lU 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



neck much olcngated, farming a conspicnons ruff of soft, narrow feathers ; inner tertial 

 with the shaft much bent, giving to the outer web a falcate form, the inner web widened 

 into uu excessively broad, fan-like, or sail-like ornament. Tail short ; the rectrices shorter 

 than the lower coverts, mucli longer than the upper. {Ai.r, BoiK.) 

 A. sponsa. Feathering at the base of the maxilla extending much farther forward at the ric- 

 tus than at the sides of the forehead, and forming a gently curved (convex) line between 

 these points ; depth of the bill at the base much greater than the width, the upper base 

 of the maxilla forming a deep angle extending a considerable distance on each side of the 

 forehead ; feathers of the side of the head and neck short and \(d\ety; inner tertial of 

 normal form, the shaft straight. Tail long (half as long as the wing), vaultcil, graduated, 

 the feathers very broad, and extending far bt-yond the coverts. {Dcndruncssa, Swainson.) 



The nearest ally of Aix, so far as structure is concerned, in America, is the genus Cairina, 

 represented by the well-known Muscovy Duck (C. moschata) ; but this differs in many important 



A . .s/jo«Aa. 



particulars, chief among whi( h are the very large stature and marked discrepancy in size between 

 the sexes, and the brownish fleshy caruncles on the forehead and lores. The i)oints of siniilaiity 

 are numerous, however, the tail being long, broad, graduated, and somewhat vaidtcd, the nail 

 of the bill very large and broad, the nostrils large and open, the head crested, etc. Among the 

 peculiarities of Cairina, as distinguished from other American genera, are the naked and caruncled 

 face, the extremely lengthened secondaries, and relatively short greater wing-coverts. 



