BRITISH BIRDS' NESTti. 85 



GADWALL 



Description of Parent Birds. Length about 

 twenty-one inches. Bill of medium length, broad, 

 flat, and leaden-coloured. Irides hazel. Head 

 and upper portion of neck pale brown, mottled 

 with a darker tinge of the same colour ; back 

 grey, of two shades running in alternate curved 

 lines ; rump and upper tail-coverts bluish-black ; 

 wings long and pointed, small coverts reddish- 

 brown, greater nearly black ; secondaries brownish- 

 grey, with a conspicuous white patch on them ; 

 primaries brown ; tail- quills darkish brown, bordered 

 with a lighter tinge of the same colour ; lower 

 half of neck dark grey, marked with short curving 

 lines of a lighter tinge ; breast and belly white ; 

 sides, flanks, and vent marked with irregular vertical 

 lines of two shades of grey ; lower tail-coverts 

 black. Legs, toes, and webs dull orange ; claws 

 black. 



The female has the head and upper part of the 

 neck pale brown, spotted with dark brown ; back 

 of neck, back, and rump brown, the feathers being 

 edged with pale reddish-brown ; the wings are 

 similar in markings to those of the male, but not 

 so bright ; lower part of neck, in front, and breast 

 pale brown, with broad curved bands of dark brown. 



Situation and Locality. On the ground amongst 

 reeds, sedges, rushes, and long, coarse grass on 

 small islands situated in lakes ; on the banks of 

 broads, pools, in marshes and swarnps in Norfolk 

 only, so far as is known. Our illustration was 

 obtained in that county. 



Materials. Dead grass, sedges, or leaves, lined 

 with down of a brownish -grey colour, obscurely 



