BREWER’S DUCK. 303 
with reticulated angular scales. Hind toe very small, with a narrow 
free membrane ; third toe longest, fourth a little shorter ; claws small, 
arched, compressed, acute, 
Plumage dense, soft, and elastic ; of the hind head and neck short 
and blended; of the other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings 
of moderate length, acute ; tail short, graduated. 
Bill dull yellow, slightly tinged with green, dusky along the ridge. 
Iris brown. Feet dull yellow, claws dusky, webs dull grey. Head 
and upper part of the neck deep glossy green; but there is an elon- 
gated patch of pale reddish-yellow, extending from the base of the bill 
over the cheek to two inches and a quarter behind the eye, and meet- 
ing that of the other side on the chin; the space immediately over and 
behind the eye light dull purple. A narrow ring of pale yellowish-red 
on the middle of the neck ; the lower part of the neck dull brownish- 
red, the feathers with a transverse band of dusky, and edged with 
paler. The upper parts are dull greyish-brown, transversely undulated 
with dusky; the smaller wing-coverts without undulations, but each 
feather with a dusky bar behind another of light dull yellow; first row 
of smaller coverts tipped with black; primaries and their coverts, light 
brownish-grey ; some of the outer secondaries similar, the next five or 
six duck-green, the next light grey with a dusky patch toward the end. 
The rump and upper tail-coverts black, as are the parts under the tail, 
excepting two longitudinal white bands ; tail-feathers light brownish- 
grey, edged with whitish. All the rest of the lower parts are greyish- 
white tinged with yellow, beautifully undulated with dusky lines, on 
the middle of the breast these lines less numerous, and each feather 
with a reddish-grey central streak. 
Length to end of tail 23 inches, to end of claws 24; extent of wings 
39 ; bill along the ridge 24, along the edge of lower mandible 23 ; tar- 
sus 13, middle toe 2, its claw 7%; hind toe j, its claw 3. Weight 2 lb. 
9 oz. 
I have named this Duck after my friend THomas M. Brewer of 
Boston, as a mark of the estimation in which I hold him as an accom- 
plished ornithologist. 
