312 BRITISH BIRDS. 



the scapulars are longer and narrow, and are 

 striped with ash colour, black and white. The 

 belly, in some, is white, in others pale reddish 

 yellow; the lower part of it, and the vent, mottled 

 with dusky spots ; the sides are freckled and waved 

 with narrow lines of ash-coloured brown, more and 

 more distinctly marked towards the thighs, behind 

 which this series of feathers terminates in a ribband 

 striped with ash, black, white, and lead-coloured 

 blue. The coverts of the wings are of an agreeable 

 bluish ash, margined with white: next to this the 

 exterior webs of the middle quills are glossy green, 

 tipped with white, and form the beauty-spot or 

 spangle of the wings, to which the white tips make 

 a border: the primary quills are ash brown, edged 

 with white : tail dusky : legs lead colour. The fore- 

 going figure and description were taken from a 

 male bird in full and perfect plumage. 



"The female has an obscure white mark over 

 each eye : the rest of the plumage is of a brownish 

 ash colour, not unlike the female Teal; but the 

 wing wants the green spot, which sufficiently dis- 

 tinguishes these birds." 



It has not yet been noticed whether any of this 

 species ever remain to breed in England, where 

 indeed they are rather a scarce bird. 



