232 



MERGUS. SMEAY. 



Bill shorter than the head, straight, rather stout as com- 

 pared with that of a Merganser, rather slender compared with 

 that of a Duck, and in fact combining the characters of both, 

 higher than broad at the base, tapering to the end, where it 

 is nearly cylindrical ; upper mandible with its dorsal line 

 declinate nearly to the unguis, which is oblongo-elliptical 

 and abruptly decurved, the lateral sinuses short and rounded, 

 the upper broad and rather angular, the ridge broad at the 

 base, gradually narrowed, broadly convex toward the end, 

 the nasal sinus oblong, sub-basal, the edges marginate, serrate 

 Avith the dentiform, tapering, slightly reversed ends of the 

 oblique short lamella? ; lower mandible with the intercrural 

 space long, narrowly-pointed, but much Avider than in the 

 Mergansers, the crura slender, nearly straight, laterally 

 grooved, their erect edges serrate Avith minute erect dentiform 

 lamellae, the unguis oblongo-trigonal and convex. 



The mouth rather nan-ow, but dilatable ; palate flat, roof 

 of upper mandible considerably concave, with a medial rough- 

 ish ridge, and on each side a series of very small lamellae, 

 separated by a groove from the marginal series. Tongue 

 rather slender, fleshy, grooved alwve, papillate at the base, 

 bristly above and on the edges, the tip narrow, concave, and 

 rounded. 



The other characters are similar to those of the Mer- 

 gansers ; but the tail has only sixteen feathers. 



The only species of this genus known to me is in external 

 form almost as much a Duck as a INlerganser, and, were the 

 latter genus unknown, would no doubt rank as an " aberrant" 

 Fuligula. As its history will be found in the following 

 pages, it is needless to say more on the present occasion. 



