File:The birds of Europe (1837) (14747490451).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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sof aquatic vegetables, mollusca and other animals, obtained by diving to the bottom, which it does with afacility only equalled by its vigorous flight. Being entirely aquatic in its habits, it not unfrequently takesup its abode on the open sea, where it obtains a plentiful supply of bivalves and other shells, of which itappears fond, but which kind of food generally gives a fishy and unpleasant flavour to its flesh. The male has the head and neck chestnut brown ; the breast and rump black; the back, scapulars, wing-coverts, thighs, and flanks greyish white, beautifully pencilled with zigzag lines of black; the quills and tailgrey; the bill blackish grey with the tip and base black ; and the tarsi and toes bluish grey. The female has the head and neck of a dark reddish brown; the under surface dusky white; and the backlike that of the male, except that the whole of the black markings are darker and more obscure. The Plate represents a male and female rather less than the natural size.
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m WHITE-EYED or CASTANEOUS DUCK. Anas leucophthalmos, Bechst.Fuligula leucophthalmos, Steph.Le Canard a iris blanc. This interesting little Duck has been several times killed in England: its occurrence, however, in the BritishIsles, which is generally during winter, must be considered accidental rather than as that of a regularvisitor. It is more abundant in France, Holland and Germany, in the latter of which countries it appears tobe a periodical bird of passage. We have received it in abundance from India, especially from the elevatedrange of the Himalaya, and it appears from the accounts of Buffon and Sonnini to be equally common in theNorth of Africa. It is much less in size than the Pochard, to which it bears a close affinity. It is the Ferruginous Duck ofPennant and Montagu, but not of Bewick, his figure and description applying to the Anas rutila. Its habitsand manners are strictly analogous to those of the Pochard, being an expert diver and living upon aquaticinsects, water-pl

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