INTRODUCTION. 
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Genus FREGETTA, Bonaparte. Southern Hemisphere. 
Gen. char.— D iffers from Pelagodroma in having the tarsi ocreate, the feet very short, with the nails 
peculiarly broad and blunt. 
Order AN SERES. 
Family ANATID.®. Ducks. 
Genus ANAS, Linn. Cosmopolite. 
Gen. char. — Bill longer than the head, higher than broad at the base, nearly of equal breadth throughout ; 
the culmen nearly straight, and depressed to the tip, which is armed with a strong broad nail ; the I a me lhe of the 
uppei mandible hardly visible beyond the lateral margin, strong, and widely set, especially near the middle; the 
nostrils placed near the base of the culmen, lateral and oval. Wings moderate and pointed, with the tertials 
lengthened and acute, and with the first quill the longest. Tail short and wedge-shaped. Tarsi shorter than the 
middle toe and compressed. Toes united by a full web; and the hind toe small and somewhat lobed. 
Genus NESONETTA, Gray. Endemic. 
Gln. char. Bill shorter than the head, the width and elevation at the base equal; the culmen gradually 
slopin 0 to the tip, which is armed with a moderate-sized nail, the sides compressed and of equal breadth throughout ; 
the lamellae of the interior margins of the upper mandible small and widely set, strongest near the base ; the nostrils 
near the base lateral and oval. Wings very short and pointed, with the second quill the longest. Tail short and 
we e-sliaped, with the end of the stem of each feather bare and rigid. Tarsi robust, about two thirds the length 
of t e middle toe. Toes strong, with the outer toe shorter than the middle, and all the fore toes united by a full 
web ; the hind toe short, elevated, and somewhat lobed. 
Genus MERGUS, Lmn. North Temperate regions; also Auckland Islands. 
Gen. char. Bill as long as, or longer than, the head, straight, slender; the culmen elevated, and convex 
towards the tip, which is suddenly hooked and armed with a large broad nail; the lateral margins of both mandibles 
serrated with short and widely-set teeth, all pointing backwards ; the nostrils lateral, placed near the base of the 
bill, oblong, pierced longitudinally in a membrane and pervious. Wings moderate and pointed, with the first and 
second quills of nearly equal length and longest. Tail moderate and graduated. Tarsi shorter than the middle 
toe. Toes moderate ; the outer and middle ones of nearly equal length, and the three anterior ones united by a 
lull web ; the hind toe moderate and much lobed. 
Genus CASARCA, Bonaparte. Europe, as well as Australia and New Zealand. 
Gen. char. — Bill as long as the head, nearly straight, the width equalling the height at the base, the anterior 
half depressed, and scarcely curved upwards at the tip, which is armed with a strong, broad nail; the basal part of 
the lateral margin straight, and the apical part slightly curved upwards ; the lamellae of the upper mandible promi- 
nent below the lateral margins, slender, and set rather widely apart; the nostrils suboval, near the base of culmen. 
If irigs moderate, with the second quill the longest. Tail short and rounded. Tarsi robust, shorter than the middle 
toe. Joes long, and united bv a full web; and the hind toe long, elevated, and lobed. 
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