THE COMB-DUCKS. 



THE Comb-Duck or Nukta is the only 

 representative of the group within our 

 limits. It is a resident species, and is 

 widely distributed. 



The two sexes of the Comb-Duck differ 

 slightly in plumage, and the drake is very 

 much larger than the duck. The bill is 

 large and of equal width throughout ; that 

 of the male being furnished with a fleshy 

 knob, which is about two inches in 

 diameter at the breeding season, but con- 

 siderably reduced in size at other periods. 

 The legs and feet are very massive, and 

 these Ducks are able to walk well. The 

 wing is large, but not very strong, the 

 outer secondaries reaching to about the 

 tips of the primary coverts when the wing- 

 is closed. There is no distinct speculum, 

 but there is a large amount of lustre on 

 the wing. The primaries are uniformly 

 black. The spur which, in almost all 

 Ducks, is to be found at the bend of 



