> 
( *54 ) 
The Grey-Headed Duck. 
T HIS Bird is of a large Size for the Duck-kind, and feems much to exceed 
the common Tame Duck. Some of its principal Meafures are as follow : The 
Bill from the Point to the Angles of the Mouth is two Inches ; from the Point to the 
Extremity of thofe broad Parts of the Ball of the upper Mandible that fall on each 
Side of the Forehead, two Inches and a Quarter ; the Wing when it is clofed, eleven 
Inches j the Leg below Knee, hardly two Inches * the middle Toe is two Inches 
and three Quarters long. 
The Bill is of a red Colour, black or dufky at its Point ; the Bafe of the upper 
Mandible, (in its upper Part) extends itfelf into the Forehead, on each Side, in the 
Form of a broad, flatthh Bean. At the Root of the upper Mandible the Feathers are 
Black, and run into the Bafe of the Bill with three Angles, one in the Middle of the 
Forehead, and one on each Side. The Eye is alfo encompaifed with black Feathers, 
which end in a Point backward. The Top and Hinder-part of the Head is of a 
light-blueifh Afh-colour ; the Sides of the Head beneath the Eyes are of a light 
Green ; there are fome black Spots that run in a Line from the Eye down the Sides 
of the Head, and part the Adi-Colour from the Green. Immediately joining to the 
Bafe of the lower Mandible underneath, the Feathers are Black 5 which Blacknefs di- 
vides like a Fork, and paffes on each Side of the Throat ; the Throat between them 
being White; the Neck all round, and the Bread: are White; the Back is of a dark 
Brown, or black Colour, with a purplifh Glofs ; the greater Quills of the Wing, and 
the Feathers of the Tail, are of a dark-brown Colour; the Quills in the Middle, . or 
thofe next to the Prime Quills are of a Rlack-fhining Purple, with white Tips, 
which form a white Line acrofs the Wing ; the Remainder of the Quills next the 
Back, and the fird Row of Covert-Feathers above the Quills are alfo of a dark or 
black Colour with a Purple Glofs ; the Idler Covert- Feathers of the Wing are Brown 
all round the Border, which falls on the Bread; but in the Middle of the Covert- 
Feathers in each Wing is a Plat of White. The Covert-Feathers within Side of the 
Wing are White, except a few light-brown Feathers round the Joint or Ridge of the 
Wing. The Bread gradually lofes its Whitenefs in the Belly, which is wholly 
Black ; the Covert-Feathers of the Tail, both above and beneath, are of a bright- 
ening Black ; on each Side of the Tail it hath a remarkable Lrge round white Spot. 
The Legs and Feet are of a dirty red Colour: It hath four Toes on a Foot, three 
danding forwards and webbed together, and a narrow Web on the Infide of the 
inner Toe; the Back-Toe is fmall, with a Fin on its under Side. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon’s-Bay by Mr. IJham> and mud be accounted 
amongd the hitherto unknown, unfigur’d, and undefcribed Birds. Its greated 
Particularity is the uncommon Stru&ure of its Bill. 
The 
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