Duck-sbooting 87 



For years the mottled duck was confused with 

 the black duck, and still later with the Florida 

 duck. Its habits are similar to those of these birds. 



Mr. E. A. Mcllhenny states that on April 28, 

 1896, he shot in Louisiana a male mallard {A. 

 boschas) mated with a female of this species, and 

 collected the nest with ten eggs. 



GADWALL 

 {Chaulelasmus streperus) 



Adult male — Top of head, reddish brown of varying shades, spotted 

 with black ; rest of head, light buff speckled with dark brown ; 

 throat, indistinctly spotted with brown ; upper part of back and 

 breast, marked with crescentric black and white bars ; back, 

 scapulars, and flanks, undulated with slate-color and white ; long 

 scapulars, edged with brown ; lesser coverts, gray ; middle cov- 

 erts, chestnut ; greater coverts, black ; secondaries, pale gray, 

 with outer edge forming a speculum of white ; upper and under 

 tail-coverts, black ; tail, dark gray, edged with white ; rest of 

 under parts, white ; bill, bluish black ; nail, black ; iris, hazel ; 

 legs and feet vary from yellowish to orange-yellow ; webs, dark. 



Measurements — Length, 20 inches; wing, 10.75 inches; tail, 8.90 

 inches; culmen, 1.80 inches; tarsus, 1.70 inches. 



Adult female — Somewhat resembles the male, but the upper parts 

 dusky, edged with buff, and the under wing-coverts are pure 

 white, and there is little or no chestnut on the lesser wing- 

 coverts ; bill, dusky orange near the edges ; legs and feet, yel- 

 lowish, with dark webs ; slightly smaller than the male. 



Measurements — Length, 19 inches; wing, 10 inches; culmen, 1.70 

 inches ; tarsus, 1 .60 inches. 



Young — Similar to female, but with no chestnut or black on the 

 wings. 



Downy young — Upper parts, dark brown, with yellow spots on 

 sides and back and rump; lower parts, grayish; forehead, 

 throat, and chest, yellowish. 



