ANATID^E. 489 



occasionally they have a long way to fly to their 

 feeding-grounds. At this time a good shot may 

 often be had at them by any one who knows their 

 usual line, and conceals himself till they approach 

 near enough. 



In plumage the male, or " Mallard," as it is gene- 

 rally called, differs much from the female, being 

 much brighter and more beautifully coloured. The 

 beak is yellow, tinged with green ; the irides hazel ; 

 the head and neck glossy green, immediately be- 

 neath this is a ring of white, which does not, how- 

 ever, quite meet at the back of the neck ; the middle 

 of the back is dark reddish brown ; the rest of the 

 back is white, minutely pencilled with black, giving 

 it a grey appearance at a little distance ; the scapu- 

 lars are reddish brown, pencilled with black ; lesser 

 wing-coverts ash-grey, without the pencilling; the 

 greater wing-coverts dusky, tipped with white ; the 

 primary quills dusky brown; the speculum on the 

 secondaries rich glossy green or blue, according to 

 the light in which it is seen all the feathers are 

 tipped with white ; the tertials are gre3 r , some of 

 them shaded to reddish brown on the outer web ; 

 rump and upper tail- coverts glossy blue-black ; im- 

 mediately above the tail are two little curled-up 

 black feathers ; the tail-feathers are dusky in the 

 centres, white on the edges ; the breast vinous-red 

 (this colour seems to be lost in very old birds) ; belly 

 and flanks white, more minutely pencilled with black 



