54#
H-
4- SUMMER D.
Description.
D U C K .
Anas fponfa, Lin. Syfi. i. p. 207. 43.
Le Canard d’Ete, Brif. Ora. vi. jfc 351. i i . pi. 32, 2i
Le beau Canard huppe, Buf. Qif. lx. p. 245.— PI. Enl. 980. 981%
Yztattzon Yayauhqui *, Rati Sjn. p. 1 ]6.— Wilt. Ora. p. 387.
American Wood Duck, Brown Jam. p. 481.
Summer Duck, Cate/. Car. i. pi* 9f.— Eelw. pi. 101 .——Arft» Zool. N° 493^"
Br.^Muf. Lewt Mu/.
C I Z E of a Wigs on: length nineteen inches. Bill red, neareft
the bafe of the upper mandible yellow; tip and ridge black -
irides hazel: eyelids crimfon :. the hind head much crefted ; the
feathers very long, and hang down the neck: the head and
creft are glofly green, appearing purple in fome lights: from the
noftrils a white line pafies on each fide over the eye to the hind
head ; and from the back part of the eye a fecond, tending to
the fame part: hind head, beneath the creft, black: the chin,
and throat are white, which forms a (lender curve upwards
round the jaw, ending in a point at the back of the eye; below
this is a fecond curve, tending towards the nape: the
neck, below the creft, and breaft, are of a ruddy vi naccous
colour, inclining to brown behind; the breaft marked with,
triangular fpots of white; from thence,, as far as the vent,
white: the feathers which fall over the wings barred black and
white: back glofly brown: fcapulars glofled with blue green;,
fccondaries with blue: fides o f the body finely barred with dulky
and cream-colour:-the feathers over the thighs crofted with black:
and white at the ends fides of the vent purplilh chefnut: legs,
orange,.
*-Tfce bird with.a variovts-coloared head.-
Thep
u c k .
Tht female is fmaller. The feathers round the bafe of the
■ bill white: round the eye the fame, palling backwards in a ftreak
behind, where it fimlhes in a point: chin and throat white . fore
.part of the neck and breaft brown, marked with triangular fpots
o f white, as in the male, but much lefs diftinft: the back and
tail brown: wings the fame, mixed with blue green on the
coverts and fecond quills: acrofs the wing, juft above the
quills, a narrow white bar: quills dufky, edged near the ends
with grey, and within with green: belly white: legs as in the
wale. ■ .
This moft beautiful Ipecies inhabits Mexico, and fome o f the
US eft India ifles, migrating in the fummer feafon as far north as
40 degrees, or a little beyond. Appears at New York early in
the fpring, and breeds there: makes the neft in the decayed
hollows of trees, or fuch. as have been made by Woodpeckers,
and often between the forks of the branches; whence by fome
called Summer Duck, and Yree Duck. When the young arc
hatched, the Duck takes them on her back to the water. Arc
often kept tame in our menageries, and will breed there. The
flelh is much efteemed by the Americans. This is the fpecies,
the neck of which the natives of Loui/iana ufe to ornament then
pipes, or calumets of peace * with; and at the laft-named place is
found throughout the year.
* Hift. 'll la Uuif. ji. p. 1 15.— See alfo vol. i. p. 37. Note of this Work.
' W , r
Female.
P lace and
Manners.
4. A 2 A a as