145 



SOMATERIA. EIDER. 



The Eider Ducks are birds of large size, having the body 

 of an elliptical form, and considerably depressed ; the neck 

 of moderate length and thick ; the head large, oblong, com- 

 pressed. 



Bill nearly as long as the head, higher than broad at the 

 base, depressed toward the end, where it is considerably 

 narrowed, but rounded ; upper mandible with the lateral 

 sinuses very large, the upper very long and narrow ; the 

 frontal angles very long, soft, and tumid, in the males 

 forming a protuberance, on which is a medial band of 

 feathers ; the ridge beyond the nostrils becoming convex ; 

 the dorsal line straight and sloping to the unguis, which is 

 extremely large, elliptical, convex, and moderately decurved ; 

 the sides erect at the base, the edges thin, concealing the 

 not very numerous slender lamellae ; lower mandible flat- 

 tened, with the intercrural space long, pointed, and partially 

 bare ; the unguis very large, broadly elliptical, little convex ; 

 the gape-line gently rearcuate. 



Mouth of moderate width ; anterior palate broadly con- 

 cave, with a medial prominent line, on which are some 

 tubercles, and from thirty to forty marginal lamellae. Tongue 

 large, fleshy, with numerous conical papillae at the base, a 

 de ep median groove, two lateral series of bristles, and a thin 

 rounded tip. OEsophagus of moderate width. Stomach a 

 powerful gizzard of a transversely elliptical form, its muscles 

 very large, the epithelium longitudinally rugous, and forming 

 thick grinding plates. Intestine of moderate length, wide ; 

 cceca moderate, narrow. 



The trachea of nearly uniform width, but having at the 

 lower end a transversely oblong dilatation, projecting more 



VOL. V. L 



