352 
RED HEADED DUCK. 
part of the breast black, spreading round to the back; belly 
white, becoming dusky towards the vent by closely marked un- 
dulating lines of black; back and scapulars bluish white, ren- 
dered gray by numerous transverse waving lines of black; les- 
ser wing coverts brownish ash; wing quills very pale slate, 
dusky at the tips; lower part of the back and sides under the 
wings brownish black, crossed with regular zig-zag lines of whi- 
tish; vent, rump, tail, and tail coverts black; legs and feet dark 
ash. 
The female has the upper part of the head dusky brown, rest 
of the head and part of the neck a light sooty brown; upper part 
of the breast asby brown, broadly skirted with whitish; back 
dark ash, with little or no appearance of white pencilling; wings, 
bill, and feet nearly alike in both sexes. 
This Duck is sometimes met with in the rivers of North and 
South Carolina, and also in those of Jersey and New York; but 
always in fresh water, and usually at no great distance from 
the sea. Is most numerous in the waters of the Chesapeake; 
and with the connoisseurs in good eating, ranks next in excel- 
lence to the Canvas-back. Its usual weight is about a pound and 
three-quarters, avoirdupois. 
The Red-head leaves the bay and its tributary streams in 
March, and is not seen until late in October. 
The male of this species has a large flat bony labyrinth on 
the bottom of the windpipe, very much like that of the Canvas- 
back, but smaller; over one of its concave sides is spread an ex- 
ceeding thin transparent skin, or membrane. The intestines 
are of great width, and measure six feet in length. 
