THE SCAUP DUCK. 319 



small, that of first toe very small and curved, of middle toe largest, with an 

 inner thin edge, of the rest very slender and pointed. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head and neck short and 

 velvety, those of the hind head a little elongated. Wings shortish, narrow, 

 pointed; primary quills curved, strong, tapering, the first longest, the second 

 very little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondary broad and rounded, 

 the inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, much rounded, of four- 

 teen feathers. 



Bill light greyish-blue, the unguis blackish. Iris yellow. Feet greyish- 

 blue, the webs and claws black. The head, the whole neck, and the fore 

 part of the back and breast black, the head and neck glossed with purple 

 and green, the rest tinged with brown. Hind part of the back, rump, abdo- 

 men, and upper and lower tail-coverts brownish-black. Middle of the back, 

 scapulars, inner secondaries, anterior part of abdomen, and sides greyish- 

 white, beautifully marked with undulating black lines. Middle of the 

 breast white, wings light brownish-grey. Alula, primaries at the base and 

 end, and the greater part of secondaries, brownish-black; the speculum on 

 the latter white. 



Length to end of tail 16|- inches, to end of claws IS; extent of wings 29; 

 wing from flexure 8^; tail 2^; bill along the back 1{§, along the edge of 

 lower mandible 2; tarsus 14; middle toe 2 7 2 2, its claw f|. Weight 1 lb. 

 6 oz. 



Adult Female. 



The female agrees with the male in the characters of the plumage, and in 

 the colours of the bare parts; but those of the former differ considerably. 

 The head, neck, and fore part of the back and breast, are umber brown; and 

 there is a broad patch of white along the fore part of the forehead. The 

 upper parts in general are brownish-black, the middle of the back and the 

 scapulars undulated with whitish dots and bars. The primary quills are 

 greyish in the middle, and the speculum is white, but of less extent than in 

 the male. The greater part of the breast and abdomen is white; the sides 

 and parts under the tail umber brown. 



Length 16^ inches, extent of wings 28. Weight 1 lb. 6 oz. 



Male. Breadth of mouth 8 twelfths; its roof broadly concave, with a 

 median prominent line, on which are four papillae, and at the anterior part 

 two very short prominent lines; on the upper mandible on each side are 42 

 lamella?, not projecting beyond the margin, and about 90 on the lower man- 

 dible. Tongue 1 inch 8 twelfths long, fleshy, wi.th a deep groove above, a 

 thin-edged series of lamellse on each side, the tip somewhat semicircular and 

 thin-edged. (Esophagus 8 inches long, its width from 5 twelfths to 4 

 twelfths, at the lower part of the neck enlarged to 6 twelfths, on entering 



