ANAS. 



5 



straight, broad, compressed, much curved towards the point, both 

 mandibles half covered with feathers, furrowed towards the point, the 

 upper crooked, the under forming a projecting angle ; nostrils towards 

 the middle of the sides of the bill, narrow and almost shut by a mem- 

 brane covered with feathers. Legs short, drawn back towards the belly ; 

 only three toes placed forward, and wholly webbed. Claws a little 

 pointed. Wings short ; the first quill either as long or a trifle longer 

 than the second. 



There are only two British species, the Razor-bill (of which the 

 Black-billed Auk is the young,) and the Auk ( Alca impennis.J* 



ALCADiE (Vigors.)—* Birds of the Auk kind.* 



ALCEDO (Linn^us.) — *The Kingfisher, a genus thus characte- 

 rised. Bill long, straight, quadrangular, thick, and pointed; tongue fleshy, 

 short, and armed at the point. Nostrils at the side of the base, pierced 

 obliquely, and nearly closed by a naked membrane, Legs with the 

 shank short, and three toes forward, the outer toe joined to the middle 

 one, as far as the second joint ; the inner one the same as far as the first 

 joint, and with one hind toe broad at the base. Wings with the first 

 and second quills nearly equal, but shorter than the third, which is 

 the longest in the wing.* 



ALECTORIDES (Temminck.) — *A group comprising the Pra- 

 tincole.* 



ALK. — A provincial name for the Razor-bill. 

 ALLAMOTTI. — A provincial name for the Petrel. 

 ALLAN. — A provincial name for the Dung-hunter ( Lestris parasi- 

 ticus, Temm.) 



ALP. — A name for the Bull-finch. 



AMPELIS (Linn^us.) — *The Chatterer, a genus from which 

 Temminck has separated the only British species, — the Bohemian Wax- 

 wing ( Bombycivora garrula, Temm.)* 



AMZEL. — A name for the Blackbird. 



ANAS (Auctores.) — The Duck, a genus thus characterised. 

 Bill middle size, strong, straight, more or less depressed, covered 

 with a thin skin, often more raised than broad at the base, which 

 is either furnished with a fleshy substance or quite smooth, always 

 depressed towards the point, which is rounded, blunt, and clawed, 

 margins of the two mandibles toothed with plates, or either a flat or 

 conical form. Nostrils almost at the surface of the bill, at some dis- 

 tance from the base, somewhat oval, half closed by the flat membrane 

 which lines the nostril. Legs short, feathered to the knees, drawn 

 back towards the belly ; three toes before, wholly webbed ; hind toe 



