INDIAN DUCKS AND THEIR ALLIES. 605 



leaden-blue ; and between these two extremes the breadth of the blue 

 band or bar varies." 



" Length 18" to 20*5" ; expanse 29-4" to 32-2"; wing 8-5" to S'S"; 

 tail from vent 2-35" to 3'2" ; tarsus 1'4" to 1-5"; bill from gape 2-15" to 

 2-29" ; weight 1 lb. 13 oz. to 2 lbs. 5 oz." (Hume). 



Adult Female. — Forehead and crown dark brown, fading to dull 

 fulvous-brown on the hind neck, sides of the head and neck, and 

 thence to pale fulvous-grey, or greyish-white, on chin, throat and fore- 

 neck ; back and scapulars greyish-brown, with greyish vermiculations 

 mixed with black, the vermiculations varying very much in extent 

 and being sometimes almost wanting ; lower back, rump and upper- 

 tail coverts blackish, the external feathers of the rump with a few fine 

 white bars ; tails and wings as in the male, but the latter much duller 

 and less vermiculated ; whole lower parts pale dull grey, tinged with 

 rufous-browa on the breast and sides, and darker brown towards the 

 vent and under-tail coverts. 



Irides dull yellow, rarely brown ; bill as in the male, but generally 

 with the blue more restricted in extent and of a duller shade : legs 

 and feet similar to those of the male, but duller on an average. 



" Length 17-25" to 18" ; expanse 28-75" to 31-5" ; wing 7-9" to 

 8-3" ; tail from vent 2-2" to 3-1"; tarsus 1-4" to I'S" ; bill from gape 

 2" to 2-19" ; weight 1 lb. 5 oz. to 2 lbs. 4 oz." (Hume). 



Young males resemble the females, but have the head much more 

 reddish and also paler, and, according to Finn, are usually browner. 

 below. 



" The male la undresa retains much of his full colour, merely getting 

 a browner head, a dark-pencilled grey breast and duller tail-coverts." 

 (Finn, " Asian.") 



" Males in first nvptial dress differ from the adults in having the 

 chestnut of the head and neck paler, and the black of the breast and 

 upper back replaced by durk-brown." 



*' Young in down, according to Naumann, are dark brown on the 

 upper parts, shading into rusty-brown on the head and neck, under- 

 parts dirty yellowish white ; bill and feet light bluish ; iris grey" 

 (Salvadori). 



The Pochard, Red -headed Pochard, or Dun-bird, as it is variously 

 called, has a very wide distribution, practically throughout the Palffiarctic 



