THE PINTAIL DUCK. 
269 
the sides convex, the edges soft, with about fifty internal lamellae ; unguis 
small, somewhat triangular, curved abruptly at the broad end. Nostrils 
sub-basal, lateral, rather small, oval, pervious. Lower mandible flattish, 
its angle very long and narrow, the dorsal line very short, slightly convex, 
the sides convex, the edges soft, -jwith about sixty lamellas. 
Head of moderate size, compressed, the forehead rounded. Neck rather 
long and slender. Body full and depressed. Wings rather small. Feet 
very short, placed rather far back; tarsus very short, compressed, at its lower 
part anteriorly with two series of scutella, the rest covered with reticulated 
angular scales. Toes obliquely scutellate above ; first very small, free, with 
a narrow membrane beneath ; third longest; 'fourth a little shorter, their 
connecting webs entire, reticulated, at the edge pectinate ; claws small, 
curved, compressed, acute, the hind one smaller and more curved, that of 
the third toe with an inner sharp edge. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head and neck short, on 
the hind head and neck elongated. Wings narrow, of moderate length, 
acute, the first quill longest, the second nearly equal, the rest rapidly gradu- 
ated; outer secondaries broad and rounded; inner elongated and tapering, as 
are their coats, and the scapulars; first quill serrated on the outer edge, some- 
what like that of an Owl. Tail of moderate length, tapering, of fourteen 
tapering feathers, of which the two middle project far beyond the’rest. 
Bill black, the sides of upper mandible light blue. Iris brown. Feet 
greyish-blue; claws black. Head, throat, and upper part of neck anteriorly 
greenish-brown, faintly margined behind with purplish-red ; a small part of 
hind neck dark green ; the rest, and the upper parts in general, beautifully 
undulated with very narrow bars of brownish-black and yellowish- white ; 
smaller wing-coverts, alula, and primary quills grey, the latter dark brown 
towards the end; the speculum of a coppery-red, changing to dull green, edged 
anteriorly with light brownish-red, posteriorly with white ; the inner secon- 
daries, and the scapulars, black and green, with broad grey margins. Upper 
tail-coverts cream-coloured, the outer webs blackish and green ; tail light 
grey, the middle feathers dark brown, glossed with green. On each side 
of the neck is an oblique band of white, of which colour are the under parts 
in general, the sides, however, undulated like the back ; the lateral feathers 
of the rump cream-coloured, the lower tail-coverts black, those at the sides 
edged with white. 
Length to end of tail 29 inches ; extent of wings 36; bill along the back 
2,%, along the edge of lower mandible 2 T 3 ,; tarsus 1 t 8 j, middle toe 2, its 
claw yb; wing from flexure 11, tail 5i. Weight 2 lbs. 
Adult Female. 
The female, which is much smaller, has the upper parts variegated with 
Yol. YI. 37 
