04 WATER FOWL OF INDIA AND ASIA. 
are easily distinguishable from each other and from all 
other Indian Ducks as follows :— 
The Whistlers (two species) by their short-quilled 
wings, which are all black beneath. 
The Sheldrake by its brilhant pied plumage of white, 
black and chestnut. 
The Brahminy Duck by its chestnut or buff plumage 
and black-and-white wings. 
The Comb-duck byitslong dark wings, and white belly. 
The Cotton-teal by its minute size (smaller than a 
pigeon) and inch-long bill. 
The Mandarin Duck by the primary-quills being sil- 
very-grey on the outer and steel blue on the inner web. 
The Wigeon by the combination of a bill less than 
two inches long with a ten-inch wing. All Ducks with 
a billasshort as this havea muchshorter wing, not over 
eight inches. Besides, the blue-grey colour of the 
Wigeon’s bill distinguishes it from all other short-billed 
species. 
The two Whistlers, so-called from their whistling note, 
belong to a very natural and easily recognizable genus; 
in addition to the colour of the under-surface of their 
wings, they are noticeable for the peculiar broad rounded 
form of these. Though large for the size of the bird, 
the wings have the pinion-quills very short, not showing 
when they are folded. The body is of unusual form for 
a Duck, being light and slim, with the thighs prominent ; 
the legs are set far back, but close together, so that the 
birds walk without any of the usual swaying or waddling 
in the gait so proverbially characteristic of Ducks. The 
neck and shanks are long and the feet large, the middle 
toe being longer than the shank; the outer toe, however, 
does not nearly equal it in length, and the hind toe, which 
is unlobed, is longer than in other Ducks. The tail is 
very short and rounded,and the body short and narrow ; 
