140 



HARLEQUIN DUCK. 



ing in reddish; behind the ear a similar spot; neck black, ending 

 below in a circle of white; breast deep slate, shoulders or sides of 

 the breast, marked with a semicircle of white ; belly black ; sides 

 chesnut ; body above black or deep slate, some of the scapulars 

 white; greater wing coverts tipt with the same; legs and feet deep 

 ash ; vent and pointed tail black. 



The female is described as being less, the forehead, and 

 between the bill and eye, white, with a spot of the same behind 

 the ear ; head, neck, and back, brown, palest on the fore part of 

 the neck ; upper part of the breast and rump red brown, lower 

 breast and belly barred pale rufous and white ; behind the thighs 

 rufous and brown; scapulars and wing coverts rufous brown; outer 

 greater ones blackish; quills and tail dusky, the last inclining to 

 rufous; legs dusky.'' ^ 



The few specimens of this duck which I have met with, were 

 all males; and from the variation in their colors it appears evi- 

 dent that the young birds undergo a considerable change of plu- 

 mage before they arrive at their full colors. In some the white 

 spot behind the eye was large, extending irregularly half way 

 down the neck; in others confined to a roundish spot. 



The flesh of this species is said to be excellent. 



