88 
THE HARLEQUIN DUCK. 
dary short, broad, and rounded. Tail very sffort, 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 4, to end of claws 
16 4 ; extent of wings 26£; wing from flexure 71 ; tail 34 ; bill along the 
back lyV, along the edge of lower mandible 1 4 ; tarsus lW ; middle toe 2, 
its claw T V Weight 14 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 
