188 ANATID.E. 



rich chestnut brown ; at tlic gape and upwards, along the 

 base of the upper mandible, and from thence high up over 

 the eye, and then backwards towards the occiput, there is a 

 narrow line of buff; from the lower edge of the eye to a 

 point below and behind the ear-coverts, another narrow line 

 of the same light colour ; all the space from the eye between 

 these two lines, and extending backward to the occiput, forms 

 a broad patch of rich glossy green ; cheeks and sides of the 

 neck, below the under light coloured line rich chestnut ; 

 back of the neck, scapulars, and upper part of the back a 

 mixture of black and white in narrow transverse lines ; the 

 longest of the scapulars and the tertials dark brown ; all the 

 smaller wing-coverts ash-brown ; the large coverts tipped with 

 white, forming a bar, two or three of the higher coverts 

 having their white tinged with bay ; primaries dark brown ; 

 the secondaries forming a speculum of velvet black, green 

 and purple, tipped with white ; lower part of the back dark 

 brown ; upper tail-coverts almost black, edged with rufous ; 

 tail-feathers pointed, dark brown ; the chin black ; front of 

 the upper part of the neck chestnut ; lower part of the neck 

 in front partly covered with circular spots of black, on a 

 ground of white, tinged with pale purple ; breast and belly 

 white ; sides and flanks barred with narrow black and white 

 lines ; central under tail-coverts velvet black ; lateral tail- 

 coverts delicate buff colour, with a narrow band of velvet 

 black at the base ; under surface of tail-feathers ash grey ; 

 legs, toes, and membranes brownish-grey. 



The whole length fourteen inches and a half. From the 

 carpal joint to the end of the wing seven inches and a 

 quarter ; the first and second quill- feathers nearly equal ; and 

 the flight of the species very rapid. 



Of male Teal observed constantly last summer, some had 

 lost the sexual distinctions of the plumage by the 27th of .Tuly, 

 and all were changed by the 4th of August; remaining like 



