ANATIN^E — THE DUCKS. 



487 



>asterly and 

 IS far up as 

 [)t — is said 

 of passage, 

 lie numbers, 

 mes a third 

 ^veral years 

 HI, are pre- 

 is also very 



: the habits 

 eru Mexico, 

 i well iis in 

 1 as Sonora. 



(1 makes its 

 fresh-water 

 e winter, or 

 nd often, at 

 i ray son has 

 iig excellent 

 ' and juicy, 

 clusively on 

 ry fat. 

 lyson states 

 )lo-barrellcd 

 ts long and 

 igility, nlti- 

 le water is 

 th(> water, 

 tor's efforts 



s, yet this 

 try to the 



be heard 



lubers over 



movement, 



the tropic, 



es he was 



isfied that 



the adja- 

 and breed 

 as Novem- 

 s raise two 

 ether they 

 ^rass. He 

 ey assured 

 habits the 

 ry seldom 



Mr. L. Belding informs us that this species arrives in the vicinity of Stockton, 

 Cal., from April 1 to May 9; his latest fall record of its occurrence there being 

 November 1, " when two immature birds or young of the year weri' noticed in the 

 market." 



Sub-family AKATTX.^. — Thk Ducks. 



The Anatinm differ from the Anserinm in having the tarsus shorter than the middle toe, instead 

 of longer, and scutellate, instead of reticulate, in front. Most of the Ducks are of smaller size than 

 the Geese ; in many species the males are adorned with a very beautiful pluiuage, with a metallic 

 wing-specuhun, tlie sexual diffea'uce in plumage being usually well uiarkeil. The North Ameri- 

 can genera may he defined as f(jl!ows * ; — 



A. Hind toe without a membraneous lobe (Anatew). 



1. Anas. Bill broad, about as long as the head, the eilges parallel, the middle of the culmen 



concave, the terndnal part (behind the nail) convex ; laniellie scarcely exposed ; scapu- 

 lars, tertials, and rectrices broad, not acuminate ; s])eculum brilliant. 



2. Ctaaulelasmus. Hill rather narrow, shorter than the head, tho edges nearly parallel, cul- 



men gently concave in the middle, straight before and beliind ; Luuinaj distinctly exposed ; 

 scapulars, etc., as in Anas; speculum dull-colored — black and white. 



3. Mareca. Bill as in Chaulclasmus, but lamelhe scarcely exposed ; scapulars, etc., lanceo- 



late, the middle rectrices slightly elongated ; speculum chiefly lilack ; a white patch on 

 the lesser wing-covert region. 



4. Dafila. Similar to Mareca, but neck very long, bill ionger than the head, narrow, the 



edges nearly parallel, the terminal two-thirds of the culmen quite straight and nearly 

 horizontal, the basal portion rapidly ascending. In the adult male, scapulars, etc., elongated 

 and lanceolate, and the middle rectrices projecting far beyond the rest. 



5. Nettion. Size very small (wing less than six inches) ; in form nmch like Dafila, but 



neck nuich .shorter, scapulars and middle rectrices broa<ler and less elongated, bill shorter 

 than the head, the lamella) completely concealed ; nape with a small mane-like tuft. 



6. Querquedula. Small, like Nettion, but bill longer (longer than the head), broader, less 



ilepressed, the culmen decidedly convex anteriorly ; lesser wing-coverts pale dull blue 

 (in North American species) ; nape without a tuft. , 



7. Spatula. Bill nuich longer than the head, compressed at the base, very broad toward the 



1 Some South American gmmn of Ducks, which for present purposes it is \uuiecessary to iuclude in 

 the above synopsis, arc the following : — 



1. Genus HETEUONEri'A, Salvadori. 



Ihtevonctta, S.\i.va1). Atti dc la Soe. Ital. d. Sci. Nat. Vlll, 1865, 574 (type, AiU(S melanocepkala, 

 ViKii.1,.).— Sc'i,. & Sai.v. p. Z. S. 1876, 382. 



2. (ienus Metoimana, Bonaparte. 



Metopiana, Bonap. Compt. Keud. XLIII. 1856, 146 (type, Ams peposaca, ViEiLL.). — ScL. & Salv. 

 P. Z. S. 1876, 308. 



3. Genus Caiuis'A, Flemiiig. 



Cnirim, Fi.e.mixo, Phil, of Zool. 1822, 260 (type. Anas moschnta, Linn.). 

 Moschata, Less. Traite, I. 1831, 633 (same type). 

 Oijmnathus, 'NvTV. Man. IL 1834, 403 (snnic type). 



4. Gomis Tacuyer?;s, Owen. 



" Micropla-Hs," Less. Truite, U. 1831, 630 (tyjie, Anas cinerea, Gmel.). (Preoccupied in Ichthy- 



ology. ) 

 Ti hyeres, Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. L\. 1875, 254 (same tyiw). 



6. Genus MER(iANETTA, Gould. 



Merganetta, Gouui, P. Z. S. 1841, 95 (type, M. annata, Gould). 



Raphipterus, Gay, Fauna Ciiil. 1848, 450 (type, "It. chilnms, Gay," = .1/. armata, Goui.d). 



