( lOO ) 
T'he little Black and White Duck. 
HIS Bird feemed to me to be fomcthing lefs than the common 'Duck ; I take 
it to be of the Size of a Widgeon ; the Bill is an Inch and half long from the Point 
to the Angie of the Mouth, and the Wing, when clofed, meafures a little over feven 
Inches, 
The Bill is of a dirty Black-colour, made much in the Form of other Duck"% Bills,, 
but rather fhorter in Proportion than fome of this Tribe : The Head is of a deep gloffy 
Black, except a large white ‘Spot which begins behind the Eyes on each Side, and 
joins in the hind Part of the Head j the black Feathers next the Bill all round have a 
fine green Lufire ; thofe on the Crown and Beginning of the Neck are more purpli/h ^ 
the Neck a little below the Head is White all round y the lower Part of the Neck be* 
hind and the Back are of a Black-colour, having no Glofs \ the Rump and Feathers, 
covering the Tail are of a dirty White j the middle Feathers of the Tail were remark- 
ably longer than the Side Feathers, which fiiortened gradually to the outermoft on 
each Side, they were all of a dirty Brown or Blackifh Colour on the upper Sides, and 
fomething fainter beneath: The Outermoft of the Qiulls of -the Wings are Black, 
the Middiemofi: have deep white Tips, their Bottoms, which are hid by the covert 
Feathers, being Dusky ; three or four of the inner Qmlls next the Back are Black y 
the firft Row of covert Feathers are Black where they fall on the greater or black 
Quills,, and White where they cover the white Quills ; the lefier Coverts are White, 
yet with fome Mixture of Black round the Ridge, where it falls on the Bread:, and 
in the Skin, which connedls the Joints of the Wings together : There fprings frorrr 
each Shoulder a Plat of white Feathers which fall backward in Points between the 
Back and Wings ; the Neck, whole under Side to the Tail, and covert Feathers 
within-fide of the Wings, are White / the Legs and Feet are of a yellow Orange-co- 
lour, the Claws Black ; the Number of Toes, their Standing, and Manner of being 
webb'd, are exprefied in the Figure. 
This Bird was given me by Mr. Holms of the Towery who has often obliged me 
in this Way : He fays it was brought from Newfoundland in America^ where the Sea- 
men call it a Spirity but for what Caufe I know not. 1 conjecture it to be a very 
hidden Diver,, and it may perhaps as fuddenly appear again in a diftant Part of the 
Sea, which Faculty agrees very well with the Notion the Vulgar have of Spirits. In 
feveral- of the Birds, which I have received from my Friends- and^ foreign Correfpon- 
dents, I have mentioned the Length of the Wings, when clofed, which I think muft 
hold its Meafure pretty near both in the Living and dried Bird. One cannot with 
Certainty give the Length and Breadth of dried and Ruff’d Birds when the Bodies are 
taken out of their Skins, as we may of living or newly kill’d Birds. It is very ufeful to 
have the Meafures of fach Parts as can be meafured. I have not feen. any Figure, cr 
read, any Defeription agreeing with this Bird. 
