Page:The American Cyclopædia (1879) Volume VI.djvu/297

 DUCK 289 ward, being replaced to the northward, accord- ing to Audubon, by tbe velvet duck (oidemia fusca, Sw.) ; it is rarely seen on salt water, except when migrating. The flight is strong and rapid, easily commenced from land or water ; when alarmed it utters many loud quacks. It devours anything eatable, even carrion and small animals that come in its way. Besides man, its principal enemies are hawks and owls, the raccoon, the lynx, and the snap- ping turtle. The flesh of the young birds is much esteemed ; the large hybrids from the mallard and Muscovy duck are excellent for the table ; this species also breeds with the black duck and the gadwall, the latter hybrid being very handsome, retaining the yellow feet and barred plumage of the one and the green head of the other parent. In the black or dusky duck (A. obscura, Gmel.) the speculum is green, with purple reflections and black border, and the secondaries are tipped with white. In shape and habit it resembles the mallard ; the flesh of the young birds is excel- lent, and the feathers are soft and elastic. The shoveller duck (spatula clypeata, Boie), or spoon-bill, has the bill twice as broad at the end as at the base, much rounded, the sides at the base resembling the teeth of a fine comb ; the head and neck are glossy green, upper part of breast white, rest of lower parts chestnut, except the lower tail coverts, and a black band across the vent; sides yellowish with dark pencillings ; secondaries greenish, the inner with terminal white spots ; primaries dark brown, with white shafts ; lesser wing coverts light blue ; speculum golden green ; rump green- ish black, white at the sides ; tail dark brown, with pointed feathers broadly edged with white; length about 21 in., extent of wings 32, weight 1 to If Ib. It associates with teals, mallards, and gadwalls, and is omnivorous ; its flesh is much prized, and Audubon says that no sportsman who is a judge will pass a shovel- ler to shoot a canvas-back ; it is comparatively rare, and is most common in the southern and western states. The Australian genus mala- corJiyncJius (Sw.) is nearlly allied to the shov- eller. The Muscovy (cairina moschata, Flem.), more properly called musk duck, is distin- guished by the red tubercle or carbuncle on the top of the bill at the base ; the color is glossy black with the wing coverts white ; by its lobed hind toe it connects the river ducks with the next subfamily. It is about 33 in. long ; it has an odor of musk, proceeding from the coccygeal glands, which is communicated to the flesh ; in its pure state it is difficult to raise, but it breeds well with the mallard, and in this domesticated state its plumage is more white, and the inusky odor is absent. It is supposed to have come originally from South America, whence it has spread over the world. To the river ducks belong the genera tadorna (Leach), the European sheldrake, this name in America being applied to a merganser; aix (Boie), the wood or summer duck ; mareca (Steph.), the widgeon; querquedula (Steph.), the blue- winged teal ; nettion (Kaup), the green- winged teal ; and chaulelasmus (Gray), the gadwall. These will be described under their respective common names. II. The sea ducks, orfuligulince, have the bill higher than broad, depressed at the tip, which is armed with a broad strong nail ; the wings are mod- erate and pointed, the tail generally short and wedge-shaped, the tarsi compressed and much shorter than the middle toe; the toes long and united by a full web, the outer as long as the middle ; the hind toe short, with a deep membranous web. These ducks are gene- rally marine, feeding on mollusks and small fish, which gives to their flesh a strong flavor ; most are excellent fliers. The genus fulix (Sundev.) includes the scaup duck and the ring-neck. The scaup duck (F. marila, Baird) has the head, neck, fore part of back, and breast black, glossed with purple and green, and the last two tinged with brown ; the rest of the upper parts and abdomen brownish black ; the mid- dle back, scapulars, secondaries, front of abdo- men, and sides grayish white, with undulating fine black lines ; middle of breast white ; wings light brownish gray; speculum on the brown- ish black secondaries white ; the length is about 17 in., extent of wings 29, and weight 1 Ib. ; the females are brown and white. This duck, which is called broad-bill and blue- bill, is found along the Atlantic coast and also on the western rivers; it arrives from the north in October in large flocks, which at first may be easily decoyed; when wounded, it is very difficult to obtain on account of its diving, and from its fishy taste is hardly worth shoot- ing; its flight is rapid and high. The ring- necked duck (F. collaris, Baird) has a tufted head, which with the upper neck is greenish black, with purple reflections ; on the neck is 1. Old "Wife (Haf-elda glacialis). 2. Buffel-headed Duck (B. albeola). 3. Harlequin Duck (Histrionicus torquatus). a brownish red ring, widest in front ; a trian- gular white spot at the base of the lower man- dible ; upper parts generally brownish black, lower parts grayish white ; outer secondaries