History of British animals - University of Guam Marine Laboratory

124 BIRDS. PALMIPIDES. Anas.to 18, bluish-white— Young males like the female.—This species has sufferedmuch from the operations of agriculture, many of its haunts and breedingplaces having been drained. It is the stock from which the domestic duckhas sprung.188. A. strepcra. Gadwall.— Bill black ; feet orange. Wingspotwhite.A. platyrhvnchos rostro nigro, Will. Orn. 287— A. strep. Linn. Svst. i«"200. Perm. Brit. Zool. ii. 603. Temm. Orn. ii. 837-— (Trachea, Linn.Trans, iv. tab. xiii. f. 7, 8.)— E, Gray, Rodge.— A rare winter visitant.Length 19, breadth 33 inches. Bill 2 inches long. Irides brown. Headand neck grey, with brown spots ; breast and back rayed with black and whitelines. Lesser wing-covers chesnut ;greater covers, rump, and both coversof the tail, black. Belly white. Greater quills dusky; three of the secondarieswith the inner web white. Tail short, of 16 pointed feathers, grey,with a tinge of red, and pointed with white. Female reddish-brown, spottedwith black, the rump and — tail-covers grey. This species is so rare in England(though common in other countries of Europe in the same latitude), thatMontagu was never able to procure a recent species for examination.189- A. acuta. Cracker.— Bill blue, feet dusky. Wingspotpurple.The two middle tail-feathers produced.A. caudacuta, Will. Orn. 289—A. acuta, Linn. Syst.i. 202. Penn. Brit.Zool. ii. 598. Temm. Orn. ii. 839— (Trachea, Linn. Trans, iv. tab. xiii.f. 6.).— S, Sea Pheasant, Pintail, Winter Duck—fain—W, Hwyad gynffon-Frequently taken in decoys on the English coast Rare inScotland.Length 28, breadth 38 inches ;weight 24 ounces. Bill inclining to blackin the middle. Irides brown. Head, cheeks, and throat brown, glossed withpurple. A black stripe on the hind neck, bordered with white, the latter colourmeeting with the white of the breast and belly. Back waved with blackand grey. Scapulars nearly black. Quills dusky brown ; secondaries purplish-green,black near the end, and tipped with white. Tail of 16 pointedfeathers, grey, edged with white ;the two middle ones black. Female less ;head and neck brown, with dusky spots; beneath yellowish-brown and spotted.Young males like the female. Retires to the Arctic Regions in summerEasily domesticated, and breeds in confinement.190. A. Penelope. Wigeon.— Bill and feet blue.Wingspotblack, greenin the middle.Penelope, Will. Orn. 288—A. Penelope, Linn. i.Syst. 202. Penn. Brit.Zool. ii. 601. Temm. Orn. ii. 840. (Trachea, Linn. Trans, iv. tab. xiii.9.)— f. -B, Whewer, Pandle-whew, Yellow Pole— S, Ateal ; W, Chwiw.—A regular winter visitant.Length 20, breadth 35 inches ;weight 24 ounces. The nail of the bill isblack. The hind-toe has a narrow web. Irides brown, vermiform appendages,nearly 9 inches in length, and having their origin nearly 4 inches fromthe cloaca. Crown yellowish -white ; head and neck chesnut, the front withblack spots; breast vinaceous ; belly white ; back and sides waved black andwhite ;wing-covers white, the greater covers with black ends- Quills dusky,secondaries green, ending with black. Tail of 1 4 pointed dusky feathers ; undertail-covers black. Female, with the head and neck brown, spotted with black ;back and belly much tinged with brown ; the wing-spots grey. The youngresemble the female. In aged males the yellow on the crown becomes moreextended This species frequents inlets of the sea, and likewise visits theneighbouring fresh-water lakes. The figure given by Pennant of the " Fer-