818 INDIAN DUCKS 



" The legs and I'eeL, incliKling tlie webs, are bright veruiiHon in the old 

 of both sexes, perhaps rather duller i^i the females, and reddish-orange in 

 younger birds. The claws greyish or horny-\Yhite, hrovvnisli or reddish 

 towards their bases." {Hume.) 



Measurements.— " Length about 25 inches, tail 4'25, wing 9'5, tarsus 2'0, 

 bill from gape 2'7." (Blaiiford.) 



" Wing 10'95 to li'S inches, tail from vent 4'80 to .5'9, culmen TOO to 

 2'10, tarsus 1'68 to 1'80." {l^alrcuhn .) 



" Wing 10'95 to 12'1 inciies, tarsus J 'St; to 2'Oy, bill from gape 2'2.!) to 

 2T). Weight 2 lbs. 12 ozs. to 3 lbs. 5 ozs." (Hume.) 



The weights of the few males I have personally weighed, or obtained 

 the weights of from other sportsmen, have varied between 3 lbs. and 4 lbs. 

 H ozs. In both extremes the birds were siiecimens shot and weighed b\- 

 myself. 



It will 1)0 seen from the above that the wing varies from 9'5 to 12'1 

 inches according to different authorities ; but, tliough I have tlje 

 measurements of some 40 males, my wing-measurements only vary 

 between 9'G and ir2 inches. 



Adult Female. — Chin and throat white, and lores somewhat albescent ; 

 rest of head and neck dull-rufous, the crown more brown ; sides of neck 

 and whole lower surface white, the flanks striped with grey ; primaries 

 and first few secondaries dark-brown, the next few white, the innermost 

 grey with dark margins ; upper parts grey, rather mottled in appearance, 

 and the upper tail-coverts with dark shafts ; tail grey-brown with darker 

 shafts ; some of the scapulars very dark Ijrown ; the lesser and median 

 wing-coverts mottled grey and greyish-white. 



The colours of the soft parts seem to resemble those of the male, but 

 are, on an average, somewhat darker and more dull. 



Measurements. — In size it is considerably smaller. Blanford gives the 

 wing at about 9 inches, and Hume as 6'8 to 10'95 inches. The latter gives 

 the weight as being 2 lbs. or 2 lbs. 10 ozs. The wings of the females shot 

 by myself varied between 7'5 and 10'2 inches, and the weight between 

 2 lbs. 6 ozs. and 3 lbs. 8 ozs. My largest females have been both bigger and 

 heavier than many of my smaller males. 



" Young' in first plumage closely resemble adult females, but have shorter 

 crests, and brown instead of grey markings on the breast and flanks ; males 

 may be distinguished by paler feathers on the median wing-coverts and 

 outer scapulars, and darker feathers on the inner scapulars." (Scehohm.) 



"Males in moulting plumage closely resemble adult females, but have 

 traces of a black ring round the neck, are darker on the back and shoulders, 

 and show the whitish wing of the immature l^ird." {Seehohm.) 



" Males in first nuptial dress have more grey on the shoulders than 

 adults, 



"Young in Down. — Similar to that of M. .^errator, but perhaijs not so 

 dark on the upper parts." {Salvach^ri.) 



