( *57 ) 
The Little Brown and White Duck. 
T HIS Bird is about the Bignefs of a Teal, and pretty much like it in Shape, 
tho’ very different from it in Colour : Some of its principal Meafures are as fol- 
low • the Length of the Bill from the Point to the Angles of the Mouth is an Inch 
and a Quarter; the Wing when clofed is feven Inches long; the Leg below the Knee 
an Inch and a Quarter; the middle Toe near two Inches long. 
The Bill is Black, toothed on its Edges, and a little Matter hooked at the Point of 
the upper Mandible; the Feathers round the Bafe of the upper T>art of the Bui are 
White* and point with an Angle into the Bill in the Middle, the Bill ltfelf having 
two Angles pointing to the Forehead on each Side. There is a Line of dufky Fea- 
thers between the Bill and Eye, which parts the White into Spots above and beneath 
the Line; it hath alfo a white Spot behind each Eye, about the Place of the Ears; 
the Remainder of the Head is Brown, as is the Neck and Beginning of the Breaft, 
but lighter on the Fore-part of the Neck and Breaft ; the Back Wings and Tail are 
of a darkifti-brown Colour; the greater Quills of the Wings darkeft of all, almoft 
Black • the Covert-Feathers of the Wings are of a lighter and brighter Brown ; the 
Covert-Feathers within Side of the Wings are of a dufky Colour, with a little dirty 
White intermixed; the Sides under the Wings are of a dufky Brown fainter than 
the Feathers on the Back. The Breaft from Brown gradually becomes White, tranf- 
verfly marked with light Brown, as far as the Thighs ; the Thighs, lower Belly, and 
Covert-Feathers under the Tail, being of a lighter and darker brown, tranfverfly 
mixed in broken Lines ; the Legs and Feet are of a dufky Colour, tho fomething 
of a dull Rednefs appears on the Fore-parts of the Legs and the upper Sides of the 
Toes ; the Webs that join the Toes are blackeft; the Structure of the Feet is like the 
lafl defcribed. 
This Bird was brought from Hudfon’s-Bay by Mr. IJham, to whofe Curiofity and good Na- 
ture I am beholden for the greateft Part of the Subjeft-Matter of this third Part of my Hiftory 
of Birds ■ and I believe the curious Part of the World will not think themfelves lefs obliged 
to Mr. IJham than I acknowledge myfelf to be. 1 believe this Bird hath not been hitherto 
fio-ured or defcribed. As I have treated of many Brds from Hudfon s -Bay, it will not be amifs 
to f a y fomething of that Part of the World, which 1 lhall make bold to extrafl from Mr. 
Ellis’s Voyage to Hudfon’s-Bdy, when he is fpeaking of the fartheft Part to which they went 
in Water Stnights, he fays. “ I cannot help however taking Notice that in afcendmg thefe 
“ Mountains we had at once as great, as gloomy, and as awful a Profped as perhaps ever 
“ aftonifhed mortal Eyes. While we walked along the Beach, the ridged Rocks above feem d 
« pendant over our Heads ; in feme Places there were Falls of Water dafhirg from Cliff to 
« cliff- from others hung prodigious Ificles in Rows one behind another, like the Pipes of a 
“ vaft Organ ; but the moll tremendous Part of the Scene was the (hatter’ d Crags which 
lav at our Feet, and appear’d plainly to have burft from the Mountain Tops, thro’ tne 
“ expanfive Power of the rigorous Frofts, and fo rowled with inexpreffible Fury down the 
“ Sides till they reached thofe Places where their Ruins now lay : I call them Ruins, for fuch 
“ they properly were ; and if there is fomething that deeply affefts us when we behold either 
4 > the Wafte of War, or the Devaftations of Time, it may be eafily conceived that fomething 
“ much more terrible muft be felt from the Sight of the amazing Relicks of the Wreck of 
“ Nature.” 
finis. 
