524 KING DUCK. 



nal lamellae, the vmguis very large, broadly elliptical. Nostrils submedi- 

 al, oblong, large, pervious, near the ridge. Lower mandible flattened, 

 with the angle very long, rather narrow and rounded, the dorsal line short 

 and slightly convex, the edges with about fifty lamellae, the unguis very 

 large and elliptical. 



Head large, compressed. Neck rather short. Body bulky and much 

 depressed. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far behind ; tarsus very 

 short, compressed, anteriorly having a series of narrow scutella in its 

 whole length, and a partial series above the fourth toe, the rest reticu- 

 lated with angular and oblong scales ; hind toe small, with a free mem- 

 brane beneath ; anterior toes longer than the tarsus, connected by reticu- 

 lated membranes having a sinus at their free margins, the inner with a 

 broad lobed marginal membrane, the outer with a thickened edge ; all 

 obliquely scutellate above ; the third and fourth about equal and longest. 

 Claws small, arched, compressed, obtuse, that of first toe very small and 

 more curved, of middle toe largest, more depressed, and with a dilated in- 

 ner edge. 



Plumage short, dense, blended. Feathers on the fore part of the head 

 extremely small, on the upper part very narrow, on the sides of the head 

 very short, stiff and hair-like. Wings rather short, narrow, and pointed ; 

 primary quills curved, strong, tapering, the second longest, the first al- 

 most as long, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries short, broad, round- 

 ed, excepting the inner, which are elongated, tapering, and curved out- 

 wards. Tail very short, much rounded, of fourteen stiff narrow feathers. 



Bill flesh-coloured, the sides of the upper mandible and the soft frontal 

 lobes bright orange. Iris bright yellow. Feet dull orange, the webs 

 dusky, the claws brownish-black. The band of feathers separating the 

 frontal lobes, and those along their upper and posterior edges, black ; 

 lower eyelid, and a forked patch on the throat, the same. The upper 

 part of the head light purplish-grey ; the hair-like feathers on the sides 

 of the head pale bluish-green ,• the fore neck cream coloured ; the sides 

 and hind part of the neck, a patch on the wings, and another on each side 

 of the rump, white. The hind part of the back, the scapulars, the larger 

 wing-coverts, and the secondary quills, brownish-black, the latter glossed 

 with green.; primary quills and tail blackish-brown. Breast and abdomen 

 blackish-brown ; lower wing-coverts white, the outer brown. 



Length to end of tail 25 inches, to end of wings 23 ; wing from flexure 



