The food consists of mollusks, fish, worms, and aquatic plants.
Mr. Blyth assures me that the crest is capable o f erection to the extent I have represented, and that in
this state it forms a most beautiful appendage, and adds greatly to the beauty o f the bird, especially in the
breeding-season, when the bill becomes o f a bright orange-red.
On reference to the opposite Plate, it will at once be seen how greatly the two sexes differ in colour and
ornamentation, the female having the crest less developed and being devoid o f the body-tints which render
the male so conspicuous.
Could I have furnished a more detailed account o f this bird, I should have had much pleasure in so doing;
but unfortunately the peculiarities o f its habits and economy seem to be entirely unknown. Mr. Eyton
appears to have considered it to be allied to the Mergansers, and therefore proposed for it the generic name
o f Mergoides; and certainly the form of the bill and crest would induce most persons to entertain the
same opinion; but a further examination of the structure o f the bird would show that it does not belong
to the Mergince.
The following descriptions of the two sexes are from the pen o f Mr. Jerdon, a gentleman who has had
ample opportunities of observing the bird in a state of nature—an advantage I have not enjoyed.
“ M ale:—head, cheeks, throat, and upper part o f the neck reddish bay; the feathers on the crown elongated
and of a silky texture, forming a crest somewhat paler than the rest o f the head ; back, wings, and
tail yellowish brown; the bend of the wing, a large spot on each side of the back, the speculum, the base of
the primary quills, and the flanks white; lower part o f the neck, breast, and abdomen deep black; bill
bright vermilion-red, the tip white; irides red ; legs orange-red.
“ The female has the upper parts yellowish brown, darker on the head and neck, and the crest less developed
; half of the speculum greyish white, the other pale-brown; base o f the quills white, tinged with
brown ; breast and flanks yellowish brown; belly grey; bill and feet reddish brown.”
The Plate represents the two sexes, of the natural size.