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The black Duck is about the Size of the bluewinged teel. their colour is a duskey black the breast and belly Somewhat lighter than the other parts, or a dark brown. the legs Stand longitudianally with the body, and the Bird when on Shore Stands very erect. the legs and feet are of a dark brown, the toes are four on each foot, a short one on the heel and three long toes in front which are unconnected with a web. the web is atached to each Side of the Several joints of the toes, and devided by deep Sinuses at each joint. the web assumeing in the intermediate part an elipticle figure. the beak is about two inches long, Streight, flated on the Sides, and tapering to a Sharp point. the upper chap Somewhat longest and bears on its base at the joining of the head, a little conic protuberance of a cartelagenous Substance, being redish brown. the beak is of a ivery white colour. the eye dark. these ducks usially associate in large flocks, and are very noisey; their note being a Sharp shrill whistle. they are usially fat and tolerably flavoured; and feed on moss and other vegitable productions of the water. we did not meet with them untill we reached tide water, I have noticed the Same duck on maney parts of the ohio an Mississippi. the Gizzard and liver are also remarkably large in this fowl-. The Divers are the Same with those of the atlantic States. the Smaller Species has some white feathers about the rump and no perceptable tail and is very active and quick in its motion; the body is of a redish brown. the beak sharp and Somewhat curved like that of the Pheasant the toes are not connected but webd. like those discribed of the black duck.
it's beak is yellow pointed, flated crosswise and 5 Inches in length from the upper region of the bill to the eye is one inch in length, covered with a smoth yellow skin the plumage of the head projecting towards the upper bill and coming to a point a an Inch beyond the eyes on the center of the upper bill.
There is a speceis of water lizzard of which I saw one only just above the grand rapids of the Columbia. it is about 9 inches long the body is reather flat and about the size of a mans finger covered with a soft skin of a dark brown colour with an uneven surface covered with little pimples the neck and head are short, the latter terminating in an accute angular point and flat. the fore feet each four toes, the hinder ones five unconnected with a web and destitute of tallons. it's tail was reather longer than the body and in form like that of the Musk-rat, first rising in an arch higher than the back and decending lower than the body at the extremity, and flated perpendicularly. the belley and under part of the neck and head were of a brick red every other part of the colour of the upper part of the body a dark brown. the mouth was smooth, without teeth.
The black duck is about the size of the bluewinged teal. their colour is a duskey black the breast and belley somewhat lighter than the other parts, or a dark brown. the legs stand longitudinally with the body, and the bird when on shore stands of cours very erect. the legs and feet are of a dark brown, the toes are four on each foot, a short one at the heel and three long toes in front, which are unconnected with a web. the webs are attatched to each sides of the several joints of the toe, and divided by deep sinuses at each joint. the web assuming in the intermediate part an eliptical figure. the beak is about two inches long, streight, flated on the sides, and tapering to a sharp point. the upper chap somewhat longest, and bears on it's base at the joining of the head, a little conic protuberance of a cartelagenous substace, being redish brown at the point. the beak is of an ivory white colour. the eye dark. these ducks usually associate in large flocks, and are very noisey; their note being a sharp shrill whistle. they are usually fat and agreeably flavored; and feed principally on moss, and other vegitable productions of the water. we did not meet with them untill we reached tide-water, but I beleive them not exclusively confined to that district at all seasons, as I have noticed the same duck on many parts of the Rivers Ohio and Mississippi. the gizzard and liver are also remarkably large in this fowl. the divers are the same with those of the Atlantic States. the smaller species has some white feathers about the rump with no perceptable tail and is very active and cluck in it's motion; the body is of a redish brown. the beak sharp and somewhat curved like that of the pheasant. the toes are not connected but webed like those discribed of the black duck. the larger speceis are about the size of the teal and can flye a short distance which the small one scarcely ever attapts. they have a short tail. their colour is also an uniform brickredish brown, the beak is streight and pointed. the feet are of the same form of the other speceis and the legs are remarkably thin and flat one edge being in front. the food of both speceis is fish, and the flesh unfit for uce. the bluewinged teal are a very excellent duck, and are the same with those of the Atlantic coast. There are some other speceis of ducks which shall be hereafter discribed as I may hereafter have an opportunity to examine them.
The Snail is noumerous in the woodey Country on this Coast, they are in Shape like those of the U, States, but are at least five times their bulk. there is a Specis of water Lizzard of which I only Saw one just above the grand rapid of the Columbia. it is about 9 inches long the body is reather flat and about the Size of a mans finger, covered with a Soft Skin of dark brown Colour with an uneaven sufice covered with little pimples, the neck and head are Short, the latter termonateing in an accute angular point and flat. the fore feet each have four toes, the hinder ones five unconnected with a web and destitute of tallons. it's tail was reather longer than the body, and in form like that of the muskrat, first riseing in an arch higher than the back, and decending lower than the body at the extremety, and flated perpindicularly. the belly and under part of the neck and head were of a Brick red every other part of the colour of the upper part of the body are dark brown. the mouth was Smooth without teeth.
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