SURF DUCK. 341 



small and curved, of the middle toe largest, with a dilated inner edge, of the 

 rest slender, all rather obtuse. 



Plumage soft, dense, blended, and glossy. Feathers on the head and neck 

 of a velvety texture. Wings rather short, narrow, and pointed; primary 

 quills curved, strong, tapering, and pointed, the first longest, the second 

 little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated; secondaries broad and rounded, the 

 inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, narrow, wedge-shaped, of 

 fourteen stiff, narrow, pointed feathers. 



Upper mandible with a nearly square black patch at the base, margined 

 with orange, unless in front, where there is a patch of bluish-white extend- 

 ing to near the nostrils, prominent part over the nostrils deep reddish-orange, 

 becoming lighter towards the unguis, and shaded into rich yellow towards 

 the margins; the unguis dingy greyish-yellow; lower mandible flesh-coloured, 

 unguis darker. Iris bright yellowish-white. Tarsi and toes orange-red, the 

 webs dusky, tinged with green; claws black. The plumage is of a deep 

 black, glossed with blue. On the top of the head, between the eyes, is a 

 roundish patch of white, and on the nape a larger patch of an elongated form. 



Length to end of tail 20 inches, to end of wings IS, to end of claws 22; 

 extent of wings 33^; bill from the angle in front 1|-; from the prominence 

 at the base 2^; along the edge of lower mandible 2 T %; wing from flexure 9^; 

 tail 3§; tarsus 1^; first toe and claw |^; outer toe and claw 2%; middle toe 

 and claw T v longer. Weight 2 lbs. 7 oz. 



Adult Female. 



Bill greenish-black; iris as in the male; feet yellowish-orange, webs grey- 

 ' ish-dusky, claws black. The general colour of the plumage is brownish- 

 black; darker on the top of the head, the back, wings, and tail; on the breast 

 and sides the feathers edged with dull greyish-white. 



Length to end of tail 19 inches, to end of wings 15|, to end of claws 18; 

 extent of wings 31^; wing from flexure Sf; tarsus 1-|; middle toe 2f, hind 

 toe T V Weight 2 lbs. 2 oz. 



In an adult male, the tongue is 1 inch 9 twelfths long, has numerous 

 conical papillae at the base, is deeply grooved along the middle, has two 

 lateral series of bristles, and terminates in a thin rounded lobe, 2 twelfths 

 long. On the middle line of the upper mandible are about ten short conical 

 papillae, and on each of its margins about 35 lamellae; on the lower an equal 

 number. The heart is 1 inch 8 twelfths long, 1 inch 2 twelfths broad. The 

 oesophagus, 8j inches long, is wide, its diameter at the upper part being 1 

 inch, towards the middle of the neck H inches. The proventriculus is 1|- 

 inches long; its glandules cylindrical, 1|- twelfths in length, and, as in all 

 other Ducks, arranged so as to form a complete belt. The stomach is a 

 powerful gizzard of a roundish form, 1 inch 10 twelfths long, 1 inch 10 



