348 ANATID^. 



intervening membranes darker. The whole length is 

 eighteen inches. From the carpal joint to the end of the 

 wing nine inches ; the first and second quill-feathers very 

 nearly equal in length, but the first rather the longer of 

 the two. 



The head and neck of the female are of a dark brown 



- 



colour ; the beak lead colour ; around the base of the beak 

 in old females, a broad band of white ; the lower part of 

 the neck and breast dark brown ; the back and scapulars 

 light grey, transversely barred with irregular dusky lines ; 

 the greater quill -feathers dark brown ; the secondaries 

 white, tipped with dark brown ; the tail-feathers also dark 

 brown ; the belly dirty white ; under tail-coverts dusky 

 black ; the legs and toes dusky blue, the webs black. The 

 female is nearly as large as the male, and from the broad 

 white band occasionally to be found around the base of the 

 bill, has been figured and described as a distinct species 

 under various names. 



Young birds resemble the females, generally, but the 

 light colour on the back is varied with brown spots. 



