34 



BIMACULATED DUCK. 



and rivulets, where it seeks shelter amongst sedge-rushes and reeds, 

 and is seldom put to flight except pressed by dogs, rather depending on 

 its legs for safety. It swims, and even dives well occasionally ; but it 

 delights more in wet ground, and shallow water it can wade through 

 without swimming. Its principal food is worms, slugs, small shell-fish, 

 and insects. When roused it flies on\f a small distance, and that in 

 a heavy and awkward manner, with its legs hanging down. It runs 

 nimbly, and frequently flirts up its tail. 



The nest is rarely found ; it is made of sedge and coarse grass, 

 amongst the thickest aquatic plants ; frequently in willow-beds. In 

 such a situation we found one with six eggs of a spotless white, and very 

 smooth, rather larger than than those of a blackbird ; the shape a short 

 oval, with both ends nearly alike. *Bechstein says, eight to twelve eggs 

 of a yellowish white, irregularly spotted with dusky brown.* 



This bird continues with us all the year, and by many is erroneously 

 believed to be the land rail metamorphosed ; which they say takes place 

 in the autumn, not knowing perhaps that that bird leaves this country 

 at that season. The very great difference in the bills might have taught 

 them otherwise, without minute investigation ; for that part can never 

 change its form by season or climate. It is found in most parts of 

 Europe ; is sometimes very fat, and as well flavoured as a land rail. 



BILL. — * The part of a bird corresponding to the mouth in quadru- 

 peds, is called the bill or beak ; and consists of two horny jaws, called 

 mandibles, the upper one of which is pierced by the nostrils. The 

 various forms of the bill, as well as its colours and partial coverings, 

 afford good characteristic distinctions.* 



BIMACULATED DUCK (Querquedula glocitans, Vigors.) 



*Anas glocitans, Lath. Ind. 2. p. 862.— Penn. Br. Zool. 2. p. 287.— Bewick, 2. 

 p. 355.- -Mont. Orn. Diet.— Lath. Gen. Hist. 10. p. 330.— Querquedula gloci- 

 tans, Vigors, Linn. Trans. 14. p. 559. — Bimaculated Duck, Flem. Br. Anim. 

 p. 125. 



Length twenty, breadth twenty-five inches. Bill blue, one inch and 

 nine-tenths in length, the gape two inches and one tenth; head irides- 

 cent green, with a rusty spot before, and another behind the eye ; 

 breast rusty brown, spotted with black ; hind neck and back waved 

 with black and brown ; wing covers and quills grey ; the secondaries 

 green, ending in a shade of black and edged with white ; wing spot 

 green, divided by black, and ending in white ; tail of sixteen feathers, 

 (Pennant says twelve), brown, edged with white, the two middle ones 

 black, and somewhat elongated ; feet yellow, with black or dusky webs. 

 One was taken in a decoy at Ambroseden, Bucks, in 1771. Two 

 specimens, supposed male and female, were bought in Leadenhall 



