Genus Querquedula. Stephens, Continuation of Shaw’s Zoology, XII. p.
142, (1824.)
Size small, bill rather long, straight, of nearly equal width throughout
its length, lamellæ well defined, wings moderate, pointed, with the
second quill usually longest, tail moderate, pointed, tarsi short, toes
fully webbed.
Querquedula cyanoptera. (Vieill.)
Anas cyanoptera. (Vieill.) Nouv. Dict., V. p. 104, (1816.)
Anas Rafflesii. King, Zool. Jour., IV. p. 97, (1828.)
“Pterocyanea cœruleata. (Licht.)” Gray, Gen. of Birds, II. p. 617,
(1845.)
Form. Small; wing rather long, with the second quill distinctly longest;
tertiaries and scapulars, long; two central tail-feathers pointed; bill,
rather long.
Dimensions. Total length (of skin), about 15 inches; wing, 8; tail, 3½
inches.
Colors. Male. Top of the head, chin and under tail-coverts, brownish
black; head, neck and entire under parts, deep purplish chestnut;
abdomen with a large spot of brownish black; back, scapulars, rump and
upper tail-coverts, brownish black, edged with dull chestnut; large
space on the shoulder and lesser wing-coverts, light sky-blue, succeeded
by a transverse band of white, speculum brilliant grass-green; a portion
of the two first scapulars blue, and all with a central stripe of pale
reddish chestnut. Bill dark; feet yellow.
Female. Shoulders blue as in the male, but no trace of the chestnut
color which prevails in the latter, that being replaced by a mottled
yellowish and brown, very similar to the females of several other
species of ducks. Head above brownish black.
Hab. Utah, California, Louisiana, Chili. Spec. in Mus. Acad. Philada.,
and Nat. Mus. Washington.
Obs. This very handsome species does not resemble any other species
likely to be confounded with it. With other species of Teals, it has
been placed in a distinct genus under the name _Pterocyanea_, Bonaparte,
in which, however, we fail to perceive sufficient characters to warrant
a separation from _Querquedula_.
SYNOPSIS
OF
NORTH AMERICAN BIRDS.