DUCKS AND ALLIED SPECIES. 11 



coming a little broader toward the end, sometimes more or 

 less rearcuate ; the upper mandible with the frontal angles 

 moderate and pointed, the ridge flattened at the base, the 

 sides convex toward the end, the unguis oblong, decurved, 

 and rather small ; the upper mandible internally concave, 

 with a medium prominent line, and on each side a series of 

 transverse, thin lamella?, the outer extremities of which pro- 

 ject more or less. There are similar, but smaller lamella?, 

 on the sides of the lower mandible. The mouth is rather 

 narrow ; the tongue fleshy, deeply grooved above, with lateral 

 series of bristles, and a thin, broadly rounded tip. The oeso- 

 phagus is of moderate width, or rather narrow, the stomach 

 a very large, transversely elliptical gizzard, with very large 

 muscles, a thick rugous epithelium, and somewhat concave 

 gi-inding surfaces ; the intestine very long, of moderate width, 

 with very long coeca. The trachea is of nearly uniform 

 width ; the inferior larynx has an osseous enlargement, gene- 

 rally transverse, and bulging on the left side. 



The nostrils are oblong, and of moderate or small size ; 

 the eyes small, as are the apertures of the ears. The legs are 

 generally short, sometimes of moderate length, or rather long; 

 the tibia bare for a very short space ; the tarsus compressed, 

 reticulated, and furnished with very small anterior scutella ; 

 the hind toe very small, elevated, with a narrow lobiform 

 membrane ; the inner toe much shorter than the outer, which 

 is little exceeded by the third ; the interdigital membranes 

 full ; the claws small, little arched, compressed, rather acute, 

 that of the middle toe having its inner edge expanded. 



The plumage dense, firm, elastic, blended ; the feathers of 

 the head and upper neck small, of the other parts large ; the 

 scapulars large ; the wings of moderate length, rather narrow, 

 pointed, the first and second quills being longest; the inner 

 secondaries oblong ; the tail moderate, of more than twelve 

 feathers. 



The Anatinee feed essentially on stems and roots of grasses 

 and other plants, leaves, and seeds, but also on mollusca, in- 

 sects, worms, and occasionally reptiles. They are mostly 

 gregarious, and migratory. The males are always larger, and 

 usually differently coloured. The outer webs of some of the 



