122. THE STIFF-TAILED DUCK. 



Erismatura kucocephala, (Scopoli). 



Primaries nearly uniform drab brown, 



with darker tips. 

 Axillaries white. 

 Under tail-coverts cross-barred. 

 Base of the upper mandible much 



swollen. 

 Tail composed of narrow, stiff feathers, 



projecting fully three inches beyond 



their coverts. 



MALE :— The whole head, except the 



crown, pure white. 

 FEMALE :— Only the chin, the throat, 



and a broad band under the eye white. 



Vernacular Names : — None known. 



The Stiff-tailed Duck has been obtained 

 several times in India, but in places so 

 remote from each other that we may 

 safely predict that it will eventually be 

 observed over the whole of Northern 

 India. 



The first Indian-killed specimen was 

 shot by Mr. F. Field. He says of this : 

 — " I shot this bird on the 28th of October 



37S 



