U, S. P. R. R EXP. AND SURVEYS — ZOOLOGY — GENERAL REPORT. 
Sp. Ch. — Head and crest metallic green to below the eyes ; the cheeks and a stripe from behind the eye purplish. A narrow- 
short line from the upper angle of the lull along the side of the crown and through the crest, another on the upper eyelid, a 
stripe starting behind and below the eye, and running into the crest parallel with the first mentioned, the chin and upper part 
of the throat, sending a well defined branch up towards the eye and another towards the nape, snowy white. Lower neck and 
jugulum, and sides of the base of tail, rich purple ; the jugulum with triangular spots of white and a chestnut shade. 
Remaining under parts white, as is a crescent in front of the wing bordered behind by black. Sides yellowish gray, finely lined 
with black ; the long feathers of the flanks broadly black at the end, with a sub-terminal bar, and sometimes a tip of white. 
Back and neck above nearly uniform bronzed green and purple. Scapulars and innermost tertials velvet black, glossed on the 
inner webs with violet ; the latter with a white bar at the end. Greater coverts violet, succeeded by a greenish speculum, 
tipped with white. Primaries silvery white externally towards the end ; the tips internally violet and purple. 
Female with the wings quite similar ; the back more purplish ; the sides of the head and neck ashy ; the re°ion round the 
base of the bill, a patch through the eyes, and the chin, white. The purple of the jugulum replaced by brownish. The waved 
feathers on the sides wanting. Length, 19 inches ; wing, 9.50 ; tarsus, 1.40 ; commissure, 1.54. 
Hab. — Continent of North America. 
List of specimens. 
No. 
Sex. 
Locality. 
When col- 
lected. 
Wlienee obtained. 
Orig'l 
No. 
Collected by — 
Length. Stretch 
ofwings. 
Wing. 
Remarks. 
1732 
10331 
5460 
5457 
5159 
5458 
5456 
9775 
9776 
4412 
4363 
3 
Q 
3 
Oct. 29,1S44 
19. CO 29.50 
9.56 
Lt. Warren 
Dr. Hayden 
17.87 29.00 
8.87 
Eyes red 
Sept. 22, 1«56 
May £.1856 
Ap.il 24, 1856 
Q 
Q 
3 

18.25 29.50 
9.25 
Vermilion river 
May P, 1856 
do 
17.50 28.50 
8.50 
Eyes red 
3 
San Francisco 
Feb. —,1854 
Feb. —,1855 
May —,1855 
Lt. Whipple 
Dr. Buckley 
156 
Kenn. & M.'.N 
19.25 28.00 
Q 


1 
Sub-Family FULIGULINAE. 
The chief character of the Fuligulinae, as compared with the Anatinae, consists in the greatly- 
developed lohe or membranous flap attached to or suspended from the inferior surface of the hind 
toe. The feet are usually enormously large, the tarsi short, the legs set far back, and the 
whole organization well fitted for swimming and diving. Many of the species live on or near 
the seacoast, although most of them straggle more or less through the interior of the countries 
they inhabit. The different North American forms may be arranged as follows ; 
A. Bill with the feathers of the forehead extending forward as a short obtuse angle, those of 
the sides as a crescent, giving rise to an acute basal process of the bill laterally and superiorly 
on each side, which extend back as far as the angle of the mouth. The feathers of the chin, 
cheeks, and forehead extending about opposite to the same point ; the former usually furthest. 
a. Nail at the end of the bill small, narrow, and forming only a central part of the tip ; 
distinct. 
Fulix. — Bill longer than the head and tarsus ; about equal to the inner toe and 
claw ; long, broad, and the sides parallel to the end, or widening. Nostrils in 
the basal two-fifths of the bill. Tail short, rounded, scarcely more than one- 
third the wing. Body black anterior to the shoulder and posterior to the tibia. 
Head and neck black or red. Sides and back mottled or waved with black and 
white. Axillars and inside of wing white. 
Aythya. — Similar to the last. The bill longer and narrower, exceeding the 
inner toe ; the nostrils more anterior, close to the middle. Colors like the last, 
with reddish head. 
