140 INDIAN DUCKS 



Tadorna casarca, Legur, B. of C. pp. 1070, 1'22'2 (appendix) ; Oatcs. B. 

 of B. B. ii, p. 277 : Hiinie, Ncsl.'i ,C- E(j(/-i (Gates' cd.) iii, p. 2S0 : 

 Hartert, Voij. Pnl. p. 1303 (1920). 



Description. Adult Male.— Whole head and upper part of the neck 

 buff,* changing gradually into Ijriglit orange-brown at the base of the 

 latter. Scapularies and liack, flanks, and whole lower plumage rather 

 brif^ht orange-brown, lower back finely vermiculated black and rufous : 

 upper tail-coverts and tail black ; wing-coverts white, quills lilack : 

 secondaries glossed rich-green on the outer webs, forming a well- 

 defined speculum. Hume says that the speculum may be either bronze 

 or green, but I have pei'sonally seen none of the former colour. 



Inner secondaries light-buff, more or less tinged wtth rufous on the 

 outer web, and principally grey on the inner ; axillaries and under wing- 

 coverts white. 



In the breeding-season there is a black collar at the base of the neck, 

 usually very indistinct in Indian birds, and often absent. 



Colours of soft parts.— Bill and feet black, irides rich-brown. 



Measurements.—" Length 24'5 to 27'0 inches, expanse 48'0 to r,2'5, 

 wing 14'25 to 15'5, tail from vent Tj'd to 6'3, tarsus 2'3 to 27 ; bill from 

 gape 2'2 to 2'24. Weight 3 lb. to 4 lb. 4 ozs." (Humi>.) 



In the cold weather the majorit> of the drakes have tlieir wliite wing- 

 coverts much suffused with rufous. Hume had specimens practically 

 having their wing-coverts and lower plumage concolorous. 



Adult Female. — Differs in being smaller, and in having the head paler 

 and " ill having (at any rate, during the cold season) the whole anterior 

 portion of the head white." {Hume.) The lilack collar is never assumed. 



Measurements. — " Length 2175 to 24'0 inches, expanse 42'5 to 4775, 

 wing 12'3(; to 14'0, tail from vent 5'06 to 6'0, tarsus 2'12 to 2'4, l.ill from 

 gape 2'0 to 23. Weight 2 lb. 1 oz, to 3 lb. 5 ozs." {Hume.) 



Young' of the First Season.— Generally like the female but rather duller, 

 the scapulars and upper part vermiculated brown and pale-rufous ; the 

 inner secondaries brown, more or less vermiculated with reddish-butt', more 

 especially on the inner web ; tail with narrow obsolete bars of rufous and 

 distinctly tipped with the same. 



In India many birds are met with in their transition stage between this 

 and the fully adult plumage. I have now a fine young male Ijefore me with 

 adult scapulars, but the back shows fine vermiculations of l)rown, the tail 

 and inner secondaries are those of the young bird, and the whole lower 

 plumage has the feathers very faintly and indistinctly tipped paler. 



In this bird the feet ard> purplish-black, irides bright-brown, and bill 

 slaty-ldack. 



Nestling. — "A nestling lirought from Tso-mourari is mostly white, 

 marked on the upper surface with blackish brown, and with here and there 

 a fulvous tinge." {Hume.) 



