340 AMERICAN WIDGEON. 
Lower mandible flattened, its angle very long and rather narrow, the 
dorsal line very short, slightly convex, the edges soft, with about se- 
venty lamellz. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed. Neck rather long, 
slender. Body elongated and slightly depressed. Feet very short ; 
tibia bare for about a quarter of an inch; tarsus very short, compressed, 
anteriorly with two series of scutella, the outer shorter, the rest co- 
vered with reticulated angular scales ; toes obliquely scutellate above ; 
first very small, free, with a narrow membrane beneath ; third longest, 
fourth considerably shorter, second shorter than fourth ; their connect- 
ing webs entire, on the edge crenate ; the second or inner toe with a 
membranous margin. Claws small, slightly arched, compressed, rather 
acute ; the hind one very small and more curved, that of the middle 
toe curved outwards, and having the inner edge dilated. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head and upper 
neck oblong, small, those along the crown and occiput longer ; of the 
lower parts ovate, glossy, with the extremities of the filaments stiffish. 
Wings rather long, little curved, narrow, pointed ; the first quill longest, 
the next scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries very 
short, broad, obliquely rounded ; the inner elongated and tapering ; the 
tips of the filaments of the outer web of the first primary are separated 
and curved a little outwards. Tail short, rounded and pointed, of six- 
teen feathers, of which the middle pair are more pointed and project 
considerably. 
Bill light greyish-blue, with the extremity including the unguis, 
and a portion of the margins, black. Iris hazel. Feet light bluish- 
grey, the webs darker, the claws dusky. The upper part of the head 
is white, more or less mottled with dusky on its sides ; the loral space 
and cheeks reddish-white, dotted with greenish-black; a broad band 
‘from the eye to behind the occiput deep green. The lower part of the 
hind neck, the scapulars, and the fore part of the back, are minutely 
transversely undulated with brownish-black and light brownish-red ; 
the hind part similarly undulated with blackish-brown and greyish- 
white. The smaller wing-coverts are brownish-grey; the primary 
quills and coverts dark greyish-brown ; the secondary coverts white, 
tipped with black. The speculum is duck-green anteriorly, bounded 
by the black tips of the secondary coverts, black behind, internally 
black with white streaks, the inner elongated secondaries having their 
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