PINTAIL 99 
Adult winter, male and female.—Similar to the respec- 
tive nuptial plumages. 
Immature, male and female.—Resembles the female in 
plumage. 
BEAK. Dull bluish-grey; disproportionately long and 
heavy, much expanded at the end, the sides of both seg- 
ments being beset with long lamelle or bristles. 
FEET. Orange-red. 
IRmDEs. Golden-yellow. 
AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 
TOTAL LENGTH ... a 22 20°70) In. 
WING Be ee ae Be ALO) be 
BEAK Asi ae Shs Mato Gnas. 
TARSO-METATARSUS hae Capt Me Agee? 
Eae hoe ie ae ee ceeele 4 an, 
Note.—The beak of the nestling is proportionately 
longer and more slender than that of the Mallard or 
Gadwall, but when the Shoveler reaches the age of three 
weeks, the beak further increases in length and breadth, 
especially in the Drakes (Saunders). 
PINTAIL. Dajila acuta (Linneus). 
Coloured Figures.—Gould, ‘Birds of Great Britain,’ vol. v, 
pl. 18; Dresser, ‘ Birds of Europe,’ vol. vi, pls. 430 and 
431; Lilford, ‘Coloured Figures,’ vol. vii, pl. 36. 
For elegance of form no British Duck surpasses the 
Pintail. It rests buoyantly on the water, where it can be 
identified among other Ducks by its slender build, long and 
graceful neck, and pointed tail. The adult male is readily 
recognised by a broad white stripe down either side of the 
neck and also by the great length and tapering shape of 
the middle tail-feathers; the latter are conspicuous, being 
raised off the surface of the water as the bird swims.! . 
The Pintail is for the most part a winter-visitor to our 
Isles, and is found on inland as well as on tidal waters. 
! The Pintail is sometimes called the Long-tailed Duck, owing to the 
length of its tail, But the plumage of the two species is so utterly 
different that they should not be confounded. 
