148 



NATURAL IIISTOIiV OF DUiDS. 



Sorao species have one or tlie other organ extremely tleveloped or nhnornially devel- 

 opci], as tlie comnioii shuvelers (Sjuidiln) and tlie lolje-hilled shovelein (Malacorltyn- 

 t/i««), wliich liave the Mil extremely exjiandiil towards the extremity, and the lamelhe 

 very long and thin, like a horny fringe aroun<l the tomin; the latter, an Australian 

 s])eeies of peculiar coloration, light hrowtiish gray witii dark liinules, giving the plu- 

 mage a scaly a])i)earance, and a small, glossy, pinkish spot behind the eye, has besides, 

 a soft membranaceous flap attached to each side of the anterior part of the bill. The 

 male mallanl {Anas boschax) has some of the upj>er tail-coverts recurved in a peculiar 

 manner; the mandarin-duck {Dcndronessa galerliiihUu),irwn Eastern Asia, has a ruff 

 on the side of thi' ni<k, and the inner tertial niodilit'd into an erect fan or sail-like 

 ornament ; tht' ]iiM-tail ( Dafihi itciita) and the ' old scjnaw ' ( ( 'laiiffula hyetnalis) have 



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Flo. Tl. — SptUuta clypeator, ahoTeler-duck. 



the midille tail-feathers i-xtremely lengthen(<l .111. 1 pointed; the scoters and surf-ducks 

 (OiVw/j/fj) have a variously formed knob or tmiior at base of the bill; many forms 

 have shoulder-ftathers and tertials greatly li>ngtlii'ned and ])endant, etc. ; but all are 

 closely connected otherwise. The geographical distribution offers no peculiarities of 

 a general nature, except that the sea-ducks are more numerous in the boreal regions 

 than elsewhere. 



Some of the most tastefully and delicately colored birds are found among the 

 ducks, and some of the rarest coloi-s in the class are here met with. We have already 

 mentioned the j)ink spot behind the eye of the lobe-billed slioveler. An Indian 

 sjx'cies, lihodoneKmi oin/op/ii/lhicoi, riin.irk;ible as a fivsh-water-duck with the wind- 

 j>ipe of a sea-duck, is still more extraordinarily colored, both sexes having the head 

 and the back of the neck of a beautiful, pale, rosy pink, with a small tuft of still 



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