96 ANATIDAG 
Geographical distribution.—Abroad, the Gadwall breeds 
sparingly in Northern, but commonly in Central and 
South-eastern Europe, also in Asia and North America to 
the Sub-arctic regions. Its winter range extends to North 
Africa, North India, Central America and the West Indies. 
DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 
PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial—Head and upper neck, 
light greyish- -brown, finely speckled with brownish- black: 
feathers of back and scapulars, dark brownish, edged with 
a crescent of light grey; wing-coverts, chestnut, shading 
to black, palate! which are blackish- Brown feathers, fol. 
lowed by a white speculum; primaries, brownish; inner 
secondaries, brownish, edged with yellowish-brown ; these 
feathers are long and pointed; tail, dark brown, each feather 
margined with a lighter shade; upper and under tail- 
coverts, bluish-black ; lower neck and upper breast, dark 
grey, each feather being edged with a light grey crescent ; 
lower breast and abdomen, white; sides, finely pencilled 
with shades of grey and white. 
Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse-—This plumage is 
somewhat similar to that of the female, but the wing colours 
are retained. 
Adult female nuptial—Head and upper neck, speckled 
with dark brown on a lighter ground shade; the crescentic 
markings of the back, neck and breast are light brown on 
a darker ground colour, and broader but less distinct than 
in the male; no chestnut patch on the wing; under tail- 
coverts, spotted ereyish-brown. 
Adult winter, male and female.—Similar to the respec- 
tive nuptial plumages. 
Immature, male and female —The markings of the back 
and neck are reddish- brown speckled with darker brown. 
Beak. Blackish. 
Fret. Dull deep yellow. 
IrtpEs. Dark brown. 
AYERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 
ToTAL LENGTH ... ay 12)? DO 
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