268 Manual of the Game Birds of India. 



The eggs of the Wild Duck are very 

 variable in colour, and range between a 

 dull pale green and a pale stone-colour. 

 The shell is very smooth and has a faint 

 gloss. In shape the eggs are nearly ellip- 

 tical, one end being slightly pointed. 

 They vary from 2*1 to 2^5 in length, and 

 from 1*5 to 17 in breadth. The down 

 is dark greyish brown with whitish centres, 

 and pale inconspicuous tips. 



The adult male has the whole head 

 and neck brilliant metallic green or purple, 

 the crown of the head and the hindneck 

 less glossy and standing out distinct from 

 the other parts. There is a narrow white 

 collar at the base of the neck, not quite 

 complete behind. The whole breast is 

 a rich brownish chestnut, each feather 

 margined with grey. The remaining lower 

 plumage, including the sides of the body 

 and the basal part of the under tail-coverts 

 is grey, very finely and regularly vermi- 

 culated with ashy or brown. The terminal 

 part of the under tail-coverts is black. 

 The axillaries and the under wing-coverts 

 are white. The mantle is brown, very 

 finely vermiculated with grey. The back 

 is brown, the feathers with pale margins, 

 and some of them, on the lower back, 

 mottled with black. The inner and outer 



