AN SERES. 

 ANATID^l. 

 Subfam. ANATI1SME. 

 Bill longer than in Anserince, not so high at the base, where it is narrower than near the tip ; 

 both mandibles furnished with lamellae. Wings pointed ; the tertials lengthened. Tail variable in 

 the number of feathers. Legs short, set far back. Feet fully webbed ; the hind toe not webbed. 

 Sexes differing in plumage for the most part ; the male assuming the dress of the female in 

 the autumn; with a brilliant wing-band or speculum. 



Genus ANAS. 



Bill at the gape slightly narrower than near the tip ; the nail perpendicular and short ; 

 lamellae well developed ; nostrils oval, pervious, placed close to the culmen. Wings with the 

 1st quill equal to or longer than the 2nd. Tail with the centre feathers variable; of 14 to 16 

 feathers. Tarsus shorter than the middle toe, covered with transverse scutes in front. Claws 

 straight. 



ANAS PCECILOEHYNCHA. 



(THE SPOTTED-BILLED DUCK.) 



Anas pcecilorhyncha, Forster, Ind. Zool. pi. 13, p. 23 (1781); Gray& Hardw. 111. Ind. Zool. 

 pi. 67 (1833-34); Blyth, Cat. B. Mus. A. S. B. p. 304 (1849); Kelaart, Prodromus, 

 Cat. p. 136 (1852) ; Layard, Ann. & Mag. Nat. Hist. 1854, xiv. p. 269 ; Jerdon, B. of 

 Ind. iii. p. 799 (1864) ; Holdsw. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 479 ; Legge, Ibis, 1875, p. 407 ; 

 Hume, Str. Feath. 1879, p. 115 (List B. of Ind.). 



Mareca pwcilorliynclia, Steph. apiid Sykes, P. Z. S. 1832, p. 168. 



Anas pcekilorhyncha, Gm. apud Hume, Nests and Eggs, iii. p. 643 (1875). 



The Indian Wild Duck, Grey Duck of some. Garm-pai, Hind., also Data. 



Adult male and female (Fnttehgurh). Wing 10-3 to 10-9 inches; tail 4-6 to 5-0; tarsus 1-7 to 1-9; middle toe. 

 without claw, 2-2 to 2-4, claw (straight) 0-3 to 0-4 ; hind toe 0-5 ; bill to gape (straight) 2-4 to 2-7, at front to 

 bend of nail 2-0 to 2-4. A presumed male in the Poole collection, from Ceylon, measures :— wing 11-6, bill at 

 front 2-4. Jerdon's data are— length 24-0 to 25-0, wing 12-0. The female is the smaller of the sexes. 



Note.— This Duck is peculiar in having the base of the culmen naked on each side of the frontal feathers for some 

 little distance, adding additional height to it at that part. 



Male (August, Puttehgurh). Iris reddish brown ; bill black, about 0-6 of the tip chrome-yellow, the nail black ; base 

 of the culmen yellow ; tip of the lower mandible yellow ; legs and feet orange-yellow ; claws blacky 



Forehead, upper part of lores, top of head, crown, nape, interscapulary region, and upper scapulars sepia-brown, dar- 

 kening slightly towards the tips of the scapulars, and passing into blackish brown on the rump and glossy black 

 on the upper tail-coverts ; tips of the feathers of the head, lower hind neck, upper back, and scapulars pale greyish; 

 wing-coverts paler brown than the scapulars, tinged with slaty at the edges of the feathers, margined with white 

 along the edge of the wing, and the greater series with velvety-black tips, and a subterminal band of white on the 

 outer webs ; primaries dark brown, the edges of the 1st pale ; outer webs of secondaries metallic green, glossed 



