THE BLUE-WINGED TEAL 305 



brownish and dull yellow, this last color on the 

 edges of the feathers. Lower part of the back 

 and rump dusky, as are also the tail feathers. 

 Wing coverts a very light and beautiful shade 

 of blue, some of the scapulars also showing the 

 same shade as well as jet black and golden yel- 

 low in stripes lengthwise upon the feathers. 

 Speculum a dark, glossy green, set off by the 

 white of the greater coverts. Wing quills dark 

 brownish. Under parts brownish yellow with 

 countless jet black spots on the throat and 

 breast, these growing less numerous, larger in 

 size and of less decided color below. Crissum 

 black ; patch of white on each side of the rump. 

 Bill leaden black. Feet a dull, pale yellow with 

 dusky webs and nails. Iris brown. The sea- 

 sonal changes in its plumage are not very 

 marked, the lack of the white crescent in the 

 drake's face in the fall being the most radical. 

 For the female, above she is marked much 

 like her mate, having the same bright blue on 

 the wing coverts, the striping of the scapulars 

 and the green speculum. She is jDerhaps less 

 decidedly colored and spotted below, though the 

 main differences lie in the markings of the head 

 and neck, — these being dull brownish yellow 



