5*4 D U C K *
59*
URAL B>.
D escription*
F emale.
Place.
Anas merfa, Talias Trav. ii. p. 713. 29. t. H.
^jpHI S is a trifle bigger than the common Teal. Bill large, broad,
very tumid above the noftrils, and bifid in the adult bird,
the end marked with diverging ftriae j colour blue : head, and
part of the neck, white : on the crown a large patch of black :
eyelids black : the middle of the neck the fame : the fore parts
of the body yellowifh brown, undulated with black: back clouded
with cinereous and pale yellow, powdered with brown: under
part of the body, and rump, greyilh brown, in fome lights
appearing of a glofiy grey : wings fmall, no appearance of a
fpeculum : tail longilh, in lhape cuneiform, colour black: legs
brown, on the fore part blueilh, and placed far back, as in the
Diver genus.
The female and young bird have the bill lefs tumid at the bale,
and wholly of a brown colour: the head brown : throat white,
expanding towards the nape.
This fpecies is not unfrequent in the greater lakes of the Ural
mountains, and the rivers Ob and Irtifch. Not feen on the
ground, for from the fituation of its legs it is unable to walk;
but fwims very well and quick, at which time the tqiil is im-
merfed in the water as far as the rump, ferving by way of rudder,
contrary to the common method of a Duck’s fwimming.
The neft is formed of reeds, and floats, fomething like to that of
the Grebe. By the defcription of this, and the Iaft bird, they
appear to be not unlike each other in plumage.
Anas