121 
MALLARD. 
BOSCHJIS. 
[Plate LXX.— Fig. 7, Male.] 
Gmel. S^st. I, p. 538, JVo. 40. — Ind. Orn. p. 850, JVo. 49. Gen. S^n. Ill, p. 489, jYo. 43. 
—Arct. ZooL JVo. 494. Br. Zool No. 279. — Temm. Man. d'Orn. p. 835.— Bewick, II, 
p. 291. — Le Canard Satwage^ Briss. VI, p. 318, 4. — Buff. IX, p. 115, pi 7, 8. PL Enl. 
776, male ; 111^ female. — Willughby, p. 371. — Cuv. Rhg. An. I, p. 537. — Peale’s 
Museumy No. 2864 ; femaloy No. 2865. 
THE Mallard is so universally known as scarcely to require 
a description. It measures twenty-four inches in length, by three 
feet in extent ; and weighs, when in good condition, nearly three 
pounds and a half;* the bill is greenish yellow ; irides hazel ; front, 
crown and throat, deep black; the rest of the head, and part of the 
neck, deep glossy changeable green, ending in a narrow interrupt- 
ed collar of white ; the remainder of the neck and breast is of a 
dark purplish chestnut ; lesser wing-coverts broAvn ash, greater 
crossed near the extremities with a band of white, and tipt with 
another of deep velvetty black ; below this lies the speculum, or 
beauty spot, of a rich and splendid light purple, with green and 
violet reflections, bounded on every side with black ; quills pale 
* In the first edition it is stated that the Mallard weighs upwards of two pounds and a 
half. It is to be presumed that our author never weighed one himself, otherwise this error would 
not have escaped him. According to Latham the usual weight is two pounds and a half ; but 
he observes that several were taken in Suffolk of the weiglit of three pounds and a half. Pen- 
nant says that he had seen one of three pounds one ounce. The Editor shot a male on the De- 
laware, in the month of April, which weighed three pounds five ounces ; and he saw them 
in Florida, in the winter, when they are fatter than in the spring, of greater weight. In the 
month of March he shot two females, in East Florida, weighing two pounds each. 
VOL. vin. 
2 H 
