INDIAN DUCKS AND THEIR ALLIES. 240 



" Length U'S" to 15-85" ; expanse 23-0" to 25-25" ; wing 7-2" to 

 8-0" ; tail from vent 3-D" to 3-6" ; tarsus 1" to 1-2" ; bill from gape 1-5" 

 to 1-77" ; weight 7-7 oz. to 12-0 oz." (Hume). 



" Total length 14-5" wing 7-25" ; tail 3" ; culmon 1*0" ; tarsus I'l" " 

 (Salvador!). 



Adult Female. — Upper head dark brown, the feathers edged rufescent- 

 white ; lores, throat and neok rufescent-white ; with speohlj brown 

 centres to the feathers, larger and more distinct en the neck ; chin and 

 fore throat the same but unspotted ; flanks and breast more or less witii 

 dark centres to the feathers, always pretty plain on i\\Q former, but 

 sometimes practically non-existent on the latter, though, on the other 

 hand, they sometimes shew up as distinct, dark Ijrown drops ; the 

 ground-colour of the lower parts may be anything from almost pure 

 white to a distinct rufous or buff ; scapulars like the back but generally 

 more richly coloured ; remainder of wing like tbat of the male but with 

 the speculunt usually duller. 



" Length 13-5" to 14-9" ; expanse 22-5" to 25" ; wing ()-5" to I'A" ; 

 tail from vent 2-9" to 3-5" ; tarsus I'O" to 1-2" ; bill from gape 1-5" to 

 1-77" ; weight 7-7 oz. to 12 oz." (Hume). 



In young males and females the lower mandible, though sometimes 

 only brown, commonly varies from brownish-yellow to dull orange, 

 and is generally brownish at tip. The upper mandible also in females 

 is usually rather paler coloured than that of the male, and is often tinged 

 with green or plumbeous-green" (Hume). 



The legs and feet also are more often tinged strongly with sienna than 

 are those of the male. The irides are the same light to dark brown. 



After the breeding season, or when the eggs have been laid, 

 the males assume a plumage similar to that of the female but have the 

 upper parts more a uniform brown. 



Morris says : '' The male assumes the plumage of the female in 

 summer by the end of July or beginning of August, and this he retains 

 until the general moult." 



The young are like the female, perhaps rather darker in general 

 hue, but have the pale edgings to the upper feathers more pronounced, 

 and the spots and bars on the lower plumage more numerous and 

 distinct, the former showing often in the centre of the abdomen and the 

 latter on the under tail coverts. 



