454 ANATIDJE. 



vertically. It flies and walks well, but is not a fast swimmer. 

 As regards its value for food, there may be differences of opinion 

 as to which is the best duck for the table, but there is no question 

 that of all the true ducks this is the worst ; at the same time, it is 

 sometimes eatable, and its rankness is much diminished by its being 

 skinned before it is cooked. 



Genus MARMARONETTA, Eeichenb., 1852. 



The Marbled Duck has been bandied about from one generic 

 group to another, and has been referred in turn to Dafila, Anas, 

 Querquedula , Chaulelasmus, and even Faliyula, with none of which 

 has it any real affinity. It clearly must be placed in a genus by 

 itself, if only on account of its peculiar dull greyish plumage, 

 without any coloured speculum. 



The bill is about equal to the head in length, and shaped as in 

 Nettium rather narrow, with the two sides parallel, and the 

 nostril near the base. The wings are short and rounded ; tail 

 moderately long, pointed, of 14 feathers. Head with a short but 

 full occipital crest, more developed in the drake. Labyrinth of 

 trachea lateral, very similar to those of Anas and Nettium. 



A single species. 



Fig. 119. Bill of M. avgustirostris. . 



1603. Marmaronetta angustirostris. The Marbled Duck. 



Anas angustirostris, Menetr. Cat. Rais. Cauc. p. 58 (1832) ; Blanf. 



East. Pers. ii, p. 301. 



Anas marmorata, Gould, P. Z. S. 1 836, p. 59. 

 Marmaronetta angustirostris, Reichenb. Natilrl. Syst. Voyel, p. ix 



(1852) ; St. John, Ibis, 1889, p. 179 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, 



p. 821. 

 Querquedula angustirostris, Hume, S. F. i, p. 262; A.Anderson, 



S. F. iii, p. 273; Butler, S. F. iv, p. 30; v, p. 234; Hume * 



Marsh. Game B. iii, p. 237, pi. ; Reid, S. F. x, p. 82 ; McLeod. 



ibid. p. 168 ; Hume, ibid. p. 174. 

 Chaulelasmus angustirostris, Hume, S. F. vii, p. 493 ; id. Cat. 



no. 961 bis; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 405 ; Oates in Hume's N. $ E. 



2nd ed. iii, p. 291 ; Barnes, Journ. Bom. N. H. Soc. vi, p. 291. 



Coloration. Crown and hind neck buff, with irregular dark brown 

 cross-bars on the feathers ; a dark brown patch, including the 



