ANATIN/E — THE TiVCKS - CHAULKLASMUS. 



507 



Feiiude. 



the head and neck, and in irregnlar transverse spots and bars on other portions. On tin- upper 

 surface the dusky prevails, and on the lower parts the whitish predominates. Wing nearly as in 

 the male, but the chestnut usually aljsent, the black less extended, and the gr.ay of the coverts gen- 

 erally more or less barred and tipped with white. Abdomen and lower pari ol' (he breast pure 

 white ; throat tinely streaked with du>ky. Downy 

 young : '• Covered with soft short down ; head, 

 nape, back, and rump, dark dull brown, on each 

 side of the rump and back of each wing-joint a 

 sulphur-yellow spot, the wing-joints being marked 

 with that color ; forehead, s-jiace round the eye, 

 throat, and chest pale suli>lnir-yellow ; abdomen 

 white, shaded with sulpliur-yidlow, on the lower 

 part sooty gray " (Sharps & Dresser). 



Male, wing, 10.2.5-11.00 inches ; culnien, 1.60- 

 1.75; width of bill, .60-. 75 ; tar.sus, 1.45-1.70; 

 middle toe, 1.80-1.90. Female, wing, 10.00-10.10 ; 

 culmen, 1.55-1.65 ; width of bill, .60-.70 ; tai-sus, 

 1.60 ; middle toe, 1.75-1.80. 



Although one of the above diagnoses will fit 

 almost any example of this species, there is yet a 

 very considerable extent of individual variation 

 noticeable in a large series. Thus, No. 17040 



(Washington, D. C. Feb. 25, 1860 ; C. Dre.xler) has the uniform brown of the pileum coming 

 down over the side of the head to a line on a level with the lower eyelid, the whole upper half of 

 the head being thus nearly free from specks ; while that portion behind the eye has a faint, but 

 very perceptible, rose-pnrple reflection — this part of the head calling strongly to mind the head- 

 pattern of Nettion and Mareca mmricana. On the other hand, an adult male from Philadelphia 

 (No. 46658, J. K rider) has even the top of the head spotted. No. 9791, $ ad.. Fort Steilacoom, 

 W. T. (Dr. George Suckley), h;is the pileum almost chestnut, the brown having there such a 

 deeply reddish cast ; the lower neck is nearly plain pale ochraceous, abruptly defined against the 

 darkly colored jugulum. Specimens from Cape St. Lucas and Utah present no unusual features. 



All American specimens differ uniformly, from the single European pair before us, in several 

 very tangible respects. The European male has the neck quite deeply ochraceous, while in the 

 American ones there is seldom more than a mere tinge of this color ; tlie jugulum is also per\\ided 

 by a wash of a more pinkish tinge of the same, while there is appreciably less regularity and clear- 

 ness in the markings fjf that region. The longer scapulars are more deeply tinged with fulvous, 

 and the finely undulated portions are pervaded with a brownish wash, entirely wanting in the 

 American series. The measurements of this specimen (No. 57187, Europe ; Schliiter Collection) 

 are as follows : Wing, 10.80 inches; culmen, 1.65; width of bill, .70; tarsus, 1.55; middle toe, 

 1.85. The female specimen from Europe is very similar to North American examples, but is 

 rather more deeply colored, the dark centres to the feathers being nearly deep black. The whole 

 throat is immaculate white. The measurements are as follows : Wing, 9.50 inches ; culmen, 

 1.50; tarsus, 1.35; middle toe, 1.60. 



The Gadwall, or Gray Duck, like the Mallard, the Pintail, the Shoveller, and one 

 or two other fresh-water Ducks, has a general distribution, nearly or quite throughout 

 the northern hemisphere. It is more or less common in nearly all parts of North 

 America, from the Fur Region to Central America, and from Maine to the Pacific. 

 Its presence in several extended districts, however, remains to be confirmed. It is 

 found in all parts of Eurojie, from Iceland to Gibraltar, occurs throughout Xorth 

 Africa, and is distributed over the larger portion of Asia. 



Mr. Robert Kennicott, iu his manuscript notes on the Anutidw of Xorth America, 

 states that this Duck, like the Ai/thya americana and some other birds, though ex- 

 tending west of the mountains within tlie United States, apparently passes in its 



