47 2 D U K.
on the ground,'of a pale green colour, and glofTyj which the female
fecures from cold in a bed of fine down, plucked from her breaft.
This down is of the lighted: and warmed nature of any thing yet
known* : the natives, who know its value, take care to plunder
the neds, taking away both the down and eggs: when the Duck
lays again, furnifhing a fecond parcel of down, her lad dock; for
if die is robbed a fecond time, the male mud fupply the warm covering
; but if a third theft be committed lhe will wholly defert
the place.
In America this bird is found as far fouth as New York-, and
breeds on the defert ides of New England-, but mod common
every -where to the north. Are faid to be condant to the
fame breeding-places, and that a pair has been obferved to occupy
the fame ned for twenty years together. Their food is ßells, for
which they dive to great depths. Very numerous in the Efqui-
maux lands; but lefs fo in the middle fettlements. Called by the
fird Mettik. In Greenland are known by the fame name j\ The
* The quantity of down found in one neft more than filled the crow» of an
hat, yet weighed no more than three quarters of an ounce. Br. Zool,— Three
pounds of this down may be comprefled into a fpace fcarce bigger than one’s
fiß j yet is afterwards fo dilatable as to fill a quilt five feet fquare. Salem. Orn.
p. 4x6.— That found in the nefts is moft valued, and termed live down; it is infinitely
more elafiic than that plucked from the dead bird, which is little efteem-
ed in Iceland. The bell fort is fold at forty-five f i ß per pound, when cleanfed,
and ?Lt.fixteen when not cleanfed. There are generally exported every year, on
the Company’s account, fifteen hundred or two thoufand pounds, of both forts, ex-
clufive of what is privately exported by foreigners. In 1750 the Iceland Company
fold as much in quantity of this article as amounted to three thoufandfeven hun-
dred and forty five banco-dollars, befides what was fent directly to Gluckfiadt.
— Von Trail, p. 146.
f Crantso. Hiß, Greenl.
natives
HP lIi i h i
natives kill them on the water with darts, driking them the
moment they appear after diving j and know the place from their
being preceded by the riling of bubble's. The delh is faid to be
much valued. Are faid to live to a very great age, and at this
period to become quite grey *.
Anas fpeflabilis, Lin. Syfi. i. p. 195, S*"“ Faun. Suec. N° 112%—Muf. Ad.
Fr. ii. p. 25.—Muller, N° 108.
Le Canard de la Baye de Hudfon, Brif. Orn. vi. p, 365. 15.
■— ■" à tête grife, Buf. Oif. ix. p. 253.*
Grey-headed Duck, Edw. pi. 154.
King Duck, Aril. Zool. N° 481.
Lev. Muf.
Ç I Z E between a Duck and a Goofe : length near two feet. The
bill almod two inches long, and of an orange-colour ; on the
upper mandible is a femicircular ridged protuberance, com-
preffed on the fides and flat on the top, where it is divided into
two ; the elevated parts are of a velvet black, palling on each
fide in a line to the eyes : the crown of the head, and nape, are
of an elegant pale alh-colour : at the bafe of the upper mandible,
the feathers are pea-green, palling backwards on each fide the
neck, and taking in half the eye : beneath this, and round to the
chin, dirty white, but the green and white blend themfelves, the
laft lofing itfelf by degrees in the other : under the chin are
two black ftreaks, meeting in a point at top, and diverging as
they advance downwards, like the letter V inverted : the reft of
the neck, and breaft, are whitilh: the middle of the back, the
* Aril. Zool.
VOL. III. 3 p whole