30 
THE SCAUP DUCK. 
small, that of 'first toe very small and curved, of middle toe largest, with an 
inner thin edge, of the rest very slender and pointed. 
Plumage dense, soft, blended. Feathers of the head and neck short and 
velvety, those of the hind head a little elongated. Wings shortish, narrow, 
pointed ; primary quills curved, strong, tapering, the first longest, the second 
very little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondary broad and rounded, 
the inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, much rounded, of four- 
teen feathers. 
Bill light greyish-blue, the unguis blackish. Iris yellow. Feet greyish- 
blue, the webs and claws black. The head, the whole neck, and the fore 
part of the back and breast black, the head and neck glossed with purple 
and green, the rest tinged with brown. Hind part of the back, rump, abdo- 
men, and upper and lower tail-coverts, brownish-black. Middle of the back, 
scapulars, inner secondaries, interior part of abdomen, and sides greyish- 
white, beautifully marked with undulating black lines. Middle of the 
breast white, wings light brownish-grey. Alula, primaries at the base and 
end, and the greater part of secondaries, brownish-black; the speculum on 
the latter white. 
Length to end of tail 1 65 inches, to end of claws 18 ; extent of wings 29 ; 
wing from flexure 8 ^ ; tail 2i ; bill along the back 1 If, along the edge of 
lower mandible 2 ; tarsus li ; middle toe 2 T 2 2 , its claw f|. Weight 1 lb. 
6 oz. 
Adult Female. 
The female agrees with the male in the characters of the plumage, and in* 
the colours of the bare parts ; but those of the former differ considerably. 
The head, neck, and fore part of the back and breast, are umber brown ; and 
there is a broad patch of white along the fore part of the forehead. The 
upper parts in general are brownish-black, the middle of the back and the 
scapulars undulated with whitish dots and bars. The primary quills are 
greyish in the middle, and the speculum is white, but of less extent than in 
the male. The greater part of the breast and abdomen is white ; the sides 
and parts under the tail umber brown. 
Length 16^- inches, extent of wings 28. Weight 1 lb. 6 oz. 
Male. Breadth of mouth 8 twelfths ; its roof broadly concave, with a 
median prominent line, on which are four papillae, and at the anterior part 
two very short prominent lines ; on the upper mandible on each side are 42 
lamellae, not projecting beyond the margin, and about 90 on the lower man- 
dible. Tongue 1 inch 8 twelfths long, fleshy, with a deep groove above, a 
thin-edged series of lamellae on each side, the tip somewhat semicircular and 
thin-edged. (Esophagus 8 inches long, its width from 5 twelfths to 4 
twelfths, at the lower part of the neck enlarged to 6 twelfths, on entering 
