168 INDIAN DUCKS, 



"Length 14-5 to 15-85 inches, expanse 230 to 25-25, wing 7*2 to 8-0, tail 

 from vent 3-0 to 3-6, tardus 1-0 to 1-2, bill from gape 1-5 to 1-77. Weight 7-7 ozs. 

 to 12-0 ozs." (Hume.) 



"Total length 14-5 inches, wing 7-25, tail 3, culmen I'O, tarsus 1-1."' 

 (/S'rtZcac^ort.) 



Adult female. — Upper head dark brown, the feathers edged rufescent white; 

 lores, throat, and neck rufescent white, with speckly brown centres to the 

 feathers, larger and more distinct on the neck ; chin and fore-throat the same 

 but unspotted ; flanks and breast more or less with dark centres to the feathers, 

 always pretty plain on the former, but sometimes practically non-existent on the 

 latter, though, on the other hand, they sometimes show up as distinct dark brown 

 drops ; the ground-colour of the lower parts may be anything from almost pure 

 Avhite to a distinct rufous or buff; scapulars like the back, but generally more 

 richly coloai"ed ; remainder of wing like that of the male, but with the specidum 

 usually duller. 



"Length 13-5 to 14-0 inches, expanse 22-5 to 25, wing 6-5 to 7-4, tail from 

 A^ent 2-0 to 3-5, tarsus 1-0 to 1-2, bill from gape 1-5 to 1-77. Weight 7-7 ozs. to 

 12 ozs." (Hume.) 



" In young males and females the lower mandible, though sometimes only 

 brown, commonly varies from brownish-yellow to dull orange, and is generally 

 brownish at tip. The upper mandible also in females is usually rather paler 

 coloured than that of the male, and is often tinged witli green or plumbeous 

 green.'"' (Hume.) 



Legs and feet are also more often tinged strongly Mith sienna than are those 

 of the male. The irides are the same light to dark brown. 



After the breeding-season, or when the eggs have been laid, the males assume 

 a, plumage similar to that of the female, but have the upper parts more a uniform 

 brown. 



Morris says: "The male assumes the plnmage of the female in summer by 

 the end of July or beginning of August, and this he retains until the general 

 moult." 



The young are like the female, perhaps rather darker in general hue, but 

 have the pale edgings to the upper feathers more pronounced, and the spots and 

 bars on the lower plumage more numerous and distinct, the former showing often 

 in the centre of the abdomen and the latter on the under tail-coverts. 



" The nestling is yellowish-white on the uuderparts, buff on the forehead 

 and throat; a dark brown streak from the forehead to the cx'own, which, with 

 the upper parts, is brown ; a dark loreal streak, and two other streaks from behind 

 the eye to the nape, on each side." (Yarrell.) 



The drakes, when they arrive in India, are often in a beautiful transition- 

 stage, and ie\y will be found in perfect male" plumage before January. I have a 

 most handsome young male in my collection which is a very good example of the 

 changing plumage ; above it is like the female, but without the broad edging to 

 the feathers, and on the rump and upper tail-coverts are a few feathers showing 

 the beautiful black and white vermiculations. The head is dark brown with the 

 merest trace only of the black eye-streak ; the under plumage is pure white, but 

 all along the flanks, vent, and under tail-coverts, and here, and there on the 



