2/4 



9 



NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Anatinae as a rule, and Spatula forms no exception, possess a 

 large and massive quadrate. This bone has in them a broad and 

 subcompressed body of a quadrilateral form, to the anterosuperior 

 angle of which a spinelike orbital process is superadded and rather 

 abruptly deflected toward the median plane. The mandibular foot 

 of this element supports two elongated facets, placed side by side 

 with their major axes extended in the transverse direction. The 

 inner of these is usually the smaller, though it frequently happens 

 that the two are of equal size. 



At the mastoidal extremity of the quadrate we find a globular 

 head, fairly divided in two by a shallow groove running from be- 

 fore backward. This articular end is well incased by the surround- 

 ing bone. 



The quadratojugal and pterygoiclal articulations require n& special 

 mention, they being much as we find them in a number of other 

 waterfowl, being the usual pitlet in the case of the first, and the 

 small convex facet in the latter instance. 



Anatinae have the lateral aspect of the cranium smooth and 

 evenly convex, while lower down a shallow and vertically elongated 

 crotaphyte fossa can generally be pretty well made out. I find it 

 least pronounced in the teals and Mareca, while it is quite strong 

 in the Garrot and, perhaps best marked among the scoters. In all 

 cases it is produced downward upon the highly developed temporal 

 wing, which forms the back part of the bony ear conch. This latter 

 is conspicuous in having, in most ducks, incurling margins to pro- 

 tect it. These latter are not so manifest in the geese, and they are 

 absent entirely in Olor. 



The frontolacrymal region we observe to be unusually elongated, 

 and in this form concaved in a longitudinal median direction. This 

 latter feature obtains also in the Mallard and the teals, where 

 it is quite as well marked, while on the other hand, in the swans, 

 brant, and geese, this frontolacrymal region is not so strikingly 

 lengthened, being flat in some of the latter and mounded up in some 

 Cygninae. It is very remarkable in Oidemia perspicil- 

 lata, where it is seen to be a simple median longitudinal crease 

 dividing elongated convexities of the bone that are very conspicuous. 



The space between the orbital margins on this aspect shows con- 

 siderable width, more particularly in such forms as Clangula 

 where it is also marked by a longitudinal median crease. But in 

 the Surf scoter again, it is narrow and much concaved. 



