Page 101

( IOI )
T&e S u M M E R D u c K of Catesby.
TS I S Bird is lefs than the common Duck ; I take it to be about the Size
of a Wigeon: It
meafures from Tip to Tip of the Wings extended, 30 Inches and a Half, fiom
the Bill
Point to the End of the Tail, nineteen Inches and a Halt, to the Ends of
the Toes only 1 8
and a Half; the Bill, from the Tip to the Angles in the upper Mandible that
point into the
Forehead, is two Inches long.
The upper Mandible of the Bill is Yellow where it joins to the Head, the
Middle is Red, and
toward the Tip it is whitifh; it hath a long black Spot in its upper Part
between the Nofirils, an(d
its Edges and hooked Part are Black; the lower Part of the Bill is wholly
Black; the Tongue
and Infide of the Mouth is of a Fleffh-colour; the Iris of the Eye is of
a Hazel-colour, encompaffid
with Eyelids of a fine Red-colour: It hath a double loofe Plume or Creff
hanging backward ; the
uppermoft is Green, of' a (Lining Luffre; then fucceeds a white Line, beginning
at the Bafis of
the Bill, and pafling above the Eye the whole length of the Plume: Beneath
this is the fecond
Creft, of a dark fhining Purple-colour; a fecond white Line proceeds from
behind the Eye, and
parts the lower Creft from the hind Part of the Head: The Sides of the Head
are of a Purple-
colour, but fomething greenifh next the Bill ; the Throat is White, from
which proceeds a white
Line on each Side, and turns up behind the Eyes; below there there paffes
backward on each Side
a white Line; there almoff meet in the hind Part of the Neck under the Creft:
The Neck and
Breaft are of a dark brownifli Red, thick fpotted on the fore Part with triangular
Spots of White;
at the Bottom of the Neck on each Side is a broad tranfverfe Bar of White,
and immediately be-
neath, and joining to them, is a tranfverfe Bar of Black; the Back is of
a dark Brown-colour,
with changeable Gloffes of Copper-colour and Green; the Tail and its Covert
are Dufky, but the
Edges of the Feathers (hine with a fine green Glofs: There are amongft the
Coverts of the Tail
a feWv long gloffy Copper-colou.r'd Feathers, which hang down on each Side:
The greater Quills
are iirll of a Dulky Colour, with green 'rips, the Edges of the outer Webs
being White; the
middle Quills are of' a moft illufirious Blue, with narrow white Tips; a
few of the Quills next the
Back are wholly Blue; the firft and fecond Row of covert Feathers that cover
the blue Quills are
of the fame Colour, yet all thefe Feathers Sometimes caft a Purple or greenifh
Refle(Hion; the leffer
Coverts of the Wings are of a gloffy Brown like the Back. The Infides of
the Q.uills are dark
Afli-colour; the inner covert Feathers of the Wings are White, with irregular
tranverfe Lines
of Black: The Feathers of the Sides, which fall over Part of the Wings, are
beautifully painted
with arched Lines of Black and White, tranfverl'ly drawn; the Sides ju'f
beneath there are of a
yellowifh Brown-colour, with very fine tranfverfe Lines of Dufky, below which
on each Side are a
few round duLky Spots: The lower Part of the Breafi, and Middle of the Belly,
all along to the
Vent, is purely White; the covert Feathers beneath the Tail are Black ; the
Legs and Toes are
of a brownifh Orange-colour; the Webs Dusky; the Claws Black: I could difcover
no appendant
Fin on the hind Toes.
This Bird was lent me by my lionour'd Friend, Sir Robert Abdy, Bart. It was
(hot in a Pond
at the Seat of William Nicholas, EIq; a Relation of Sir Rober's.  It is a
Native of North America,
and is fuppoled to have flray'd from fome Gentleman's Houfe to the Place
where it was kill'd.
Mr. Cale. y has defcribed this Bird in his Hifory of Carolina, ve1. I. p.
97. Therefore to compleat
this Hifiory I {hall borrow the following Tines of my Friend  " They
breed in Kt ginia and Caro-
li;ia, and make their Nefis in Holes of tall Trees (made by Wood-Peckers)
grow ing in Water,
particularly Cyprefs-Trees. While they are young, and unable to fly, the
old Orcs carry them
on their Backs from their Nefls into theWater; and at the Approach of Danger
they fix with
their Bills on the Backs of the old Ones, who fly away with them. The Female
is all over
" Brown." I fiuppote, by the Name, it is a Bird of Paffage, and
retires Southward from Vrirginia,
Carolina, &c. at the Approach of Winter. I have had the Advantage of
feeing feveral of thefe
Birds brought from Carolina to London alive, as well as the above described,
which was newly kill'd
The Females of thofe I have feen are all over Brown, having fomething of
a Creft, like the Male.
I did not figure this to make an Amendment to Mr. Catesby's, but at the Requefl
of the above
aentioned Gentlemen, who favoured me with the Bird, and are Subfcribers to
this Work.
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