Plate CCXCVII. Male, Female, and Young.
Bill much shorter than the head, comparatively narrow, light
yellowish-olive; feet light greyish-blue, the webs dusky; a broad
median band from the base of the bill to the occiput bluish-black,
margined behind with light yellowish-red, before with white, that
colour forming a broad triangular spot on the cheek anterior to the
eye; sides of the head and neck all round purplish-blue; a spot of
white behind the ear, a curved line on the side of the neck, and a
complete ring below the middle of the neck, with a curved band of the
same anterior to the wing, all broadly edged with black; fore part of
back light purplish-blue, hind part gradually deepening in tint, so as
to become almost black, of which colour is the rump all round;
scapulars chiefly white; wing-coverts purplish-blue, as are the alula
and primary coverts; the quills dark greyish-brown; tail
greyish-black; a band of white across the wing, formed by the tips of
the secondaries, of which the inner have their outer webs principally
of the same colour; fore part of breast purplish-blue, hind part and
abdomen greyish-brown, sides light red, generally undulated with
dusky; a lateral spot of white near the root of the tail. Female
greyish-brown, deeper on the head and rump, lighter on the fore neck,
and mottled with greyish-white on the breast; quills dark brown, edged
with lighter, tail blackish-grey; a large whitish spot mottled with
grey before the eye, and another of a purer white behind the ear; bill
and feet dull bluish-grey.
Harlequin Duck, Anas histrionica, Wils. Amer. Orn. v. viii. p.
139.
Fuligula histrionica, Bonap. Syn. p. 394.
Clangula histrionica, Harlequin Duck, Swains. & Rich. F. Bor.
Amer. v. ii. p. 459.
Harlequin Duck, Fuligula histrionica, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iii.
p. 612; v. v. p. 617.