364 FEATHERED GAME 



forepart of tlie back almost white, with a gray- 

 ish patch on the cheeks and a dark brown spot 

 under the ears. Upper breast dark brown be- 

 tween the white of the neck and the under parts. 

 Bill mostly orange, with nail and central line 

 of the mandible black. When a flock of winter 

 Squaws goes past it looks like a snow squall 

 driving over the waves. Occasional males are 

 taken in a curiously pied and mixed dress, a 

 stage between the regular plumages. Some 

 birds are found carrying the winter dress 

 through the summer or vice versa. 



The female is a modestly attired duck. She 

 has not the elongated central tail feathers. 

 Her head, neck and upper parts in general are 

 like the male's but paler and of less decided 

 colors; grayish brown with a whitish patch on 

 neck and about the eye. Under parts white ex- 

 cept the upper part of the breast which is light 

 brown. 



The length of the male bird varies according 

 to the development of his tail feathers from 

 twenty to twenty-three inches; extent about 

 thirty inches. The length of the female about 

 eighteen inches ; extent a trifle less than that of 



