ANATIN'.E.} 24 



SUB FAM. III. ANATINiB. 



Ext. Char, nostrum latitudine altitudini sequante. Pedes medioeres, digiti posteriores 



nunquam lobati, sed aliquando gibbosi. 



Anat. Char. Sternum longum, angustatum, postice latissimum. carina antice product^ 

 et lata postice, acl ultimam marginem sterni continuata. Pelvis lata, brevis. Osfurcatum mediocre 

 lateribus compressis. Processus coracoides longus, sed non antice productus. Coster processibu 

 posterioribus compressis. Trachea tubula in omni parte fere equali. Larynx inferior bulbosa 

 fereque omnino ossea in maribus. 



Ext. Char. Bill in breadth and height equal. Feet moderate, posterior toes I 

 lobate !, but sometimes gibbous. 



Anat. Char. Sternum long, narrowed, behind broadest, with heel anteriorly produced, 

 broad posteriorly, continued to the margin of the sternum. Pelvis broad, short. Os furcation 

 moderate, compressed on the sides. Coracoid process long, and not anteriorly produced. Ribs 

 and the posterior processes compressed. Trachea generally of equal size throughout. Inferior 

 Larynx bulbous, and altogether osseous in the males. 



Type. Anas. 



Habit. Aquatic, frequenting fresh water in preference to the sea, feeding generally along 

 the edges of lakes and rivers, on small molluscous animals, in preference to diving for them ; soft 

 aquatic plants and weeds also constitute a considerable portion of their food : they often also feed 

 on land. The species, having great power of flight, have a very wide geographical range. 



Affinities. To the Fuligulinee this sub-family is connected by the musk duck (Carina 

 Moschata), which, besides having a largely developed and slightly lobated hind toe, has the bulb 

 situated at the inferior larynx compressed, and not altogether osseous, as is the ease in the rest of 

 the family. The genus Micropterus has, on the other hand, a trachea very nearly resembling that 

 of the true land duck. We prefer taking the genus Anas, as at present restricted, for the type of 

 this sub-family, instead of Rhynchaspis, as proposed by Mr. Swainson, regarding thai form and the 

 nearly allied one of Malacorhynchus, rather as ultra than typical, and not so well suited to what 

 may be termed the true habit of the sub-family as that we have chosen. 



