422 FEATHERED GAME 



but neither flashy nor gaudy, it is a beautiful 

 garb and the pity is that it does not last longer. 

 The upper part of the head and nape glossy 

 black. Sides of head, cheeks and chin white. 

 Throat, neck all around, scapulars, flanks and 

 upper back chestnut red. Wing coverts, rump 

 and lower back grayish brown. Wing quills 

 dusky brown, spotted on the edges with gray. 

 Tail dusky brown, the feathers stiff and harsh 

 and the coverts growing to no great length over 

 the quills. Under parts silvery white, slightly 

 rusted on the breast. Under tail coverts 

 grayish or white. Bill, legs and feet grayish 

 blue; webs darker, nearly black. Iris reddish 

 brown. Length from fifteen to sixteen and one- 

 half inches; extent from twenty to twenty-four 

 inches. 



The female is of duller hues than her mate — 

 the rule in duck coloring. On the top of the 

 head dark brown instead of the jet black of the 

 male. Cheeks only a little lighter than the rest 

 of the face, with a narrow stripe of white run- 

 ning from the base of the bill beneath the eye 

 to the nape. Chin white. Neck and throat 

 brownish ; upper breast yellowish brown ; lower 

 parts silvery white; flanks barred with brown; 



