The Sheld-Ducks. 91 



black, and narrowly tipped with white. 

 The white tail is tipped with brown. 

 The inner scapulars are white, and the 

 outer brown, narrowly margined with 

 white. The upper wing-coverts are white, 

 but the lower series is tinged with ashy. 

 All the quills of the wing, except the first 

 four primaries, are tipped with white, and 

 the first two primaries are largely white 

 at the base. The speculum is much 

 duller than in the adult. The secondaries 

 next the inner side of the speculum are 

 dull chestnut on the outer webs, and the 

 remaining inner secondaries are dark 

 ashy. The knob on the bill of the male 

 does not make its appearance till the 

 breeding season of the second year. 



The young bird attains the complete 

 plumage of the adult female in the course 

 of the first winter. 



Male: length about 24; wing 13; tail 

 4|. Female : length about 21 ; wing n| ; 

 tail 4. In the adults the bill is red, the 

 nail dusky ; the irides brown ; the legs 

 and feet flesh-coloured. Weight up to 

 nearly 3 lb., as recorded by Messrs. 

 Hume and Marshall, but probably heavier 

 birds are to be met with. 



