34 
BIMACULATED DUCK. 
and rivulets, where it seeks shelter amongst sedge-riishus and reeds, 
and is seldom put to flight except pressed by dogs, rather depending on 
its legs for safety. It swims, and even dives well occasionally ; but it 
delights more in wet ground, and shallow water it can wade through 
without swimming. Its principal food is worms, slugs, small shell-fish, 
and insects. When roused it flies only a small distance, and that in 
a heavy and awkward manner, with its legs hanging down. It runs 
nimbly, and frequently flirts up its tail. 
The nest is rarely found ; it is made of sedge and coarse grass, 
amongst the thickest aquatic plants ; frequently in willow-beds. In 
such a situation we found one with six eggs of a spotless white, and very 
smooth, rather larger than than those of a blackbird ; the shape a short 
oval, with both ends nearly alike. *Bechstein says, eight to twelve eggs 
of a yellowish white, irregularly spotted with dusky brown.* 
This bird continues with us all the year, and by many is erroneously 
believed to be the land rail metamorphosed ; which they say takes place 
in the autumn, not knowing perhaps that that bird leaves this country 
at that season. The very great difference in the bills might have taught 
them otherwise, without minute investigation ; for that part can never 
change its form by season or climate. It is found in most parts of 
Europe ; is sometimes very fat, and as well flavoured as a land rail. 
BILL. — *The part of a bird corresponding to the mouth in quadru- 
peds, is called the bill or beak ; and consists of two horny jaws, called 
MANDIBLES, the Upper one of which is pierced by the nostrils. The 
various forms of the bill, as well as its colours and partial coverings, 
afford good characteristic distinctions.* 
BIMACULATED DUCK (^Querquedula glocitans, Vigors.) 
*Anas glocitans. Lath. Ind. 2. p. 862. — Penn. Br. Zool. 2. p. 287. — Bewick, 2. 
p. 355. — Mont. Orn. Diet. — Lath. Gen. Hist. 10. p. 330. — Querquedula gloci- 
tans, Vigors, Linn. Trans. 14. p. 559. — Bimaculated Duck, Flem. Br. Aniin. 
p. 125. 
Length twenty, breadth twenty-five inches. Bill blue, one inch and 
nine-tenths in length, the gape two inches and one tenth ; head irides- 
cent green, with a rusty spot before, and another behind the eye ; 
breast rusty brown, spotted with black ; hind neck and back waved 
with black and brown ; wing covers and quills grey ; the secondaries 
green, ending in a shade of black and edged with white ; wing spot 
green, divided by black, and ending in white ; tail of sixteen feathers, 
(Pennant says twelve), brown, edged with white, the two middle ones 
black, and somewhat elongated ; feet yellow, with black or dusky webs. 
One was taken in a decoy at Ambroseden, Bucks, in 1771. Two 
specimens, supposed male and female, were bought in Leadenhall 
