ANATINJE. MARECA, 173 



GENUS CXXVIII. MARECA. WIGEON. 



The Wigeons are in all respects similar to the Teals, with 

 the exception of having the bill shorter, proportionally 

 broader, and rather narrowed, instead of becoming broader, 

 toward the end. They have the bill considerably shorter 

 than the head, higher than broad at the base, gradually de- 

 pressed and a little narrowed toward the end ; upper man- 

 dible with the dorsal line gently sloping at first, then slightly 

 concave and still sloping to the unguis, which is rather large, 

 obovate, decurved at the end, the ridge broad and flattened 

 at the base, the edges slightly sinuous, the extremities of 

 the numerous lamellae narrow but rounded, and about the 

 middle of the mandible projecting a little ; lower mandible 

 almost straight, with the unguis large, roundish, and little 

 convex. Mouth rather narrow ; tongue fleshy, with mar- 

 ginal slender lamellse and filaments, its tip thin and rounded ; 

 oesophagus of moderate width, considerably enlarged before 

 entering the thorax ; proventriculus oblong ; stomach a very 

 large, transversely elliptical gizzard, placed obliquely, with 

 very large muscles, and thick rugous epithelium, forming 

 two roundish, flat, grinding surfaces ; intestine very long, 

 rather wide, enlarging toward the coeca, which are very long 

 and of moderate width. Trachea nearly uniform ; the lower 

 larynx with several rings united so as to form an irregular 

 dilatation, bulging into a rounded sac on the left side ; 

 bronchi of moderate length and width. Nostrils elliptical, 

 subbasal. Eyes small. Legs very short ; tibia bare for a 

 short space ; tarsus compressed, with small anterior scutella ; 

 hind toe very small, with a narrow lobe ; outer toe con- 

 siderably shorter than the third ; interdigital membranes 

 full ; claws small, well-arched, compressed, acute. Plumage 

 dense, soft, and blended ; feathers of the head and upper 

 neck softer ; scapulars elongated and acuminate ; wings ra- 

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

 and second primaries longest ; inner secondaries elongated, 

 and acuminate ; tail small, short, tapering, of sixteen stiffish, 

 acuminate feathers. 



The male is larger and more highly coloured than the 



