262 ANATID^E. 



it in the fourth part of his Manual, has furnished some 

 particulars of its plumage, which will he given here after 

 the description of the adult male. I looked in vain for 

 any account of this rare species in the Natural History 

 Catalogues of the Russian Expeditions towards the Cau- 

 casus. 



Since the publication of the first edition of this work, 

 Mr. Bartlett has obtained a specimen of a male in the 

 London market, and there is one in the Chinese exhibition, 

 indicating that it is a bird of that country. 



The following is Mr. Selby's description of the adult 

 male, taken from the specimen. " Bill blackish-grey, pass- 

 ing towards the base and edges into orange-yellow. Front, 

 crown, and occiput, very deep reddish-brown, glossed with 

 purplish-black, and passing upon the hind part of the neck 

 into deep violet-purple. Between the bill and eyes, and 

 behind the ear-coverts, are two large irregular patches of 

 chestnut-brown, margined and varied with white. Sides 

 of the neck and cheeks glossy duck-green, the rest of the 

 upper part of the neck, and sides of the breast, reddish- 

 brown, with oval black spots. The middle part of the 

 breast pale reddish-brown, also spotted with black. 

 Ground colour of the mantle pale sienna-yellow, undulated 

 with black lines. Scapulars the same, tipped with glossy 

 Scotch-blue. Wing-coverts hair-brown, the lower range 

 having pale wood-brown tips. Speculum dark green, 

 glossed with purple. Upper and under tail-coverts green- 

 ish-black, glossed with purple. Tail wedge-shaped, with 

 the two middle feathers black, narrow, acuminate, and 

 much longer than the rest, which are hair-brown, margined 

 with white. Belly and abdomen yellowish-white, with un- 

 dulating black lines, most distinct upon the flanks. Legs 

 and feet pale orange." 



