Mandarin Ducks. 
549 
In size the Mandarin is very small, though no precise limit of weight can be given.* 
The shape is tight and neat-looking, but the plumage of the drake almost defies description, 
nothing in the poultry-world being so bright and gorgeous. The head has a large long crest, 
pointing backwards, and which can be raised or lowered at will ; the colour of this crest being 
green and purple on the top, shading into chestnut and green in the long feathers which extend 
backwards. A broad stripe of rich cream-colour extends from the front of the sides of the head, 
across the eye, to the back of the neck. The neck is furnished with a collar or ruff of rich 
brownish red feathers, somewhat resembling hackles, and the front of the neck and sides of the 
breast are a rich claret or purple. Across the shoulders are two beautiful stripes of clear white, 
each shaded with black, behind which the sides of the bird are of a greenish or ashy yellow- 
grey, beautifully and most delicately pencilled in very fine lines with dark grey or black. The 
wings are furnished each with a peculiar shield or fan, standing nearly erect, and which are 
of a bright chestnut colour, beautifully edged with green or blue. The feathers of the back 
are a brilliant light brown, and the under parts white or nearly so. The quills or secondaries 
are brownish-grey, edged on the lower web with white. The bill is crimson, the legs a lightish 
pink, and the eyes a bright black, f The garb of the duck is much plainer, being a mottling all 
over of greenish brown, with greyish under parts. About May the drake loses his conspicuous 
feathers, and even his wing-fans and crest, and becomes coloured very much like the female ; in 
August he begins to resume his fine clothing, and by September is again in full plumage. 
In China, domestic specimens of these ducks are called Li-chi-ki , and are very highly prized, 
being considered to exhibit striking examples of conjugal affection and fidelity ; whence it is 
common to carry a pair in a gilded cage in marriage processions, and afterwards present them to 
the newly-married pair, as worthy objects of their imitation. So highly are they valued, that 
when Dr. Bennett wrote to a friend in China to buy him a pair, he was informed by this 
friend that he could send him two live mandarins to Australia with far greater ease than the 
Mandarin Ducks. The same authority gives the following as an instance of the conjugal 
fidelity, for which, as well as for their great beauty, these ducks are so prized by the Chinese : — 
“ One day Mr. Beales’ aviary at Macao was broken open, and the male bird stolen ; his poor 
mate remained in a retired part of the aviary, and refused to be comforted. .She would 
scarcely take any food, and allowed her plumage to become dirty ; in vain did another drake 
endeavour to console her for her loss ; she rejected all his advances, and remained disconsolate. 
After some time the lost bird was discovered in the hut of a Chinese of the lower class, and 
was brought back again. As soon as he recognised his old abode, he expressed his joy by 
flapping his wings and quacking vehemently, and no sooner did his mate recognise his voice, 
than she almost quacked to screaming with ecstasy, and flew to meet him, and both expressed 
their joy by crossing necks and quacking together. Next morning the returned spouse fell 
upon the unfortunate drake who had made advances to his mate in his absence, pecked his 
eyes out, and otherwise so disfigured him as to occasion his death in the course of a few days.” 
The exact date of the first introduction of these beautiful ducks into Europe is uncertain. 
In 1850 Sir John Bowring obtained with the greatest difficulty a few pairs to send to England, and 
it is certain that before this two pairs had been obtained by an enthusiastic fancier at Rotterdam. 
It is also pretty certain that nearly all the domesticated specimens in Europe have been bred from 
these two importations; but we know that of late Messrs. John Baily and Son have imported 
*■ See Mr. Hewitt’s remarks on this point under the head of Carolina Ducks. 
t The eye tas been described by various naturalists as “orange-red, 1 ’ but we speak Tom examination of many specimens 
