SURF SCOTER. 131 



sion, then seventy-eight rings, followed by the lower ex- 

 pansion, which is formed of about twelve united rings, and 

 at the lower part six distinct and ten united rings. 



The nostrils are elliptical, large, submedial, near the 

 ridge. The eyes rather small. The feet very short ; the 

 tarsus compressed, with small anterior scutella. The hind 

 toe is small, with a lobiform membrane; the outer toes 

 nearly equal, and almost double the length of the tarsus ; 

 the interdigital membranes full. The claw of the hind toe 

 is very small and curved, that of the middle toe with the 

 inner edge dilated, those of the rest slender, little arched, 

 compressed, rather obtuse. 



The plumage is soft, dense, and glossy ; the feathers of 

 the head and neck blended and velvety. The wings are 

 rather short, narrow, and pointed ; the primary quills curved, 

 strong, tapering, pointed ; the first longest, the secondaries 

 broad and rounded, the inner elongated and tapering. The 

 tail is very short, narrow, cuneate, of fourteen stiff, pointed 

 feathers. 



The upper mandible is orange-red, with the ungvus 

 yellowish-grey, and on the protuberance of each side at the 

 base a large square patch of black, margined with orange- 

 red, unless in front, where there is a patch of greyish-white ; 

 the lower mandible flesh-coloured, with the unguis darker. 

 The iris yellowish-white. The tarsi and toes are orange- 

 red ; the webs dusky ; the claws black. The plumage is 

 deep black, glossed with blue, of a lighter tint beneath. On 

 the top of the head is a roundish patch of white, and on the 

 hind-neck a larger, elongated patch of the same. 



Length to end of tail 20 inches ; wing from flexure 9f ; 

 tail 3|; bill along the ridge l^^, along the edge of lower 

 mandible 2^ ; tarsus 1^ ; hind toe -j%, its claw -^ ; middle 

 toe and claw 2-^. 



Female. — The female has the base of the bill much less 

 protuberant, its colour greenish-black ; the iris yellowish- 

 white ; the feet yellowish-orange, with the webs dusky and 

 the claws black. The general colour of the plumage is 

 brownish-black, the lower parts being lighter. 



