MALLARD. 367 



and upper tail-coverts ; the four middle tail-feathers velvet- 

 black, and curled upwards ; the rest lancet-shaped, ash-grey 

 in the middle, margined with white, the outermost feathers 

 having the broader margins ; scapulars a mixture of brown 

 and grey ; small wing-coverts ash-brown ; greater coverts 

 with a bar of white near the end, and tipped with velvet- 

 black ; primaries ash-brown ; secondaries the same on the 

 inner web, the outer portion towards the end of the outer 

 web rich shining purple, forming a speculum, but bounded 

 by a bar of velvet-black, and tipped with white ; inner 

 secondaries pale chestnvit-brown, the outer webs darkest in 

 colour ; front and sides of the neck below the white ring 

 rich dark chestnut, each feather at the commencement of 

 winter edged with white; breast, belly, vent, and flanks, 

 greyish-white, the sides before and under the wings marked 

 with delicate grey lines ; under tail-coverts velvet-black ; 

 legs, toes, and their membranes orange-yellow. Total length 

 twenty-four inches, from the carpal joint to the end of the 

 wing eleven inches and a half. Weight, up to 3 lbs. 8 ozs. 



The female has the beak greenish-black, light yellow- 

 brown towards the end, the nail black ; irides brown ; cheeks, 

 head, and neck, pale brown, each feather streaked with 

 black in the middle ; scapulars, and the whole of the back 

 of the same two colours, but prettily varied, some of the 

 feathers black in the middle and on the margin, with a light 

 brown band between the two dark colours ; tail-feathers the 

 same ; small wing-coverts ash-brown ; the large coverts white 

 towards the end, and tipped with velvet-black; primaries 

 uniform dark brown ; the secondaries the same on the inner 

 web, outer webs forming a purple speculum, ending in a 

 band of black, and tipped with white; inner secondaries dark 

 brown ; chin and throat pale brown ; lower part of the neck 

 richer reddish-brown, varied with dark brown ; breast, belly, 

 vent, and under tail-coverts pale brown, slightly varied with 

 darker brown, which occupies a portion of the centre of each 

 feather ; legs and toes orange, the interdigital membranes 

 darker. 



The females are smaller than males, and measure but 



