THE STIFF-TAILED DUCKS. 



THE Ducks of this group are very widely 

 distributed over the world, but only one 

 species occurs in India. 



The tail of all these Ducks is of very 

 remarkable construction, being composed 

 of eighteen very narrow stiff feathers 

 of considerable length. The upper and 

 under tail-coverts are, at the same time, 

 extremely short, so that the tail-feathers 

 become very prominent. The Indian 

 species, in addition to its curious tail, 

 has the base of the upper mandible 

 much enlarged, and the whole bill 

 coloured blue, so that its general appear- 

 ance is very grotesque. 



The character of the plumage is barred, 

 and the two sexes are not very differently 

 coloured. The speculum is of the same 

 colour as the rest of the wing, which is 

 extremely small. The feet are very 

 powerful, the middle toe being quite 

 double the length of the tarsus. The 

 head is not crested. The bill is short 



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