J04 D U C K ,
SO.
V ar. A.
D escri ption,
Place and
Manners.
&
•i-SHIELDRAKE
D e s c r i p t i o n .
j ENGTH fourteen inches: breadth twenty-two inches: weight
fourteen ounces. The bill is one inch long, narrow, black :
irides blue: the forehead and crown glolfy black, the feathers
longilh : on the ears fpotted with dirty white : back part of the
neck brown : fcapulars and lefifer wing coverts dark blue; the
greater blue, with a white fpot at the ends : greater quills deep
blue: ftcondaries white without, and deep blue within : throat
and belly white: breaft and vent blue : tail black : legs blue.
The above comes into Hudfon’s Bay in June, and departs in
October. Lays ten fmall white eggs, on the flumps of trees, near
ponds ; makes no neft, only forming a hollow out of the rotten
wood ; hatches in July; the young are conveyed by the mother,
from the Ihell to the water, in her bill. Feeds on grafs at the
bottoms of ponds; and frequently flies juft over the furface.
Known by the name of Warn pew ne way fe pis, or Pied Duck *.
Anas tadorna, Lin. Syjt. i. p. 195. 4.'— Faux. Suec. N° 1 13 ,— Brun. N° 47,
— Muller, N° 107.— Frifch..pi. 166.— Georgi Rei/e, p. 165.
La Tadorne, Brif. One. vi. p. 344. g. pi. 33. fig. 2.— Buf. OiJ. ix. p. 205.
pi. 14..— /’/. linl. S3.
Sheldrake, or Burrough Duck, Rati Syn. p . 140. A . 1 .— Will. Orn. p . 363.
p i. 70. 7 1 .— Albin. i. pi. .94.— Br. Zee/, ii. N° 278.— Aril. Zool.
p . 572. D .
Br. Muf. Lev• Muf.
g I Z E of the Wild Duck: length two feet: weight two pounds
two ounces. The bill turns up much at the end, is pretty
• Mr. Hutcbitu.
broad,
D U C K.
broad, and of a red colour; at the bafe a riling knob; the nof-
trils, and nail at the end, black: the head, throat, and part of
the neck, are greenilh black; the reft of the neck, the back,
rump, and upper tail coverts, white: on the bread a rufous bay
band, which, growing narrower, pafles under the wings, and
round to the upper part of the back: the middle of the bread,
belly, and vent, are dulky and white mixed : fides of the two
laft white : the fcapulars are black: the wing coverts white :
fome of the outer ones, baftard wing, and quills, black : fome of
the quills part white, part black: fpeculum green gold, glofied
with copper : the tail is white, except the outer feather on each
fide, which is tipped with black: the legs are red.
The female is fmaller than the male; but does not eflentially Female.
differ in plumage, except that the colours are lels vivid.
This fpecies is common, in the neighbourhood of the fea, in Place and
many parts of England; where it is found throughout the year. M anners.
It breeds in deferted Rabbit-burrows, or occupies them in the ab-
fence of the owners, who, rather than make an attempt at dislodging
the intruders, form others; though, in defeat of readymade
quarters, theft birds will frequently dig holes for them-
felves. The female lays fifteen or fixteen * roundilh white eggs ;
theft are laid at the further end of the hole, covered with down
fupplied from the breaft of the female, who fits about thirty days.
The young as foon as hatched take to the water, and fwim fur-
prifingly well. She is very careful of the young, ufing'many ftra-
tagems to favour their efcape when in danger; and will often carry
them from place to place in the bill: this we are certain of, from
• The younger birds lay only as far as twelve.— Hift. dee Oif.
VOL. III. a young