The Goofander. Merganfer.
Numb. LXXXVII.
ÍTS Weight is four Pound ; its Length from the Tip of the Bill to the
End of the Tail twenty eight Inches j its Breadth when extended forty
Inches.; the Body is long, the Back broad and Bat, and the Head and
upper part of the Neck is of a duiky yellowifh brown, as is alfa the Creft;
the lower back part pf the Neck, Pinion of the Wing, Back, and upper
Side of its Tail is of a dark cinereous Colour, inclining to a muddy brown j
the fore part of the Neck, Breaft, Belly, and under part of the Tail, are
of a faint filvery yellow, or Ifabella Colour; the Tail is made up of eighteen
Feathers. Each Wing hath about twenty fix prime Feathers, the ten out-
ermoft black, and the four next alfo black, but tipt with white ; the five
fucceeding white with their Bottoms black, and the remaining fix or feven
npvt- the Body white, with their exterior Edges black; in the fecond Row
of the Wing, thofe incumbent on the white quill Feathers are white from
the Tips to the middle, beneath black; from thence as far as the Ballard
Wing are all white, but between thofe white ones, and the long fcapular Feathers,
fome black ones intervene; whence if you take the long fcapular
Feathers which cover the Back, and fore part of the Wing, the Wings will be,
as Aldrovandus defcribes them, black towards the Back, next white, with a
certain palenefs; then black again, but more remifsly; after that again white,
The Bill meafured from the Tip to (the Corners of the Mouth exceeeds
the Length of a Man’s middle Finger; the lower Mandible is of a yellowilh
brown, the upper Mandible fomewhat darker inclining to black, and
hooked, both upper and lower toothed on both Sides like a Saw, and the
Tongue and Palate yellow; the Ears are round, the Noftrils large, and the
hides of the Eyes of a.fanguine Colour; the Legs and Feet are red, the
back Toe broad, with an appendant Membrane, and it hath a huge bony
Labyrinth on the Wind-Pipe, juft above the Divarications; and befides,the
Wind-Pipe hath two Swellings, one above the other, each refembling a
Powder Puff, and out of one there was taken Sprats.
The Stomach is fcarce mufculous; out of which was taken a Roach and
an E e l; it hath a Gall-bladder, and the blind Guts were three Inches long,
and full of Excrements. The Fleih is not wholefome, having a fiihy un~
pleafant Tafte.
r The