94 ANATID.E 



Southern countries, likewise in Asia, as far south as 

 Kashmir, and eastward to Japan and China. It also breeds 

 in North Africa. On its winter migration it reaches to 

 India and Burmab. Our bird is also found in Temperate 

 and Central America. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Head and neck, dark 

 glossy green, below which is a white neck-band ; hind neck, 

 upper part of back and breast, rich reddish-brown ; lower 

 part of back, dark bluish-black ; wing-coverts, brownish ; alar 

 speculum, bluish-purple, edged above and below with white ; 

 primaries, brownish ; breast, abdomen and scapulars, light 

 grey, finely speckled with black spots ; tail greyish-brown ; 

 upper tail-coverts, glossy black, the four central feathers 

 being curled up ; under tail-coverts, also black. 



Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse. About the end of 

 May the male assumes a brown plumage, resembling that of 

 the female ; but the feathers of the top of the head and 

 lower back are darker ; this garb is retained until September 

 or October. 



Adult female nuptial. Top of head, dark brown; rest 

 of plumage chequered brown and buff; alar speculum, dark 

 glossy-green. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the respective 

 nuptial plumages. 



Immature, male and female. Resembles the female 

 plumage. 



BEAK. Yellowish-green. 



FEET. Orange-red. 



IRIDES. Dark brown. 



AYERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 23 in. 



WING 11 



BEAK ... , 2'25 



TARSO-METATARSUS ... ... T75 ,, 

 EGG ... 2-25 x 1-6 in. 



Allied Species and Representative Forms. Anas obscura 

 inhabits the North-east of America, both sexes resembling 

 in plumage our female bird (Saunders). 



