GADWALL DUCK—GRAY DUCK. 171 
CHAPTER XVII. 
GADWALL DUCK—GRAY DUCK. 
(Anas Streperus.) 
Adult Male.—Bill nearly as long as the head, deeper 
than broad at the base, depressed toward the end, the 
sides parallel, the tip rounded. Head, of moderate size, 
oblong, compressed. Neck, rather long and slender. 
Body elongated, slightly depressed. Feet, very short; 
tibia bare for about a quarfer of an inch ; tarsus, very 
short, compressed ; plumage dense, soft, blended 
feathers of the head short, of the occiput and nape 
little elongated : of the lower parts glossy, with the 
extremities of the filaments stiffish. Wings, rather 
i long, a little curved, pointed. Tail, short, rounded, of 
sixteen strong pointed feathers, of which the middle pair 
project considerably. 
Bill, bluish black; iris, reddish hazel; feet, dull 
orange yellow; claws brownish black ; webs dusky ; 
head, light yellowish red ; the upper part of nape much 
darker and barred with dusky, the rest dotted with 
the same. The lower part of the neck, the sides 
of the body, the fore part of the back, and the outer 
scapula, undulated with dusky and yellowish white ; 
the bands much larger and semi-circular on the fore 
part of the neck and breast ; the latter white, the 
abdomen faintly and minutely undulated with brownish 
