276 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



tarsus 35-40, bill from feathers 38-45 (12 measured). § wing 238- 

 258, bill from feathers 36-42. Primaries : 1st narrow, pointed and 

 little more than half longest primary- covert, 3rd longest, 2nd equal 

 or 3-7 mm, shorter, 4th 9-15 shorter, 5th 22-27 shorter, 6th 36-42 

 shorter ; 2nd emarginated inner and 3rd outer webs. Innermost 

 secondaries tapering (in eclipse shorter and less tapering), longest 

 between 6th and 7th primaries. Scapulars long and pointed at tip 

 (in eclipse broader and less pointed). Tail rounded, 16 feathers, 

 central pair pointed. Bill shorter than head, about as deep as 

 broad at base, sides nearly parallel but converging towards base, 

 culmen gently concave in middle, straight and flattened anteriorly, 

 nail abruptly decurved, lamellae distinctly exposed. 



Soft parts. — Bill (ad. (J) leaden-grey, (ad. $) dusky, on sides dull 

 orange, (juv.) pomeranian- yellow ; legs and feet (ad. <£) dull orange 

 (paler in ?), webs dusky, (juv.) saffron-yellow ; iris brown. 



Characters. — No subspecies. Males distinguished by black and 

 white speculum, black greater and chestnut on median coverts, 

 females by blackish-grey and white speculum and black or olive - 

 brown greater coverts. 



Field -characters. — More addicted to fresh -water than Mallard ; 

 is rather smaller and sits higher in water, with stern more elevated. 

 In flight, wings appear more pointed. Crescentic marks on fore- 

 parts, grey in male, brown in female, are noticeable at close quarters. 

 Male has orange -yellow, not orange -red, feet, and lead-grey, not 

 olive -green, bill ; and velvet black tail-coverts and dark chestnut 

 wing-coverts are useful guides ; but outstanding character in both 

 sexes, especially in flight, is white speculum. Usual call a chuckling 

 croak ; male during courtship utters a low deliberate " ep, ep, 

 pair " (Coward). 



Breeding-habits. — Usually nests in thick vegetation near water. 

 Nest. — In depression of ground, lined characteristic white -tipped 

 dark down (feathers from nest see Brit. Birds, Vol. II, PI. 1). 

 Eggs. — Usually 7 or 8 to 13, but 16 on record, like those of 

 Wigeon, warm yellowish -cream. Average of 100 eggs, 55.3x39.7. 

 Max.: 58x41 and 57.5x43.5. Min. : 51x34.5 and 51 X 34.5 mm. 

 Breeding -season. — First half May. Incubation. — By female alone ; 

 said to last 21 days(?). Single-brooded. 



Food. — Mainly vegetable, buds, leaves and roots of water-plants, 

 as well as seeds, grain and grass. In India rice is eaten, and a mass 

 of white worms was once found in stomach. Naumann also includes 

 besides worms, small molluscs, spawn and fry of fish and frogs. 



Distribution. — British Isles. — Resident and winter-visitor (mid- 

 Aug.-end Oct. to March-mid -April). Breeds regularly in fair 

 numbers (originally introduced) Norfolk and Suffolk and since 1909 

 (probably 1908) on Loch Leven (Kinross), in Caithness 1912 and 

 1914, in Ross and Sutherland 1913, probably in Midlothian 1916, 

 in Fife 1918. Also bred Peebles 1906 but uncertain if genuine wild 



