Encyclopaedia Britannica > Volume 15, NIC-PAR

34s
Fermgi-
nca.'
347.
, Glacialis,
34s
Ferina.
o R N
neath j wings brown j wing spot violet, ferruginous on
the fore part, black and white on the hind part j tail
brown, edged with white, two middle feathers longer.
Female less ; wing-spot straw coloured, and edged with
white. Inhabits Europe, Asia, and America. J hese
birds are seldom numerous in England, but flocks o
them are sometimes abundantly spread along the isles
and shores of Scotland and Ireland, and on the interior
lakes of both these countries. This species measures
twenty-eight inches in length, and is esteemed excel-
k"rerra3nous ifedfc.—Heddisb-bnmn ; bill dilated and
rounded at the base; feet pale blue. Weight 20 ounces.
Inhabits Denmark and Sweden, but very rarely occuis
in this country. , , , t,.
Lone-tailed duck.—TzA pointed, long *, body black
white beneath j bill black, orange in the middle ; head
on the fore part and sides reddish-gray *, hind-part,
breast, and belly, white-, scapulars long and white; sides
of the neck with a black spot; lower part ol the breast,
back, wings, and tail, chocolate; lour middle tail-
feathers black, two middle ones longer, the rest win e ,
legs dusky-red, or blackish. The female has the tail
shorter and wedged; the body varied with blackish,
rufous, and gray ; the back black; collar and lower part
ot the belly white, Of the size of a wigeon. Inhabits
Europe, Asia, and America, frequenting both the inte¬
rior lakes and the sea shores of these quarters ol the
world. The birds of this species do not, in the winter,
like many of the other tribes, entirely quit their north¬
ern haunts, but considerable numbers remain there, en¬
during the rigours of the season, and enjoying, in sum¬
mer, the perpetual day of an unsetting sun. Numerous
flocks, however, spread themselves southward in the
winter, from Greenland and Hudson’s bay, as far as
New York in America, and from Iceland and bpitz-
bergen over Lapland, the Russian dominions bweden,
Norway, and the northern parts of the British isles in
Europe. The flocks which visit the Orkney isles ap¬
pear in October, and continue there till April. About
sunset they are seen in large companies gqing to and re¬
turning from the bays, in which they frequently pass
the night, making such a noise, as in frosty weather
may be heard some miles. They are rather scarce in
England, to which they resort only in very hard win¬
ters, and even then in small straggling parties. I hey
fly swiftly, but seldom to a great distance, making a
loud and singular cry. They are expert divers, and
supposed to live chiefly on shell-fish. The female makes
her nest among the grass near the water, and, like the
eider duck, lines it with the fine down of her own body.
According to Latham, she lays five eggs, which are ot
a bluish white colour, and about the size of those ot a
^ Pochard, or red-headed wigeon.—-Waved with ash-
colour; head brown; pectoral band; vent and rump
black ; bill broad, blue, tipt with black ; indes tawney ;
head and neck bay j breast and upper part of the back
black ; scapulars and inner wing-coverts undulated with
black and white; belly whitish, with dusky lines at the
sides; legs plumbeous. Female darker; head pale red¬
dish-brown ; wing-coverts and belly cinereous. Nine¬
teen inches long ; weight 28 ounces. Inhabits Europe,
Asia and America. This species is frequently caught
in the decoys in England, though it is not known to
I T H O L O G Y.
j 35®
anrt Cretcts*
breed there. In some counties it is called/w&er, auhbird, Anseres
or great-headed wigeon. It is of a plump round shape,
walks with a waddling and ungraceful step, but flies
rapidly, and in flocks of from 20 to 40, commonly in a
compact body. It is much in request for the table, but
is not easily domesticated. The male has a labyrinth,
or enlargement of the trachea, near the junction with
the lungs, a singular conformation peculiar to the male
of several species of the duck tribe, but the use of
which is still unknown. In winter the pochard migrates
southward, as far, it is said, as Egypt.
Garganaj.—Wing-spot green; a white line above
the eyes; bill lead colour; crown dusky, with oblongs
streaks ; cheeks and neck purple, with white streaks ;
breast light brown, with semicircular black bars; belly
white, lower part and vent speckled ; first quill-feathers
cinereous, outer webs of the middle ones green ; scapu¬
lars long, narrow, striped with white, ash colour and
black ; tail dusky ; legs lead-colour. I emale, with an
obscure white mark over the eye; plumage brownish-
ash ; wings without the green spot. Length 17 inches,
Inhabits Europe and Asia. By some called pied wi¬
geon, or summer teal. Frequents only the fresh waters,
feeding on seeds and aquatic plants. Is not common in
-Britain, and is said to be impatient of cold.
Teal.—AVing-spot green ; a white line above
-beneath the eyes; bill black; irides hazel; head and
neck bright bay ; a broad green band behind the eyes
to the nape, and terminating beneath in a white line ;
body whitish, with transverse blackish lines above ;
fore part of the neck and breast with round black spots ;
wing-spot green, edged beneath with white^ obliquely
black above; vent black in the middle. The female
is distinguished by the head and neck varied with whit¬
ish and brown, and the vent totally white. There are
two permanent varieties, of which the first is the wing-
spot varying in colour; the body brown-ash above, ru-
fous-white beneath, and black spots on the belly. The
second has the cheek, chin, and under parts of thebody
white-rufous, and the wing-spot without black. Weight
about 12 ounces; length 14 inches and a half. l ie
smallest of the duck tribe, and in high request at the
table. Inhabits Europe and Asia ; visits us in winter,
and frequents our fresh waters in sma 1 flocks. Many
are caught in the decoys, and a few breed in Wolmer
Forest, in the morasses about Carlisle, &c. 1 he female
makes a large nest composed of soft dried grasses lined
with feathers, and cunningly concealed in a ho.e among
the roots of reeds and bulrushes, near the edge of the
water. The eggs are of the size of those of a pigeon
from six to ten in number, and of a dull white colour
marked with small brownish spots. The male has a
bony labyrinth in the lower part of the windpipe. ^
Mallard, or wild cfoeE—-Cinereous ; middle tail tea- Bosclim
thers (of the male) recurved; bill straight; collar
white; bill greenish-yellow; head and neck glossy-green;
scapulars white, with waved brown lines; back brown ;
vent black-green ; breast chesnut; belly gray ; wing-
spot violet-green, edged above with a black and win e
line ; two middle tail feathers dark-green and recurved.
Female reddish-brown, spotted with black. \ ery sub¬
ject to vary, especially by domestication when it is our
common tame duck. About 23 inches long, height
about two pounds and a half. Inhabits Europe, Asia,
and America; is very common in marshy places m m