COMMON SHELDRAKE. 523 



spreading out on the upper breast, the lower back, rump, upper tail- 

 coverts, innermost scapulars, innermost secondaries, upper and under wing- 

 coverts, axillaries, and the sides of the belly and flanks are white ; the 

 under tail-coverts, upper back, and sides of the breast arc chestnut, leaving 

 a broad black line down the centre of the breast which broadens out on the 

 belly and vent ; the primaries and outermost scapulars are black, the latter 

 glossed with green ; the tail is white, broadly tipped with black ; the 

 secondaries have the basal half white, the terminal portion black, the 

 outermost ones having the outer web glossed with bronzy green, forming a 

 metallic alar speculum ; the three longest are chestnut, emphasized by a 

 black base near the shaft on the outer, and by white on the inner webs. 

 Bill and frontal shield crimson ; legs and feet pink ; irides hazel. After 

 the autumn moult the shield at the base of the bill almost disajjpears. 

 The female resembles the male in colour, but has the plumage a trifle 

 duller, and she is also smaller in size, and is without the conspicuous shield 

 at the base of the upper mandible. Young in first plumage have the fore- 

 head, chin, sides of the face, and a narrow streak down the throat dull 

 white ; the rest of the head and neck is blackish brown ; the white ring 

 round the lower neck is narrow ; the upper back and scapulars are dark 

 brown, each feather with a greyish-white margin ; the tail is tipped with 

 brown instead of black ; the sides of the breast are brown, with pale 

 margins to the feathers, and the rest of the underparts are pure white; 

 the remainder of the plumage resembles that of the adult, but the colours 

 are not so pure ; the foui* innermost primaries and most of the secondaries 

 are broadly tipped with white, the basal two thirds of the inner web of the 

 first primary is nearly white, and the chestnut on the innermost secondaries 

 is not so developed and is much duller. Bill, legs, and feet flesh-colour ; 

 frontal shield absent. After the first autumn moult a nearly adult plumage 

 is assumed, but the green parts are browner, the chestnut is paler and less 

 in extent, the wing-coverts are mottled with grey, the wings, not being 

 moulted in the first autumn, remain as in the young in first plumage, and 

 the frontal shield is not assumed until after the second autumn moult. 

 Young in down are dark brown above and white below, the white on the 

 underparts extending to the forehead, sides of the head and neck, wings, 

 scapulary region, and sides of the rump. 







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