42 6 GADWALL. 



uncommon during the cold season in suitable localities, such as 

 rush-grown lakes and pools ; its migrations extending to the inland 

 waters of Northern Africa and up the Nile valley to Nubia. To 

 Northern (iermany it is chiefly a summer-visitor, becoming more 

 abundant in Central and Eastern Europe ; while in Asia up to 

 60'^ N. it is met with as far as the Pacific, and it is one of the 

 most plentiful species in Northern India during the cold season. 

 Across North America it is generally distributed, passing southward 

 to the West Indies and Mexico in winter. 



The nest, made of grass and lined with down, is generally in a dry 

 place at a little distance from the water ; the eggs, 8-13 in number, 

 are of a buffish-white : measurements 2'i by i'5in. The Gadwall 

 is a lover of fresh-water, and much addicted to concealing itself 

 among thick reeds and aquatic herbage. Its migrations are 

 nocturnal, and it also feeds by night — chiefly on seeds, grain (rice in 

 India), and other vegetable matter ; consequently its flesh is excel- 

 lent. The call-note is a curious rattling croak. 



The adult male in spring has the head and upper neck greyish- 

 brown with darker mottlings ; back with crescentic markings of light 

 grey on a dark ground ; median wing-coverts chestnut, greater coverts 

 almost black ; primaries brown ; secondaries brown and black — the 

 outer webs forming a ivhite wing-spot; inner secondaries pointed and 

 of two shades of brownish-grey, the darker colour occupying the 

 centre of each feather, the lighter colour forming the margin ; rump 

 and upper tail-coverts bluish-black ; tail-feathers dark brown, with 

 paler edges ; lower neck dark grey, each feather with lighter 

 crescentic margins; breast and belly white; flanks and vent marbled 

 with two shades of grey ; under tail-coverts bluish-black ; bill 

 blackish ; legs, toes and webs dusky yellow-orange. In summer an 

 approach to female plumage is made. Length 20 in. ; wing 10 '5 in. 

 The female has the head and upper neck spotted with dark brown, 

 on a paler surface ; the crescentic bands on the lower part of the 

 neck alternately dark and light brown, but broader than in the male, 

 under parts white ; feathers of the lower hind-neck and upper parts 

 brown, with paler margins ; wing-spot white, as in the male ; tail- 

 feathers dark brown, with pale edges ; under tail-coverts spotted. 

 The young are of a more uniform reddish-brown colour above, 

 speckled with dark brown ; the middle of each feather also is dark 

 brown ; and the characteristic white wing-spot is always present. 



Owing to the pronounced developement of the comb-like " teeth " 

 of the bill, this species has been made the type of the genus 

 Chatilelasvms. 



