Genus— S TIGTONETTA. 
Stictonetta Reichenbach, Nat. Syst. Vogel, p. ix., 
• • • • • • . . . . . . . . Type S. ncevosa. 
Medium-sized Anatine birds characterised by the “freckled” coloration. 
The bm is long, longer than the head, rather high at base, suddenly 
descending and anteriorly rather concave where there is also a slight lateral 
expansion ; nail very small, well defined with rather triangular tip : the 
lateral edges are straight and though internally there are well developed and 
separated lamellae, these are not externally visible. The under mandible 
is narrow throughout its length, no corresponding expansion to that 
of the upper mandible taking place ; the interramal space is narrow 
and unfeathered and the nail is long. The neck is rather long. The 
wings are comparatively short with the first primary longest. The tail 
is short, composed of square broad feathers almost obscured by the upper 
tail-coverts. The tail is little longer than the bill and not much more 
than a quarter of the wing length. 
The legs are long and very stout, while the toes are about equal in length 
and also stout: they are fuUy webbed, and the hind toe is narrowly lobed 
and comparatively long. 
Salvador! {Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum, Vol. XXVII., 
p. 324, 1895) has commented : “ Systematic position very uncertain,” and 
gives details somewhat as above. 
128 
