casMfes: 
Clafs II.] 
birds. 
SPECIES Xlll. The Mallard 
Goramon wild duck and mallard* 
Common tame duck. IVil. orn. 
37 b 3 So - 
Anas fera. Anas domeftica. Brijfon 
av. VI. 308, 318. 
F the extreme commonefs of this well known 
bird did not render a defcription unnecefiary ; 
^ the form of the four middle feathers of the 
tail in the male would diftinguifh that from all 
others of this genus 5 thefe are curled and turn 
up towards the back; the female wants this 
mark; her plumage is of a reddifti brown, fpotted 
in the middle of each feather with black : the 
bill in both fexes is of a greeniftt yellow, very 
Fat and broad The common tame fpecies of 
ducks take their origin from thefe, and may be 
traced to it by unerring chambers. The drakes, 
Rail fyn. av. 145, 150. 
Anas bofchas. Anas domeftica. Lin. 
fyfi. 127. 
Anas fera torquata minor. Anas 
domeftica. Gefner av. 112,96. 
howfoever they vary in colors, always retain 
the curled feathers of the tail : and both fexes 
the form of the bill of the wild kind. Nature 
fports in the colors of all domeftic animals ; and 
for a wife and ufeful end; that mankind may 
the more readily diftinguifh and clame their re- 
fpe<ftive property. Wild ducks pair in the fpring, 
and breed in all marfhy grounds, and lay from ten 
to fixteen eggs. They abound in Lincolnfoire , 
the great magazine of wild fowl in this kingdom ; 
whofe prodigious numbers are taken annually in 
the decoys. 
SPECIES XIV. The Shoveler. Plate 0 4. 
PIT. orn. 370. 
Rail fyn. av. 143 - 
Phafianus marinus. Charlton ex. 105. 
HIS weighs twenty-two ounces : its 
length twenty-one inches. The bill is 
L black, three inches long, fpreads near 
the end to a great breadth; is furniftied with a 
fmali hook, and the edges of each mandible 
are pe<ftinated, or fupphed with thin laminae, 
that lock into each other when the mouth is 
clofed. The irides are of a bright yellow : the 
head,and upper part of the neck of a blackifh 
• green : the lower part of the neck, the breaft, 
and the fcapulars are white: the back brown: 
Brijfon av. VI. 329. Tab. 32. Fig. 1. 
Anas clypeata Lin. Jyjr. 142. 
Anas lataroftra. Gefner av. 120. 
the coverts of the wings of a fine Fey blue; thofe 
next the quil feathers tipt with white: the greater 
quil feathers are dufky; the exterior webs of 
thofe in the middle, are of a glofty green. The 
tail confifts of fourteen feathers $ the outmoft are 
white ; thofe in the middle black, edged with 
white : the belly is of a bay color : the vent fea¬ 
thers black : the legs red. The female has the 
fame marks in the wings as the male, but the co¬ 
lors are lefs bright: the reft of the plumage re- 
fembles that of the common wild duck. 
v * 
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SPECIES 
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