( 102 ) 
ne Chinese Teal. 
HIS furprizing uncommon Bird is about the Size of our ^eak or rather larger. If there be- 
any Difference; Its Colours are as beautiful as the Form of its WingS is rare. 
The Bill is like that of a common Teal^ of a dull Reddifh-colour j the Eyes are of a Hazel- 
colour 5 the Sides of the Head, from the Bafis of the Bill to the Ears, are White, in the Middle 
of which Spaces the Eyes are placed ; the Crown of the Head is of a fine Green-colour*, from 
above the Eyes backward there paffes on each Side a Bar of Purple Feathers *, below thefe Bars the 
Feathers are Green, on the hind Part of the Head *, all thefe Feathers on the Head are very longj^. 
which form a Creft, ot Topping, which it can raife a little, or let fall behind the Neck, as the 
Figure reprefents i The Feathers on die hind Part of the Neck, and a little Way down the fore 
Part, are narrow, and fharp pointed, like thofe on the Necks of Cocks, of a pleafant Red-colour,, 
inclining very little to a Yellow Caft 5 the Bread; is of a Red-Wine Colour, or a little more inclin¬ 
ing to Purple ; at the Bottom of the Neck, on each Side of the Breaft, is a Spot of black and 
white Bars alternately fucceeding each other, tranfverfly placed : The Back and covert Feathers 
of the Wings are of a dark Brown, or Dufky-colour, with a changeable Luftre of Blue and 
Green: the long or outer Quills of the Wings are of a Black or Dark Colour, their outer Webs 
near their Bottoms being edged with White: The middle Quills are of a very fine changeable 
blue Green-colour, tipp’d with White: Three oi* four of the Quills next the Body are brownifh,, 
with their outer Webs edg’d with White, as are fome of the Feathers that fall between the BacL 
and Wings. What gives this Bird its extraordina-ry Figure is two Feathers, one amongft the 
Quills of each Wing, which, when the Wings are clofed, rife above the Back in the Manner the. 
Figure reprelents them *, thefe Feathers are of a dull Orange, or bright Bay.7cplour, on their upper 
or broader Webs, edged toward their Points with Black; the narrow or. lower Webs are.of a fine 
Blue, except their Points, which are Bay, like the upperthe Shafts of thefe Feathers are White , 
»“See the Feather drawn feparate from the Bird in the Print. The Tail is Brown, with a Glofs> 
©f Blue; the Belly and Coverts beneath.the Tail are White; the Side Feathers, .which fall partly 
over the Wings, are of a light Cinerious Brown, with tranfverfe arched Lines of White and 
Black alternately placed ; the Legs and Toes are of an Orange-colour; ^ the Webs between the- 
Toes Dufl<y the Claws Black, 
I drew this Bird at Richmond in Surry, from the living Bird kept in the Gardens of Sir 
Matthew Decker, Bart. I find in Kempfer’s Hijiory of Japan an Account of a Bird, which I think? 
Gan be no other but the above deferibed ; it is as follows: “ Of Ducks alfo there are feveral dif- 
ferent Kinds;, one Kind, particularly, I cannot forbear mentioning, becaufe of.the furprifing. 
Beauty of its Male, call’d Kinmodjui, which is fo great, that being fhew’d its Pidure ioi 
Colours, 1 could hardly believe my own Eyes till I faw the Bird itfelf, it being a very common 
one ; ks Feathers are wonderfully diverfified with the fineft Colours imaginable ; about the- 
Neck and Breaft chiefly they are Red ; the Head is. crowned with a moft magnificent Top- 
ping: The Tail rifing obliquely, and the Wings ftanding up over the Back in a very Angular 
Manner, afford to the Eye a Sight as curious as uncommon.’* — See this Qiiotation/r., 129.. 
of the above Hiftory,, and in Hab. x. a fmalJ Figure agreeing with my Drawing, I have obferved 
this-Bird with its Female feveral Times figur’d together in .colour’d Chinefe Pkfures, of the more- 
curious Sort, in which the Males are colour’d near like what I have deferibed the above, but the 
Females are always reprefented all Brown. The white Flower with which I have decorated the- 
ground. Work is after Nature, and is found growing in all.Waters round about London m the- 
MontliS of May June^. 
Tm. 
