( 802 J
B R E W E R ' S DUCK.
• . 1 1 ANAS BREWEHI.
PLATE eccxxxvui. MAI.K.
The beautiful Duck from which X made the drawing coined on the
plate before you, was Ihot on Lake Barataria,, ^Louisiana, in February
»22. It was in .company with .seven or eight Canvass-back
Ducks. No other individuals of the species were m sight at the time,
an,! ail my efforts: to procure another have been ineffectual.
You will see that this curious bird is mimed in the plate « Anas
gladUm? the descriptions of that species- Wing indeed me to consider
it identical with this. But oli comp&iflg my drawing vsnihspecime
» 3ft- the » iSto»: M the Zoological Society of London, I found
that the former represents a much larger bird, which, besides, isttffe
rentl/coloured in some« its parts. The individual figdred was a
male- but I have some doubts whether^'had acquired the full beauty
'Ifits mature plumage, and X considered it at the time as a b i rd« the
preceding season.
• In form and proportions this bird is .very nearly allied to the Mallard,
from which it differs in having the bill considerably narrower, m
waM&g the recurved feathprs.of the tail, in having the feet dull
¿ l ow in place of orange-red, the speculum more green and duller,
„.¡thout the white bands of that bird, and in the' large patch of light
red on^e side of & head. It may possibly be an accidental variety.,
or a hybrid between that bird and some other species, perhaps the
Gadvvall, to which also it bears a great resemblance, :
Bill nearly as'lSftg the head, higher than broad at the base, dep
W i and widened towards the end, rounded al the tip, the lamella;
short and numemu, the unguis obovatc, curved, the nasal groove ellip.
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed: neck rather long and
slender; bo% fall, depressed. Feet short, stou\ placed Behind the
centre of the I B M bare a little aVe-the joint, ft**» short, a
little compressed, ^terioriy with small Or a l ly and behind
BREWER'S DUCK. S03
with reticulated angular scales. Hind toe very small, with a narrow
free membrane; thirdtoe longest, fourth a little shorter ; claws small,
arched, compressed, acute. , .
Plumage dense, soft, and elastic ; of the hind head and neck short
and blended; of the other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings
of moderate length, acute ; tail short, graduated, 0
Bill dull yellow, slightly tinged with green, dusky along the ridge
Iris brown. Feet dull yellow, claws dusky, webs dull grey. Head
and upper part Of the neck deep glossy green; but there is an elongated
patch of pale reddish-yellow, extending from the base of the.bill
over the Cheek to two inches and a quarter behind the eye, and meet
tag that of the other side on the chin ; the space immediately over and
behind the eye light dull purple. A narrow ring Of pale yellow^h-red
on the middle of the neck ; the lower part of the neck dull brownishred,
the feathers with a transverse band of dusky, and edged with
paler. The upper parts are dull greyish-brown, transversely undulated
with dusky; the smaller wkg-COverts without undulations, but each
feather with a dusky bar behind another of light dull yellow; first row
of smaller coverts tipped with black ; primaries and their coverts, light
brownish-grey ; some of the outer secondaries similar, the next five or
six duck-green, the next light grey with a dusky patch toward the end.
The rump and upper tafl-coVer® black, as are the parts under the tail,
excepting two longitudinal* white bands; tail-feathers light brownishgrey
edged with whitish. All the rest of the lower parts are greyishwhite
tinged with yellow, beautifully undulated with dusky lines, on
the middle of the breast these lines less numerous, and each feather
with a reddish-grey Central streak.
Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of claws 24 ; extent of wings-
39 ; bill along the ridge 2J, along the edge of lower mandible ; tarsus
middle toe' 2, its. claw A ; hind toe |, its claw }. Weight 2 lb.
9 tii/S- '
I have named this Duck after my friend Thomas M. Buewek of
Boston, as a mark of the estimation in which I hold him as an accomplished
ornithologist