TUFTED DUCK. 
229 
278 . ANAS RUFITORQUES, BONAPARTE. 
ANAS FULIGULAy WILSON. TUFTED DUCK. 
WILSON, PLATE LXVII. FIG. V. EDINBURGH COLLEGE MUSEUM. 
This is an inhabitant of both continents ; it frequents 
fresh water rivers, and seldom visits the sea shore. It 
is a plump, short bodied duck ; its flesh generally tender 
and well tasted. They are much rarer than most of our 
other species, and are seldom seen in market. They 
are most common about the beginning of winter, and 
early in the spring. Being birds of passage, they leave 
us entirely during the summer. 
The tufted duck is seventeen inches long, and two 
feet two inches in extent ; the bill is broad and of a 
dusky colour, sometimes marked round the nostrils and 
sides with light blue ; head, crested, or tufted, as its 
name expresses, and of a black colour, with reflections 
of purple ; neck marked near its middle by a band of 
deep chestnut ; lower part of the neck, black, which 
spreads quite round to the back ; back and scapulars, 
black, minutely powdered with particles of white, not 
to be observed but on a near inspection ; rump and vent, 
also black ; wings, ashy brown ; secondaries, pale ash, 
or bluish white ; tertials, black, reflecting green ; lower 
part of the breast and whole belly, white ; flanks crossed 
with fine zigzag lines of dusky; tail, short, rounded, 
and of a dull brownish black ; legs and feet, greenish 
ash ; webs, black ; irides, rich orange ; stomach filled 
with gravel and some vegetable food. 
In young birds the head and upper part of the neck 
are purplish brown ; in some the chestnut ring on the 
fore part of the middle of the neck is obscure, in others 
very rich and glossy, and, in one or two specimens 
which I have seen, it is altogether wanting. The back 
is in some instances destitute of the fine powdered 
particles of white, while in others these markings are 
large and thickly interspersed. 
The specimen from which the description was faken* 
