THE GADWALL AND PINTAIL 325 



but, as may be supposed from the fishy nature of 

 its diet, is absolutely unfit for food. 



The gadwall, the first on the list which I have 

 given of those ducks which visit us from the 

 autumn to the spring, is by no means common 

 at any period, although a considerable number 

 of these birds are preserved and breed on one 

 estate in Norfolk. It measures twenty inches in 

 length. The general colour of its plumage is 

 gray, the shoulder of the wing chestnut ; the 

 back feathers dark gray edged with light gray ; 

 head and neck light gray with dark markings ; 

 lower part of neck dark gray ; breast and belly 

 white ; legs and feet dark orange- colour. This 

 plumage is exchanged during the breeding season 

 for that of the female, viz., brown and gray. 



The pintail is one of the handsomest of our 

 British ducks. It is, though not rare, by no 

 means common or widely distributed. It is 

 chiefly to be found on the South coasts of Eng- 

 land, as also, at times, on the lakes and rivers of the 

 Southern counties. It is, perhaps, more frequent 

 in the South of Ireland, where it is also said to 

 breed. Its name is derived from the two very 

 long centre feathers of the tail. Its length is 

 from twenty-four to twenty-eight inches. The 

 head and back of the neck are of a brown chestnut 

 colour, a white stripe on either side of the neck. 

 The lower part of the neck, breast, and under 

 parts, white ; back and sides light gray mottled 

 with dark gray ; the vent white ; black under the 



