582 BRITISH BIRDS. 



not quite so much white on the basal portion as in the other Pochards. 

 Bill slate-grey, blackish on the nail ; legs and feet slate-grey, darker on the 

 webs -, irides yellow. The adult female, like that of the preceding species, 

 closely resembles the adult male in the general distribution of its colours, 

 and has all the black feathers replaced by brown ones ; the white vermicu- 

 lations on the upper parts are reduced to mere traces near the ends of the 

 brown feathers ; the white flanks are replaced by brown, and the vermicu- 

 lation on the lower belly is nearly obsolete, being apparently transferred to 

 the under tail-coverts ; all the feathers round the base of the. bill are nearly 

 white, and there is an obscure white patch at the end of the ear-coverts. 

 Young in first plumage resemble adult females in the colour of the upper 

 parts, except that the traces of vermiculation are almost obsolete ; the white 

 round the base of the bill is more or less suffused with brown ; the vermi- 

 culations on the underparts have entirely disappeared ; the brown feathers 

 on the breast are margined with white ; and the white feathers of the belly 

 are obscured with brown. Young males are distinguished from females by 

 having the white at the base of the bill almost as clearly defined as in the 

 adult female, and are otherwise somewhat darker and richer in colour. 

 Males in first nuptial dress have less green metallic gloss on the head and 

 neck; the black breast-feathers have white margins; the white flanks 

 and the black under tail-coverts are more or less vermiculated, as is also 

 the black upper mantle, whilst in the vermiculations of the lower mantle, 

 scapulars, and wing-coverts the dark brown predominates over the white. 

 Males in moulting-plumage closely resemble adult females, and are inter- 

 mediate in colour between adult females and males in first nuptial dress. 

 Young in down closely resemble those of the Tufted Duck ; they are 

 dark brown on the upper parts, shading into nearly white on the belly. 



