322 THE RING-NECKED DUCK. 



crest, but I am inclined to think that at the commencement of the breeding 

 season that appendage may be developed. 



Fuligula ROFIT0RQ.UES, Bonap. Syn., p. 393. 



Tufted Dock, Anas Fuligula, Wils. Amer. Orn., vol. viii. p. 60. 



Ring-necked Duck, Anas (Fuligula) rufitorques, Swains, and Rich. F. Bor. Amer., 



vol. ii. p. 453. 

 Ring-necked Duck, Fuligula rufitorques , Nutt. Man., vol. ii. p. 439. 

 Ring-necked Duck, Fuligula rufitorques, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. iii. p. 259. 



Male, 18, 28. Female, 16. 



Abundant on the Ohio during autumn, winter, and early spring; rather 

 rare along the coasts of the Middle Atlantic Districts. Breeds far north. 



Adult Male. 



Bill about the same length as the head, rather deeper than broad at the 

 base, depressed and enlarged towards the end, the frontal angles acute. 

 Upper mandible with the dorsal line at first sloping, then concave, along the 

 unguis decurved, the ridge broad and flat at the base, then broadly convex, 

 the sides nearly flat and perpendicular at the base, convex and sloping 

 towards the end, the edges soft, with about forty-five internal lamellae, unguis 

 obovate, curved. Nostrils sub-basal, lateral, rather small, oval, pervious. 

 Lower mandible flat, with the angle very long and rather narrow, the dorsal 

 line very short, slightly convex, the edges with about sixty-five lamella? and 

 smaller intermediate ones above. 



Head of moderate size, neck rather long and slender, body full and de- 

 pressed, wings rather small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far 

 behind; tarsus very short, compressed, at its lower part anteriorly with two 

 series of scutella, the rest covered with reticulated angular scales. Toes 

 scutellate above, first very small, free, with a broad membrane beneath, 

 fourth longest, third scarcely shorter; claws small, curved, compressed, 

 obtuse, the hind one smaller, more curved and acute, that of the third toe 

 with an inner sharp edge. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended, rather glossy. Feathers of the middle of 

 the head, and upper part of hind neck, very narrow and a little elongated; 

 of the rest of the head and upper part of the neck very short, of the back 

 and lower parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of moderate length, 

 narrow, acute; primaries curved, strong, tapering, first longest, second very 

 little shorter; secondaries broad, rounded, short, the inner long and tapering. 

 Tail very short, rather broad, much rounded, of sixteen rounded feathers. 



Bill black, with a basal band, the edges of both mandibles, and a band 

 across the upper towards the end, pale blue. Iris yellow. Legs greyish- 

 blue, the webs brownish-black. The head, and upper part of the neck, 



