BIRDS ANATINAE — AIX SPONSA. 785 



Florida. The present description is based on a Florida skin, presented by Mr. Geo. N. Law- 

 rence to the Smithsonian Institution. 



It is hardly necessary to repeat the common characters of this species and the American Bald- 

 patc, the chief difference being in the head and neck. This is of a reddish brown or cinnamon color, 

 not barred at all ; the cheeks and chin with small spots of dusky. The forehead and crown are 

 creamy white ; the region near the base of the bill laterally quite similar, but spotted. The 

 region immediately around the eye is greenish, most prominent on the posterior edge, but, 

 except in the immediate vicinity of the orbit, there are only a few spots of green on the side of 

 the head behind. The sides of the head below are paler cinnamon or chestnut than on the neck ; 

 the chin is blackish. I am unable to detect any other differences of importance. According to 

 ^Mr. Lawrence, (Griraud, Birds L. Island, 309,) " the bill is much higher at the base, and with- 

 out the black line where it joins the head ; the nail black, with minute punctures. The frontal 

 feathers extend on the bill a quarter of an inch, forming an acute angle, (not the case in ours ;) 

 the under wing coverts are ash gray intsead instead of white." 



AIX, Boie. 



•^ix, Boie, Isis, 1828, 329. Type ,3nas galericulata, L. 



Dendronessa , Swainson, F. B. Am. 1831. Type, ^nas sponsa, L. 

 Ch. — Bill very high at the base, where the upper lateral angle runs back much behind the lower edge of the bill. Nostrils 

 very large,, and scarcely enveloped by membrane ; the feathers of the forehead reaching to their posterior edge. Nail very large 

 and much hooked, occupying the entire tip of bill. Lamellae depressed, broad, and distant. Bill, from feathers of forehead, 

 shorter than the head, and equal to the tarsus. Head crested ; claws short, much curved, and very sharp. Tail about half the 

 wings, vaulted, cuneate, but truncate at the tip ; the coverts nearly as long as the feathers. 



This genus, embracing the most beautiful of American ducks, is very different from all our 

 others, and almost entitled to rank as the type of a separate sub-family. A great peculiarity in 

 Anatinae is the very large and much curved nail of the bill ; which, in this respect, as well as 

 in its height and narrowing to the tip, resembles that of the Anserinae. The second species of 

 the genus is the celebrated mandarin duck of China, A, galericulata. The characters of A, 

 sponsa, are as follows : 



Head green, glossed laterally with purple. A line from the upper corner of the bill, one 

 from behind the eye, and two bars on the side of the head confluent with the chin and upper part 

 of throat, white; jugulum and sides of tail purple ; under parts white, the sides yellowish, banded 

 with black, and behind, subterminally, with white ; speculum bluish green ; primaries 

 silver white externally, at the tip ; back uniform, with various reflections A. sponsa. 



AIX SPONSA, Boie. 



Summer Dnck. 



Anas sponsa, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, 1766, 207.— Gm. 1, 539.— Lath. Ind. II, 1790, 876.— Wilson, Am. Orn. VIII, 1814, 



97 ; pi. Ixx.— Bon. Obs. No. 261 Ann. Orn. Biog. Ill, 1835, 53 : V, 618; pi. 206.— Ib. Syn. 2sO.— 



Ib. Birds Amer. VI, 1843, 271 ; pi. 391. 



Aix sponsa, Boie, Isis, 1828, 329 Eyton, Mon. Anat 1838, 120. 



Dendronessa sponsa, Sw. F. Bor. Am. II, 1831, 446. 



Anas {Bosclias) sponsa, Nhttall, Man. II, 1834, 394. 



Summer duck, Penn. II, 563. 



August 19, 1858. 



09 b 



