MARECA, 299 



Mallard, the Pintail is the best duck for tlie table in India, tbe Gadwall 

 ranking next. 



Mareca, Steph. ; Gmy, Gen. B. iii. p. 614. 



Bill uniform in width; laminas prominent ; first and second quills of 

 wing longest; tail short, cuneate ; hind toe small. 



Mareca penelope. The Wigeon. 



Mareca penelope, Lin. ; P. E. 825 ; Gould. B. Eur. pi. 359 ; Jerd, 

 B. /«.(?. iii. p. 804 ; Sir. F. i. 261; iv. 30; vii. 494; Murray, Hdhk., 

 Zool., i^-c, Sind, Tp. 235; Hume, Gavie Birds Jnd. p, 198. Mareca 

 kagolca, Gm. N. Comin. Petrop. xv. t. 21. (Patarce, Punjab; Parroiv, 

 iSind.) — The Wigeon. 



Male. — Forehead and crown creamy yellow, remainder of head and 

 neck rich chestnut; cheeks speckled with black, also a speckled band 

 down the middle of the throat in some ; nape narrowly barred with 

 black and pale reddish white; chin and throat black ; lower neck and 

 breast vinaceous red, lightest in front, darkest on the sides ; abdomen 

 white, the flanks with transverse undulating lines of black and white ; 

 under tail-coverts black, with a greenish gloss; tail blackish grey ; back 

 minutely barred with transverse undulating lines of black and white ; 

 scapulars black, edged with Vv'hite ; wing-coverts white, the greater 

 ones with velvet black tips; speculum glossy green, bounded above 

 and below with black ; bill plumbeous, the base black ; legs and feet 

 plumbeous or brown ; irides red brown. 



Length.— 19 to 19-5, wing 10 to 10-5, tail 4 to 4-5, bill V7 to 1-82. 

 The Females are smaller; length. 17'5 to 19, wing 9'3 to 10 inches, tail 

 3'5 to 5. In colouring the female has the head and neck fulvous brown, 

 speckled with dusky ; upper parts dusky or deep brown, the feathers 

 with reddish edges; speculum without the green gloss; feathers of the 

 flanks rufous brown, tipped with ashy. 



Hah. — Sind, Beloochistan, Persia, Afghanistan, Punjab, N. W. and 

 Central Provinces, Oudh, Bengal and throughout Western and Central 

 India, rare in Southern India, and not yet recorded from Ceylon. lu 

 Kattiawar, Rajputana, the Deccan and Concan it is not uncommoa 



