SUBFAMILY PLECTROPTERINM 



This group is characterized by Salvadori as follows: hind toe rather long, not 

 lobed; feet palmated; neck moderately long; tail feathers rather long, broad, rounded 

 at the tip; upper parts mostly glossy. 



Seven genera are here included. The Carolina and Mandarin Ducks, though 

 placed in this subfamily by Salvadori, are generally included among the more typical 

 ducks of the subfamily Anatinse. The same author supplies the following key to 

 the external generic characters. 



A. Lores naked; forehead and base of bill furnished with caruncles. 



a 1 . A long spur at the bend of the wing Pledropterus 



b 1 . Wings without spurs Cairina 



B. Lores densely feathered. 



c 1 . A large fleshy comb on the base of the culmen in the male Sarcidiornis 



d 1 . No comb at the base of the culmen. 



e 1 . Bill equaling or exceeding double the depth at its base. 

 f 1 . Bill about the length of the head. 



g 1 . Outline of the loreal feathering at the base of bill convex anteriorly Asarcornis 



g 2 . Outline of loreal feathering straight and inclined backward Rhodonessa 



f 2 . Bill shorter than head; outline of loreal feathering inclined anteriorly Pteronetta 



e 2 . Bill shorter than twice its depth at base; size very small Nettapus 



