Gad wall. 



GAD WALL (Anas strepera, Linn^us.) 



Anas Strepera, Linn. Syst. 1. p. 200. 20.— Gmel. Syst. 2 p. 520.— Ind. Orn. 2. p. 

 859. 69.— Bri>s. 6. p. 339. 8. t. 33. f. 1.— Ib. 8vo. 2. p. 452.— Temm. Man. 

 d'Orn. 2. p. 837. — Flem. Br. Anim. p. 124. — Anas platyrhynchos, Baii, Syn. 



p. 145. A. 2. — Will. p. 287.~Chipeau, Buff. Ois. 9. p. 187. t. 12 Gadwall, 



or Grey, Br. Zool. 2. No. 288.— 16. fol. p. 157. t. Q. 3.— Arct. Zool. 2. p. 



575. I Will. (Angl.) p. 374. t. 72.— Lewin's Br. Birds, 7. t. 2.58.— Lath. 



Syn. 6. p. 515. 16.— Wale. Syn. 2. t. 68 Pult. Cat. Dorset, p. 21 Linn. 



Trans. 4. p. 111. t. 13. f. 10 Bewick's Br. Birds, 2. p. 13. 



Provincial. — Rodge. Grey. 



This species of duck is about the size of a widgeon ; length nineteen 

 inches. The bill is two inches long, flat, and black ; head, and most 

 part of the neck, reddish brown, spotted with black ; sides of the head, 

 throat, and fore-part of the neck, rufous white, spotted with brown ; 

 the lower part of the neck, upper part of the back, breast, and scapulars, 

 elegantly marked with black and white curved lines ; lower part of the 

 back dusky brown ; rump, upper and under tail coverts, black ; belly 

 dirty white ; sides and thighs marked with light brown lines ; the 

 coverts on the ridge of the wing are pale reddish brown ; beneath that 

 of a purplish red ; the lowest order of a deep black ; greater quills 

 dusky; on the lesser quills is a white patch; the tail ash-coloured, 

 edged with white ; legs orange. 



The female has the same markings in the wings, but not near so 

 bright in colour ; the breast reddish brown, spotted with black ; the 

 feathers on the neck, back, and rump, edged with pale reddish brown ; 

 the curved lines on the neck and breast of the male are wanting in this 

 sex. During the many years we have attended to the subject of Orni- 

 thology, we have never been able to procure a fresh specimen of this 

 duck. The trachea which, as it becomes better known, forms a strong 



