286 AMERICAN GREEN-WINGED TEAL. 



third longest; fourth a little shorter; the anterior toes united by reticulated 

 webs, of which the outer is deeply sinuate; claws small, curved, compressed, 

 acute, the hind one smaller and more curved, that of the third toe largest, 

 and with an inner sharp edge. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the middle of the head and 

 upper part of hind neck, very narrow, elongated, with soft filamentous dis- 

 united bands, of the rest of the head and upper part of neck very short, of 

 the back and lower parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of mode- 

 rate length, narrow, acute; primaries strong, curved, tapering, second longest, 

 first scarcely shorter; secondaries broad, rather pointed, the inner elongated 

 and tapering, as are the scapulars. Tail short, rounded and acuminate, of 

 sixteen acuminate feathers. 



Bill black. Iris brown. Feet light bluish-grey. Head and upper part 

 of the neck chestnut-brown; a broad band, narrowing backwards, from the 

 eye down the back of the neck, deep shining green, edged with black below, 

 under which is a white line, which before the eye meets another that curves 

 forward and downward to the angle of the mouth; chin brownish-black, as 

 are the feathers at the base of the upper mandible. Upper parts and flanks 

 beautifully undulated, with narrow brownish-black and white bars; anterior 

 to the wings is a short, broad, transverse band of white. Wings brownish- 

 grey; the speculum in its lower half velvet-black, the upper bright green, 

 changing to purple, and edged above with black, behind margined with 

 white, before with reddish-white. Tail brownish-grey, the feathers mar- 

 gined with paler; the upper coverts brownish-black, edged with light 

 yellowish-grey. Lower part of neck anteriorly barred as behind; breast 

 yellowish-white, spotted with black, its lower part white; abdomen white, 

 faintly barred with grey; a patch of black under the tail, the lateral tail- 

 coverts cream-coloured, the larger black, with broad white margins and tips. 



Length to end of tail 14f inches, to end of claws 15i; extent of wings 

 24; wing from flexure 7^; tail 3^; bill along the back 1 T 7 5 , along the edge of 

 lower mandible 1-j^; tarsus 1 T 2 2-; middle toe 1 T 6 2, its claw -/^ Weight 10 oz. 



Adult Female. 



The female wants the elongated crest, and differs greatly in colouring. 

 The head and neck are streaked with dark brown and light red, the fore 

 neck whitish; the upper parts mottled with dark brown, the anterior feathers 

 barred, the posterior margined with yellowish-white. The wings are nearly 

 as in the male, but the green of the speculum is less extensive; the lower 

 part of the fore neck is tinged with } T ellowish-red, and mottled with dark 

 brown, as are the sides; the rest of the lower parts white. 



Length to end of tail 13f; to end of claws H; extent of wings 22h 

 Weight 10 oz. 



