ANATIN.E — THE DUCKS — ANAS. 



493 



breast, as in No. 12718, Washington, D. C. (December), in Mliicli the entire lower parts, except 

 the sides, are tinged with rich cream-color. 



The single European specimen in the collection differs from all the North American males in its 

 considerably smaller size. It measures : Wing, 10.20 inches ; culmen, 2.00 ; tarsus, 1.50 ; middle 

 toe, 1.80. The smallest North American male, among a large series of specimens, measures : 

 Wing, 11.00 inches ; culmen, 2.10 ; tarsus, 1.60; middle toe, 2.00; while the average is consider- 

 ably larger. The European specimen differs also in markings, the speculum being much narrower 

 (the violet less than 1.00 inch wide, instead of 1.50 or more), while black and white bars on each 

 side of it are not nearly so broad. There is no difference, however, in color. Two females from 

 Europe measure : Wing, 9.70-10.00 

 inches; culmen, 2.00-2.10 ; tarsus, 1.65 

 -1.70 ; middle toe, 1.80-1.85.1 The 

 only tangible difference in pattern of 

 coloration consists in the narrower bars 

 of the speculum, the terminal white one 

 being reduced to a narrow line, instead 

 of a qnhe broad liar. 



Even in its feral state, the ]\Iallard 

 varies greatly in size and markings, al- 

 though the proportionate number of 

 " abnormal " examples is of course small. 

 Many of these variations are due to hy- 

 britlism with other species ; but very 

 many examples occur in which no con- 

 nection with another species can be 

 traced. The latter are usually consid- 

 eral:)ly larger than the ordinary wild 

 bird, and the colors wholly indetermi- 

 nate, the range of variation in this re- 

 spect being fully equal to that in the 

 domesticated bird. Such examples are 



frequently killed during the migrations, either mixed singly with flocks of the ordinary bird, or in 

 companies by themselves. Without going into further details in regard to these feral varieties, we 

 will proceed to describe a lew of the more remarkable specimens and hybrids which are now 

 before us : — 



(1.) An autumnal female from Mount Carmel, 111., is so different from all other specimens exam- 

 ined that there is some doubt whether it is pure A.hoschas ; the differences from the normal female of 

 A. boschas involve the proportions as well as the colors. The biU is very broad, measuring 1.00 inch 

 in width near the end, and .95 at the base ; its length along the culmen being 2.00 inches, and its 

 height through the base .95. Its color is black, except the terminal third, which is bright orange, 

 the nail jet black ; the feet are bright orange-red. The ground-color of the entire plumage, except 

 the wings, is a deep and very uniform ochraceous ; the head and neck are very finely streaked with 

 narrow lines of l)lack, except on the chin and throat, which are immaculate ; this streaking is so 

 uniform, that there is no indication of a darker loral stri]^ or lighter one above it, the post-orbital light 

 stripe alone lieing perceptible. Each feather of the lower parts has a medial stripe of black, these 

 markings being of uniform si::c and shape throughout the entire lower surface. The back and scapulars 

 are more irregularly variegated, the black being nearly in the form of V-shaped markings, though 

 they \'ary on different feathers. The rump and upper tail-coverts are almost cinnamon-color, each 

 feather being broadly black medially, these black markings having a bright green reflection. The 

 wings are normal in coloration, except that the coverts are more conspicuously bordered with white 

 than is usual. The measurements of this specimen are as follows : Wing, 10.90 inches ; culmen, 

 2.00 ; tarsus, 1.95 ; middle toe, 2.30. 



1 Messrs. Sharpe & Dresser, liowever, in their "History of the Birds of Europe" (part xvii. ) give 

 the measurements of European A. boschas as follows : " Total length, 23.00 inches ; culmen, 2.60 ; wing, 

 10.50 ; tail, 4.00 ; tarsus, 1.85." 



Female. 



