exhibited some red colour at the tip of the feathers, and the'
rest black; the metallic green also being clouded with black,
at the end of white feathers. Probably, adds the author, a
young male, or perhaps a male in the moult.”
The female, according to Mr. .Selby, has:<e the chin $,nd
throat pale buffi Head and neck the, same, but with spots
and streaks of black, those upon the «.crown-of the head, being
larger and more distinct. Lower part of the neck, and sides
of the breast, pale yellowish-brown, with blackish-brown
spots.. Planks variegated with yellowish-brown, and blackish
brown. Upper parts blackish-brown, the feathers being
deeply margined with reddish-white, and pale : yellowish-
brown. : Lesser_wing-coyerts: hair-brown, with thefmwer tier
deeply tipped with pale reddish-brown. The upper half of
the speculum. green, with purple reflections; the lower half
velvet black, with white tips to the feathers. . Quills and tail
hair-brown, the latter margined with white and reddish-white.
Legs orange^-.
This species, it has been, observed,-has been confounded
by some authors with the Japan Teal, Anas formosa, but
Anas glocitans, though marked something like it on the head
and neck, is a much larger bird, and the two species;, could
«scarcely be confounded together by those who had ever had
the opportunity of seeing both. .
NATATORES. ANATIDÆ.
TH E W ILD DUCK.
Anas boschus, The Mallard,
'* Wild Duett
I ,JPenn. B£it. Zóql. völ.ji.p, 258,
Mont. Ornith.
,, ,, ■ BE^rcK, Brit. Birds,.vol. ii, p. 342,
Commoh , , 'Æ iSplem. Brit. An. p. 123,
,, Wild,, Selbt, Brit. Ormth, vol. ii, p.305.
The Mallard, • J-Ênttçis, Brit. Vert. p. 233,
Comtnón Wild Duck, Goued, Birds of Europe, pt.
Canard sauvage. Temm. Man. d’Ornith. vol. ii, p, 835,
F rom the evidence of Pennant and others it appears certain
that the Wild Duck was formerly much more numerous
in the British Islands than it is at present. To.the progress
of draining, and the consequent extension of agriculture this
change may be greatly attributed, and though a few pairs of
this handsome and valuable species may still remain here to