in thofe tuberous eminencies and naked skin about the Bill, and 

 upon the Bill between the Nofthrils, 



j. VI. 



* Gefners Indian Duck., which perchance may be alfo the fame with our Mufcovy. 



THere is with us ( faith he who fentus [ Gefner~] the figure and defcription of this 

 Bird out of England ) a Duck, brought out of India, of the fame fhape of bo- 

 dy, the fame Bill and Foot with the common Duck., but bigger and heavier by half 

 than it. Its Head is red like bloud, and fo is a good part of the Neck adjoyning, on 

 the back-fide. All that red is a callous flefh, and divided by incifures 5 and where it 

 ends at the Nofthrils, it lets down a Caruncle of a different figure from the reft of the 

 flefti, like that of a Swans, contiguous [_ or joyned ] to the Bill. Its Head is bare of 

 feathers, and that part alfo of the Neck which is red, favc that on the top of the Head, 

 through the whole length of it, there is a crt ft or tuft of feathers, which when it is 

 angry it fets up. Under the Eyes at the beginr i ig of the Bill the skin is fpotted with 

 black fpots placed in no order: Above the Eye alfo are one or two fpots tending up- 

 ward. The Eye is yellow, fepaiated from the reft of the Head by a circle of black. 

 Under the further end of the Eye backwards is a lingular fpot f eparated from the reft. 

 The whole Bill is blue, only it hath a black fpot at the tip. The feathers all along 

 the reft of the Neck are white. At the fetting on of the Neck is a circle of black, 

 fpotted with a few white fpots, and unequal, narrower below, broader above. 

 Behind this circle the Plumage of all the lower Belly is white, of the upper fide of 

 body brown, but the white Plumage is divided at the top by that black circle. The 

 ends of the Wings and the Tail are of a mining green like Cantharides. The skin of 

 the Legs is brown s with light, circular incifures. The membrane between the inter- 

 vals of the Toes is more pale, fprinkled with two or three brown fpots, placed in 

 noorder, except in the left foot, where there are fix fet in a row alongft the outmoft 

 Toe. It walks foftly by reafon of the heavinefs of its body. Its voice is not like 

 that of other Ducks, but hoarfe, like a mans that hath his Jaws and Throat fwoln 

 with a cold. The Cock is bigger than the Hen. The Hen is like the Cock, but hath 

 not fuch variety of colours. It gets its living out of muddy waters, and delights 

 in fuch other things as the common Duck^ doth. 



There are many things in this defcription, which do perjwade me, that this Bird alfo is 

 sootier than our Mufcovy Duck : As, equal btgnefs, naked tuberous fi^Jh about the Bill, 

 a hoarfe voice, the CockJ>eing bigger than the He»,&c. Nor is the diverfity of colours a 

 fuffi> ient argument of the contrary : Fw that they (as we have often faid ) in tame Birds 

 of the fame kind vary infinitely. 



§.vn, 



