426 GADWALL. 
uncommon during the cold season in suitable localities, such as 
rush-grown lakes and pools ; its migrations extending to the inland 
waters of Northern Africa and up the Nile valley to Nubia. To 
Northern Germany it is chiefly a summer-visitor, becoming more 
abundant in Central and Eastern Europe; while in Asia up to 
60° N. it is met with as far as the Pacific, and it is one of the 
most plentiful species in Northern India during the cold season. 
Across North America it is generally distributed, passing southward 
to the West Indies and Mexico. in winter. 
The nest, made of grass and lined with down, is generally in a dry 
place at a little distance from the water ; the eggs, 8-13 in number, 
are of a buffish-white: measurements 21 by 1°5in. The Gadwall 
is a lover of fresh-water, and much addicted to concealing itself 
among thick reeds and aquatic herbage. Its migrations are 
nocturnal, and it also feeds by night—chiefly on seeds, grain (rice in 
India), and other vegetable matter ; consequently its flesh is excel- 
lent. The call-note is a curious rattling croak. 
The adult male in spring has the head and upper neck greyish- 
brown with darker mottlings ; back with crescentic markings of light 
grey on a dark ground ; median wing-coverts chestnut, greater coverts 
almost black ; primaries brown ; secondaries brown and black—the 
outer webs forming a w/z¢e wing-spot; inner secondaries pointed and 
of two shades of brownish-grey, the darker colour occupying the 
centre of each feather, the lighter colour forming the margin; rump 
and upper tail-coverts bluish-black ; tail-feathers dark brown, with 
paler edges; lower neck dark grey, each feather with lighter 
crescentic margins ; breast and belly white ; flanksand vent marbled 
with two shades of grey; under tail-coverts bluish-black ; bill 
blackish ; legs, toes and webs dusky yellow-orange. In summer an 
approach to female plumage is made. Length 20 in. ; wing 10°5 in. 
The female has the head and upper neck spotted with dark brown, 
on a paler surface; the crescentic bands on the lower part of the 
neck alternately dark and light brown, but broader than in the male, 
under parts white ; feathers of the lower hind-neck and upper parts 
brown, with paler margins ; wing-spot zAzfe, as in the male; tail- 
feathers dark brown, with pale edges; under tail-coverts spotted. 
The young are of a more uniform reddish-brown colour above, 
speckled with dark brown; the middle of each feather also is dark 
brown ; and the characteristic white wing-spot is always present. 
Owing to the pronounced developement of the comb-like “teeth ” 
of the bill, this species has been made the type of the genus 
Chaulelasmus. 
