140 1XI»IAX DICKS. 



(24) ANAS ZONORHYNCHA. 

 THE EASTEEX GEEY-ULTK. 



Anas zonorhyncha, Salvadorl, Cat. B. M. xwii, p. 211 ; ' ^Isiax,' Jan. lOth, 

 1S99 : Stuart Balcer, Jour. B. N. //. ,S^. xvi, p. 12 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 148. 



Desenj)tion. — The Eastern form of the Grey -Duck differs from the Indian 

 Spot-bill in not haAing at any period of its life the two red spots at the base of 

 the upper maiidible, and in having the specuhun bhie and not green as it is in 

 that bird. Also the outer secondaries have far less white upon them — indeed, in 

 some birds this is almost absent. The following differences are also noticeable in 

 comparing series of the two ducks : — In the Eastern form the chin, throat, and 

 fore-neck are conspicuously white, and contrast strong!}' with the rest of the 

 iniderparts, which are far darker than in the Western bird. In both, the under 

 tail-coverts are very dark brown, but whereas in zono)-Jn/ucha these arc almost 

 ooncolorouswith the feathers oF the vent and lower VLhdomen, in jxecilorJa/ncJia the 

 abdomen is much lighter and contrasts distinctly. In the latter the underparts 

 are generally very much spotted, increasing with age, in the former spots are 

 nearly or quite obsolete, in the Eastern Grey-Duck the white of the supercilium 

 is also much purer and better defined than in the Western Grey-Duck. The 

 soft parts, with the exception of there beiug no spots at the base of the bill, are 

 the same as in the other Grey-Duck. 



The bill probably averages smaller. In the, series of ^xecilorJri/ncha in the 

 British Museum there are females with bills up to 2'20 inches, and males up to 

 2*38 straight along the culnien from tip to feathering on the forehead. 



The largest male of zonorJu/ncha has the bill only 2-30 inches, and the next 

 biggest bird, unsexed. has it 2-2-'). The largest sexed femah^ has it 1-98. 



During the examination of the Grev-Dnck in the Bi-irisli ^In.-euni, I 

 have tried to ascertain whether tliere are any oronnds for creatine- a new 

 species for the ducks sent home by Captain Harington. I can find none I 

 There are four specimens of pcerilorliT/ncha from the Shan States, got by 

 Rippon and Gates, and one from China by Reeves ; these are all, as far as 

 I can see, typical young birds of the Indian Spot-bill. They are less 

 spotted below than the adult birds, as one wouhl expect, and have no spots 

 also at the base of the Ijill. The two species overlap one another tln'ough- 

 out the territory Oates ])resumes his new species inhabits, and hybrid 

 specimens are likely to occur, although I liavc received none such as yet. 



Salvadori defines the distribution of the Eastern Grey-Uuck thus : 

 " China, Mongolia, and Eastern Siberia ; Japan and Kuriles." AVe have it 



