( 100 ) 
7he little Black and White Duck. 
T his Bird feemed to me to be fomcthing lefs than the common T>uck ; I take 
it to be of the Size of a Widgeon \ the Bill is an Inch and half long from the Point 
to the Angle of the Mouth, and the Wing, when clofed, meafures a little over feven 
Inches. 
I’he Bill is of a dirty Black-colour, made much' in the Form of other Duck'^ Bills,, 
but rather Ihorter in Proportion than fome of this Tribe : The Head is of a deep gloffy 
Black, except a large white Spot which begins behind tlie Eyes on each Side, and 
joins in the hind Part of the Head j the black Feathers next the Bill all round have a 
fine green Luftre j thofe on the Crown and Beginning of the Neck are more purplifh 
the Neck a little below the Head is White all round j the lower Part of the Neck be- 
hind and the Back are of a Black-colour, having no Glofsj the Rump and Feathers 
covering the Tail are of a dirty White j the middle Feathers of the Tail were remark¬ 
ably longer than the Side Feathers, which fhortened gradually to the outermoft on 
each Side, they were all of a dirty Brown or Blackifh Colour on the upper Sides, and 
fomething fainter beneath: The Outermoft of the Qmlls of the Wings are Black, 
the Middlemoft have deep white Tips, their Bottoms, which are hid- by the covert 
Feathers, being Dusky j three or four of the inner Quills next the Back are Black j 
the firft Row of covert Feathers are Black where they fall on the greater or black 
Quiilsj and White where they cover the white Quills j the leffer Coverts are White, 
yet with fome Mixture of Black round the Ridge, where it falls on the Breaft, and 
in the Skin, which connects the Joints of the Wings, together: There fprings horn 
each Shoulder a Plat of white Feathers which fall backward in Points between the 
Back and Wings; the Neck, whole under Side to the Tail, and covert Feathers 
within-hde of the Wings, are White ; the Legs and Feet are of a yellow Orange-co¬ 
lour, the Claws Black; the Number of Toes, their Standing, and Manner of being, 
webb’d, are expreffed in the Figure. 
This Bird was given me by Mr. Holms of the Tower, who has often obliged me 
in this Way ; He fays it was brought from Newfoundland in America, where the Sea¬ 
men call it a Spirit, but for what Caufe I know not. 1 conjedure it to be a very 
fudden Diver, and it may perhaps as fuddenly appear again in a diftant Part of the 
Sea, which Faculty agrees very well with the Notion the Vulgar, have of Spiidts. In 
feveral of the Birds, which I have received from my Friends and foreign Correfpon- 
dents, I have mentioned the Length of the Wings, when clofed, which I think muft, 
hold its Meafure pretty near both in the Living and dried Bird. One cannot witK 
Certainty give the Length and Breadth of dried and fluff’d^ Birds when the Bodies are 
taken out of their Skins, as we may of living or newly kill’d Birds. . It is very ufeful to- 
have the Meafures of fuch Parts as can be meafured. I have not feen any Figure, or 
lead any Defcription agreeing with tliis Bird,.. 
