The True Ducks. 253 



and from 1*4 to 1*6 in breadth. The 

 shell is very smooth and has a little 

 gloss. The down has pale centres and 

 very minute white tips, the general colour 

 being a very dark brown. 



The adult male has the forehead and 

 crown black, with a slight gloss. With 

 this exception, the whole head and neck 

 are black with a brilliant green or purple 

 gloss, less marked on the throat than 

 elsewhere. A brown band passes down 

 the middle of the mantle from the hind- 

 neck to the back. The remainder of the 

 mantle, the sides of the breast, and the 

 upper portion of the breast are pure white. 

 The lower portion of the breast and the 

 whole abdomen are deep vinous chestnut, 

 somewhat paler on the sides of the body, 

 where the feathers are vermiculated with 

 very narrow black lines, becoming broader 

 on the flanks. There is a large patch of 

 white on each side of the base of the tail. 

 The under tail-coverts are black, the base 

 vermiculated with white. The axillaries 

 are pure white. The under wing-coverts 

 are mostly white. The back is black, 

 the feathers margined with pale fulvous. 

 The shorter scapulars are white outside, 

 black inside. The longer, inner scapulars 

 are black, each feather with a white streak 



