166 ANATINJS. QUERQUEDULA. 



immigration from the continent. The species is extensively 

 dispersed in North America, as well as in Europe. 



Wild Duck. 



Anas Boschas, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. 205. Anas Boschas, 

 Lath. Ind. Ornith. ii. 850. Anas Boschas, Temm. Man. 

 d'Ornith. ii. 835. Anas Boschas, Mallard Duck, MacGilli- 

 vray, Brit. Birds, v. 



GENUS CXXVI. QUERQUEDULA. TEAL. 



The Teals differ from the Ducks in being of a somewhat 

 more slender form, with the neck generally longer, the bill 

 much narrower, and the scapulars and inner secondaries 

 more elongated and pointed. The bill is nearly as long as 

 the head, considerably higher than broad at the base, gra- 

 dually depressed toward the end, but scarcely widened, it 

 being comparatively slender, with the margins nearly paral- 

 lel ; upper mandible with the frontal angles short and pointed, 

 the dorsal line sloping to beyond the nostrils, then nearly 

 straight to the unguis, which is small, obovato-oblong, de- 

 curved at the end, the ridge broad and concave at the base, 

 gradually narrowed, the sides convex unless at the base, the 

 edges nearly straight, the extremities of the numerous 

 lamellas rounded or moderately pointed, and projecting more 

 or less. Mouth rather narrow ; digestive organs as in the 

 character of the family. Trachea a little enlarged at the 

 lower part of the neck ; the inferior larynx with an enlarge- 

 ment formed by several of the lower rings united, and on 

 the left side a rounded or ovate thin bony expansion of ra- 

 ther large size. Nostrils rather small, oblong. Eyes small. 

 Legs very short ; tarsus compressed, with small anterior 

 scutella ; hind toe very small, with a very narrow membrane ; 

 outer toe considerably shorter than the third ; interdigital 

 membranes emarginate ; claws small, slightly arched, com- 

 pressed, rather acute. Feathers of the head and upper neck 

 short ; scapulars elongated and acuminate ; wings rather 

 long, narrow, pointed, of twenty-five quills ; the first and 

 second longest ; inner secondaries elongated and tapering ; 

 tail small, short, or moderate, tapering, of sixteen stiffish, 

 acuminate feathers. 





