RUDDY DUCK. 129 



verts deep reddish brown, the color of bright mahogany ; wings 

 plain pale drab, darkest at the points ; tail black, greatly taper- 

 ing, containing eighteen narrow pointed feathers ; the plumage of 

 the breast and upper part of the neck is of a remarkable kind, 

 being dusky olive at bottom, ending in hard bristly points of a 

 silvery grey, very much resembling the hair of some kinds of seal 

 skins ; all these are thickly marked with transverse curving lines 

 of deep brown ; belly and vent silver grey, thickly crossed with 

 dusky olive ; under tail coverts white ; legs and feet ash colored. 



VOL. VIII 



