96 ANATID^ 



Geographical distribution. Abroad, the Gadwall breeds 

 sparingly in Northern, but commonly in Central and 

 South-eastern Europe, also in Asia and North America to 

 the Sub-arctic regions. Its winter range extends to North 

 Africa, North India, Central America and the West Indies. 



DESCRIPTIVE CHARACTERS. 



PLUMAGE. Adult male nuptial. Head and upper neck, 

 light greyish-brown, finely speckled with brownish-black ; 

 feathers of back and scapulars, dark brownish, edged with 

 a crescent of light grey ; wing-coverts, chestnut, shading 

 to black, behind which are blackish-brown feathers, fol- 

 lowed by a white speculum ; primaries, brownish ; inner 

 secondaries, brownish, edged with yellowish-brown ; these 

 feathers are long and pointed ; tail, dark brown, each feather 

 margined with a lighter shade ; upper and under tail- 

 coverts, bluish-black ; lower neck and upper breast, dark 

 grey, each feather being edged with a light grey crescent ; 

 lower. breast and abdomen, white; sides, finely pencilled 

 with shades of grey and white. 



Adult male, post-nuptial or eclipse. This plumage is 

 somewhat similar to that of the female, but the wing colours 

 are retained. 



Adult female nuptial. Head and upper neck, speckled 

 with dark brown on a lighter ground shade ; the crescentic 

 markings of the back, neck and breast are light brown on 

 a darker ground colour, and broader but less distinct than 

 in the male ; no chestnut patch on the wing ; under tail- 

 coverts, spotted greyish-brown. 



Adult winter, male and female. Similar to the respec- 

 tive nuptial plumages. 



Immature, male and female. The markings of the back 

 and neck are reddish-brown speckled with darker brown. 



BEAK. Blackish. 



FEET. Dull deep yellow. 



IRIDES. Dark brown. 



AVERAGE MEASUREMENTS. 



TOTAL LENGTH 20 in. 



WING 10-5 



BEAK .. 2 ,, 



TABSO-METATAESUS 1-5 



EGG 2-1 x 1-5 in. 



