160 WHITE-HEADED DUCK. 



Specific Characters. — Beak very thick; wings very short; tail 

 very long, conic, with the quills very stiff and pointed, forming a 

 series of furrows ; no speculum. Length seventeen inches ; carpus 

 to tip six inches and a fifth ; tarsus one inch and a half; middle 

 toe and claw three inches; beak from forehead two inches; beak 

 from rictus two inches; circumference at swollen base of beak 

 three inches and four fifths. 



This singular and interesting Duck is an inhabitant 

 of the eastern parts of Europe and tlie central and 

 eastern parts of Siberia. It is very common in Russia, 

 the Ural Mountains, Livonia, and Finland, frequenting 

 the marshy lakes of those countries. It is observed, 

 according to Ternminck, only during its passage, in 

 Hungary and Austria, but I have an e^^ sent me by 

 Mr. Wheelwright, which is said to have been taken in 

 the former country. It is very rare in France. One 

 young specimen is recorded by Degland as having been 

 killed in the south of France^ another in the swamps 

 near Dieppe, by M. Hardy; and M. Bouteille states 

 that he purchased four specim.ens in January, 1846, 

 killed in the marshes of Grenoble. It occurs in Sar- 

 dinia, and Savi states "It is said not to be rare in 

 Hungary. I know that in v/inter it is frequently met 

 •with in Sardinia. Professor Eauza.ni, in the Deer, of 

 1808, had two young males which were killed in the 

 Valley of Comacchiesi. It is very rare in Tuscany. 

 Since I have studied birds I have only known of its 

 having been found there three times. In October, 

 1818, three adult individuals were met with in the 

 ditches of the Madonna dell' Acqua. The following 

 year a young female was brought to me from our 

 market, and last winter I bought there two young 

 specimens, male and female, which were said to have 

 .been killed on Lake Maciuccoli. According to Gerini, 



