ANAS BOSCAS. 125 



dark brown with buff edges ; on the lower parts the brown centres are reduced 

 to streaks only ; rectrices brown, edged with pale buff; wings as in the male. 



The depth of the brown and its tint var}' very much, as does the boldness of 

 the edging. In some birds the centres and edges blend into one another, whilst 

 in others the}^ contrast very distinctly. 



Length 20-0 to 21-75 inches, wing 9-2 to 10*8, tail from vent 4-1 to 4*7, 

 tarsus 1-5 to 1*7, bill from gape 2*47 to 2-63. Weight 1 lb. 10 ozs. to 2 lbs. 10 ozs. 



" Young in first plumage closely resembles adult female, but the male is 

 somewhat darker in colour." (Salvadori.) 



" Young in down has the upper parts dark brown, with nearly white spots 

 on the wings, scapulars, and sides of the rump ; the uuderparts are pale brown, 

 palest on the belly, and shading into buff on the throat ; it has a buff stripe over 

 the eye, a dark brown stripe through the eye, and a dark spot at the end of the 

 ear-coverts.'' (Seebohm.) 



"VVaterton, as quoted by Hume, describing the change of plumage in the 

 drake into its post-nuptial plumage, saj's : — " At the close of the breeding- 

 season the drake undergoes a very remarkable change of plumage. About the 

 24th May the breast and back ol the drake exhibit the first appearance of a 

 change of colour. In a few days after this the curled feathers above the tail 

 drop out, and grej' feathers begin to appear amongst the lovely green plumage 

 which surrounds the eyes. Every succeeding day now brings marks of rapid 

 change. By the 23rd June scarce one single green feather is to be seen on the 

 head and neck of the bird. By the 6th of July evevj feather of the former 

 brilliant plumage has disappeared, and the male has received a garb like that of 

 the female, though of a somewhat darker tint. In the early part of August this 

 new plumage begins to drop oft' graduallj' ; and by the 10th October the drake 

 will appear again in all its rich magnificence of dress." 



Salvadori thus defines the habitat of the Mallard : — " Northern Hemi- 

 sphere, rarely north of the Arctic Circle ; in Africa, extending from the 

 Azores, Madeira, and Canaries on the West to Nubia and to Abyssinia 

 (Jiilijpell) on the East ; in Asia, during the winter found from Arabia^ 

 through Persia and North India, to C-hina and Japan ; in America, extend- 

 ing southwards to Mexico, the West Indies, and Central America as far as 

 Panama." 



Narrowing ourselyes to our Indian limits, we find that A. hoscas is very 

 common only in the extreme north and north-west ; it is a constant but 

 less numerous visitor to the whole of the North- West Provinces, Punjab, 

 and Oudh ; and south of this is decidedly rare. It has been shot occasion- 

 ally in Rajputana, and also in the Central Provinces and in Bombay. It 

 is met with at odd times and [)laoes throughout Bengal and Assani ; and 1 

 liaA'e myself shot a pair in Jessore which w^ere in company with a few 

 Gadwall. They were extremely wild, as were all the ducks, and it was 



