log' FRANK FORESTER S FIELD SPORTS. 



THE MALLARD. 

 Anas Boschas — le Canard Saiivage. — Brissot. The Greenkead. 



" Male 24.36. Female 22. 



" Breeds from Texas sparingly throughout the United States, 

 Columbia River, and Fur Countries. Abundant during the 

 winter in all the Southern Districts ; not found in Maine, or 

 Eastward. 



Adult male. 



" Bill about the length of the head, higher than broad at the 

 base, depressed and widened toward the end, rounded at the 

 tip. Upper mandible with the dorsal outline sloping, and a 

 little concave ; the ridge at the base broad and flat, toward the 

 end broadly convex, as are the sides, the edges soft and rather 

 obtuse ; the marginal lamella? transverse, fifty on each ; the 

 unguis oval, curved, abrupt at the end. Nasal groove elliptical, 

 sub-basal, filled by the soft membrane of the bill ; nostrils sub- 

 basal, placed near the ridge, longitudinal, elliptical, pervious. 

 Lower mandible slightly curved upward, with the angle very 

 long, narrow, and rather pointed, the lamella? about sixty. 



" Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed ; neck rather 

 long and slender, body full, depressed. Feet short, stout, 

 placed a little behind the centre of the body. Legs bare a little 

 above the joint ; tarsus short, a little compressed, anteriorly 

 with scutella, laterally and behind with small reticulated scales. 

 Hind toe extremely small, with a very narrow membrane ; 

 third toe longest ; fourth a little shorter, but longer than the 

 second ; all the toes connected by reticulated membranes, the 

 outer with a thick margin, the inner with the margin extended 

 into a slightly lobed web. Claws small, arched, compressed, 

 rather acute ; that of the middle toe much larger, with a dilated, 

 thin inner edge. 



" Plumage, dense, soft, elastic ; of the head and neck, short, 

 blended, and splendent. Of the other parts in general, broad 



