HARLEQUIN DUCK. 616 



a sinus on their free margins, the inner with a narrow lobed marginal 

 membrane, the outer with a thickened edge, the third and fourth about 

 equal and longest, all covered above with narrow scutella. Claws small, 

 arched, obtuse, that of first toe very small, of third largest, and with an 

 inner thin edge. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers on the fore part of the head 

 very small and rounded, on the upper part of the head slightly elongated, on 

 the neck narrow, on the other parts broad and rounded. Wings rather 

 short, narrow, pointed ; primary quiUs curved, strong, tapering, and point- 

 ed, the first and second about equal, and longest, the rest rapidly graduat- 

 ed ; secondary short, broad and rounded. Tail very short, cuneate, of 

 sixteen strong tapering feathers. 



Bill light yellowish-olive, the tips of the unguis lighter. Iris reddish- 

 brown. Feet light blue, the webs greyish-black, the claws whitish. A 

 broad band from the base of the bill to the occiput bluish-black, margined 

 behind with light yellowish-red, before with white, that colour forming a 

 broad triangular spot on the cheek anterior to the eye. Sides of the head, 

 and neck all round, purplish-blue ; a spot of white behind the ear, a cur- 

 ved line on the side of the neck, a complete ring of white below the middle 

 of the neck, with a curved band of the same colour anterior to the wing. 

 All these white markings broadly edged with deep black. The fore part 

 of the back light purplish-blue, the hind part gradually deepening in tint, 

 so as to become almost black, of which colour is the rump all round. 

 Scapulars chiefly white ; wing-coverts purplish-blue, as are the alula and 

 primary coverts, the quills dark greyish-brown, the tail greyish-black, a 

 small white spot near the flexure of the wing ; a band of white across the 

 wing, formed by the tips of the secondaries, of which the inner have their 

 outer webs principally of the same colour. Fore part of the breast pur- 

 plish-blue, hind part and abdomen greyish-brown, sides light red ; a late- 

 ral spot of white near the root of the tail. 



Length to end of tail ITi inches, to end of wings IH, to end of claws 

 16^ ; extent of wings 26^ ; wing from flexure 7f ; tail 3i ; bill along the 

 back liV, along the edge of lower mandible 1^ ; tarsus 1 A ; middle toe 2, 

 its claw j\. Weight 1^ lb. 



Male in the second year. 



The young male, after the first moult, is greyish-brown on the back 

 and wings, light brownish-grey beneath. The head and neck are of a 



