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U. S. p. R. R. EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT, 



List of specimens. 



QUEEQUEDULA CYANOPTEKA, Baird. 



Red-breasted Teal. 



Anus cyanoptera, Vieillot, Nouv. Diet. V, 1816, 104. Not of Temminck. 



Q,uerque(lula cyanoptera, Cassin, Illust. I, 111, 1855, 84 ; pi. xv. 



Anas rafflesii, King, Zool. Jour. IV, 1828, 87 ; Suppl. pi. .x.xix.— Cassin, Pr. A. N. Sc. IV, 1848, 195; 



Pterocyanea raffhsii, Baird, Zooi. Stansbury's E.xp. Salt Lake, 1852, 322. 



Pterocyanea caendeala, ("Licht.") Gray, Genera, III, 1845. — Lawrence, Ann. N. Y. Lye. V, 1852, 220. 



(lutrquedula caeruleala. Gat, Fauna Cliilena. 



Sp. Ch.' — Male. General color a rich dark purplish chestnut ; the top of the head, the thin, and middle of belly, tinged with 

 brown. Crissum dark brown. Fore part of the back lighter, with two or three more or less interrupted ccncentric bars of dark 

 brown. The feathers of rump and tail greenish brown ; the former edged with paler. Wing coverts and outer webs of 

 Slime scapulars blue ; others dark velvet green, streaked centrally with yellowish buff. Edges of greater wing coverts white, 

 as are the axillars and middle of wing beneath. Feathers of flanks uniform chestnut, witliout bands. Speculum metallic green . 



Female with the top of the head dusky and the wing coverts blue, as in the male ; tlie speculum duller. The upper parts 

 dark brown, with lighter edges to the feathers. The under parts are brownish yellow, with a strong tinge of purplisii chestnut 

 in the jugulum, the feathers with concealed spots of brown. Tlie only feathers unspotted with brown on the head and neck are 

 in small patches on each side of the base of the bill, and in the chin between the rami. There is an obscure dusky patch 

 beneath the head. 



Length, 17.8(1 ; wing, 7. ,50 ; tarsus, 1.15; commissure, 2. 



Hub. — Rocky mountains to Pacific. Accidental in Louisiana. Spread over most of western South America. 



The female of this species is very simihar to that of the common hlue-winged teal. It is, 

 however, rather larger, and the bill decidedly longer. The unspotted wliitish of the head is 

 more restricted ; the under surface of the head not })Uie wliitish, hut each feather with a 

 brownish spot, producing a dusky patch. There is almost always a decided purplish chestnut 

 tinge in the jugulum. The tertials are more elongated. 



