GADWALL. NATATORES. CHAULIODUS. 303 



to the left side, being in shape much like that of the Com- 

 mon Mallard, but smaller. The flesh of this species is held 

 in high estimation. 



PLATE 51. represents the Male Gadwall of the natural size. General 

 Head and upper part of the neck speckled with hair- t ^ n ^" 

 brown and white, passing upon the crown of the head Male Bird, 

 into yellowish-brown. Lower part of the neck, breast, 

 and mantle black, with concentric semicircles of white. 

 Scapulars, flanks, and sides beautifully rayed with zig- 

 zag lines of white and blackish-brown. Lesser wing- 

 coverts grey, marbled with yellowish-white ; the middle 

 coverts deep orange-brown, succeeded by others of a 

 glossy black. Speculum having the lower part black 

 and the upper white. Tertials grey, tinged with yel- 

 lowish-brown. Quills hair-brown. Lower part of the 

 back, rump, upper and under tail-coverts black, glossed 

 with purplish-blue. Tail wedge-shaped ; the two mid- 

 dle feathers hair-brown with paler edges, the lateral 

 ones tinged with yellowish-brown, margined and tipped 

 with white. Belly and abdomen greyish-white, speck- 

 led with hair-brown. Bill one inch and three quarters 

 long, brownish- black. Irides brown. Legs and toes 

 orange-red. 



PLATE 51 *. Fig. 1. The Female. 



Crown of the head glossy black, mixed with greyish-white. Female, 

 Over the eyes is a lightish streak, intermixed with 

 black. Chin and throat pure white. Cheeks yellowish- 

 white, streaked with hair-brown. Breast pale buff, with ' 

 the central parts of the feathers deep-brown. Upper 

 parts deep brown, the feathers being margined with 

 pale buff ; with the flanks and sides the same. Belly 

 and abdomen white. Lesser wing coverts hair-brown, 

 margined paler. Speculum as in the male. Tail mar- 

 bled with brown, buff and white. 



