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May, 1915 A HYBRID DUCK 117 There is but little distinctive in the coloration of this bird to be seized upon as definitely determining its relationships, though its size and propor- tions are such as at once to attract attention. It is rather singular that upon careful analysis of colors and patterns there appears to be such a lack of rec- ognizable characters of this sort serving to distinguish iramatures of such widely different birds as are the Shovellet and the Cinnamon and Blue-winged Teals. The specimen in hand, an immature male, is in general appearance most suggestive of the Shovellet, but in coloration and pattern exhibits noth- ing that might not be included in the range of variation in any one of these species. The bill, of course, is the striking feature, for although less exagger- ated than in the Shovellet, it is still of unwieldy size. In the accompanying table of measurements comparison is made between the supposed hybrid and adult males of Spatula clypeata, Querquedula cyanop- tera, and Q. discors. Analysis of the figures is of interest. The two teals are of approximately the same size, and it will be noted that the bird in question in its general proportions occupies a position almost exactly intermediate, be- tween the teals on the one hand, and the Shoveller on the other. There are certain slight differences in measurements between the two species of Quer- quedula; and in every particular save in bill measurements our bird is nearer to discors than to cyanoptera. It would be unsafe to draw any inferences as to its parentage from this alone, however, for the crossing of the Cinnamon Teal with the Shovellet would naturally result in a bird somewhat larger than the former, hence in size rather nearer to discors. The foot measurements of the supposed hybrid are noteworthy, for though a relatively large bird, as com- pared with the teal, these measurements are almost exactly as in discors. MEASUREMENTS IN MILLIMETERS OF ADULT MALES OF SHOVELLEE, CINNAMON TEAL, BLUE- WINGED TEAL, AND SUPPOSED HYBRID ,Spatula Querquedula clypeata Hybrid Querquedula cyanoptera discors no. 415' no. 473' no. 178 ? no. 39552 Length of wing ........................................................ 243 200 179 189.5 Length of tail ........................................................ 85.5 70 62 68.2 Exposed culmen .................................................... 67.2 50 44 42 Length of bill from anterior end of nostril .... 49 39.5 34.2 32.5 Greatest width of bill ........................................ 29.8 21 18 16 Width of bill at narrowest point? ................... 14.5 13.5 17 13.5 Depth of upper mandible at base .................... 15.8 15 14.2 13.8 Length of tarsus .................................................... 37 32 33 32 Length of middle toe without claw ................ 43 38 39.5 37 ?Collection of Museum of History, Science and Art. 2Collection of F. S. Daggett. Though the coloration of this bird is, as stated above, of an undecisive nature, there is one feature that is worth notice. The appearance of the lower breast and abdomen, reddish ground color with black spots, is at once sug- gestive of the adult male of the Blue-winged Teal, and in fact it is very closely similar to the markings in the single bird of that species I have had for com- parison. After all, however, details of coloration do not help much, for in any case a mixed parentage, with the Shovellet on one side, and either of the teals of the genus Querquedula on the other, might produce the result before us. It seems safe to say, though, that some one of these combinations must have occurred. Only the Shovellet could have produced such a bill, modified as it is, and only