806 JOURNAL, BOMBAY NATURAL HIST. SOCIETY, Vol. XXII. 



Key xo Sub-species. 



(A.) A broad white band posterior to the speculum — 



a. A red spot at base of bill on either side, 



aver.age wing measurement 10'"60, bill 



from forehead to tip 2-"14 . . . . p. 2}(Scilorhyncha. 



b. No red spots at base of bill, wing avera- 



ge 10'"25 and bill average 2'"05 . . j^. haringtoni. 



(B.) No white band posterior to the speculum . . ]), zonorhyncha. 

 The measurements of the three sub-species overlap very considerably, 

 but the following table gives the average measurements of the bills and 

 wing, together with the extremes between which they range. It includes 

 both sexes. 



Bills 



Anas f, poecilorhyncha 

 „ „ zonorhyncha 

 „ ,, haringtoni . . 



Wings 



Anas p. poecilorhyncha 

 „ „ zonorhyncha 

 „ „ haringtoni . . 



From this it will be seen that poecilorhyncha has a bigger bill than either 

 of the other two sub-species which are equal in this respect, whilst haring- 

 toni has, sex for sex, a smaller wing than either of the others which have 

 wings practically the same in size. 



The under plumage of Harington's Duck agrees with that of the Com- 

 mon Spot-bill in being paler below than in the Chinese bird, i.e., a pale 

 buff or brownish buff, profusely spotted on breast and abdomen with circu- 

 lar spots of dark brown, whilst the Chinese Spot-bill has the colour of the 

 breast and abdomen much darker, generally a fairly uniform brown, upon 

 which the spots hardly show, and which contrasts quite strongly with the 

 pale throat and chin. 



The colouration of the lower parts is not, however, very constant, and 

 there is a specimen of zonorhyncha from China ( Canton ) and another from 

 Shanghai which are as pale below and as well spotted as any speci- 

 mens of poecilorhyncha from Western India. 



Another difference in the colouration of the two original species zonor- 

 hyncha and pee cilo7-hyncha which is generally commented on, is the colour 

 of the speculum which is blue in the former and green in the latter. This 

 blue or green question is always a very difficulty one to decide, but I may 

 say that the speculum of poscilorhyncha looks green in whatever light you 

 chance to hold it, though more blue and less green when held tail point- 

 ing to 'the light. In zonorhyncha the speculum is always a deep purple 

 blue, though this too, when held head towards the light, is slightly suffus- 

 ed with green. If series of the two species are placed alongside one an- 

 other in the same light and pointing the same loay the difference is quite 

 distinct. 



Haringtoni has the speculum green like that of pcccilorhyncha. 



Yet another difference which must be mentioned is the amount of white 

 on the innermost secondaries. In the Indian birds nearly the whole of 

 the outer webs are white whilst in the Chinese birds there is very little 



