252 J. L. Bonhote : 



dark grizzled stripe through the eye. Underparts whitish, 

 spotted with black, except for a small patch in the centre of 

 the breast, which is pure white, and the chest band which is 

 more deeply coloured. Bill black, with yellow tip. 



Mallard — Spotbill — Pintail — New Zealand — Meller's. 

 { [(M ^ S) <-3 (P ^ M)] ^ Z] co (M co Meli.) 



Only one bird of this cross, a Drake, has so far been reared. 

 He is a remarkably large bird. The description of the full 

 plumage is as follows : — ■ 



Feathers of the mantle dark brown with transverse vermi- 

 culations forming" two narrow huffish bars. Scapulars vermi- 

 culated with rufous and dark brown ; inner secondaries 

 brownish grey with whitish sheen. Feathers of the rump 

 and upper tail coverts dark brown, the latter having a greenish 

 gloss, and the four central ones recurved. 



Top of the head dull black, with brown edgings to the 

 feathers ; there is a broad streak behind the eye with greenish 

 gloss, but showing traces of light brown. Sides of face 

 huffish, grizzled with brown. Chin and throat very dark 

 brown, grizzled with buff. The white ring of the Mallard is 

 just visible in the front of the throat. Chest deep chestnut, the 

 feathers having white margins, and in some cases a black sub- 

 terminal spot, underparts grizzled greyish, darker on the vent 

 and light, almost white, on the breast ; the flanks greyish, 

 vermiculated with dark brown, and suffused with rufous. 

 Under tail coverts black. Bill greenish yellow, with irregular 

 black marks on the culmen, feet pale orange 



CONCLUSIONS. 



I propose to deal with the conclusions, which may be 

 legitimately argued from a close study of the foregoing under 

 five heads, viz. : — (i.) Fertility, (ii.) Sex, (iii.) Colour of eggs,. 

 (iv.) Reversion, (v.) Colour. 



I. Fertility. 



Hybrids, as a general ride, are supposed to be infertile, and 

 such is certainly the case, so far as our present knowledge is- 



