FORMOSAN TEAL 
247 
liant metallic-green patch, bordered in front with a black stripe, and behind by a white one. Mantle 
and scapulars very finely vermieulated with gray and black, or plain brown, but the inner scapulars 
highly ornate, like the tertials. Back, rump and tail grayish brown. Lower neck and upper breast 
vinaceous, thickly covered with round blackish spots, which extend posteriorly on to the white or 
cream-colored part of the breast. On the sides of the breast at the bend of the wing is a crescentic 
white band. Rest of lower surface white, except the imder tail-coverts, which are black in the middle 
and chestnut on the sides. Flanks finely vermieulated, slate-gray like the mantle. Outer wing-coverts 
uniform brown, except the tips of the greater ones which are cinnamon, forming an anterior speculum 
band. Speculum itself black and glossy green, with a white posterior band; primaries brown. The 
longer tertials are sharply pointed and highly colored with black, white and cinnamon. Under wing- 
coverts brownish. 
Iris dark brown. Bill blue-black or “dark bluish brown.” Legs and feet bluish or yellowish 
gray, dusky on the webs. 
Wing 200-216 mm.; bill 35-38; tarsus 34-37. 
Weight 18 ounces (0.50 kilograms) (Latham). 
Adult Female: A plain b^o^vn duck, somewhat like the female European Teal, but darker on the 
mantle and seapulars, and easily distinguished in the field by the round white spot at the base of the 
culmen, as well as by the larger size. The head is very dark on top, and there is an indication of a 
face pattern in the light superciliary streak, as well as in a light patch in the center of the cheek, 
behind the eye, and at the base of the culmen. Feathers of mantle and scapulars with black centers. 
Ornamental tertials not present. Wing same as in male. Upper breast spotted or streaked, rest of 
lower parts white or cream colored. 
Iris dark brown. Bill dull lead-color, freckled more or less on the culmen. Legs and feet as in male. 
Wing 190-198 mm.; bill 33-36; tarsus 32-35. 
Immature Female: Specimens in late August are very similar in general appearance to the adult fe- 
male. The lower abdomen is, however, spotted or streaked with brown and the tail-feathers are blunt. 
Immature Male: At first very much like the young female but probably always distinguished by 
the presence of light barring on the feathers of the mantle (a character of some importance in other 
species) and the absence of the white spot at the base of the culmen. By October the spots on the 
breast become more prominent and finely vermieulated feathers begin to appear on the mantle, 
scapulars and flanks. By December the body plumage may be nearly complete but the face pattern 
stiU remains obscured. Adult head plumage does not appear to be complete until late winter. 
Male m Eclipse: There is a general resemblance to the adult female, but not so close as in many 
other species. The top of the head and nape are of a more uniform brown. The sides of the head are 
different. The conspicuous white spot at the base of the culmen is much reduced, and the light area, 
which in the female extends from the throat up to the cheeks, is absent. The mantle and scapulars 
are more uniform, and the edges of the feathers are rusty in color. The upper breast inclines to a 
wine color, and the sides and flanks are rusty. The ornamental scapulars of winter plumage are 
absent. Speculum as in winter plumage. A few vermieulated feathers may be distinguished in the 
mantle and scapulars (Museum of Comparative Zoology specimen). A. von Middendorff (1853) 
described this plumage from males shot at the end of July or in early August. 
Young in Down: A. von Middendorff says it is easily recognized by the spot at the base of the bill 
and by the stripe through the eye, which are the same as in the old female, but yellowish instead of 
white. I have not seen specimens. 
