DUCKS, GEESE, AND SWANS 49 



134a. Anas fulvigula maculosa (Senn.). MOTTLED DUCK. 



Sexes similar, resembling- a dark-colored female mallard. Head and 

 neck buffy, finely streaked with dusky ; under parts mottled about equally 

 with dusky and light brown ; feathers of breast and back with brown cen- 

 ters and margins ; speculum of wing- greenish purple framed in black, the 

 feathers tipped witli white. Wing : 10.05, bill 2.25. 



Distribution. From Central Mexico north to Kansas and Colorado. 



Eggs. Pale huffy. 



The habits of the mottled duck are similar to those of the mal- 

 lard. 



GENUS CHAULELASMUS. 



135. Chaulelasmus streperus (Linn.}. GADAVALL. 



Tail feathers 16. Adult male : top of head with wide low crest ; head 

 and body gray, crossed with wavy lines of black and white ; rump and 

 upper and lower tail coverts black ; wing- marked with black, white, and 

 bright brown ; belly white. Post-breeding plumage : duller and more spotted 

 below. Adult female: head without crest ; head and neck finely specked 

 with dusky on a huffy or whitish ground ; chin and belly white ; rest of 

 body with feathers dusky, bordered with buff. Male : length 19.25-21.75, 

 wing 10.25-11.00. bill 1.60-1.75. Female: length 18, wing 10.00-10.25, 

 bill 1.55-1.65. 



Remarks. The female resembles the female mallard, but may be distin- 

 guished by white chin and belly, gray under surface of wing, and white 

 instead of green speculum. 



Distribution. Northern hemisphere, including the whole of North 

 America. 



Nest. Like that of the mallard. Eggs : 8 to 12, pale buffy or creamy 

 white. 



In habits the gadwall is much like the mallard, being a bird of the 

 ponds and marshes and breeding more or less commonly over much 

 of North America, especially on the plains and prairies. 



GENUS MARECA. 



General Characters. Tail feathers 14 ; male with short crest, adult male 

 with white crown ; bill small, widest near base. 



KEY TO SPECIES. 



1. Sides of head and neck rich russet brown (specked with dusky in im- 

 mature) (male) penelope, p. 49. 



1'. Sides of head and neck thickly specked with dusky on light buff or 



whitish ground. 



2. Crest and sides of crown metallic green . (male) americana, p. 50. 

 2'. Whole head and neck streaked and specked. 

 3. Head and neck streaked on whitish ground. 



(female) americana, p. 50. 

 3'. Head and neck streaked on buff ground. 



(female) penelope, p. 49. 



136. Mareca penelope (Linn.). WIDGEON. 



Adult male. Bill blue with black tip ; crown white or creamy ; rest of 

 head and neck rich russet brown, more or less specked with black ; chest 



