THE GADWALL 293 



The Gadwall builds its nest upon the ground 

 or in low, dead stubs. The complement of eggs 

 varies from six to ten in number, usually nearer 

 the smaller figure. The color of these is a deli- 

 cate creamy white. The male is a very prettily 

 marked bird with some brilliant touches of 

 color in his plumage. His head and neck are 

 a pale yellowish white, streaked with dusky or 

 black; darker and brownish in tone, as well as 

 more heavily streaked on the crown. Lower 

 neck all around, breast and upper parts of the 

 back bluish black, the feathers with fine edgings 

 of white, many of them having spots of the 

 same color on their centres, thus giving the ef- 

 fect of a delicate collar of lace. These colors 

 are more sharply defined on the breast, and on 

 the back gradually blend with the body colors. 

 Lower back dusky, growing black on the rump 

 and tail coverts. The scapulars are a dull red- 

 dish brown; lesser upper coverts gray, chang- 

 ing and shading into a bright chestnut on the 

 middle coverts and again to black on the great- 

 er coverts. Speculum white. Linings of the 

 wings white; axillars white, with white shafts. 

 Under parts grayish or white, with faint dusky 

 pencillings, the vermiculations heavier and 



