218 GAME SHOAL-WATER FOWL. 



Bill grayish-black, tinged with yellow. Iris red- 

 dish-orange. Feet vermilion ; claws dusky. Head 

 and upper part of neck deep-green with purplish 

 reflections, the top of the head of a darker tint, 

 with less vivid gloss. A longitudinal band on 

 the hind neck and the back, grayish-brown, the 

 feathers edged with paler. The rump and upper 

 tail-coverts greenish-black. Tail feathers grayish- 

 brown, irregularly variegated and margined with 

 grayish-white, that color enlarging on the outer 

 feathers. Lower part of neck pure white ; breast 

 and middle part of abdomen dull purplish-chest- 

 nut. A large patch of white on each side of the 

 ramp, with a band of the same towards the tail. 

 Lower tail-coverts greenish-black, with bright green 

 and blue reflections ; axillaries and lower wing- 

 coverts pure white. 



Length to end of tail, 20i inches ; extent of 

 wings, 31i; weight, 1 j^ound 9 ounces. 



Female : Bill dull yellowish-green. Iris paler 

 than in the male. Feet as in the male, but 

 lighter. The upper parts are blackish-brown, the 

 feathers edged with light reddish-brown; the 

 throat and sides of the head are light reddish- 

 brown, which is the prevailing color over the 

 lower part of the neck, a portion of the breast, 



