ANATIDE. A89 
occasionally they have a long way to fly to their 
feeding-grounds. At this time a good shot may 
often be had at them by any one who knows their 
usual line, and conceals himself till they approach 
near enough. 
In plumage the male, or “ Mallard,” as it 1s gene- 
rally called, differs much from the female, being 
much brighter and more beautifully coloured. The 
beak is yellow, tinged with green; the irides hazel; 
the head and neck glossy green,—immediately be- 
neath this is a ring of white, which does not, how- 
ever, quite meet at the back of the neck; the middle 
of the back is dark reddish brown; the rest of the 
back is white, minutely pencilled with black, giving 
it a grey appearance at a little distance; the scapu- 
lars are reddish brown, pencilled with black ; lesser 
wing-coverts ash-grey, without the pencilling; the 
greater wing-coverts dusky, tipped with white; the 
primary quills dusky brown; the speculum on the 
secondaries rich glossy green or blue, according to 
the light in which it is seen—all the feathers are 
tipped with white; the tertials are grey, some of 
them shaded to reddish brown on the outer web; 
rump and upper tail-coverts glossy blue-black; im- 
mediately above the tail are two little curled-up 
black feathers; the tail-feathers are dusky in the 
centres, white on the edges; the breast vinous-red 
(this colour seems to be lost in very old birds) ; belly 
and flanks white, more minutely pencilled with black 
