ANATIDZ. A479 
of our other Ducks: it is very thickly covered at the 
sides with a row of small bristle-like teeth, some- 
thing like the end of a small tooth-comb ; the beak 
is also very sensitive, so that the bird can easily 
detect the nutritive parts of anything it may pick up, 
and by the help of the bristles prevent the escape of 
such parts, however small or slippery they may be, 
—it is of a lead-colour in the male; the irides are 
yellow; the head and neck dark glossy-green; the 
lower part of the neck, scapulars and part of the 
tertials are white; the back is dark brown; the 
rump, tail-coverts and tail-feathers almost black, 
the latter edged with white ; the whole of the lesser 
wing-coverts pale greyish blue; the greater wing- 
coverts dusky, tipped with white; the primary quill- 
feathers brownish dusky ; the secondaries the same, 
with a dark glossy green speculum; the tertials are 
some of them pale blue on the outer web, and some 
of them glossy green; the lower part of the breast 
and belly vinous red; the thighs pale brown, streaked 
and freckled with dark brown, nearly black; the 
legs, toes and webs reddish orange; claws black. 
Like all the Duck family, the male birds lose much 
of their bright distinctive plumage for about two 
months towards the end of the summer and the 
beginning of autumn: so great is this change, that 
any one not knowing that it takes place would be 
puzzled to recognize the various species at that time, 
‘ however well he might have known them in their 
