5G QUERQUEDULA CIRCIA. 



Male. — The Garganey, which is somewhat larger than 

 our common Teal, closely resembles it in form, the body 

 being elongated, elliptical, slightly depressed, moderately 

 full ; the neck rather long and slender ; the head of mode- 

 rate size, oblong, compressed, and considerably rounded 

 above. 



The bill is as long as the head, nearly straight, higher 

 than broad at the base, gradually depressed tow^ard the end, 

 with edges almost parallel, the breadth being only about a 

 twelfth more toward the end, which is broadly rounded. 

 The upper mandible has the dorsal line at first sloping, 

 then a little concave, afterwards direct, at the end dccurved, 

 the ridge concave, gradually narrowed beyond the nostrils, 

 the sides nearly erect at the base, convex toward the end, 

 the unguis obovato-oblong, small, much decurved at the end, 

 the lamellae, of Avhich there are about fifty, slightly pro- 

 jecting to beyond the middle of the bill ; the lower mandible 

 with the intercrural space very long and narrow, the unguis 

 obovato-triangular, the edges with very numerous lamellae. 



Nostrils very small, elliptical, one-twelfth in length. 

 Eyes small. Legs short ; tibia bare for three-tAvelfths ; tarsus 

 compressed, with small anterior scutella. The hind toe very 

 small, with a very narrow membrane ; the third toe longer 

 than the tarsus ; the interdigital membranes crenulate, the 

 outer emarginate, with an abrupt acute notch. The cla\^ s 

 small, arched, compressed, acute. 



The plumage soft, dense, elastic. The feathers on the 

 head and upper neck short, stiffish, and rather blended ; on the 

 body ovate. The scapulars much elongated, tapering, and 

 pointed. The wing rather long, narrow, pointed, of twenty- 

 six quills, the first slightly longer than the second, the rest 

 quickly decreasing ; the outer secondaries broad, obliquely 

 rounded ; the inner long, narroAv, tapering, a little curved 

 outwards. Tail short, rounded, of sixteen acuminate feathers. 



The bill is greyish-black ; the iris broAvn ; the feet grey- 

 ish-brown ; the upper part of the head and the hind part of 

 the neck, to half way down, umber-brown ; from over the 

 fore part of the eye, a narrow white band extends more than 

 half way down the neck ; the sides of the head and upper 



