The Pochards. 327 



and wing coverts are blackish brown, each 

 feather with a narrow but paler margin. 

 The rump and the upper tail-coverts are 

 plain black ; the tail, brown. The axillaries 

 and the quills of the wing resemble those 

 of the male, but the white portions of the 

 primaries are often tinged with grey. 



Ducklings of both sexes change from 

 down into a first plumage which closely 

 resembles that of the adult female. 



A specimen collected by Stoliczka in 

 Kashmir on the ist August, 1873, appears 

 to me to be an adult male in the post- 

 nuptial plumage. It closely resembles 

 the adult female, but the whole chin and 

 throat are white mottled with chestnut, 

 and the sides of the head are streaked 

 with chestnut. The feathers of the 

 abdomen are brown fringed with dull 

 white. There are a few new feathers on 

 the breast, rich chestnut tipped with white. 



Male : length about i6| ; wing about 7 ; 

 tail about 2\. Female : length about 

 16; wing nearly 7; tail about 2\. The 

 bill is bluish black ; the irides, white or 

 greyish white ; the legs and feet, lead- 

 colour, with the webs dusky or blackish. 

 In young birds the irides are said to 

 be brownish. Weight up to rather more 

 than \\ lb. 



