272 PIED DUCK. 
The Pied Duck seems to be a truly marine bird, seldom entering 
rivers unless urged by stress of weather. It procures its food by diving 
amidst the rolling surf over sand or mud bars; although at times it 
comes along the shore, and searches in the manner of the Spoonbill 
Duck. Its usual fare consists of small shell-fish, fry, and various kinds 
of sea-weeds, along with which it swallows much sand and gravel. Its 
flight is swift, and its wings emit a whistling sound. It is usually seen 
in flocks of from seven to ten, probably the members of one family. 
Awas LaBprapora, Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 859. 
Prep Duck, Anas Laprapora, Wils. Amer. Ornith. vol. viii. p. 91, pl. 69, fig. 6. male. 
Furicura LaBrapora, Ch. Bonaparte, Synopsis of Birds of United States, p. 391. 
Prep Duck, Nuttall, Manual, vol. ii. p. 428. 
Adult Male. Plate CCCXXXII. Fig. 1. 
Bill nearly as long as the head, rather broader than high at the 
base, the sides nearly parallel, but at the end enlarged by soft membra- 
nous expansions to the upper mandible. The latter has the dorsal out- 
line at first straight and declinate, then direct and slightly convex, at 
the extremity decurved ; the ridge broad at the base, convex toward 
the end; the sides sloping at the base, then convex, the extremity broad 
and rounded, the unguis broadly obovate ; the margins soft, expanded 
toward the end, and with about 50 lamelle, of which the anterior are 
inconspicuous. Nasal groove oblong, nostrils linear-oblong, sub-basal 
near the ridge. Lower mandible flattened, curved upwards, with the 
angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line very short, and nearly 
straight, the nearly erect edges with about 30 large and prominent 
lamellz ; the unguis very broad. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Eyes small. Neck 
rather short and thick. Body full, depressed. Feet very short, strong, 
placed rather far behind; tarsus very short, compressed, with two an- 
terior series of rather small scutella, the sides and back part reticulat- 
ed with angular scales. Hind toe very small, with a free membrane 
beneath ; outer anterior toes double the length of the tarsus, and nearly 
equal, the inner much shorter, and with a broad marginal membrane. 
Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather acute. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended ; feathers of the head and neck small, 
oblong; those on the lower part of the cheeks very stiff, having the 
terminal filaments more or less united into a horny plate. Wings 
short, of moderate breadth, concave, acute; primary quills curved, 
