The ornithology of Francis Willughby of Middleton in the county of Warwick Esq, fellow of the Royal Society in three books : wherein all the birds hitherto known, being reduced into a method sutable to their natures, are accurately described : the descriptions illustrated by most elegant figures, nearly resembling the live birds, engraven in LXXVII copper plates : translated into English, and enlarged with many additions throughout the whole work : to which are added, Three considerable discourses, I. of the art of fowling, with a description of several nets in two large copper plates, II. of the ordering of singing birds, III. of falconry / by John Ray ...

SECTION VII. MEMB. II. Broad-billed Birds of the Duck-kind.

CHAP. I. Of the Duck in general.

THe Duck-kind have shorter Necks and larger Feet in proportion to their bodies than Geese: Lesser bodies: Howbeit, the biggest in this kind do equal, if not exceed the least in that. They have shorter Legs than Geese, and situate more backward, so that they go wadling: A broader and flat∣ter Back, and so a more compressed body; and lastly, a broader and flatter Bill. Their Tongue is pectinated or toothed on each side, which is common to them with Geese.

These are of two sorts, either wild or tame. The wild again are of two sorts, 1. Sea-Ducks, which feed most what in salt-water, dive much in feeding, have a broader Bill, (especially the upper part) and bending upwards, (to work in the slem) a large hind-toe, and thin, (likely for a Rudder) a long train, not sharp∣pointed. 2. Pond-Ducks, which haunt Plashes, have a streight and narrower Bill, a

very little hind-toe, a sharp-pointed Train, white Belly, speckled feathers, black, with glittering green in the middle Wing, with a white transverse line on either side. For this distinction of Sea-Ducks and Pond-Ducks we are beholden to Mr. Johnson.

CHAP. II. Of Sea-Ducks.

§. I. * Wormius his Eider or soft-feathered Duck.

THere hath been brought me (saith Wormius) from the Ferroyer Islands a cer∣tain sort of Duck they call there Eider: What name the Latines give it I know not, I have thought fit to intitle it, * 1.1 Anas plumis mollissimis. The Cock differs from the Hen in many things, though the lineaments of the body are much what the same. The Cock in figure or shape exactly resembles a tame Drake or Mal∣lard; hath a flat, black Bill, coming nearer the figure of a Gooses than a Ducks; per∣forate in the middle with two oblong holes, serving for respiration; of the length of three inches, pectinated on the sides. From the Nosthrils through the crown of the Head above the Eyes two very black spots or strokes consisting of soft feathers tend to the hinder part of the head, divided by a narrow white line ending in the upper part of the Neck, * 1.2 which from green inclines to white. The whole Neck, the lower part of the Head, the Breast, the upper side of the Back and Wings are white: The quils of the Wings black, as also the whole Breast and Rump, The Tail, which is three inches long, is also black: The Legs short and black: The Feet consist of three black Toes, joyned together to the ends by a black membrane: The Toes armed with sharp, crooked Claws. They have a * 1.3 Spur behind, situate at the beginning of the Leg, furnished also with the like membrane and claw.

The Hen is of the same bigness and figure, but all over of one uniform colour, viz. brown, sprinkled here and there with certain black spots: in its other lineaments and parts agreeing with the Cock.

They build themselves Nests on the Rocks, and lay good store of very savoury and well-tasted Eggs; for the getting of which the neighbouring people let themselves down by ropes dangerously enough, and with the same labour gather the feathers (Eider dun our People call them) which are very soft, and fit to stuff Beds and Quilts. For in a small quantity they dilate themselves much (being very springy) and warm the body above any others. These Birds are wont at set times to moult their feathers, enriching the Fowlers with this desirable merchandize. This same description Wormius repeats again in the third book of his Museum, pag. 310.

§. II. The Cutbert-Duck: Anas S. Cuthberti seu Farnensis.

IT is bigger than the tame Duck. The Male is particoloured of white and black, the Back white, the Tail and feathers of the Wings black. The Bill is scarce so long as a Ducks: The upper Mandible a little crooked at the end, over-hanging the lower. The Legs and Feet black; having a back-toe. But, what is most remarkable in this kind is, that on both sides the Bill in both Sexes the feathers run down in an acute angle as far as the middle of the Nosthril below [under the Nosthrils.] The Female is almost of the colour of a Hen-Grouse. This Fowl builds upon the Farn Islands, laying great Eggs. I suspect, nay, am almost confident, that it is the same with Wormius his Eider. I saw only the Cases of the Cock and Hen stuft, hanging up in Sir William Fosters Hall at Bambergh in Northumberland. It breeds no where about England but on the Farn Islands, that we have ever heard of. When its young ones are hatcht it takes them to the Sea, and never looks at Land till next breeding time, nor is seen any where about our Coasts.

§. III. Aldrovandus his black Duck.

IT is bigger than the common Duck. Its Bill is broad and short, yellow on both sides, black in the middle, with a red hook at the tip. The Head and part of the Neck are of a black green, or black, with a tincture of green: The Legs and Feet are red on the out-side, of a citron-colour on the inside: The Web of the Foot and the Claws of a deep black. All the rest of the body is black, saving a cross line of white in the middle of the Wings, and a white spot behind each Eye. The feathers of the whole body are so soft and delicate as nothing more, so that it might be not un∣deservedly called the Velvet-Duck. In the Stomach and Guts, almost down to the streight Gut, I found small indigested fragments of Cockle and Periwinkle-shells: But in the streight gut they were all concocted, and reduced into a fine powder or sand. It is seldom seen with us, unless driven over by a storm, but on the shores of Norway there are great flocks of them, hundreds together.

This is that Duck which William Mascerellius, a Physician of Collen, sent to Aldro∣vandus, giving it this title: The black Duck with a black, red, and yellow Bill; whose figure, though not very elegant, we have borrowed. The description of this Bird we owe to Mr. Johnson, with whom also we saw its Case stuft.

§. IV. The Sheldrake or Burrough-Duck, called by some, Bergander; Tadorna Bellon. Vulpanser quibusdam.

IT is of a mean bigness, between a Goose and a Duck. Its Bill is short, broad, some∣thing turning upwards, broader at the tip, of a red colour all but the Nosthrils, and the nail or hook at the end, which are black. At the base of the upper Man∣dible near the Head is an oblong carneous bunch or knob. The Head and upper part of the Neck are of a black, or very dark green, shining like silk, which to one that views it at a distance appears black: The rest of the Neck and region of the Craw milk-white. The upper part of the Breast and the Shoulders are of a very fair orange or bright bay-colour. [The fore-part of the body is encompassed with a broad ring or swath of this colour.] Along the middle of the Belly from the Breast to the Vent runs a broad black line. Behind the Vent under the tail the feathers are of the same orange or bay colour, but paler. The rest of the Breast and Belly, as also the underside of the Wings is white: The middle of the Back white: The long sca∣pular feathers black. All the Wing-feathers, as well quils as coverts, excepting those on the outmost * 1.4 joynt, are white.

Each Wing hath about twenty eight quil-feathers, the ten foremost or outmost whereof are black, as are those of the second row incumbent on them, save their bottoms: Above these toward the ridge of the Wing grow two feathers, white be∣low, having their edges round about black. The next twelve quils, as far as they appear above their covert-feathers, are white on the inside the shaft, on the outside tinctured with a dark shining green. The three next on the inside the shaft are white, on the outside have a black line next the shaft, the remaining part being tinctured with an orange colour. The twenty sixth feather is white, having its outer edge black.

The Tail hath twelve feathers, white, and tipt with black, all but the outmost, which are wholly white.

The Legs and feet are of a pale red or flesh-colour, the skin being so pellucid that the tract of the veins may easily be discerned through it.

It hath as it were a double Labyrinth at the divarication of the Wind-pipe.

Its flesh is not very savoury or delicate, though we found neither fish nor fish-bones in its stomach.

They are called by some, Burrow-Ducks, because they build in Coney-burroughs: By others, Sheldrakes, because they are particoloured: And by others, it should seem, Berganders, which name I find in Aldrovand, Book 19. Chap. 19.

We have seen many of them on the Sea-coasts of Wales and Lancashire, nor are they less frequent about the Eastern shores of England.

§. V. The sharp-tail'd Island Duck of Wormius, called by the Islanders, Havelda.

IT is less than the broad-bill'd Duck, called by Gesner Schellent: From the crown of the Head to the Rump of a foot and three inches length. Its Head is small, compressed, having white feathers about the Eyes; on the crown black ones incli∣ning to cinereous. The Neck is of the same colour: The Back down to the Rump is black, with a mixture of * 1.5 Isabella colour. The Plumage on its Rump is mingled of black and white. Out of the end of the Rump spring four sharp, black feathers; two of which are nine inches long, the other two of the same colour and figure, being but one third of the former in length. The underside of the Neck and the Bel∣ly half-way are black; the other half, and the sides, so far as covered by the Wings, white. The feathers on the upper surface of the Wings are of a purplish black, on the under side cinereous. The Bill is broad like the common Ducks, toothed; the tip, and the part next the Head black, the middle part of an elegant red-lead-colour: It is small and proportioned to the body. The Feet are * 1.6 brown; the Claws and membranes between the Toes black. The fourth (which stands backward, and re∣sembles a Spur) hath a broad membrane annexed.

§. VI. The Swallow-tail'd Sheldrake of Mr. Johnson.

THe Bill is short and simous, black at the root to the Nosthrils, and at the end, the rest red: The Head and Neck all white, which colour reacheth to a good part of the Breast, but further on the Back almost to the Scapulae, save that there and behind the Ears there is a mixture of dusky Plumage: The Back and Wings black, as is the Breast to the mid-belly; but the Wings are lighter than the Back, especially the middle Pens, which incline to a russet. On either side the Back from the Scapulae go down divers long, sharp-pointed white feathers, which make an area of about four inches long, and one broad: The rest of the Belly and under the Tail is all white: The Tail hath sixteen pens; the two outmost all white, the four middle all black, and two of those longer than the rest by three inches at least, and very sharp-pointed, the rest black on the out edge, and white on the inner; the Legs whitish blue, with black Webs. She is a great diver, and of the size of a Wigeon.

I should have taken this to be the Male, and that described by Wormius the Female Havelda, in respect of some common notes in Tail and Neb; but that the Female was with this of mine (as may be presumed, a pair only feeding together, several days in Tees River, below Barnards-Castle) and did not much differ in colour. Thus far Mr. Johnson: I am almost perswaded that it is specifically the same with Wormius his Havelda, differing only in Age or Sex, or perhaps both.

§. VII. The great red-headed Duck: Seen and described at Rome.

IT is full as big or bigger than the tame Duck; weighing two pounds and ten ounces Roman. Its Bill is broad, as in the rest of this kind, thicker and broader at the base, slenderer, and narrower toward the point, streight, of a light sanguine colour. Each Mandible is pectinated or toothed with low teeth. The Tongue is thick, broad, as is usual in Ducks, of a flesh colour, cut in on each side with black teeth, like those of a Sickle. The Head seems greater and thicker than in proportion to the body. The crown of the Head is covered with a curious silken Plumage of a pale red co∣lour. These feathers are longer than ordinary, and more erect, so that they appear like a great crest or tuft. The Eyes are red like the Bill, or rather of a red-lead co∣lour. Beneath the Eyes on each side and under the Throat the feathers are of a deep * 1.7 red. The whole Neck, the Breast, Shoulders and whole Belly are black. The sides under the Wings, and the interiour surface of the Wings white, with a very sleight tincture or dash of red. Each Wing had twenty six quils of the same colour also above, excepting only the six next the body, which are grey, or ash-coloured.

Yet the tips of all are black, and in the four or five outmost the exteriour Webs also. In the middle quils the extreme tips are again white. All the covert feathers are grey, excepting a white line in the uppermost ridge of the Wing. The middle of the Back is of a grey or ash-colour, with a light tincture of red. Of the same colour are those long feathers growing at the setting on of each Wing, and covering the Back: Above which appear in the Back two broad white spots of the figure of the segment of a circle. The hinder part of the Back to the very Tail is black. The Tail it self very short, composed of sixteen feathers, their upper sides grey, their under white, with a light tincture of red. The Legs and Feet, as in other birds of this kind, red, yet here and there, especially about the joynts, clouded with sable. The membranes connecting the Toes, and all the soals of the Feet black. The Bird I described was a Cock, and had a Labyrinth at the divarication of the Wind-pipe. The Wind-pipe it self was greater at the head, slenderer in the middle, and above the Labyrinth again swoln into a greater tube. Its Stomach or Gizzard very large, and provided with very thick and strong muscles, filled with very small stones mingled with grass. Its Liver pale; Gall-bladder little, blind guts long.

This Bird I found in the Market at Rome, shot, I suppose, upon the Sea-coast. I ne∣ver hapned to see it else where, neither do I find any description of it, or so much as any mention made of it in any book. Where it lives and breeds I know not.

§. VIII. The Scaup-Duck: Perchance the Fuligula of Gesner.

IT is somewhat less than the common Duck, about two foot long. Its Bill is broad, and blue; the upper Mandible much broader than the nether. The Head and part of the Neck are of a black green: The Breast and underside of the Neck black, the lower part of the Neck hath something of white mingled. The Belly is white, with a sprinkling of yellow in its lower part, about the Vent of black. The upper part of the Back is of a sooty or sable colour; the middle white, waved with trans∣verse lines of brown; the lower, together with the Tail, brown. The Tail is scarce two inches long: The Wings brown, adorned on the upper side with white spots, having also a cross line of white. The Legs and Feet, together with the Web and Claws, are of a dusky blue colour.

This Bird is called the Scaup-duck, because she feeds upon Scaup, i. e. broken shel∣fish: She varies infinitely in colour, especially in Head and Neck, so that among a pack of forty or fifty you shall not find two exactly alike: A thing not usual in this kind.

This Bird we have not as yet seen: We owe this description and history of it to Mr. Johnson.

§. IX. The tusted Duck: Anas Fuligula prima Gesneri, * 1.8 Aldrov. Mergus cirratus minor Gesn. Querquedula cristata five Colymbis Bellonii, Aldrovand. p. 210. as we think. Capo negro at Venice.

THe Bill from the tip to the corners of the Mouth is about two inches long, broad, of a pale blue colour all but the tip, which is black. The feathers on the forehead descend down the middle of the Bill in a peak or angle. The Nosthrils are great, at a pretty distance from the Plumage. The Irides of the Eyes of a yellow or gold colour: The Ears small, as perchance in all Water-sowl. The Head, especially the crown, of a dark purple inclining to black, or rather black with some mix∣ture of purple; whence at Venice, and elsewhere in Italy, it is called, Capo negro. It hath a crest or cop hanging down backwards from the Head, of an inch and halflong. The colour of the Neck, Shoulders, Back, in fine the whole upper part is a dark brown, almost black.

The Wings are short, all the covert feathers black: The four outmost quils of the same colour with the body; the succeeding little by little whiter, the subsequent than the antecedent. The second decad or middle quils are purely white, all but their tips, which are black. The next six are wholly black. The Tail is very short, com∣posed of fourteen black feathers.

The nether side of the Neck and forepart of the Breast are black, the rest of the Breast and Belly, as far as the Vent, of a white or silver-colour, the lower the darker. Behind the Vent it is black. The lateral feathers covered by the Wings when closed, those on the Thighs, and the under-coverts of the Wings are white. The interiour bastard-wing consists of six white feathers.

The Legs are short and situate backwards: The Feet of a livid or dark blue co∣lour, the Web black: The Toes long.

The body is short, thick, broad, and something compressed or flat, weighing about two pounds.

In the angle of the lower Mandible some have a white spot, which in others is wanting.

The Wind-pipe hath its labyrinth. The Liver is divided into two Lobes, having a Gall annexed. The Gizzard is composed of thick muscles: Therein we found no∣thing but small stones and Sea-wrack.

We saw a Bird very like this, perchance the same, in his Majesties Pools in S. James's Park.

Its Bill and Legs were of a lead-colour: Its Head black. Its Wings little, but above the Wings the sides white. A long crest hangs down backward from behind the Head. [To me, beholding the Bird at a distance, the whole Wings seemed white, but perchance that colour was proper to the covert-feathers, not common to the quils.]

§. X. The black Diver or Scoter: Anas niger minor.

IT is almost as big as the common Duck, but rounder-bodied. The whole body all over is of a black or sable colour. From the Shoulders in some birds spring blacker feathers. In the Chin and middle of the Breast some ash-coloured or whitish fea∣thers are mingled with the black. The Wings are of the same colour with the body, without any diversity of colours at all. The Bill such as in the Duck-kind, yellow about the Nosthrils, else black; pectinated about the sides, yellow within, with∣out any bunch in the upper Mandible. Its Feet are black. This description is of a Hen.

In the year 1671. I found the Male of this kind at Chester, killed on the Sea-coasts thereabouts, and bought in the Market by my Lord Bishop Wilkins his Steward, and described it in these words.

It is something less than a tame Duck, short-bodied for its bigness, and broad; all over black both upper and under-side: Only the Head had a dark tincture of pur∣ple, and the under-side of the first, second, and third rows of Wing-feathers inclined to cinereous. The wings were short; the quils in each twenty five. The Tail more than an hand-breadth long, consisting of sixteen feathers, the outmost of which were the shortest, the rest in order longer to the middlemost, which were the longest, so that the Tail runs out into an acute angle, more acute than I remember to have ob∣served in other Sea-ducks; and each single feather is very sharp-pointed.

The Bill in this Bird is especially remarkable, being broad, blunt, as in the rest of this kind, of about two inches length, having no Appendix or nail at the tip, contra∣ry to the manner of other Ducks. The upper Mandible above the Nostrils, next the forehead, bunches out into a notable protuberance, being so divided in the middle as to resemble Buttocks, distinguished by a yellow intercurrent line. Now the colour of this upper Mandible is black about the sides, yellow in the middle, the yellow part being so broad as to contain the Nosthrils, and about an inch long. The Tongue is very great. The Eye-lids yellow. The Irides of the Eyes dark. The Legs and Feet dusky: The Toes very long, and web'd together, so that its oars are broad and large. The shorter Toe hath a membranous border extant along its outside. This had no labyrinth on its Wind-pipe. The blind-guts for a bird of this kind were very short: The Gall great. It weighed two pounds and nine ounces: Its length from Bill to Tail was twenty two inches: It breadth from Wings end to Wings end thirty four and an half.

This Bird hath not as yet been described by any Author extant in Print that we know of. It abides constantly at Sea, gets its living by diving, and is taken in Nets placed under water. In the wash in Lincolnshire it is found plentifully. Its Case

stuft was sent us first by Mr. Fr. Jessop out of Yorkshire: Next we got it at Chester, as we have said: Then Sir Thomas Brown sent us a Picture of it from Norwich; and last∣ly, Mr. Johnson sent a description of it in his method of Birds, in which description are some particulars not observed by us, viz. that the Male hath on the upper side some tincture of shining green, and that in the Hen the Neck and Head on both sides, as far as the Eyes, is white.

§. XI. The Poker, or Pochard, or great read-headed Wigeon: Anas fera fusca of Gesner, Aldrov. t. 3. p. 221. Penelops veterum & Rothalss of Gesner, Aldrov. p. 218. Cane a la teste rouge of Bellonius.

THat we described weighed thirty two ounces: From tip of Bill to end of Tail was nineteen inches long, to the Claws points twenty one. It is bigger than the common Wigeon, and for its bigness shorter and thicker. The lesser covert-fea∣thers of the Wings, and those on the middle of the back are most elegantly variega∣ted with dark brown and cinereous waved lines [or ash-coloured, with very narrow, waved, cross, dusky lines.] The Rump and feathers under the Tail are black, so that the Tail is compassed with a ring of black. The lower part of the Neck is likewise black, so that the forepart of the body seems also to be encircled with a ring or swathe of black. The Head and almost the whole Neck are of a deep fulvous or red colour: the middle part of the Breast white, the sides and lower part, and Belly all of the same colour with the Back, and varied with the like transverse undulated lines, but both colours paler: Toward the Vent it is by degrees darker coloured. The Tail is very short, not exceeding two inches, made up of twelve feathers, of a dark grey, the outmost the shortest, the rest gradually longer to the middlemost; yet the excess is not considerable, so that notwithstanding it is not to be reckoned among those that have sharp Tails. The quils of the Wings are about twenty five, all of one colour, viz. a dark cinereous, though if they be carefully heeded, there will appear some diversity, for the tips of the exteriour and greater feathers are marked with black, of the middle ones with white. The interiour bastard-wing and lesser covert-fea∣thers of the underside of the Wings are white.

The Bill is bigger and broader than in the Wigeon. The feathers divide the middle of the upper Mandible coming down from the forehead in form of a peak or acute angle. The upper Mandible is of a lead-colour, but its tip black: The nether is wholly black. The Irides of the Eyes are of a very beautiful colour, from yellow inclining to a sparkling red: The Feet lead-coloured: The membranes connecting the Toes black: The inmost toe the least, having a membranous border annexed to its outside. The back toe hath likewise an appendant membrane or fin.

The characteristic note of this Bird, is one uniform colour of its Wings, without any feathers of different colour in the middle of the Wing, as is usual in most Birds of this kind.

In another Bird of this kind, (which we take to be the Female of this) the Bill was black with an ash-coloured spot of the form of a crescent a little above the tip. The back feathers and coverts of the Wings had no such transverse waved lines as those of the Male. In other points it agreed mostwhat with the Male.

§. XII. The lesser red-headed Duck: Perchance the Anas Filigula altera of Gesner, Aldrov. p. 227. The Glaucium or Morillon of Bellonius: Capo rosso at Venice.

IT is bigger than a Teal, and something less than a Wigeon. Its Bill two inches and an half long, of a moderate breadth, of a dark blue colour, paler about the edges, and toward the tip. The very tip or nail is round and black. The Nosthrils small, long, situate almost in the middle of the Bill. The Irides of the Eyes of a cream or Ivory co∣lour. The Head is pretty great, all over red: But in the very angle of the lower Mandi∣ble is a small white spot. The Neck, as in others of this kind, is short, encompassed in the middle with a ring of brown. The whole Back and covert-feathers of the Wings are of a dark brown or dusky colour. All the quils of the Wings (which are in each about twenty six) except the three or four outmost, and the three or four

inmost are white with brown tips, so that when the Wing is spread they represent a broad transverse line of white. The Tail is very short, the middle feathers which are the longest being about two inches and a quarter in length, the outmost shorter; of a brown or dusky colour, the number of feathers fourteen. The Breast below the ring down to the Merry-thought is red, which colour above also reaches to the mid∣dle of the Shoulders. The rest of the Breast and the upper Belly is white, the lower to the Vent dusky or dark grey. The feathers under the Tail are white, those long ones on the thighs red. The Legs and Feet black, especially the joynts and mem∣branes connecting the Toes. The back-toe hath a broad appendant membrane or sin, as in the rest of this kind. The Wind-pipe hath a labyrinth at the divarication, and besides above swells out into a puff-like cavity. The stomach is musculous. These Birds vary something in the colour, especially of their Wings.

A Bird of this kind weighed twenty one ounces; was in length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the toes seventeen inches and an half; in breadth between the ex∣tremes of the Wings expanded twenty six and three quarters: The length of the guts forty two inches.

The description of the Anas Fuligula altera of Gesner in * 1.9 Aldrovand agrees well to this Bird: So doth also the description and figure of the Morillous or Glaucium of Bel∣lonius, especially in the colour of the Eyes. But because there is some difference, we will subjoyn his description that the Reader himself may judge.

The Glaucium or Morillon of Bellonius.

There is (saith he) also another Water-fowl, called in our common speech Mo∣rillon, very like to a Duck, and of the same bigness, having its Bill cut in the edge like a Saw; its Legs and Feet red on the inside, dusky on the out: Its whole Head to the middle of the Neck of a deep ferrugineous. Below the ferrugineous a whitish circle encompasseth the Neck. The Breast is of an ash-colour, the Belly white: The Back and Wings black. But in these, if they be stretcht out appear seven white fea∣thers, which render the Wings particoloured as in a Pie. The rest of the Wings, as also the Tail (resembling that of a * 1.10 Cormorant) are black. Getting its food for the most part out of the water, it lives upon little vermine and creeping things, which it finds in the bottom of the water: Diving also, and continuing long under water, it catches small fishes, and water Millepedes or Lice, which the French call les Escrou∣elles. It feeds also upon the seeds of herbs which grow on River-banks, and upon young Cray-fish and Snails. It hath a Tongue so fleshy, that near the root it seems double: A broad Breast, like the rest of the Duck-kind: Short Legs, stretched out back∣wards, like the Divers [Mergi.] In the inward parts this only is peculiar to it, that no Gall appears in it. The Liver is divided into two Lobes, one whereof is incumbent on the stomach, the other on the guts.

This description in most notes, the magnitude excepted, agrees to our Bird. For though Bellonius in his description affirms, that the ring about the Neck is white, yet in his figure he represents it black.

§. XIII. The Golden-eye: Anas platyrhynchos mas, Aldrov. p. 225. Clangula Gesneri, Aldrov. p. 224. * 1.11 Quattro occhii Italis: Weisser Dritvogel of the Germans about Strasburgh.

IT is thick and short-bodied; and hath a great head. Its Neck, as in the rest of this kind, is short: Its Bill broad indeed, but short; more elevated, and not so flat or depressed as in the rest of this kind, thicker at the head, lesser and narrower toward the tipl all black, from the tip to the angles of the mouth an inch and three quarters long. The Head is of a very dark green, or of a changeable colour of black, pur∣ple, and green, as it is variously exposed to the light, shining like silk. At the cor∣ner of the Mouth on each side is a round white spot, as big as a three pence, whence it got its name Quattr' occhii in Italian. The Irides of the Eyes are of a lovely yellow or gold-colour. The whole Neck both above and underneath, the Shoulders, Breast, and whole Belly are white: The space between the Shoulders and all the lower part of the Back are black. The Wings particoloured of black and white, viz. the middle fea∣thers, both quils and coverts, are white; the outer and inner black. To speak more exact∣ly. The fourteen outmost Quils are black; the seven next white; the four inmost again

black. The covert-feathers above the seven white ones are white, all but those near the ridge of the Wing. But the bottoms of those of the second row are black half way up. The long scapular feathers are also mixt or particoloured of black and white. The Tail is three inches and an half long, made up of sixteen feathers, from the outmost by degrees longer, yet is not the Tail sharp, but rather round-pointed, all of one uniform black colour.

The Legs are very short, of a Saffron or yellowish red colour, as are also the Feet. The Toes are long, dusky about the joynts; the outmost the longest; the inmost hath a broad appendant membrane. The membranes connecting the Toes, and the Claws are black. The back-toe is small, having also a broad appendant membrane or sin. The Wind-pipe hath a labyrinth at the divarication, and besides, above swells out into a Belly or puff-like cavity.

Its weight was about two pounds, its length from Bill to Claws nineteen inches: its breadth thirty one.

These Birds are very common at Venice in Italy, and not rare upon our Sea∣coasts.

Our smaller reddish-headed Duck, which it seems is no other than the Female of the precedent: Perchance the Anas Schollent of Gesner, or the Anas fera fusca alia of Aldrovand, p. 222.

It is about the bigness of the Anas fuligula prima of Gesner: Weighs twenty four ounces; is from Bill to Claws seventeen inches long. It hath a great Head, of a for∣did red colour: A short Neck of a grey or hoary: A white Breast and Belly: Its Back, Tail, most of the covert-feathers and ten outmost quills of the Wings are of a dark brown or black. The quil-feathers from the tenth to about the twentieth are white. In the lesser rows of covert-feathers is also a great spot of white. [The second row of Wing-feathers, as many as are incumbent on the white quils, are white, but tipt with black.] In the lesser rows of wing-feathers there is also a large white or ash-coloured spot: So that in some the whole Wing almost seems to be white. The Wings are small for the bigness of the Bird, their feathers being short. The Tail is made up of sixteen feathers, and is for this kind long. The Bill is shorter and narrower than that of the tufted Duck, thick at the head, sharper toward the tip, the extreme hook or nail being black, and encompassed by a broad yellow space, very elegant to behold; the rest of the Bill black. The Eyes were of a lovely yellow or gold-colour. The Feet large, situate backwards, of a yellowish red colour, the Web of the Feet dusky; the soal black. I observed no labyrinth on the Wind-pipe, It hath a small Gall-bladder of an oval figure. In the Craw we found a Crab∣fish.

Since the finishing of the Latine History we have been informed that this Bird is no distinct kind, but only the Female Golden-eye. And truly, the shape of the body, the make of the Bill, the length, number of feathers, figure and colour of the Tail, the fashion and colour of the Feet, and other accidents induce us to think so, neither is there more difference in weight than is usual between different Sexes. Besides that, this was a Female the want of the labyrinth proves; but in the next Article I shall shew some reason to doubt whether of the Golden-eye or not. Mr. Willughby also was suspicious that it might be the Hen Golden-eye.

§. XIV. The greater reddish-headed Duck, perchance the same with the last described, or the Male thereof: An Anas Schellent dicta Gesnero? Aldrov. p. 223.

IT weighed twenty four ounces, being in length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail eighteen inches and an half, to the end of the Toes nineteen; in breadth the Wings being spread out, thirty, The Bill two inches long, yellow, not only about the tip, like the precedents, but also of a fordid or dark yellow all along the middle beyond the Nosthrils, The Irides of the Eyes are of a bright lovely yellow: The Head of a fordid red: the Neck grey. For that chesnut or red colour of the Head extends not to the middle of the Throat. The Back and whole upper side are of a dark brown or black. The Throat, Breast, Belly to the very Tail white; but at the Vent is a cross bar of brown.

Each Wing hath about twenty six quils; of which the outmost ten are black, the tip of the eleventh white; in the succeeding the white increases, till after three or four it reaches to the bottom. The twentieth or twenty first hath its exteriour half white, its interiour black. [There is some variety in several Birds in the colours of these feathers.] The feathers immediately above the white feathers are also white: Besides, in the lesser covert-feathers is a great spot of white in some birds, of grey in others. The Legs and Feet are of an obscure, fordid yellow, but about the joynts black. The web of the Foot is also black. The Legs are situate backwards, as in the rest of this kind, feathered down almost to the knees, the Shanks short, but the Feet large: The inmost Toe hath a membrane bordering on the outside of it. The hind∣toe hath also its membrane annext. The Tail is three inches and an half long, made up of sixteen feathers, of the same colour with the Back.

I should take this Bird to be the very same with the precedent, not only in Species, but in Sex, notwithstanding its difference in bigness, were it not that it had a labyrinth on the Wind-pipe, which I suppose is proper only to the Males. So that either this is the Male of the precedent, and both different in species from the Golden-eye: Or, which I rather incline to believe, this must be a young Cock-Golden-eye, that had not moulted its chicken-feathers; and the precedent an old Hen-Golden-eye: And so these two supposed Species are reduced to the Golden-eye; they being all three the same.

§. XV. The Shoveler. Anas platyrhynchos altera sive clypeata Germanis dicta: Taschenmul * 1.12 Aldrov. Anas latirostra major, Gesner. Aldrov. p. 227. Breitschnabel Germanis.

IT is something less than the common tame Duck, weighs twenty two ounces, being in length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail twenty one inches. Its Bill is three inches long, coal-black, much broader toward the tip than at the base, exca∣vated like a Buckler, of a round Circumference. At the end it hath a small crooked hook or nail. Each Mandible is pectinated or toothed like a comb, with rays or thin plates inserted mutually one into another when the mouth is shut. The Tongue is fleshy, thick, broad, especially toward the tip; but the tip it self is thinner and semicircular. The Eyes are of a deep yellow: The Legs and Feet of a Ver∣milion colour: The Claws black: The hind-toe little. The membrane con∣necting the Toes serrate about the edges. The Feet are less than inothers of this kind.

The Head and Neck almost half-way are of a fair blue. [In the Bird which I de∣scribed at Rome, and in another which Mr. Willughby saw at Crowland it was very * 1.13 dark, lightly tinctured with a deep shining green.] The under-side of the Neck and region of the Craw are white; the upper-side and Shoulders particoloured of white and brown. The rest of the Breast and the whole Belly to the Vent are red. Be∣hind the Vent the feathers under the Tail are black. The Back is brown, with a light dash of a shining green, blue or purple colour. The feathers covering the outside of the Thighs are adorned with transverse dusky lines, as in many others.

The number of quils in each Wing is about twenty four: The ten or twelve out∣most whereof are wholly brown: The next nine have their outer edges of a deep shining green: The four next the body are varied in the middle and about their edges with white lines. The feathers of the second row incumbent on the green quil-feathers have white tips, which together taken make a cross line of white in the Wing. The lesser covert-feathers of the Wing, excepting those on the outmost bone, are of a pleasant pale blue, inclining to ash-colour. The Tail is about three inches and an half long: consists of fourteen feathers, particoloured of white and black, the out∣most feathers being wholly white, the middlemost, except the extreme white edges, wholly black, the rest black in their middle parts, white about the borders or out∣sides.

At the divarication of the Wind-pipe it hath a small labyrinth: A large Gall: Ob∣long Testicles: A small musculous Stomach or Gizzard: Guts many times reflected, very long. The Female in respect of colours both in the Head and Neck, and also in the whole body, upper-side and under-side, excepting only the Wings, is very like to a wild Duck. The Wings are of the same colours with the Wings of the Male, but more dull, and not so bright and pleasant. The Fowlers affirm, that these Birds change their colours in Winter. Gesner and Aldrovand set forth this kind twice or

thrice under several titles. It is sufficiently characterized and distinguished from all others of this kind by the breadth and bigness of its Bill.

§. XVI. * 1.14 The broad-bill'd, red-footed Duck of Aldrovand, which I take to be the Hen-Shoveler.

THe Legs and Feet wholly are of a deep red. The Bill is almost three inches long, very broad, and * 1.15 turning up after the fashion of a Buckler, of a dark chesnut colour; yet the lower Mandible, which almost enters the upper [being re∣ceived into it] is in some places of a spadiceous colour, and hath a remarkable strake running through its middle long-ways. The Bill hath such teeth on both sides as Gesner attributes to his * 1.16 Muggent. The colour of the feathers, almost the whole body over, comes near to that of pulveratricious birds [Partridge and Quail, &c.] called 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, that is, testaceous or pot-sheard colour. [Their pots were paler than ours now adays.] The whole Head and middle of the Neck were of a * 1.17 Wea∣sel colour, sprinkled with greater and lesser spots, partly white, and those very small and scarce conspicuous, partly brown, and those most in the crown and hinder part of the Head. The Neck underneath is of a pale whitish cinereous colour, with se∣milunar brown spots. The same spots, but greater, are dispersed over the fore-part of the Back, the Breast, the Belly, the Rump, and the Tail, all which parts are of the same colour with the Head, or yellowish. The middle and lower part of the Back are covered with feathers of a dark spadiceous colour, only white about the outmost edges. The ridges of the Wings are of a Woad colour. A line of the same colour crosses the middle of the Wings, above which is likewise seen a transverse white line. The remaining parts of the Wings are of a dark spadiceous colour.

§. XVII. * A broad-bill'd Duck with yellow Feet, of Aldrovand.

IT differs little from the precedent in magnitude, unless perchance it be somwhat bigger. Its Bill is partly brown, partly yellowish. Over the whole body, which is of a yellowish ash-colour, are brown spots disseminated, thick-set, and little in the Head, greater, and thinner, or more scattering in the Neck, Breast, Belly, Rump, and Tail, but much greater yet and thicker in the whole Back. The Wings to the middle part are brown. A white line crosses them in the middle; after which is seen a * 1.18 square blue spot, three angles whereof end in a black line: To this succeeds a white line. Its Legs are yellow; its Toes also yellow, but connected by dusky membranes.

This seems to be some Hen-bird of the Duck-kind, not hitherto observed by us.

CHAP. III. Pond-Ducks, frequenting chiefly fresh waters.

§. I. The common wild Duck and Mallard: Boscas major; Anas torquata minor * 1.19 Aldrov.

IT weighs from thirty six to forty ounces; being about twenty three inches long, measuring from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Tail. The Wings stretcht out reacht thirty five inches. The Bill is of a greenish yellow, from the angles of the mouth produced two inches and an half, of about an inch breadth, not very flat. The upper Mandible hath at the end a round tip or nail, such as is seen in most Birds of this kind. The lower Eye-lids are white: The Legs and Feet of a Saffron∣colour; the Claws brown; but that of the back-toe almost white: The inmost fore∣toe is the least. The membranes connecting the Toes are of a more sordid colour than the Toes. The Wind-pipe at its divarication hath a vessel we call a labyrinth.

The Legs are feathered down to the Knees. In the Mallard the Head and upper part of the Neck are of a delicate shining green: then follows a ring of white, which yet fails of being an entire circle, not coming round behind. From the white ring the Throat is of a Chesnut colour down to the Breast. The Breast it self and Belly are of a white ash-colour, bedewed or sprinkled with innumerable dark specks, as it were small drops. Under the Tail the feathers are black. The upper side of the Neck from cinereous is red, sprinkled in like manner with spots. The middle of the Back between the Wings is red, the lower part black, and still deeper on the Rump, with a gloss of purple. Thesides under the Wings, and the longer feathers on the Thighs are adorned with transverse brown lines, making a very fair shew. In them the white colour seems to have a mixture of blue.

The lesser rows of Wing-feathers are red: The long scapular feathers are silver∣coloured, elegantly variegated with transverse * 1.20 brown lines. In each Wing are twenty four quils, the outmost ten of a dusky or dark brown: The second decad have white tips, then their outer Webs are of a shining purplish blue colour: But between the white and blue intercedes a border of black. The tip of the twenty first is white, the exteriour Web of a dark purple: The middle part of the twenty second is a little silver-coloured: The twenty third is wholly of a silver-colour, yet the edges on each side are black: The twenty fourth is likewise of a silver-colour, only the exteriour border black. The outmost covert-feathers are of the same colour with the quils; but those immediately incumbent on the purple-blue quils have black tips, and next the tips a broad line or cross bar of white, so that the blue spot is ter∣minated with a double line, first black, and above that white. The Tail hath twen∣ty feathers, ending in sharp points. The four middle of these are reflected circularly toward the Head, being black, with a gloss of purple. The eight next to these on each side are white, especially the outer ones, and on their exteriour Webs, the nearer to the reflected ones, the greater mixture of brown have they. The covert-feathers of the inside of the Wing, and the interiour bastard Wing are white.

In Winter time they company together, and fly in flocks; in the Summer by pairs, Duck and Mallard together. They build their Nests among Heath or Rushes, not far from the water, seldom in trees; laying twelve, fourteen, or more Eggs before they sit. The Female or Duck hath neither green head, nor ringed Neck, but both particoloured of white, brown, and dark red. The middle parts of the Back-fea∣thers are of a dark brown, the edges of a pale red.

As for the great Ring-Duck of Gesner, he being very brief in describing of it, and using only general notes, and my self having never seen any such bird, I know not what to make of it, and do doubt whether there be any such Bird in nature; especi∣ally because the description he brings of it, made by a certain German, doth in all things answer to our Mallard above described.

In the Fens in the Isle of Ely, Norfolk, and Lincolnshire, about Crowland, and else∣where, Ducks, Wigeons, Teal, and other birds of this kind, at what time they moult their feathers and cannot fly, are taken yearly in great numbers in Nets placed after this manner.

[illustration]

AB, CD are Nets extending a great length in form of a wall or hedge, inclining one to another, at the further end of which, before they concur in an angle are placed 1, 2, 3, or more conoideal Nets, like tunnelling Nets for Partridges. Which things being so prepared, and the day for fowling set, there is a great concourse of men and boats. These drive the Birds, now unable to fly, into the grounds enclosed in the Nets with long Staves and Poles, and so by degrees into those Conoideal Tunnels, 1, 2, 3, disposed, as we said in the angle. By the way many are knocked down by the Boatmen and other Rabble with their Poles, others and more are driven upon the side Nets AB, CD. These belong to them who own the Nets (for the Nets for the most part have several owners) those fall to their shares that killed them. Those which are cooped up, and driven into the end-tunnels 1, 2, 3, belong to the Lord of the Soil. To one Fowling sometimes you shall have four hundred Boats meet. We have heard that there have been four thousand Mallards taken at one driving in Deeping Fen.

The Mallards change their feathers (we call it Moulting, a word derived from the Latine, muto, signifying to change) when the Hens begin to sit; the Ducks not be∣fore their young ones are grown up and ready to fly, at what time they come hither for that purpose, viz. the Mallards about the end of May, the Ducks not before the end of June, when the Mallards have recovered their feathers and begin to fly again. The Cock-Teal and Wigeons accompany the Ducks, and moult together with them. The Hens of these Birds moult something later. So that this kind of sport or (if you please) exercise lasts from the middle of June till the end of August. In a Weeks time all the old feathers fall off; the new ones come not to their full growth in less than three Weeks space. When they begin to moult they are all very fat and fleshy; but before their feathers be perfectly grown, they become lean. The Ducks and Mal∣lard are called whole fowl; the Wigeons and Teal half fowl, because they are sold for half the price of the other.

Here it may be worth the while to enquire, why Birds do yearly moult their fea∣thers? Mr. Willughby supposes that there is the same cause of the casting the feathers in Birds, that there is of the falling off of the hair in Men and other Animals upon recovery from a Fever or other disease, or upon refection after long abstinence. For in Cock-birds the heat and turgency of lust, is, as it were, a kind of Fever, and so in the Spring-time their bodies being exhausted by the frequent use of Venery, they be∣come lean: But in the Hens the time of sitting and bringing up their Young answers to a disease or long abstinence, for at that time they macerate themselves by hunger and continual labour. When these times are over, both Sexes returning to mind their own bodies and feed for themselves, do in a short time recover their flesh and grow fat again, whereupon the pores of the skin being dilated the feathers fall off.

Our Country-men (imitating, as I suppose, the Low Dutch, who were Authors of the invention) in maritime and fenny places, in Pools prepared by a new Artifice and fitted with their Channels and Nets, and stored with Coy-Ducks, take yearly in, the Winter-time Duck and Mallard, Wigeon, Teal, and other Birds of the Duck-kind in great numbers.

A place is to be chosen for this purpose far remote from common High-ways, and all noise of people, and in which those Birds are wont in great numbers to frequent. Having pitch'd upon a convenient place, prepare a large Pool A, set round with Willows and Reeds. On the South side N, or

[illustration]

the North side S of this Pool draw as many Ditches or Channels 1 1 1 (Pipes they call them) as you please or think needful; let them be broad at the Pool, and by degrees narrower till they end in a point. Along these Channels on each side at little distances thrust into the banks rods or wands of wood, and bending them over-head bind them two together by pairs all along in form of an Arch or Vault from the beginning of the Channel to the end. As the Channels grow nar∣rower and narrower so the bows are made lower and lower. The Poles thus bent in fashion of Bows are to be covered with Nets cast over them, and so the Pipes are made: These Arches or Vaults end in long Cylindrical Nets kept stretcht by hoops like bow-nets, that end which respects the Arch being open, the other shut. Along the banks of the Pipes are made many hedges or walls n n n of Reeds woven thick toge∣ther, parallel to each other, but standing obliquely to the Bank, the acute angles re∣specting the Pool, and along the bank of the Pool, at the exit of the Pipes is likewise a

hedge of Reeds (l m) to be drawn. The Coy-Ducks are to be fed at the mouth or entrance of the Pipes, and to be accustomed at a token given them by a whistle to ha∣sten to the Fowler. The Fowler first walks about the Pool, and observes into what Pipe the Birds gathered together in the Pool may most conveniently be enticed and driven, and then casting Hemp-seed, or some such like thing at the entrance thereof, calls his Coy-ducks together by a whistle. The wild fowl accompany them, and when the Fowler perceives them now entred into the Pipe, he shews himself behind them through the interstices of the hedges n, n, n, which being frightned, and not daring to return back upon the man, swim on further into the Pipe, then by other interstices the Fowler shews himself again behind them, till at last he hath thus driven them into the Cylindrical Nets. If any Birds rise and endeavour to fly away, being beaten back by the Nets spread over the Pipe they fall down again into the Channel. The whole art consists in this, that the Birds within the Pipes may see the Fowler, those in the Pool not seeing him. So those only seeing him, these notwithstanding often enter the Pipes, and so sometimes besides those the Fowler drives before him there are others taken the second or third time. The Coy-ducks go not into the Cylindrical Nets, but stay without and entice others. Some train up a Whelp for this sort of fowling, teaching him to compass the hedges, and shew himself behind the Birds, to which purpose there are holes made in the hedges for him to pass freely. The Whelp in compassing the hedges ought always to keep his tail directed toward the Pool, his Head toward the Pipe, and so he terrifies the Birds before him, and drives them for∣ward: Those behind him he allures and tolls forward, they following him to gaze at him as a new and strange object. When the wind blows sideways the Birds are more easily driven whither the Fowler pleases, than when its blows * 1.21 directly contrary to them, or with them. For when it is directly contrary the Birds are very hardly dri∣ven to bear up against it: When it blows just behind them, it brings the sent of the Man or the Whelp into their Nosthrils. Wherefore (as we said) the Channels are drawn either on the North or South end of the Pool, because the West-wind with us as it is the most boisterous, so is it by far the most frequent of all.

Of the Coy-ducks some fly forth and bring home with them wild ones to the Pool, others have the outmost joynt or pinion of their Wings cut off, so that they cannot, fly, but abide always in the Pool. The Fowlers house is to be covered with trees and reeds, and hid as much as possible.

§. II. The Gadwall or Gray, perchance the * 1.22 Mitelenten of Gesner: Anas platyrhynchos rostro nigro & plano. Aldrov. p. 233. fortè Anas strepera Gesneri, Aldrov. p. 234.

IN bigness it equals or exceeds the Pochard, and comes very near the Duck. Its length from Bill to Tail was nineteen inches: Its breadth thirty three: Its Bill from the tip to the corners of the mouth two inches long. It is long-bodied: Its whole Rump black: Its Back brown, the edges of the feathers being of a whitish red: Its Chin and Cheeks white, speckled with small brown specks. Its head from blue in∣clines to black, the edges of the feathers being of an ash-colour in the Throat, and of a whitish red near the Breast. The lower part of the Neck and upper part of the Breast and Shoulders are covered with a most beautiful Plumage particoloured of black and white. The extreme edges and as it were fringes of the feathers are red∣dish, then a black line of a semicircular figure encompasses the tip of the feather, running parallel to its edges; within this is included another semicircular white line parallel to it, and in the white again a black. The Breast is white: The Belly darker, with transverse black spots. Under the Tail the feathers are crossed with brown. The lesser covert-feathers under the Wings and the interiour bastard Wing are purely white. The sides are curiously variegated with alternate black and white lines. The Tail is short, scarce appearing beyond the feathers incumbent on it, round-pointed, made up of sixteen feathers with sharp tips, of a white colour, especially on the un∣der side, for the two middle ones above are of a dark ash-colour: In the rest, espe∣cially the outmost, there is something of red mingled with the white: The edges of all are whitish.

Each Wing hath twenty six quils, of which the first ten are brown; the three next tipt with white: The four following have their outer Webs black, their tips also being whitish: In the three succeeding the inner Web of the feather is wholly white:

The four next the body are of a cinereous or reddish brown. The feathers of the second row, incumbent on the white quils, have their exteriour Webs of a black pur∣plish shining colour. In the third row are spots of red scattered.

Its Bill is like that of the common Duck or Teal, flat, broad, with a hook or nail at the end: The lower Mandible inclines to a Saffron colour; of the upper the sides are of the same colour, the middle part black: The Nosthrils great.

The Legs are feathered to the Knees: The Feet whitish: The hind-toe small: The inner fore-toe shorter than the outer: The membranes connecting the Toes black. It hath a huge Gall-bladder.

The Female hath the same spots in the Wings, but far duller colours; wants the black colour on the Rump, the feathers there growing having pale red edges; as have also those on the Back and Neck. It wholly wants those elegant semicircular black and white lines and spots in the Neck and Breast feathers, and the strakes under the Wings.

This Bird may be distinguished from all others of the Duck-kind by this characte∣ristic note, that it hath on the Wings three spots of different colour, one above ano∣ther, viz. a white, a black, and a red one.

§. III. * Gesners Muggent: Anas muscaria, Aldrov. lib. 19. cap. 41.

IT is so called because it catches flies flying upon [or above] the water. It is of the bigness and shape almost of a tame Duck. The Bill is broad and flat, its upper Chap being wholly of a Saffron-colour, in length beyond the feathers two inches: it is serrate on both sides with broad and in a manner membranaceous teeth, pretty high or deep; but those of the nether Chap are lower, and * 1.23 rise not much, making long striae. The Plumage almost all the body over is particoloured of blackish, fiery colour, and white, with a mixture of Weasel colour in some places, or in short almost like that of the Partridge, that is, testaceous, as of most of the pulveratricious kind, but yet differing. Its Feet are yellow: Its Toes joyned by blackish membranes: Its Neck both on the upper and under side is speckled [〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉] with the colours we mentioned. The crown of the Head is blacker than the other parts, which colour also is seen in the Wings, which are shorter than the Tail. Thus far Gesner. This Bird, if it be different from the Gadwall, as the colour of the Bill and Feet might perswade one, is to me unknown.

§. IV. The common Wigeon or Whewer: Penelope Aldrovandi, tom. 3. p. 218. lin. 30. Anas fistularis, Argentoratensibus Ein Schmey.

IT weighs twenty two ounces: Its length from Bill to Feet is twenty inches. The Head and upper end of the Neck are red. The crown towards the Bill is of a di∣lute colour, from red inclining to a yellowish white. The upper part of the Breast and sides as far as the Wings is beautified with a very fair tincture of a red Wine co∣lour, with small transverse black lines. The scapular feathers, and those on the sides under the Wings are very curiously varied with narrow transverse black and white waved lines. The middle of the Back is brown, the edges of the feathers being cine∣reous, especially towards the Tail. The feathers behind the Vent, next the Tail are black: The Breast and Belly white, with a little mixture of yellow. On both sides under the Legs are spots of a reddish brown: Under the Tail are white feathers alike spotted, mingled with the black. The Tail is sharp pointed, and consists of four∣teen feathers, of which the six outer on each side are brown, their exteriour edges being whitish; the two middle ones are black, with a mixture of ash-colour.

Of the quil-feathers the ten outmost are brown: The next ten have white tips, and among them the fifteenth, sixteenth, seventeenth, and eighteenth have their outer webs first of a black purplish colour, then as far as they appear beyond the covert-feathers of a lovely blue. In the eighteenth feather the exteriour half of the outer web is of a purplish black, the interiour toward the bottom is cinereous: But along the border of the black are small white spots from the white tip to the bottom. The twentieth feather is all of a pale or white ash-colour: The twenty first and

twenty second are white about the edges, black in the middle along the shaft. The small covert-feathers of the Wings are of a light brown or dark ash-colour; but those that cover the quils from the tenth to the twentieth are particoloured of brown, white, and cinereous.

Mr. Willughby in this and other Birds is, in my opinion, more particular and minute in describing the colours of each single feather of the Wings and Tail than is need∣ful; sith in these things nature doth as they say sport her self, not observing exactly the same strokes and spots in the feathers of all Birds of the same sort.

In the structure of the Mouth, Tongue, and Head, it differs little from the com∣mon wild Duck, unless perchance the Head be less in proportion to the body. The upper Mandible of the Bill is of a lead-colour, with a round black nail at the end. The Feet from a dusky white incline to a lead-colour. The Claws are black: The outmost Toe longer than the inmost: The back-toe short.

It feeds upon grass and weeds growing in the bottoms of Rivers, Lakes, and Chan∣nels of water, also upon Whilks, Periwinkles, &c. that it finds there. The Males in this kind at Cambridge are called Wigeons, the Females Whewers.

The flesh of it for delicacy is much inferiour to that of Teal, or indeed Wild-Duck.

§. V. The Sea-Pheasant or Cracker: Anas caudacuta, Aldrov. tom. 3. pag. 234. Coda lancea at Rome.

IT is of the bigness of the common Wigeon; of twenty four ounces weight: twenty eight inches long from Bill to Tail: From tip to tip of the Wings extended thirty seven inches broad.

Its Head is slender, its Neck long for this kind: Its Bill from the tip to the angles of the mouth two inches and an half, of equal breadth almost throughout; the nether Mandible wholly black, the upper partly blue, partly black, viz. black in the middle, on the sides beneath the Nosthrils blue: Black also at the corners of the mouth, at the very tip, and in the lower edges near the tip. The colour of the Plumage on the whole Head is ferrugineous or brown, behind the Ears tinctured with a light pur∣ple. Beyond the Ears on each side from the hinder part of the Head begins a line of white which passes down the sides of the Neck to the Throat. All the feathers between or adjacent to these lines are black: Under the black the Neck is ash-coloured, then curiously varied with transverse black and white lines, as is also almost the whole Back. The long scapular feathers are black in their middle parts, but the exteriour have their outer Webs almost to the shafts black, their inner (which are much the narrower) varied with white and black [brown] lines. All the nether part, Neck, Breast, Belly, to the very Vent is white. Yet in the lower Belly the white is a little darkned with a mixtue of cinereous. The feathers under the Tail are black.

As for the Wings, the ten outmost quils and most of the covert-feathers are of a dark cinereous [In some Birds the interiour edges of the seventh, eighth, ninth, and tenth quils are white.] The second decad of quils is particoloured; for the tips of all are white, [or from white red] then in the outer Web succeeds a black line, the remaining part thereof, as far as appears beyond the incumbent feathers being of a glistering purple, or purplish blue colour: The interiour Webs of all are of the same colour with the rest of the feathers. Of the following the exteriour Webs are cine∣reous, the interiour black. The covert feathers of the second row immediately in∣cumbent on the second decad of quils have their tips of a fair red or Lion-colour. The long feathers covering the Thighs are elegantly varied with black and white transverse lines, beneath which the Plumage is yellow.

The Tail is made up of sixteen feathers, all ash-coloured excepting their exteriour edges, which are whitish. The two middlemost run out into very long and sharp points, being produced two inches and an half beyond the rest: Whence also this Bird is in some places of England called the Sea-pheasant.

Its feet are of a lead-colour, darker about the joynts. It hath a small Labyrinth, and a great Gall.

The Hen is like in colour to the common Wild-Duck, but fairer, and variegated with more full and lively white and brown colours. The Wing-feathers agree in co∣lour with those of the Cock, save that they are duller and less lively. The Belly is

reddish, the middle part of each single feather being black. The Chin is white, with a tincture of red. The Back of a dark brown, with transverse lines and beds of a pale red. The Breast of a sordid white, and the Belly yet darker.

This Bird may be distinguished from all others of the Duck-kind by the length of the middle feathers of its Tail as by certain and characteristic note.

§. VI. The Teal, Querquedula secunda, Aldrov. p. 209.

THis, next to the Summer-Teal, is the least in the Duck-kind; weighing only twelve ounces, extended in length from the tip of the Bill to the end of the Feet fif∣teen inches; in breadth, measuring between the ends of the Wings spread, twenty four. Its Bill is broad, black, at the end something reflected upwards: The Eyes from white incline to hazel-coloured. The Nosthrils are of an oval figure. The top of the Head, Throat, and upper part of the Neck of a dark bay or spadiceous co∣lour. From the Eyes on each side to the back of the Head is extended a line of a dark, shining green. Between these lines on the back of the Head a black spot inter∣venes. Under the Eyes a white line separates the black from the red. The feathers investing the lower side of the Neck, the beginning of the Back, and the sides under the Wings are curiously varied with transverse waved lines of white and black. The region of the Craw in some is yellowish, elegantly spotted with black spots, so situate as somewhat to resemble scales. The Breast and Belly are of sordid white or grey colour. Under the Rump is a black spot encompassed with a yellowish colour.

Each Wing hath above twenty five quils. Of these the outmost ten are brown; the next five have white tips; under the white the exteriour Web of the Feather is black: In the sixteenth begins the green, and takes up so much of the feather as we said was black in the precedent three, The exteriour Web of the twenty third is black, with some yellowness on the edges. The covert-feathers of the black quils have white tips, of the green ones have tips of a reddish yellow: Else the Wings are all over brown [dusky.] The Tail is sharp-pointed, three inches long, made up of sixteen feathers, of a brown or dusky colour.

The Legs and Feet are of a pale dusky colour, the membrane connecting the Toes black: The inmost Toe the least. The Back-toe hath no fin annexed. The Wind∣pipe in the Cock is furnished with a Labyrinth: in the Hen we found none.

The Female differs from its Male in the same manner almost as the wild Duck does from the Mallard, having neither red nor green on the Head, nor black about its Rump: Nor those sine feathers variegated with white and black lines on the back and sides.

This Bird for the delicate taste of its flesh, and the wholsom nourishment it affords the body, doth deservedly challenge the first place among those of its kind.

§. VII. The Garganey: Querquedula prima Aldrov. t. 3. p. 209. Kernel at Strasburgh.

IN bigness it something exceeds the common Teal; yet that Mr. Willughby described weighed no more than the common Teal. viz. twelve ounces. Its length from Bill to Claws was seventeen inches: Its breadth from tip to tip of the Wings ex∣tended twenty eight. For the shape of its body it was very like to the common Teal: Its Bill also black: Its Legs and Feet livid with a certain mixture of green, [Mr. Wil∣lughby hath it from dusky inclining to a lead-colour.] The back-toe small.

The crown of the Head is almost wholly black, but the Bill besprinkled with small reddish-white specks. From the inner corner of the Eye on each side begins a broad white line, which passing above the Eyes and Ears is produced to the back of the Head, till they do almost meet. The Cheeks beneath these white lines and the be∣ginning of the Throat were of a lovely red colour, as if dashed with red wine, ha∣ving white spots or lines along the middle of each feather about their shafts. Under the Chin at the rise of the lower Mandible is a great black spot. The whole Breast is curiously varied with black and dusty, transverse, arcuate [elliptical] waved lines in each feather. The Belly in some is white, in others tinctured with yellow: But

toward the Vent are brown lines, and bigger spots under the Tail. The colour of the Back is brown, with a purplish gloss. The Thighs are covered with feathers handsomly variegated with transverse black and white lines. The scapular feathers next the Wings are ash-coloured, the rest are of a very beautiful purple colour, with white lines in the middle.

Each Wing hath twenty five quils, the outmost ten of which are brown on the out∣side the shaft, on the inside of a Mouse-dun: The eleven next have white tips, be∣neath the tips, as far as they appear beyond the covert-feathers, their exteriour Webs of a * 1.24 shining green, the interiour and the bottoms of the feathers being of a dusk or Mouse-dun. The rest are brown, only the exteriour Webs edged with white. The lesser rows of Wing-feathers are ash-coloured excepting those immediately incumbent on the quils, some of which have white tips.

The Tail is short [three inches] and when closed ending in a sharp point, of a dusky or dark brown colour, consisting of fourteen feathers; the outmost feathers are varied with spots of a pale or whitish red. The soal of the foot is black.

The Cock had a Labyrinth at the divarication of the Wind-pipe, the Hen none.

The Hen is less than the Cock, and duller-coloured, wants the black spot under the Chin, and the red colour of the Cheeks. The Wings underneath are as in the Cock, above more brown. The Back coloured like the Cocks; but the scapular fea∣thers have not those beautiful colours.

§. VIII. * Of the Summer-Teal, called by Gesner Ana circia.

GEsner takes that Duck they call Circia to be of the kind of the lesser * 1.25 Querquedulae: A certain German renders it in High Dutch, Ein Birckilgen, and saith it is so cal∣led from the sound of its voice; that it is like a small Duck, but differs in the colour of the Wings and Belly. For the Wings want those glistering feathers, and the Belly is more spotted.

This kind (so he proceeds) I think is also found in our Lakes, for I saw not long since a small sort of Duck taken in the beginning of January, little bigger than a Dob∣chick, brown all over, having the Bill of a Duck, that is broad and brown: Also dusky coloured Legs and Feet; the Neck an hand-breadth long, the rest of the body six inches. But it was a Hen, and had Eggs in the Belly. The Cock, I guess, hath more beautiful colours. In the Stomach I found nothing but small-stones, and the seeds of some water-plants, almost of the fashion of Lentiles (but lesser and thicker) and reddish. Thus far Gesner.

From this short description, and that too of a Hen bird, we cannot certainly ga∣ther, whether it be a distinct Species from the precedent. But we suspect it was of that bird which our Country men call the Summer-Teal, which Mr. Johnson informs us is of that bigness; for we have not as yet seen it.

Its Bill is black: The whole upper side of a dark grey or light brown; the edges [or extremes] of the feathers in the Back are white. In the Wings is a line or spot of an inch breadth, partly black, partly of a shining green, terminated on both sides with white. In the Tail the feathers are sharp-pointed. The whole under side seems to be white, with a slight tincture of yellow; but on the Breast and lower Bel∣ly are many pretty great black spots. The Legs are of a pale blue, the membranes be∣tween the Toes black. This is the least of all Ducks. In its stomach dissected I found nothing but grass and stones. This description we owe to Mr. Johnson.

§. IX. * A wild Brasilian Duck of the bigness of a Goose. Marggrave.

IT hath a black Bill, dusky Legs and Feet. It is all over black except the beginnings [setting on] of the Wings, which are white; but that black hath a gloss of shi∣ning green. It hath a crest or tuft on it heads consisting of black feathers, and a cor∣rugated red mass or bunch of flesh above the rise of the upper Mandible of the Bill. It hath also a red skin about the Eyes. It is very fleshy, and good meat. They are com∣monly shot sitting on high trees: For after they have washt themselves in cold water, they fly up high trees, for the benefit of the fresh air and Sun.

§. X. * A Wild Brasilian Duck, called, Ipocati-Apoa, by the Portughese, Pata, that is, A Goose. Marggrav.

IT is of the bigness of a Goose of eight or nine months, of the very shape and figure of our common Ducks: The Belly, lower part of the Tail, the whole Neck and Head are covered with white feathers; the Back to the Neck, the Wings and top of the Head with black, having a mixture of green, as in the Necks of our Ducks. In the Neck and Belly are black feathers, all about sparsedly mingled with the white. It differs from our Country Ducks in these particulars: 1. That it is bigger. 2. It hath indeed a Ducks Bill, but black and hooked at the end. 3. Upon [or above] the Bill it carries a fleshy crest, broad, and almost round, of a black colour, remarkably spotted with white. The Crest is of equal height. Between the Crest and the Bill (viz. on the top of the Bill) is a transverse hole of the bigness of a Pease, conspicu∣ous on both sides, which serves instead of Nosthrils. 4. The colour of the Legs and Feet is not red, but of a dusky ash-colour. It is full of flesh, and good meat. It is found every where about the Rivers.

I had another in all things like this, excepting that those long feathers in the Wings were of a shining brown colour. I suppose this is the Male, the other the Female.

§. XI. * The first Brasilian wild Duck, called Mareca, of Marggrave.

IT hath a Ducks Bill, of a brown colour, at the rise whereof on each side is a red spot. The Head above is of a grey Hare-colour: The sides of the Head under the Eyes all white. The whole Breast and lower Belly hath an obscure resemblance of the colour of Oaken boards; and is besides variegated with black points [specks.] The Legs and Feet are black; the Tail grey. The Wings elegant, at the setting on of a dark grey colour. * 1.26 The quil-feathers on one side are of the former colour, but all the outer half of them [medietas extrema] of a pale brown: In the middle they are of a shining green, with a border of black; like the colour of the Mallards Neck. Its flesh is very good meat. The outmost of a light brown, and the middlemost of a shining green, with a fringe or border of black.

§. XII. * The second Brasilian wild Duck, called Mareca, of Marggrave.

IT is of the same bigness and figure with the precedent, hath a black shining Bill. The top of the Head, the upper part of the Neck, and the whole Back are of an Umber colour mixed with brown [fusco.] Under the Throat it is white. The Eyes are black, and before each Eye is a small round spot of a yellowish white colour. The whole Breast and lower Belly are of a dark grey, with a mixture of golden. The Tail is black: The Wing-feathers dusky, with a gloss of shining green, and the middle feathers of the Wings are of a rare green and blue shining in a dusky: Here also they have a waved line of black: But the * 1.27 end [extremitas] of the quil-feathers is wholly white. The Legs and Feet are of a bright red or vermilion colour. The Bird roasted colours the hands of those that touch it, and linnen cloth with a sanguine colour. It hath well tasted flesh, but a little bitter.

CHAP. IV. Of Tame Ducks.

§. I. The common Tame Duck: Anas domestica vulgaris.

IT is called by the Greeks, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 or 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, from the Verb 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉, signifying, to swim: As Anas also by Varro is derived from no, nas, to swim. It is a Bird every where known, and therefore it would not be worth while to bestow many words in ex∣actly describing it. It is less than a Goose, almost as big as a Hen, but much lower, ha∣ving a broad, flat Bill, a broad Back, short Legs, situate backward, that in swimming it may more strongly strike the water with the finny oars of its Feet: As Aristotle rightly. Hereupon they become less convenient for walking, so that this Bird goes but slowly, and not without some difficulty. Ducks vary infinitely in colours, as do Hens, and other tame fowl.

Between the Duck and the Drake there is this difference, that he hath growing on his Rump certain erect feathers reflected backwards toward the Head, which she hath not. The Duck lays twelve, fourteen, or more Eggs as big as Hens Eggs, and white, with a light tincture of blue or green, the Yolk being of a deeper and redder colour.

The best Physicians (saith Aldrovand) disallow the flesh of these Birds, because they are hard and of difficult concoction, and agree not with the stomach: We rather think them disagreeable to the stomach, for their moistness and clamminess than for their hardness, whence also they are apt to produce excrementitious, gross, and me∣lancholic humours. The flesh of wild Ducks is preferred before that of tame, as be∣ing more savoury and wholsom.

The Drake hath a certain bony vessel or buble at the divarication of its Wind∣pipe, which we are wont to call a labyrinth; of the use whereof we have said as much as we thought fit, in the first Book at the end of the second Chapter.

Of the vertues and use of the Duck, and its parts in Physic, out of Schroder.

1. A live Duck asswages Colic pains, the feathers being pluckt off, and the naked part applied to the Belly.

2. The Fat heats, moistens, mollisies, digests, discusses. Therefore is of use in inward and outward pains, viz. of the sides and joynts, in the cold distempers of the Nerves, &c.

Note. This Fat is preferred before all others, especially that of the wild Duck.

3. The bloud is * 1.28 Alexipharmacal, and hereupon is sometimes received into Anti∣dotes. It is a known history which A. Gellius in the seventeenth Book of his Noctes Atticae, Chap. 16. relates. The Pontic Duck is said to maintain her self by feeding commonly upon Poisons. It is also written by Lenaeus Cn. Pompeys * 1.29 libertus, that Mithridates, that King of Pontus, was skilful in Physic, and cunning in remedies of that kind: And that he was wont to mingle their bloud in Medicaments, which were of force to digest and carry off Poisons; and that that bloud was the most effectual ingredient in such Confections. Moreover that the King himself by the use of such Medicines did secure himself against the secret practices of such as sought to poison him at Feasts and Banquets. Yea, that he would wittingly and willingly for ostentation sake often take a draught of violent and quick poyson, and yet received no harm by it. Wherefore afterwards when he was overthrown in battel by the Romans, and had fled into the furthest parts of his Kingdom, and resolved to die, and had in vain made trial of the strongest Poisons to hasten his death, he ran himself through with his own Sword.

4. Its dung is applied to the bites of venemous beasts.

§. II. The hooked-bill'd Duck.

IN shape of body and outward lineaments it is very like the common tame Duck; differs chiefly in the Bill, which is broad, something longer than the common Ducks, and bending moderately downward. The Head also is lesser and slenderer than the common Ducks. It is said to be a better layer.

§. III. The Muscovy Duck: Anas moscata, an Cairina, Aldrov?

IT is in this kind the biggest of all we have hitherto seen. The colour both of Male and Female is for the most part a purplish black. Yet I once saw a Duck of this kind purely white. About the Nosthrils and the Eyes it hath red * 1.30 Caruncles. It hath a hoarse voice; and scarce audible, unless when it is angry. Its Eyes are rounder than ordinary: Those of the young ones at first are of a sordid green, afterwards become continually whiter and whiter.

§. IV. The Cairo-Duck of Aldrovand.

THese Ducks Aldrovand thus briefly describes. They exceed ours in bigness of body. The Male also in this kind is bigger than the Female. It Bill where it joyns to the Head is very thick and tuberous; thence to the very tip it is continuedly narrower, till it ends in a sharp and crooked hook: It is of a black colour excepting toward the end, where it hath a good large red spot, and in its beginning another small one of the same colour, but more dilute. Its Head was black and tufted: Its Throat just under the Bill was powdered with whitish specks. The Eyes yellow, wherein appeared many little sanguine veins. The whole body almost was also black. The fea∣thers of the Back in the beginning, and also in the middle, were black, in the end green, or at least black, with a tincture of green. In the Wings also and in the Tail were some green feathers to be seen, and one or two white ones, which made a kind of white spot. The Legs were very strong, but short, coming near to a Chesnut colour, as did also the feet. The Female was less than the Male, and had a less tube∣rous Bill, where it was joyned to the Head, marked with a pretty broad line, partly white, and partly red. Besides, that spot we mentioned, which in the Bill of the Male was red, in the Bill of this was of an ash-colour, wherewith something of red was mixt: Else it was of a colour from black inclining to cinereous, if you except two whitish spots, which in the middle of the Bill turning one to another, each by it self formed the letter C. It had no tuft on its black Head. Its Breast also was of the same colour, spotted with white pricks. The Back as in the Male, but the Wings were much greener than his, and spotted also with two white spots. In other particulars it diffe∣red little or nothing from him.

§. V. * The Guiny Duck: Anas Libyca, Aldrov. and Bellon. which we take to be the same with the Muscovy and Cairo Duck.

THis kind of Duck Bellonius thus describes. A few years agone a certain kind of Ducks began to be kept in France, of a middle size, between a Goose and a Duck, having a broken voice, as if it had distempered or ulcerated Lungs. Now there is so great plenty of them in our Country, that they are every where kept in Ci∣ties, and publicly exposed to sale: For at great entertainments and Marriage Feasts they are sought for and desired. They have short Legs: The Male is bigger than the Female; and, as is usual in other Birds, of a different colour, so that it is hard to ascribe any certain colour to it, unless one would say that it comes near to a Duck-colour. They are for the most part either black or particoloured. They have a Bill in a

manner different from Geese and Ducks, hooked at the end, also short and broad. In the Head rises up something of a red colour like a Crest, but much different from a Cocks Comb. For it is a certain tuberous eminency, situate between the Nosthrils, exactly resembling the figure of a red Cherry. The Temples near the Eyes are without feathers, the skin shewing like a red hide; of the same substance with that Cherry-like bunch between the Eyes: By which Marks I think it may be certainly known and distinguished from other Birds. But this one thing may seem very strange in this Bird, that it hath so great a privy member, that it is an inch thick, and of four or five inches length, and red like bloud. If it were not very chargeable many more of them would be kept than are: For if you give them but meat enough they will lay many Eggs, and in a short time hatch a great number of Ducklings. Their flesh is neither better nor worse than that of a tame Goose or Duck.

This seems to me to be the very same Bird with Aldrovands Cairo-Duck, for most of the marks do agree, as will appear to him who will take the pains to compare the descriptions; and also the same with our Muscovy Duck. For Scaligers Indian Duck, which Aldro∣vand makes the same with his * 1.31 Libyc, is the same with our Muscovy-Duck, or we are very much deceived. So that I strongly suspect our Muscovy-Duck, the Guinny Duck of Bellonius, and Aldrovands Cairo-Duck, yea, and Gesners Indian Duck too, to be all one and the same bird, more or less accurately described. Perchance also the Birds themselves may differ one from another in those tuberous eminencies and naked skin about the Bill, and upon the Bill between the Nosthrils.

§. VI. * Gesners Indian Duck, which perchance may be also the same with our Muscovy.

THere is with us (saith he who sent us [Gesner] the figure and description of this Bird out of England) a Duck brought out of India, of the same shape of bo∣dy, the same Bill and Foot with the common Duck, but bigger and heavier by half than it. Its Head is red like bloud, and so is a good part of the Neck adjoyning, on the back-side. All that red is a callous flesh, and divided by incisures; and where it ends at the Nosthrils, it lets down a Caruncle of a different figure from the rest of the flesh, like that of a Swans, contiguous [or joyned] to the Bill. Its Head is bare of feathers, and that part also of the Neck which is red, save that on the top of the Head, through the whole length of it, there is a crest or tuft of feathers, which when it is angry it sets up. Under the Eyes at the beginning of the Bill the skin is spotted with black spots placed in no order: Above the Eye also are one or two spots tending up∣ward. The Eye is yellow, separated from the rest of the Head by a circle of black. Under the further end of the Eye backwards is a singular spot separated from the rest. The whole Bill is blue, only it hath a black spot at the tip. The feathers all along the rest of the Neck are white. At the setting on of the Neck is a circle of black, spotted with a few white spots, and unequal, narrower below, broader above. Behind this circle the Plumage of all the lower Belly is white, of the upper side of body brown, but the white Plumage is divided at the top by that black circle. The ends of the Wings and the Tail are of a shining green like Cantharides. The skin of the Legs is brown, with light, circular incisures. The membrane between the inter∣vals of the Toes is more pale, sprinkled with two or three brown spots, placed in no order, except in the left foot, where there are six set in arrow alongst the outmost Toe. It walks softly by reason of the heaviness of its body. Its voice is not like that of other Ducks, but hoarse, like a mans that hath his Jaws and Throat swoln with a cold. The Cock is bigger than the Hen. The Hen is like the Cock, but hath not such variety of colours. It gets its living out of muddy waters, and delights in such other things as the common Duck doth.

There are many things in this description, which do perswade me, that this Bird also is no other than our Muscovy Duck: As, equal bigness, naked tuberous flesh about the Bill, a hoarse voice, the Cock being bigger than the Hen, &c. Nor is the diversity of colours a sufficient argument of the contrary: For that they (as we have often said) in tame Birds of the same kind vary infinitely.

§. VII. The Brasilian Ipeca-guacu of Piso.

IT is a domestic, whole-footed bird, reputed for the goodness of its flesh. As to the bulk and shape of its body it is of a middle proportion between our Country Ducks and Geese; but in the beauty of its feathers and colours excells them both. Its Bill from the end to the middle is yellow: The middle of its Head is curiously tinctu∣red with red; the whole body from the crown to the Tail being of a delicate white colour like a Swans. It hath Ducks Feet, of a yellowish red. It feeds fat as well upon Land, as in Pools. For the goodness of its flesh it is not inferiour to our Ducks, and had in esteem by persons of quality. It is a fruitful bird, lays great Eggs, and a great many, almost all seasons of the year, dispatching its sitting in a short time. It is also salacious; its penis and other internal parts serving for generation, being more than usually strong and great. As for its bowels and entrails, they are of like consti∣tution and make with those of our Ducks.

Notes

• * 1.1

  The soft∣feathered Duck.
• * 1.2

  Upper part of the Neck.
• * 1.3

  A back-toe he means.
• * 1.4

  Bone••
• * 1.5

  Gilvo.
• * 1.6

  Or dusky, fascil.
• * 1.7

  Ruffus.
• * 1.8

  Ornithol. c. 3. p. 217.
• * 1.9

  Ornithol. p. 227.
• * 1.10

  Corvus aqua∣ticus.
• * 1.11

  That is, four eyes.
• * 1.12

  Tom. 3. pag. 224.
• * 1.13

  Blackish.
• * 1.14

  Anas pla∣tyrhynchos ery∣thropus.
• * 1.15

  Recurvum.
• * 1.16

  Anati mus∣cariae.
• * 1.17

  Mustilin•• coloris.
• * 1.18

  Or four corner'd.
• * 1.19

  Tom. 3. pag. 212.
• * 1.20

  Fuscis, dusky.
• * 1.21

  Lies in their faces, or on their backs.
• * 1.22

  Anas mediae magnitudinis.
• * 1.23

  Stand up or out but very little.
• * 1.24

  Mr. Willughby describes them to be of a purplish co∣lour, with a mixture of cinereous.
• * 1.25

  Teal.
• * 1.26

  I suppose he means, that the inner quils, or those next the bo∣dy are of a dark grey as was before in∣timated.
• * 1.27

  Or border, or perchance outside.
• * 1.28

  Good against poison and infection.
• * 1.29

  A freed man.
• * 1.30

  Tuberous naked flesh.
• * 1.31

  African or Guinny Duck.