250 
DUSKY DUCK. 
marginal lamellae about forty on each side ; the unguis obovate, curved, 
abrupt at the end. Nasal groove elliptical, sub-basal, filled by the soft mem- 
brane of the bill ; nostrils sub-basal, placed near the ridge, longitudinal, 
elliptical, pervious. Lower mandible slightly curved upwards, flattened, 
with the angle very long, narrow, and rather pointed, the lamellae about 
sixty. 
Head of moderate size, oblong, compressed ; neck rather long and slender ; 
body full, depressed. Feet short, stout, placed a little behind the centre of 
the body ; legs bare a little above the joint ; tarsus short, a little compressed, 
anteriorly with small scutella, externally of which is a series continuous with 
those of the outer toe, laterally and behind with reticulated angular scales. 
Hind toe extremely small, with a very narrow membrane ; third toe longest, 
fourth a little shorter, but longer than the second ; the scutella of the second 
and third oblique, of the outer transverse ; the three anterior toes connected 
by reticulated membranes, the outer with a thick margin, the inner with the 
margin extended into a slightly lobed web. Claws small, arched, com- 
pressed, rather obtuse, that of the middle toe much larger, with a dilated, 
thin edge. 
Plumage dense, soft, and elastic ; on the head and neck the feathers linear- 
oblong, on the other parts in general broad and rounded. Wings of mode- 
rate breadth and length, acute ; primaries narrow and tapering, the second 
longest, the first very little shorter ; secondaries broad, curved inwards, the 
inner elongated and tapering. Tail short, much rounded, of eighteen acute 
feathers, none of which are recurved. 
Bill yellowish-green, the unguis dusky. Iris dark brown. Feet orange- 
red, the webs dusky. The upper part of the head is glossy brownish-black, 
the feathers margined with light brown ; the sides of the head and a band 
over the eye are light greyish-brown, with longitudinal dusky streaks ; the 
middle of the neck is similar, but more dusky. The general colour is black- 
ish-brown, a little paler beneath, all the feathers margined with pale reddish- 
brown. The wing-coverts are greyish-dusky, with a faint tinge of green ; 
the ends of the secondary coverts velvet-black. Primaries and their coverts 
blackish-brown, with the shafts brown ; secondaries darker ; the speculum is 
green, blue, violet, or amethyst purple, according to the light in which it is 
viewed, bounded by velvet black, the feathers also tipped with a narrow line 
of white. The whole under surface of the wing, and the axillaries, white. 
Length to end of tail 2 4 3 inches, to end of claws 26 ; extent of wings 38i ; 
bill 2 ,- 4 2 , along the back ; wing from flexure lli ; tail 4^; tarsus lf|; middle 
toe 2 t 3 2, its claw -*2 '■> first toe yv, its claw yV. Weight 3 lbs. 
Adult Female. 
The female, which is somewhat smaller, resembles the male in colour, but 
