702 SYSTEMATIC SYNOPSIS. — LAMELLIROSTRES — ANSERES. 
F. ferina america/na. (Lat. ferina, feral, wild. Figs. 486, 487, 488.) ReD-HEAp. 
AMERICAN PocHarp. Adult g: The feathers of the head somewhat full and puffy, though 
forming no crest. Bill broad and flattened, 
a little widened toward end, running into 
the forehead which arches abruptly over 
and away from it, not rising gradually into 
line with forehead; shorter or not longer 
thau head, 2 inches or less in length along 
culmen, the nostrils within its basal half; 
the forward end of nostril about 2 the way 
frum upper corner to end of bill. Bill dull 
blue with a black belt at the end. (Compare head and bill of 
canvas-back.) Iris orange. Feet dull grayish-blue, with dusky 
webs and black claws. Head and neck all around rich pure 
chestnut, not obscured with dusky-brown, but with bronzy or 
coppery red reflections. Lower neck and fore parts of body 
above and below, with rump and tail-coverts above and below, 
blackish. Back mixed whitish and blackish in about equal 
amounts, the dark wavy lines distinct and unbroken. (In the 
European pochard, F#. ferina, from which our bird differs, the 
back is also distinetly and completely waved with black, but the 
ground is quite white, as in our canvas-back, in which the dark 
lines are much broken up, the white thus prevailing. This fine 
vermiculation, when not too closely examined, gives a delicate 
silvery-gray tone, of different shade in the different species.) : 
Sides of body under the wings vermiculated much like the back, Fre, 487. — Red-head, } nat. size. 
the undulations subsiding in the grayish-white of the middle (from nature by J. L. Ridgway.) 
under parts. Wing-coverts ashy-gray, minutely dotted with white; speculum hoary-ash, 
bordered internally 
= with black; lining of 
iS wings mostly white. 
9: Bill obscured blu- 
ish, with black belt 
near end; iris yellow; 
feet asin g. Same 
shape of bill and 
head. Head and up- 
per neck dull reddish- 
brown, paler or whit- 
i * Z tA ish on cheeks and 
WEN behind eye; upper 
Gy : ie parts brownish, the 
is LA Es feathers paler edged. 
Wings much as in 
&, the white lining 
restricted. Length 
20.00-23.00; extent 
about 33.00; wing 
Fic. 488. —Red-heads. (From Lewis.) 9.00-10.00; tail 3.00, 
of 14 feathers; tarsus 1.50; middle toe and claw 2.75. N. Am. at large, but particularly 
