320 
BRITISH BIRDS, 
MUSK DUCK. 
MUSCOVY, CAIRO, GUINEA, OR INDIAN DUCK. 
[^Anas mof chains y Lin. — Le Canard Mu/que^ BufF.) 
This fpecies is lefs than the laft, but much larger 
than the Common Duck, meafuring about two feet 
in length. The bill is two inches long ; the tip 
and noftrils brown ; the other parts of it red, as is 
alfo the naked warty fkin which joins its bafe, and 
furrounds the eyes. The crown of the head is 
rather tufted or crefted, and black: the cheeks,* 
throat, and fore part of the neck, white, irregular- 
ly marked with black : the belly, from the breaft 
to the thighs, white. The general colour of the 
reft of the plumage is deep brown,— darkeft, and 
gloffed with green on the back, rump,- quills, and 
tail : the two outfide feathers of the latter, and the 
firft three of the former, are white : the legs and 
feet are red, Ihort, and thick. This is the general 
appearance of the Mulk Duck ; but as it is domef- 
ticated in almoft every country, it varies very much,* 
like all other birds in that ft ate. In the female, 
the bare warty, or carunculated fkin, which is fpread 
from the bill over the eyes, is of a much duller red, 
and does not cover fo large a portion of the head as 
it does in the male : fhe is alfo of a lefs fize. 
Ornithologifts are in doubt, as to the country to 
which thefe birds originally belonged \ it is, how- 
