316 A PRACTICAL HANDBOOK OF BRITISH BIRDS. 



white ; wing as adult female but secondaries including innermost 

 and wing-coverts without f recklings or vermiculations. 



First winter and summer. Male. — As adult but in many, 

 juvenile body-feathers are retained, especially those of breast, belly 

 and vent ; easily distinguished from adult by juvenile wing. Many 

 body -feathers, tail and occasionally some innermost secondaries 

 and coverts are moulted Aug. to Feb. but not rest of wings. Some 

 are in full winter -summer plumage by end Oct., while others with 

 juvenile breast and belly occur end Feb. 



First winter. Female. — Coloration as adult winter female and 

 only to be distinguished by retained juvenile wing-coverts. Many 

 body-feathers, usually some or all tail-feathers, occasionally some 

 innermost secondaries are moulted from Aug. onwards, some have 

 moulted into first winter by Oct. ; while others with juvenile 

 breast, belly and vent occur in Jan. First summer. — Forward 

 females appear to have a more or less complete body-moult in April 

 and assume a summer plumage and nest -down like that of adult ; 

 less forward birds, probably do not acquire a complete 1st winter 

 plumage but commence instead to get some feathers of summer 

 dress which may or may not be completely acquired (not much 

 material examined). 



First eclipse. Male. — As in adult eclipse and only to be dis- 

 tinguished if any juvenile body-feathers are retained and by 

 juvenile wing if not moulted. 



Measurements and structure. — <J wing 211-220 mm., tail 50-55, 

 tarsus 35-38, bill from feathers 45-49 (12 measured). $ wing 201- 

 212, bill 43-47. Primaries : 1st narrow, pointed and about half 

 longest primary-covert, 3rd longest, 2nd equal or slightly shorter, 

 4th 5-8 mm. shorter, 5th 14-21 shorter, 6th 27-36 shorter ; 2nd 

 emarginated inner web, 3rd outer web. Innermost secondaries 

 elongated with slightly rounded tips, longest between 4th and 5th 

 or 5th and 6th primaries. Scapulars with somewhat rounded tips. 

 Tail short, much rounded, 14 stimsh feathers. Bill about as long as 

 head, higher than broad at base, slightly wider towards tip, frontal 

 angles acutely pointed, culmen broad, rather concave in front of 

 nostrils, convex at tip, nail small and rounded at end ; lamellae of 

 upper mandible concealed. 



Soft parts.— Bill (ad. ^) base and tip blackish-slate, middle 

 portion light grey-blue, (ad. $) duller, (ad. $ summer) olive slate- 

 grey, tip blackish-olive, lower mandible blue-grey tinged pink ; 

 legs and feet (ad. ^) dull grey, webs blackish-slate, (ad $) very light 

 greenish-grey, joints and webs slate ; iris (ad <$) reddish-yellow, in 

 spring brilliant red, (ad. $) brown, in summer reddish hazel-brown, 

 (juv. £) light brown becoming pale yellow. 



Characters and allied forms.— N. f americana (N. America) is 

 larger, male is also distinguished by magenta-coppery gloss 

 on nape and sides of neck, and by other differences, adult females 

 appear to have upper-parts less vermiculated. Common Pochard 



