114 CLUCKING TEAL. 



mentioned fawn-coloured band; upper parts and sides of chest vinous 

 purple, faintly spotted with, black; crop and sides lighter vinous-colour, 

 distinctly and thickly spotted with round black spots, which grow 

 fainter as they go downwards. Abdomen white; flanks marbled grey 

 above and below, white in the middle; under wing coverts clear brown, 

 some of the feathers edged with pearly white; under tail coverts 

 velvet black tinged with purple, bordered laterally with ochreous, and 

 terminating nearly at the end of the pointed tail with light spotted 

 grey. Beak black, with the nail glossy brown; feet and legs light 

 brown. 



The female is a plainly-coloured bird, having all the upper parts 

 rich brown, the feathers on the back being bordered more or less 

 broadly with russet; primaries brown, the speculum having the upper 

 russet border as broad as the other, the four colours — russet, green, 

 black, and white — succeeding each other in about equal proportions; 

 sides of the head and neck marbled grey; throat white; chest rich 

 brown, with darker oval and irregularly-shaped spots; middle of the 

 abdomen dirty white; lower part and under tail coverts the same, 

 but thickly spotted with brown; flanks in large spots of two shades 

 of brown; beak black, with the nail brown; feet and legs light 

 brown, 



I have the greatest pleasure in giving correct drawings of the 

 male and female of this rare European bird, the specimens having 

 been obtained at great cost by Mr. Tristram, through Dr. Middendorfl" 

 himself, from the Caspian Sea. 



