190 
FULIGULINJE. AYTHYA. 
rate ; the head rather large, oblong, compressed, and rounded ! 
above. Bill as long as the head, higher than broad at the 
base, becoming depressed toward the end, of nearly equal 
breadth throughout ; upper mandible with the basal lateral 
sinuses short and wide, the upper sinus rather narrow, the 1 
frontal angles acute, the dorsal line decimate for half its 
length, then direct to the unguis, which is small, oblong, 
flattened, and decurved, the ridge broad and flat at the base, 
gradually narrowed, the sides gradually more spreading and 
convex, the edges soft, marginate, concealing the ends of the 1 
numerous, little elevated lamellsB ; lower mandible with the 
intercrural space very long, rather narrow, the outer lamellae j 
small, the unguis obovate, rather small, and little convex. 
Mouth rather narrow ; anterior palate broadly concave, with 
a median prominent line, and slender, little elevated, late- 
ral lamellae ; tongue fleshy, wdth a deep median groove, 
papillate at the base, lamelloso-filamentous on the margins, 
with the tip thin, and somewhat semicircular ; oesophagus 
rather wide ; stomach a very muscular gizzard, of a trans- 
versely elliptical form, with longitudinally rugous epithelium, 
and thick, circular grinding plates ; intestine very long and 
wide ; coeca of moderate length. Nostrils small. Eyes 
small. Ears very small. Legs very short, placed rather 
far behind ; tarsus compressed, with small anterior scutella ; 
hind toe very slender, with a narrow lobiform membrane ; 
outer toes about equal, and double the length of the tarsus ; 
interdigital membranes emarginate ; claws small, slender, 
little arched, rather pointed. Plumage dense, firm, glossy ; 
feathers of the head and neck soft, blended, silky or vel- 
vety ; wings short, convex, narrow, pointed, of twenty-six 
quills, the first longest ; tail very small, much rounded, of 
fourteen stiffish, tapering feathers. 
Brown, grey, white, and brownish-red, are the prevailing 
colours of the plumage. This genus is one of those which 
approach nearest to the Anatinse, and the species are by no 
means exclusively marine. When fed on vegetable sub- 
stances they afford good eating, the flesh of one species, 
Aythya valisneriana, being in America celebrated above that 
of every other duck. Three species occur in Britain. 
