BIRDS MET WITH BY THE WILDFOWLER 309 



The adult male has a brown head, greenish black on the 

 nape. A white stripe runs down each side of the neck, merging 

 into the white of the under parts. Back and flanks dark 

 brown, mottled with grey. Wing-coverts buff" ; speculum 

 bronze green ; tail black, the two central feathers much elon- 

 gated ; under tail-coverts black ; bill and legs slate-grey. The 

 female is of varying shades of buff" and brown, and has no long 

 tail feathers. The elongated neck and general shape of this 

 species is sufficient to distinguish it from others of its family. 

 The young resemble the female, and moult at once into their 

 full plumage in their first autumn. The eclipse plumage of 

 the Drake, which is dark brown above and smoky grey below, 

 is lost about October. Length about 24 in. ; wing 1 1 in. 



GARGANEY 



Anas circia {Linnteus) 



The Garganey is a summer migrant to the British Isles. 

 It inhabits most parts of the Palaearctic region, with the excep- 

 tion of the extreme north. In winter it occurs as far south- 

 wards as the Malay Archipelago. The adult male has the 

 back brown, glossed with green, and paler margins ; scapu- 

 lars elongated, and conspicuously marked in the centres 

 with a white stripe ; wing-coverts bluish, tinged with grey ; 

 speculum glossy green, with white margins on either side ; 

 quills and tail brown ; crown and nape deep rich umber- 

 brown, with a border of white ; chin black ; cheeks and 

 throat rufous-brown ; breast light brown, with crescentic 

 bands of dark brown ; abdomen white, with fine blackish 

 vermiculations towards vent, and having two black crescents 

 on each- lower flank ; irides hazel ; bill blackish ; legs and 

 feet greyish brown. Length about 15 in. 



