THE HARLEaUIN DUCK. 377 



clary short, broad and rounded. Tail very short, cuneate, of sixteen strong 

 tapering feathers. 



Bill light yellowish-olive, the tips of the unguis lighter. Iris reddish- 

 brown. Feet light blue, the webs greyish-black, the claws whitish. A 

 broad band from the base of the bill to the occiput bluish-black, margined 

 behind with light yellowish-red, before with white, that colour forming a 

 broad triangular spot on the cheek anterior to the eye. Sides of the head, 

 and neck all round, purplish-blue; a spot of white behind the ear, a curved 

 line on the side of the neck, a complete ring of white below the middle of 

 the neck, with a curved band of the same colour anterior to the wing. All 

 these white markings broadly edged with deep black. The fore part of the 

 back light purplish-blue, the hind part gradually deepening in tint, so as to 

 become almost black, of which colour is the rump all round. Scapulars 

 chiefly white; wing-coverts purplish-blue, as are the alula and primary 

 coverts, the quills dark greyish-brown, the tail greyish-black, a small white 

 spot near the flexure of the wing; a band of white across the wing, formed 

 by the tips of the secondaries, of which the inner have their outer webs 

 principally of the same colour. Fore part of the breast purplish-blue, hind 

 part and abdomen greyish-brown, sides light red; a lateral spot of white near 

 the root of the tail. 



Length to end of tail 17^ inches, to end of wings 14^, to end of claws 

 16^; extent of wings 26^; wing from flexure 7§; tail 3^; bill along the 

 back 1 T V, along the edge of lower mandible 1^; tarsus 1^; middle toe 2, its 

 claw 7 %. Weight 1| lbs. 



Male in the second year. 



The young male, after the first moult, is greyish-brown on the back and 

 wings, light brownish-grey beneath. The head and neck are of a dull 

 leaden-blue, the upper part of the head darker. The white spot before the 

 eye is mottled with grey, the line extending over the eye obscure, and the 

 edging of the occiput faint reddish-brown. The two white marks exist on 

 the sides of the neck, but are merely edged with darker blue; there are 

 slight indications of the white collar, and the band before the wing is mark- 

 ed, but much smaller than in the adult. The quills are dark brown, but the 

 secondaries are not tipped with white, of which there are but slight indica- 

 tions on the scapulars. The upper tail-coverts are blackish, the tail bluish- 

 grey, lighter at the end. The bill is dusky, the feet of a leaden tint. 



Male in the third year. 



After the second moult, the male has greatly improved in colouring, 

 although the tints are not nearly so pure as in the old bird. The hind part 

 of the back is still brown, as are the wing-coverts; the sides are dark brown- 

 ish-grey, with undulated yellowish-red bars. The white collar is not yet 



Vol. VI. 52 



