T H E H A R L EQ U IN DUCK.
Ânàs histrionica, Harlequin Duck, P enn. Brit. Zoohjyol.Ji. p, 269, Edit. 1812.
: - ,, M ont. -Ornith. Diet.
Ai ,, Bewick^ Brit.Birds, vol. ii. p. 388.
C l a n g u l a „ „ „ F lem. Brit. An. p. T20,
^ Garrot, SEEBY,BrLt. Ornith. vol.fü. p. 37,J* -
„ Jenyns, Br-it.Vèrt. p. 246,
t> „ jffl Duckÿ ~ Eyton, Rare BritVTBiflls, p. 84.
. , ‘ ,,$• „ Goug'd, Birds oFEurope, pt. iv.
Anas ,, Canard Hystrion,, Temm. Man. d’ÏJrnith. vol. ii. P-M§^jd
T his beautiful gpétfieSÿ'Which,' fro n rth ‘é#:great variety in
its colours and markings,_-is called tlie Harlequin Duèk, is
another of the winter visiters to our "coast, hut ist still'4 more
rare than the Long-tailed Duck last described. The Harlequin
Duck was first noticed as a British Duck in the ornithological
Dictionary of jColonel Montagu, published in 1802.
His descriptions were taken from a pair of birds that had
been killed in Scotland, and sent by Lord Seaforth to Mr.
James SowerfefV who published coloured figures of them in
1806, in. his British Miscellany, tab, 6, page 11. Mr.
Sowerby afterwards received a young female of the same
species from Mr. Simmons, who shot it on one. of the Orkneys.
I t is, however, ,a very rare bird here, and but few
occurrences are recorded. ; Dr. Edward Moore has noticed
,omè,fthatrwas obtained in Devonshire, in the winter of 1830.
Some years since I ,bought twpi in,the London market during
;^ e Same winter;;. both of them were yo,uhg females, Mr.
Paget, has recorded one.'.that was obtained at Yarmouth;
and the gamekeeper-.of Sir Philip Egerton shot one, a
female, in;Qkeshireyih December 1840, during a frost.
I t has been taken, on the coast 'of France, according to
M. and'^oï^^snally in Germany. M. Nilsson says
it ivlsjts ijSwqden ; it is saidp^ be found in Russia, and ftom
Lake Baikal to^KamscHatka.
The, Harle^udfa Duck breeds in Iceland; and the egg
figured in Mr. Hewitson’s work was brought from that island
C. Atkinson, Esq. of Newcastle, “ who found a nest
Containing ^seven or** ^fptoi%gsJ| deposited in a bed of the
’bird’s down, upon the - grass, bordering thé margin of a
shallow lake.p|li?^he^^^LS\ of a pale b$d£ colour, tinged
with green; and measuring twöf inclai’Slone-eighth in length,
by* one inch, fiye-oighths in breadth. This duck also inhabits
.Greenland, and the most- northern parts of the American
continent. Dr. Richardson, in reference to its habits,
says that it haunts .eddies under cascades, and rapid streams.
I t takes wing, *.at.’once when -disturbed, and as very vigilant.
I t was nevfer seen associating’ with any other Duck. Coloured
figures of %oth sexes will he found in Edwards’ Gleanings