. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. I'l '1 VDj. ,. .:S. I'Ol'lIAIil).â.Y;//rlar lcri,l<l. abdomen are white finely pencilled witli ,m'ey, and the under tail-cnvcrts are black. The bill is black at the jtoint and base, and pale blue; in the middle. The I'enialo is witliimt the deep black of the lower neck. The total len,i,'th of this bird is about twenty inclius. Several curious species of Duck are closely allied to the I'ochard, among which may be noticed the TuKTKD Duck {FiiUijuht. cristata), the ScAUl' DucK {Fii/i'(/iii<(
. The illustrated natural history [microform]. Birds; Natural history; Oiseaux; Sciences naturelles. I'l '1 VDj. ,. .:S. I'Ol'lIAIil).â.Y;//rlar lcri,l<l. abdomen are white finely pencilled witli ,m'ey, and the under tail-cnvcrts are black. The bill is black at the jtoint and base, and pale blue; in the middle. The I'enialo is witliimt the deep black of the lower neck. The total len,i,'th of this bird is about twenty inclius. Several curious species of Duck are closely allied to the I'ochard, among which may be noticed the TuKTKD Duck {FiiUijuht. cristata), the ScAUl' DucK {Fii/i'(/iii<( wknv"^/), both Ihitish birds, and the celebrated Canvas-isacIv Duck of America (/'«%/^/f/ ValliHniria). The Golden-eye Duck {Chnujula f/laucion), the curiously mottled 11ahlk(,)Uin Duck (Chniffiiht In'.sfn'oni'ca), and the light ami active SmiUT Duck, or J'.ufkel-iikadkd DucK {C/s in which the Kider Dtuk often hrceds. The nest is inaile of Hue seaweeds, and after the mother-bird has laid her conii)lenuMit of eggs she covers thi'm with tlu; soft down, adding to the heap daily until she completely hides thciii from view The plan usually adoiited is to I'cniove both eggs and down, when the female Inv- another set of eggs ami covers them with IVesli down. These are again taken, ami tlun the male is obliged to give his help by taking down from his own breast, and supplyiiin the ]>laee of that which was stolen. The down of the male bird is pale coloured, ami as soon as it is seen in the nest, the eggs and down iire left untouched in order to kec]) up the breed. JNfr. Yarrell mentions that on one of the northern coasts of England, tin' Eiders had been nearly e.\terminated by foolish , who robbed the nests, and f iM the eggs for consumption. A gentleman, however, who was etiij)loyed in buihlhig a li,i;lit- liouse «iu the io(dvs jirohiliited any such Kddieries while he was In authority, aiidiu consefiueiice (d' his judicious management the EicK'rs beeiune ])lenti
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Keywords: ., boo, bookcentury1800, booksubjectbirds, booksubjectnaturalhistory
