TUFTED SCAUP-DUCK. 123 



ments, the tip thin, horny, and rounded. The oesophagus 

 is nine inches long, of moderate width ; the proventriculus 

 nine-twelfths in breadth, its glandules cylindrical. The 

 stomach is a very powerful gizzard, of an elliptical form, 

 compressed, and situated obliquely ; its greatest diameter 

 two inches and a quarter ; the lateral muscles an inch thick ; 

 the epithelium dense, slightly rugous, with two circular 

 grinding surfaces. The intestine is seven feet three inches 

 long ; its width four-twelfths for about a foot, then to the 

 coeca averaging five-twelfths. The coeca are seven inches 

 long, and come oif at the distance of four inches from the 

 end. The rectum is four-twelfths in width. 



The nostrils are small, two-twelfths long, situated at 

 about a third of the length of the bill ; the eyes small, as is 

 the aperture of the ear. The feet are very short, and placed 

 rather far behind ; the tarsus very short, compressed, with 

 seventeen anterior small scutella, eight outer scutella, the 

 rest covered with angular scales. The hind toe very small, 

 with twelve double scales ; the second with twenty-five scu- 

 tella, the third with thirty-four, the fourth with forty-eight ; 

 the outer toes about equal, the inner with a two-lobed 

 margin ; the hind toe with a small inferior membrane ; the 

 interdigital membranes emarginate. The claws are small, 

 very slender, slightly arched, rather acute, the inner edge of 

 the third little expanded. 



The plumage is dense, firm, soft, glossy, and blended ; 

 the feathers of the head and upper part of the neck short 

 and velvety ; those on the top of the head elongated, lineai-, 

 decurved, forming a large longitudinal crest, of which the 

 longest feathers measure three inches. The wings are short, 

 narrow, concave, and pointed, with twenty-six quills ; the 

 primaries narrow, tapering, the first longest, the second 

 scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; the secondary 

 quills incurved, short, broad, obliquely rounded, the inner 

 elongated and tapering. The tail is very small, much 

 rounded, of fourteen stiffish, pointed feathers. 



The bill is of a light greyish-blue colour, with the 

 unguis black. The iris bright yellow. The feet bluish- 

 grey, the webs dusky, the claws black. The head and upper 



