File:A history of the birds of Europe, not observed in the British Isles (1859) (14568607638).jpg

Identifier: historybirdsEurIVBree (find matches)
Title: A history of the birds of Europe, not observed in the British Isles
Year: 1859 (1850s)
Authors: Bree, Charles Robert, 1811-1886 Fawcett, Benjamin, 1808-1893, engraver
Subjects: Pictorial works Birds
Publisher: London : Groombridge and Sons ...
Contributing Library: Smithsonian Libraries
Digitizing Sponsor: Biodiversity Heritage Library

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Text Appearing Before Image:
us.J MARBLED DUCK. Alias marmorata. Anas marmorata, Temminck; Man., iy, 1840. ancjustirostris, Meneteies; Cat., p. 58, No. 205. Dajila marmorata, Eyton; Anat., p. 114, No. 4. Querquedida angustirostris, Bonaparte; Birds, 1838. Canard Marhle, Of the FeejSCH. Schmalschndhlige Krikente, Of the Geemans. Specific Characters.—Beak straiglit. General plumage liglitbrown, darker on tlie back, and marbled with white. No speculumon the wings. Length fourteen inches and a half; carpus to tipeight inches; tarsus one inch and a half; middle toe and clawtwo inches; beak from forehead one inch and four fifths; beakfrom rictus two inches and one tenth. This Duck was first figured I believe by Mr. Gould,in his Birds of Europe, part 9, having previously,according to Schlegel, been described by EdwardMenetries, in his Catalogue Raisonne, published atSt. Petersburg in 183,^, as Anas angttstirostris. Thisname, according to modern rules, ought probably tostand, but the straightness of a Ducks beak is, to
Text Appearing After Image:
o p o MARBLED DUCK. 15T say tile least of it, a very equivocal title to distinction;and I am therefore glad to retain tlie name givenby Temminck, and wliicli most expressively gives thegeneral appearance of the bird. The Marbled Duck inhabits the south of Europe,the north of Asia, and Africa. In Europe, it has beencaptured in Sardinia, according to M. Cantraine, which,however, is the only Mediterranean locality in whichhe found it, and there it was very rare. This doesnot agree with the account given by Lord Lilford, whosays, in his paper on the Ornithology of the IonianIslands, (Ibis, vol. ii, p. 353,)—I saw a boy atButrinto with a mutilated specimen of this rare Duckin his hand, which he had just killed on the lake;he said it was alone when he shot it. I once flushedthree Ducks at Phanari which puzzled me very muchat the time, but Vv^hich I have now no doubt belongedto this species; and an officer of the garrison of Corfudescribed to me a small Duck he had killed nearArta, which I

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