FULIGULIN^E. 



175 



FAMILY XLIIL FULIGULIKE. FULIGU- 

 LINE BIRDS, OR SCAUP-DUCKS. 



In popular language the Fuligulinse are named Ducks 

 as well as the Anatinse, and in truth the differences be- 

 tween the two groups are very slight. The Fuligulinse, 

 however, may be distinguished hy their having the hody 

 shorter, fuller, and more depressed, their neck shorter 

 and thicker, and by their having appended to the hind toe 

 a distinct membranous lobe, much larger than that of the 

 Anatinse. They may be characterized as follows : Bill 

 about the length of the head, or shorter, nearly as broad 

 as high at the base, gradually depressed, and rounded ; 

 upper mandible with the frontal angles various, the ridge 

 flattened at the base, the sides convex toward the end, 

 the unguis obovate or roundish, decurved, usually large, 

 sometimes small. Mouth rather narrow ; anterior palate 

 concave, with a medial prominent line, and on each side a 

 series of transverse thin lamellse ; similar but smaller 

 lamellae on the sides of the lower mandible; tongue fleshy, 

 deeply grooved above, with lateral series of bristles, and 

 a thin broadly rounded tip ; oesophagus of moderate 

 width, or rather narrow ; stomach a very large, trans- 

 versely elliptical gizzard, placed obliquely, with very 

 large muscles, thick rugous epithelium, and somewhat 

 concave grinding surfaces ; intestine very long, and of 

 moderate width ; coeca long. Trachea often with dilata- 

 tions, the lower larynx with a very large osseous or 

 partly membranous dilatation, bulging more on the left 

 side. Nostrils oblong, moderate, or small. Eyes small. 

 Legs very short, and placed rather far behind ; tarsus 

 very short, compressed, with anterior small scutella ; hind 

 toe small, with an inferior compressed lobe ; two outer 

 toes about equal, and longer than the tarsus ; interdigi- 



