NETTION DAFILA 6 1 3 



quills and tail dark brown ; elongated scapulars, black down the middle, 

 white on the inner, and rufous on the outer web ; wing-coverts brown, the 

 larger edged with rufous ; speculum greenish bronze near the coverts, then 

 black with white tips ; breast brownish vinous spotted with black ; 

 abdomen buffy whitish ; flanks like the back ; vent and under tail-coverts 

 black, the latter bay on the sides, the longer ones tipped with white ; bill 

 dark bluish brown ; legs and fest greyish blue, the webs darker ; iris 

 reddish brown. Culmen 1'5, wirg 8'5, tail 3*6, tarsus TO inch. The 

 female is not unlike that of N. crecca. but is larger, has the speculum as 

 in the male, but duller, and a buff spot on each side of the head in front of 

 the lores and one under each eye. 



Hal. Northern Asia, chiefly eastern Siberia, west to the 

 Yenesei, north to Kamchatka, migrating south to Mongolia, 

 Corea, Japan, China, and rarely to India ; of accidental occur- 

 rence in Europe, having been twice obtained in France, and once 

 in Italy. 



In habits it is said to resemble N. crecca, but is much more 

 noisy, and when on passage its deep duckling call-note Ho, Ho, 

 Ho, may be heard at a considerable distance. It breeds in 

 North-eastern Siberia, the nest being placed on the ground, 

 on the river-banks under willow-bushes. The eggs 7 to 8 in 

 number are deposited late in June or early in July, resemble 

 those of N. crecca, but have a faint olivaceous tinge, and measure 

 About 1'85 by T33. 



DAFILA, Leach, 1824. 



853. PINTAIL. 

 DAFILA ACUTA. 



Dajila acuta (Linn.), Syst. Nat i. p. 202 (1766) ; (Naum.), xi. p. 638, 

 Taf. 301 ; (Hewitson), ii. p. 403, pi. cxiii. fig. 2 ; Gould, B. of 

 Gt. Brit. v. pi. 18 ; David and Oust., Ois. Chine, p. 498 ; 

 Dresser, vi. p. 531, pis. 430, 431 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. Br. Mus. 

 xxvii. p. 270; Blanf. F. Brit. Ind. Birds, iv. p. 447; Tacz. F. 

 0. Sib. 0. p. 1147 ; Saunders, p. 429 ; (Lilford), vii. p. 92, 

 pi. 36 ; Ridgway. p. 98 ; (Seebohm), B. Jap. Emp. p. 246 ; 

 D. caudacuta (Pall.), Zoogr. Ross. As. ii. p. 280 (1811) ; Gould, 

 B. of E. v. pi. 365. 



Pild, French : Ralijunco, Portug. ; Pato-careto, Span. ;,Codone, 

 Ital. ; Spiessentc, German ; Pijlstaart, Dutch ; Spidsand, Dan. 

 and Norweg. ; Stjertand, Swed. ; Vicojas, Lapp. ; Jouhisuorsa, 

 Finn. ; SMlochvost, Russ. ; Bulbul, Arab. ; Sank, Sink-par. 

 Hindu. ; 0-naga-gamo, Jap. 



s s 2 



