AVIS-IBIS

Birds of Indian Subcontinent

322. Erismatura leucocephala

322. Erismatura leucocephala.

THE WHITE-PACED DUCK.

Male 16 1/2" to 18". Legs plumbeous. Bill ultramarine. Crown black. Sides of head white. Blackish neck-ring. Above hair-brown, minutely speckled fulvous. Below bright orange-fulvous.— Female: Head black, with chin, lower cheeks, and a stripe from upper mandible to gape white. Mediterranean to C. Asia, occasionally visiting N, India. Seven to nine eggs, dull white. (B. 1611. H. & M. iii. 289.)

Also E. jamaicensis. 16". Legs grey-blue. Bill grey-blue. Upper part of head black, cheeks and chin white. Back, scapulars, sides, and flanks chestnut. Below silver-white. Temperate N. America.

E. maccoa. 18". Legs dark blue. Bill blue-black. Head and neck black. Upper breast, sides, and flanks chestnut. Beneath silver-grey. S. Africa.

E. vittata. 17 1/2". Legs black. Bill blue-grey. Head and nape black. Throat, breast, sides, flanks, and above bright chestnut. Axillaries grey, edged white. S. America.

E. australis. 16". Legs grey. Bill light blue. Head, throat, and neck black. Breast, back, and flanks chestnut. Rump black, freckled red. Below rufous-white. S. and W. Australia and Tasmania.

E. ferruginea. 17". Similar to E. vittata, but chin is white, and under tail-coverts rusty-red. Bolivia and Peru.

E. aequatorialis. Similar to E. ferruginea, but under tail-coverts are white. Ecuador. Also the genus Thalassiornis. With nail of bill perpendicular :—

T. leuconota. 16" to 17". Legs dark brown. Bill blue. Upper part of head, nape, and throat black. Spot near base of bill buff. Sides of head yellow, spotted black. Back, scapulars, and wing-coverts banded black and red. Rump white. Abdomen dusky. S. Africa.

Also the genus Nomonyx. With nail of bill perpendicular:—

N. dominicus. 15". Legs brown. Bill blue, nail and tip black. Head black. Chin with naked skin black. Neck and breast cinnamon. Wings brown, with white speculum. Tropical America, including the West Indies.

Also the genus Biziura. With pendent lobe on chin. Tail of twenty-four feathers. One species, viz.—

B. lobata. 26". Legs grey. Bill and lobe green-black. Upper part of head and nape dark brown, sprinkled lighter. Chest and flanks blackish brown, narrowly barred white. Below buff. Australia (except northern part) and Tasmania.

BookTitle: 
Game, Shore And Water Birds Of India
Reference: 
Le Messurier, Augustus. Game, Shore, and Water Birds of India Fourth Edition, 1904.
Title in Book: 
322. Erismatura leucocephala
Book Author: 
A Le Messurier
CatNo: 
322
Year: 
1904
Page No: 
285
Common name: 
White Paced Duck
M_ID: 
581
M_CN: 
White-headed Duck
M_SN: 
Oxyura leucocephala
Volume: 
4th ed.
id: 
13201

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