CHAPTER XVI. 



PINTAIL DUCK (ANAS ACUTA). 

 Local names : "Sprigtails," " Sharptails," and "Water-Pheasants." 



Adult male : Bill nearly as long as the head, 

 deeper than broad at the base, depressed toward 

 the end, the frontal angles short and obtuse. 



Head of moderate size, compressed, the fore- 

 head rounded. Neck rather long and slender. 

 Body full and depressed. Wings rather small. 

 Feet very short, placed rather far back ; tarsus 

 very short, compressed at its lower part. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the 

 head and neck short ; on the hind head and 

 neck elongated. Wings narrow, of moderate 

 length, acute. Tail of moderate length, tapering, 

 of fourteen tapering feathers, of which the two 

 middle project far beyond the rest. 



Bill black; the sides of the upper mandible 

 light-blue. Iris brown. Feet grayish-blue. Claws 

 black. Head, throat, and upper part of the neck 

 anteriorly greenish-brown, faintly margined behind 



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