File:The birds of Europe (1837) (14564016249).jpg

Identifier: birdsEuropeVGoul (find matches)
Title: The birds of Europe
Year: 1837 (1830s)
Authors: Gould, John, 1804-1881
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London, Printed by R. and J.E. Taylor, pub. by the author
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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ds the point than that of the Golden Eye, and the feathers of the forehead,instead of running to a point on the ridge of the bill as in the latter, terminate with a semicircular outline.The plumage also of the occiput and nape is longer, forming a more decided crest than in that species.Wings two inches and a half shorter than the tail. The female we have never seen, but have thought it best to append Dr. Richardsons description of thatsex. Female—head and adjoining part of the neck umber-brown, without a white mark ; dorsal plumage pitchblack ; its anterior part, particularly the shoulders and the base of the neck all round, edged with ash grey.A white collar round the middle of the neck. Flanks clove-brown, edged with white. Intermediate covertsblotched with white and black; greater coverts white tipped with black secondaries as in the male. Bothmandibles orange at the point, their tips and posterior parts black. Feet like the male. Our Plate represents a male of the natural size.
Text Appearing After Image:
Q Q ^1 N o ^ to -oP 3 HARLEQUIN DUCK. Anas histrionica, Linn.Clangula histrionica, Leach. Nature, ever boundless in her resources and ever varying in her details, appears not unfrequently to delightin producing the most striking and singular contrast of colours, with which to adorn the plumage of thefeathered race: and yet, strong and decided as the contrast may be, the whole effect is harmonious anddelightful. It is so in the splendid bird before us, which gains its name from the multiplicity of its markings,—markings which, unlike those produced as it were by accident, and observed only upon varieties, withoutpermanency and without method, are here the characters of a species, and are continued feather for featherthrough successive generations. The general contour of its body together with the fanciful markings of its plumage would seem to ally itto the Mergansers ; but on comparing the skeletons it was found by Mr. Yarrell and ourselves not to approachso nearly to that tribe of b

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