AVES ANATID^. 47 I 



the relative width of the bars is more nearly equal and on the upper tail- 

 feathers the barring is apparently divided evenly ; the upper tail-coverts 

 reach almost to the ends of the rectrices, hiding the tail. 



Tail : Seal-brown, flecked, partially barred or more often vermiculated 

 with white markings ; below, all the rectrices present a vermiculated appear- 

 ance, the proportions of black and white being nearly alike. 



Wings : The scapulars are dappled and like the mantle in color ; each 

 feather is dull seal-brown or black, tipped with strong buffy and crossed 

 by two or three bars of the same color. Primaries dark seal-brown ; sec- 

 ondaries with a glossy metallic green speculum, having a subapical black 

 band and a terminal white margin posteriorly ; the upper wing coverts are 

 slaty, forming a distinct shoulder-patch of that color when the wing is 

 closed ; the greater row of the upper wing-coverts with broad white tips, 

 forming the anterior margin of the speculum ; these feathers show some 

 greenish iridescence above the white band ; longer tertials seal-brown, 

 with central stripings of buffy white on each feather ; under wing-coverts 

 slaty, the central ones and the axillaries being white. 



Lower parts : The breast strong buff; each feather with a terminal spot 

 of seal-brown and with one or more bars of the same shade ; the forward 

 part of the sides is similar in color, but has more the effect of being 

 strongly barred ; the abdomen and vent are finely black and white barred, 

 as are the lower tail-coverts, which extend to the end and hide the 

 rectrices below ; the flanks are broadly and evenly barred with clear white 

 and black. 



Bill : Blackish blue with an orange spot at the base of the upper 



mandible on either side. 



Fig. 238. 



Qucrquedula versicolor. Male. P. U. O. C. 7976. Foot and webs from in front. Reduced. 



Feet : " Legs and feet green, black webs " (Durnford). 

 Iris: "White" (Durnford). 



Adult female : In a very considerable series the females seem to average 

 a little duller in color than the males, while the speculum is less brilliant. 



