'2C,0 TXPIAN DUCKS 



darker on the joints, and w itii the webs lilack or nearly so. The liills are 

 hhxck and bluish-grey or leaden, in v-arying proportions. In some the 

 whole bill is black, with only a leaden-coloured crescentic bar on the 

 upper mandible towards the tip. In others only the tip and the basal 

 portion of the upper mandible to a little Ijeyond the nostrils are black, 

 and the whole intervening portion of the upper mandible is leaden-blue ; 

 and between these two extremes the In-eadth of the blue band or bar 

 varies." 



Measurements. — " Length Ls to aO'-'J inches, expanse 21J'4 to :i'2''2, 

 wing 8'5 to 9'.5, tail from vent 2'3o to 3'2, tarsus r4 to 1'5, bill froni 

 gape 2'irj to 2'29. Weight I lb. 1.3 ozs. to 2 ll)s. -5 ozs." (Hume.) 



Adult Female. — Forehead and crown dark-brown, fading to dull fulvous- 

 brown on the hind-neck, sides of the bead and neck, and thence to pale 

 fulvous-grey, or greyish-white, on chin, throat, and fore-neck ; back and 

 scapulars greyish-brown, with greyish vermiculations mixed with black, 

 the vermiculations varying very much in extent and being sometimes 

 almost wanting ; lower l)ack, rump, and upper tail-coverts blackish, the 

 external feathers of the rump with a few fine white bars ; tail and wings 

 as in the male, but the latter much duller and less vermiculated ; whole 

 lower parts pale dull-grey, tinged with rufous-brown on the breast and sides, 

 and darker brown towards the vent and under tail-coverts. 



Colours of soft parts. — Irides dull yellow, rarely brown ; liill as in tlie 

 male, but generally with the blue more restricted in extent and of a duller 

 shade ; legs and feet similar to those of the male, but duller on the 

 average. 



Measurements. — " Length 17'25 to 18 inches, expanse 2s'7r) to 31'."), 

 wing 7'9 to 8'3, tail from vent 2'2 to 3'1, tarsus 1'4 to 1'5, bill from gape 

 2 to 2'19. Weight 1 lb. 5 ozs. to 2 lb. 4 ozs." (Hume.) 



Young Males resemble the females, but have the head much more 

 leddish and also paler, and, according to Finn, are usually browner below. 



The Male in undress retains much of his full colour, merely getting 

 " a browner head, a dark pencilled -grey In-east, and duller tail-coverts." 

 (Finn ' Asian.') 



"Males in first nuptial dress differ from the adults in having the 

 chestnut of the head and neck paler, and the black of the breast and 

 upper back replaced by dark brown." 



"Young in Down, according to Naumann, are dark brown on the upper 

 parts, shading into rusty brown on the head and neck : under parts dirty 

 yellowish-white; bill and feet light bluish : irides grey." (Salvadoi-i.) 



Distribution. — The Pochard, Ked-headed Pochard, or Dun-bird, 

 as it is variously called, has a very wide distribution, practically 

 throughout the Palsearctic region from Iceland to Japan. It breeds 

 almost throughout the more southern portions of this area, but 



