368 



WESTERN DUCK. 



"fFuuGULA dispar, Gmel. 



PLATE CCCC VII.— Males. 



This beautiful species, which was discovered by Steller on the north- 

 west coast of America, has never been known to visit our Atlantic shores. 

 So very scarce indeed is it, that all my exertions to obtain a specimen have 

 failed. It is surprising that it was not procured by any of the great navi- 

 gators and travellers who have visited the northern and western coast within 

 these fifteen years. As it has been acknowledged, however, as belonging to 

 our Fauna, I have introduced a figure of it taken by my son John Wood- 

 house, from a beautiful specimen in the Museum of Norwich, in England. 

 It is said to have been shot at Yarmouth, in the county of Norfolk, in the 

 winter of 1830. 



Anas dispar and Anas Stelleri, Gmel. Syst. Nat., vol. i. p. 535, 51& 



Fuligula Stelleri, Bonap. Syn., p. 394. 



Western Duck, Fuligula dispar, Aud. Orn. Biog., vol. v. p. 253. 



Male, 16; wing, Sf. 



North-west coast. 



Adult Male. 



Bill shorter than the head, deeper than broad at the base, depressed 

 towards the end, which is rounded. Upper mandible with the dorsal line 

 straight and sloping to the middle, then slightly concave, at the end decurved; 

 the ridge broad and flat at the base, afterwards convex, as are the sides, the 

 unguis elliptical. Nostrils sub-basal, oblong. Lower mandible flat, with 

 the angle long and rather narrow, the unguis elliptical. 



Head large, compressed; neck rather short and thick. Feet short, stout, 

 placed rather far behind; tarsus very short, compressed, reticulate with a 

 series of larger scales in front. Hind toe small, with a free membrane 

 beneath; anterior toes longer than the tarsus, connected by reticulated mem- 

 branes, the inner with a narrow lobed marginal membrane; the third longest, 

 the fourth nearly equal; all covered above with numerous short scutella. 

 Claws small, arched, obtuse. 



Plumage dense, soft, blended. Wings of moderate length, pointed; the 



