MALLARD. 105 



lines of black, darkest on flanks and beneath the chestnut on 

 breast. Under tail coverts, jet black. Tail, white. Bill, green- 

 ish yellow; nail, black. Legs and feet, orange red. Length, 

 about 22 inches; wing, n; tail, 4^; tarsus, i^; culmen, 2-^. 



Adult Male, when Moulting. This stage of plumage occurs 

 in the summer, and only lasts for a comparatively brief period, 

 and is very like the dress of the female, but darker. 



Adult Female. Feathers of head and neck, with dusky cen- 

 ters and buff edges. Chin, whitish; throat, buff, or ochraceous. 

 Upper parts, black; the feathers edged and tipped with buff on 

 back and wings, and with ochraceous on lower back and upper 

 tail coverts. Speculum of wing, as in the male. Under parts, 

 buff, palest on breast and belly, with central streaks of black, 

 broadest on sides and flanks. Bill, feet, and legs, colored like 

 the male's. Dimensions, similar to the male's. 



Downy Young. Upper parts, olivaceous. Sides of head, 

 stripe over the eye, and lower parts, yellowish buff, lightest on 

 belly. A dusky streak from bill through eye to occiput, and a 

 dusky spot on ear coverts. Pale buff spots on wing and on each 

 side of back and rump. 



