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WESTERN DUCK. 



FULIGULA DISBAR, Gmel. 



J 

 PLATE CCCCXXX. Male. 



This beautiful species, which, was discovered by Stellee on the 

 north-west coast of America, has never been known to visit our Atlan- 

 tic shores. So very scarce indeed is it, that all my exertions to ob- 

 tain a specimen have failed. It is surprising that it was not procm-ed 

 by any of the great navigators and travellers who have visited the nor- 

 thern and western coast within these fifteen years. As it has been ac- 

 knowledged, however, as belonging to our Fauna, I have introduced a 

 figure of it taken by my son John Woodhouse, from a beautiful specimen 

 in the Museum of Norwich, in England. It is said to have been shot 

 at Yarmouth, in the county of Norfolk, in the winter of 1830. 



Anas dispak, Gmel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 535, — Lath. Ind. Ornith. vol. ii. p. 866. 

 Anas Stelleri, Chnel. Syst. Nat. vol. i. p. 518. 

 Western Duck, Lath. Penn. 



/ 



Adult Male. Plate CCCCXXX. ' 



Bill shorter than the head, deeper than broad at the base, depressed 

 towards the end, which is rounded. Upper mandible with the dorsal 

 line straight and sloping to the middle, then slightly concave, at the 

 end decurved ; the ridge broad and flat at the base, afterwards convex, 

 as are the sides, the unguis elliptical. Nostrils sub-basal, oblong. Lower 

 mandible flat, with the angle long and rather narrow, the imguis ellip- 

 tical. 



Head large, compressed ; neck rather short and thick. Feet short, 

 stout, placed rather far behind ; tarsus very short, compressed, reticu- 

 late with a series of larger scales in front. Hind toe small, with a free 

 membrane beneath ; anterior toes longer than the tarsus, connected by 

 reticulated membranes, the inner with a narrow lobed marginal mem- 

 brane ; the third longest, the fourth nearly equal ; all covered above 

 with numerous short scutella. Claws small, arched, obtuse. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Wings of moderate length, pointed ; 



vy 



