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 with white. Wing : 10.05, bill 2.25. 



Distribution. — From Central Mexico north to Kansas and Colorado. 



Eggs. — Pale bufPy. 



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

 lard. 



GENUS CHAULELASMUS. 



135. Chaulelasmus streperus {Linn). Gadwall. 



Tail feathers 10. 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 buffy or whitish ground ; chin and belly white ; rest of 

 body with feathers dusky, bordered with buff. Male : length 11 (.25-2 1.75, 

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

 bill 1.5.5-1.65. 



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

 guished by white chin and belly, gray under surface of Aving, 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. 4'.». 



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

 whitish ground. 

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

 2. Whole head and neck streaked and sj)0(ked. 

 3. Head and neck streaki'd on whitish ground. 



(feni.ilt') aniericana. p ."»(). 

 .'V. Head and neck streaked on buff ground. 



(f«-niiil.) penelope. p. in. 



136. Mareca penelope (Linn.). \Vii>okon. 



Adult iiKth . — Hill hluf with l)l;ick tip; crown white or cn'.iiiiv ; rest of 

 head and neck rich lu.sset brown, more or le.H.s .specked with black; chest 



