( i93 ) 
The Black-hilPd Whistling Duck. 
I . / 
I T is fomething fmaller than a common Tame Duck, and longer 
legged in Proportion than other Ducks generally are. 
The Bill is like that of a common Duck, pe&inated on its Edges, a 
little hooked at the Point, and of a black or dusky Colour ; the Eyes 
are of a Hazel-Colour. The Head on its Sides is of a brown Colour ; 
the Top of the Head is Black, the Feathers being long, and pointing 
backwards in form of a Creft; the Hinder-part of the Neck is of a 
dusky Colour; the under Sides of the Head, Throat and Neck, are 
White ; the Neck is fpotted with fmall black Spots; the Back, and 
upper Sides of the Wings are Brown; the greater Quills are dark 
Brown, approaching to Black; the Covert-Feathers of the Wings have 
each of them a black Spot in their Middles. The Feathers of the Tail 
are Black, as are the Rump, and the Feathers that cover the Tail 
above; the Tail-Feathers are not of equal Length, the Tail being a 
little pointed in the Middle. The Bread or Craw, is of a bright- 
reddifh Brown, fpotted with Black, and its lower Part has a little Mix¬ 
ture of White ; the whole Belly is White, having a large Mixture of 
Black on the Sides, and a very little down its Middle-part. The Co¬ 
vert-Feathers beneath the Tail are White, with round black Spots. The 
Legs are longer than what is common in the Duck-Kind ; they are 
bare of Feathers a little above the Knees. The three forward Toes 
are all webbed together; it hath alfo a lateral Web on the Infide of 
each of its inner Toes; the Legs and Feet are covered with Scales of 
a Lead-Colour; the Hinder-Toe is placed fo high as hardly to touch 
the Ground ; the Claws are Black. 
This Bird was the Property oi Sir Charles Wager , at whofe Houfe, 
on Parfons-Green, I made a Draught of it. I was informed it came 
from the WeJI-Indies , where it is called a Whiflling-Duck . Sir Hans 
Sloane fays, in his Natural Hi ft ory of Jamaica , Vol. II. P. 324, 
they make a whirling Noife, from whence they have their Name, 
and that it very ufually pearches on Trees, and is common in that 
Bland. 
The 
