DAFILA ACUTA. 181 



Genus DAFILA. 



The general appearance of the genus Dajila is more elongated than any 

 other of our Indian Ducks ; in both sexes the tail is pointed, and that of 

 the male has the central rectrices considerably lengthened when in good 

 plumage. The bill is slightly wider at the end than at the base. 



Of the five species of Dajila, India has but one, the very widespread 

 species D. acuta. The genus is almost cosmopolitan, Australia alone being- 

 unrepresented by any form. 



(31) DAFILA ACUTA. 



THE PINTAIL. 



Anas acuta, Legge, B. of Cey. p. 1096. 



Dafila acuta, Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 803 ; Hume, Str. Feath. i, p. 261 ; Adam, 

 ibid, ii, p. 338 ; Hume, ibid, iii, p. 193 ; Butler, ibid, iv, p. 29 ; Hume ^ 

 Davis, ibid, vi, p. 489 ; Ball, ibid, vii, p. 232 ; Cripps, ibid, vii, p. 312 ; 

 Hume, ibid, vii, p. 493 ; id. ibid, viii, p. 115 ; id. Gat. no. 962 ; Scully, Str. 

 Feath. viii, p. 362 ; Hume Sf Mar. Game-B. iii, p. 189 ; Vidal, Str. Feath. ix, 

 p. 92 ; Butler, ibid. p. 438 ; Reid, ibid, x, p. 82 ; Oates, ibid. p. 245 ; id. B. of 

 Brit. Burm. ii, p. 279 ; Barnes, B. of Bom. p, 407 ; Hume, Str. Feath. xi, 

 p. 345 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 270 ; Blanford, Fauna B. I. iv, 

 p. 447 ; Oates, Game-B. ii, p. 223. 



Description. Adult male. — Whole head brown, varying from a rather pale 

 dingy to a rich dark umber, glossy on the upper parts, with purple or copper, 

 more especially on the sides of the sinciput and nape ; chin and throat sometimes 

 rather paler than the upper parts ; nape almost black, grading on the one hand 

 into the rich brown of the head and on the other into the grey of the hind-neck ; 

 the grey of the hind-neck formed by the most minute stipplings of brown and 

 pale grey, gradually changing into the moi*e pronounced stipplings and bars of 

 the upper plumage, which retains the same colour ; a white band on either side 

 of the nape joining the white of the neck. Rump like the back ; upper tail- 

 coverts black, edged grey ; neck and breast white ; abdomen the same, but more 

 or less stippled with grey on the lower parts ; flanks and sides like back. Longer 

 scapulars velvety black edged with silver-grey ; shorter scapulars like the back, 

 but often with dark centres ; wing-coverts brownish-grey, the greater tipped with 

 rufous-chestnut ; secondaries forming the speculum bronzed-green, tipped white, 

 subtipped black, the feather next the speculum black, on the outer web narrowly 



