CANVASS-BACK DUCK. 11 
ground is a view of Baltimore, which I have had great pleasure in in- 
troducing, on account of the hospitality which I have there experien- 
ced, and the generosity of its inhabitants, who, on the occasion of a 
quantity of my plates having been destroyed by the mob during an 
outburst of political feeling, indemnified me for the loss. 
Furicuta VatisneRta, Bonap. Synops. of Birds of the United States, p. 392. 
Anas Vatisnenia, Wils, Amer. Ornith, vol. viii. p. 103. pl. 70. fig. 5. 
Furicuta VauLisnERia, Richards. and Swains. Fauna Bor. Amer. iv. Part II. p. 450. 
Canvass-BaCKED Duck, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 430. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCI. Fig. 1, 2. 
Bill as long as the head, deeper than broad at the base, the margins 
parallel, slightly dilated towards the end, which is rounded, the fron- 
tal angles rather narrow and pointed. Upper mandible with the dor- 
sal line at first straight and declinate, then slightly concave, direct for 
a short space near the tip, where it is incurved, the ridge broad and 
concave at the base, narrowed at the middle, enlarged and convex at 
the end, the sides nearly erect and concave at the base, becoming an- 
teriorly more and more declinate and convex, the edges curved up- 
wards, with.about 50 lamelle, the unguis small and oblong. Nostrils 
submedial, linear-oblong, rather large, pervious, near the ridge, in an 
oblong depression covered with soft membrane. Lower mandible flat- 
tened, being but slightly convex, with the angle very long and rather 
narrow, the dorsal line very short and straight, the erect edges with 
about 55 inferior and 105 superior lamellz, the unguis obovato-elliptical. 
Head rather large, compressed, convex above. Eyes small. Neck 
of moderate length, rather thick. Body full, depressed. Wings small. 
Feet very short, strong, placed rather far behind; tarsus very short, 
compressed, anteriorly with narrow scutella continuous with those of 
the middle toe, and having another series commencing half-way down 
and continuous with those of the outer toe, the rest reticulated with 
angular scales. Hind toe small, with an inner expanded margin or 
web; middle toe nearly double the length of the tarsus, outer a little 
shorter. Claws small, compressed, that of the first toe very small and 
curved, of the third toe larger and more expanded than the rest. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the upper part of the 
