ANATINiE. RHYNCHASPIS. 171 
839. — Querquedula caudacuta, Pintail Teal, MacGillivray, 
Brit. Birds, v. 
GENUS CXXVII. EHYNCHASPIS. SHOYEL-BILL. 
In this genus, which differs little from Querquedula, un- 
less in the expanded form of the bill toward the end, and the 
remarkable elongation of the extremely attenuated lamella, 
the body is elongated, elliptical, slightly depressed, and 
moderately full ; the neck rather long and slender ; the head 
oblong, much compressed, little elevated above. Bill longer 
than the head, much higher than broad at the base, gradually 
depressed and widened toward the end, the breadth of which 
is double that of the base ; upper mandible with the dorsal 
line gently sloping and nearly straight to the unguis, which 
is small, oblongo-obovate, decurved at the end, the ridge 
broad and concave at the base, gradually narrowed, the sides 
at the base erect, toward the end spreading and convex, the 
edges sinuate, the very numerous, elongated, slender lamellae 
projecting conspicuously from the base to near the broadest 
part, beyond which they are incurved ; lower mandible less 
dilated. Mouth rather narrow ; tongue fleshy, with margi- 
nal slender lamellae and bristles, its breadth increasing to 
the end, where it is abrupt, but with a semicircular flattened 
tip ; oesophagus of moderate width ; proventrieulus oblong ; 
stomach a very muscular, roundish gizzard, placed obliquely, 
with longitudinally rugous epithelium, and thick grinding 
plates ; intestine extremely long and slender ; coeca long, 
rather narrow. Trachea slowly enlarging from the top ; 
inferior larynx with a rounded bony expansion, compara- 
tively small, on the left side ; bronchi large. Nostrils rather 
small, elliptical. Eyes small. Aperture of ear very small. 
Legs very short ; tarsus compressed, with small anterior 
scutella ; hind toe very small, with a very narrow membrane ; 
outer toe a little shorter than the third ; interdigital mem- 
branes emarginate ; claws slender, compressed, acuminate, 
moderately arcuate. Plumage dense, soft, glossy ; scapu- 
lars elongated and acuminate ; wings of moderate length, 
narrow, pointed, of twenty- five quills ; first and second quills 
