Plate CCCXXXVIII. Male.
Very nearly allied to the Mallard, but with the bill narrower, no
recurved feathers in the tail, and the feet dull yellow; the speculum
more green without white bands, and a large patch of light red on the
side of the head; bill dull yellow, dusky along the ridge; head and
upper part of neck deep glossy green; an elongated patch of pale
reddish-yellow from the base of the bill over the cheeks to a
considerable way down the neck; a space immediately over and behind
the eye light dull purple; a narrow ring of pale yellowish-red on the
middle of the neck, of which the lower part is dull brownish-red, the
feathers with a transverse band of dusky, and edged with paler; upper
parts dull greyish-brown, transversely undulated with dusky; smaller
wing-coverts without undulations, but each feather with a dusky bar
behind another of light dull yellow; first row of smaller coverts
tipped with black; primaries and their coverts light brownish-grey;
some of the outer secondaries similar, the next five or six
duck-green, the next light grey with a dusky patch toward the end;
rump and upper tail-coverts black, as are the parts under the tail,
excepting two longitudinal white bands; tail-feathers light
brownish-grey, edged with whitish; all the rest of the lower parts
greyish-white edged with yellow, beautifully undulated with dusky
lines, on the middle of the breast these lines less numerous, and each
feather with a reddish-grey central streak.
_Male_, 23, 39.
One specimen procured in Louisiana.
Brewer's Duck, Anas Breweri, Aud. Orn. Biog. v. iv. p. 302.