BRITISH BIRDS' NESTS. 97 



DUCK, WILD. Aho MALLARD. 



(Anas boscas.) 

 Order ANSERES; Family ANATID^: (DUCKS). 



Description of Parent Birds. 

 Length about twenty - four 

 inches. Bill of medium length, 

 broad, and yellowish - green. 

 Irides hazel. Head and upper 

 half of neck rich glossy green, 

 below which is a narrow collar 

 of white, succeeded by greyish 

 chestnut - brown ; back brown ; 

 wings ash -brown, with a broad 



WILD DUCK ON NEST. -, r n , 



transverse bar ol reflecting pur- 

 plish- or violet -blue, bounded on either side by a 

 narrow bar of rich black, and another beyond of 

 white. Rump, upper tail-coverts, and four middle 

 tail-feathers, which are curled upwards, rich velvet- 

 black, the rest ash-grey edged with white. Upper 

 part of. breast rich dark chestnut ; lower breast, 

 belly, and vent greyish-white ; under tail-coverts 

 rich black. Legs, toes, and webs orange-yellow. 



The female is about two inches shorter, and 

 her plumage is nearly all composed of sober brown 

 and black. She retains the rich bar of violet- or 

 purplish-blue on her wings, but lacks the curled 

 feathers in the tail of the male. About the end 

 of May the male commences to cast his curled tail- 

 feathers and to change his plumage, and during June 

 he assumes the sober female garb, which he wears 

 through July. This he begins to discard in August, 

 and between the first and second weeks in October 

 he has again donned his magnificent dress. 



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