62 
AMERICAN TUFTED DUCK. 
The American Tufted Duck is said to be common on the 
Ohio, and the Mississippi ; Messieurs Say and Peale procured it on 
the Missoui’i; Lewis and Clarke shot it on the Columbia;* and the 
Editor in East Florida. It is, properly speaking, a fresh water 
Duck, although it is sometimes found on the coast. On the Dela- 
ware we observe it in the spring and autumn ; and, if the weather 
be moderate, we see it occasionally throughout the winter. With 
us it is not a numerous species ; and is rather a solitary bird, sel- 
dom more than four or five being found together. It is more com- 
mon in the month of March than at any other time. It is a plump, 
short-bodied Duck ; its flesh tender, and well tasted ; but in no re- 
spects to be compared to that of the Canvass-back ; it is even in- 
ferior to the Mallard. 
The American Tufted Duck is seventeen inches long, and 
twenty-seven inches in breadth ; the bill is broad, of a dull bluish 
ash color, the base of the upper mandible marked with a stripe of 
pure white, which extends along its edges, and then forms a wider 
band across near the tip, which is of a deep black — this white 
band changes after death to gray or bluish white ; irides rich 
orange ; a spot of white on the chin ; head tufted, and, with the 
upper part of the neck, black, with reflections of rich purple, pre- 
dominating on the back part of the neck ; about the middle of the 
neck there is an interrupted band of a rich deep glossy chestnut ; 
throat, lower part of the neck, breast, back, scapulars, rump, and 
tail-coverts, of a silky brownish black ; primaries and wing-coverts 
brown ; tertials dark brown, with strong reflections of green ; se- 
condaries pale ash, or bluish white, forming the speculum, some tipt 
with brown and others with white ; back and scapulars powdered 
with particles of dull white, not to be observed but on a near in- 
spection, and presenting the appearance of dust ; lower part of the 
* Hist, of the Exped. vol. II, p. 195, 8vo. 
