388 Synopsis of the Birds 



Hardly able to walk, standing with the body erect, the 

 feet wide apart, and turned out : run rather rapidly, but 

 awkwardly, appearing to fall at ever} 7 step. Swim very deep 

 in the water. Flight heavy, rapid, whistling. 



Spread all over the globe ; chiefly Arctic. Species nume- 

 rous. Deserve generic separation, as is proved by their 

 form, habits, and especially their skeleton, the best test of 

 genera. We divide the North American species into five 

 subgenera. 



SUBGENUS I. SOMATERIA. 



Les Eiders, Cuv. Anser, Briss. Somateria, Leach. 

 Boie. Steph. 



Bill small, elevated at base, extending up the forehead, 

 and divided by a triangular projection of feathers, towards the 

 point narrow and blunt: nostrils medial. Secondaries gene- 

 rally curved outwards, overlapping the primaries. Tail of 

 fourteen feathers.* 



Plumage remarkably thick and close : down of an exqui- 

 site softness, valuable. Size large. 



Exclusively pelagic : breeding near the sea : eggs com- 

 paratively few. Connects this genus with Anser. 



331. Fuligula mollissima, Nob. Branches of the bill narrow, 

 linear : no mirror. 



Male black, head and back white ; crown black. 



Female, wholly reddish-drab, spotted with black ; two 

 white bands across the wings. 



* It is lamentable to find authors generally attribute twelve feathers to 

 the tail of all the Geese, Ducks, &c. We have made use of this charac- 

 ter in our specific phrases, more to excite inquiry on that point than for 

 any thing else, for we are well aware that the number is variable in some 

 cases, and for that reason left out by authors : Ave think, however, that in 

 most cases the character is excellent, and at all events, we have constantly 

 given it as additional. 



