The True Ducks. 219 



are ashy grey ; the axillaries white, more 

 or less mottled with brown. The lesser 

 upper wing-coverts, round the edge of the 

 wing, are grey, very finely vermiculated ; 

 the remaining upper coverts pure white, 

 the lower series tipped with black. The 

 outer web and the tip of the inner web 

 of the primaries are brown ; the remaining 

 portion of the inner web is a pale drab. 

 The outer secondaries are brown on the 

 inner web. Their outer web is deep black, 

 with the basal portion bright metallic 

 green, the amount of green increasing on 

 each feather progressively. The first 

 inner secondary, the one next the specu- 

 lum, has the outer web almost entirely 

 white with a black margin. The remaining 

 secondaries are black margined with white 

 on the outer web, brown on the inner web. 

 Younger males resemble the old male, 

 but have the whole head chestnut, spotted 

 with black. Others have the buff fore- 

 head and crown of the old male, but the 

 brown upper wing-coverts of the female. 

 The head and the upper wing-coverts 

 appear liable to great variation, and are 

 the very last portions of the plumage to 

 be permanently changed. Males probably 

 take three years before they acquire their 

 perfect plumage. 



