52 
SURF DUCK. 
small and curved, of the middle toe largest, with a dilated inner edge, of the 
rest slender, all rather obtuse. 
Plumage soft, dense, blended, and glossy. ^Feathers on the head and neck 
of a velvety texture. Wings rather short, narrow, and pointed ; primary 
quills curved, strong, tapering, and pointed, the first longest, the second 
little shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries broad and rounded, 
the inner elongated and tapering. Tail very short, narrow, wedge-shaped, 
of fourteen stiff, narrow, pointed feathers. 
Upper mandible with a nearly square black patch at the base, margined 
with orange, unless in front, where there is a patch of bluish-white extend- 
ing to near the nostrils, prominent part over the nostrils deep reddish-orange, 
becoming lighter towards the unguis, and shaded into rich yellow towards 
the margins; the unguis dingy greyish-yellow; lower mandible flesh-coloured, 
unguis darker. Iris bright yellowish-white. Tarsi and toes orange-red, the 
webs dusky, tinged with green ; claws black. The plumage is of a deep 
nlack, glossed with blue. On the top of the head, between the eyes, is a 
roundish patch of white, and on the nape a larger patch of an elongated form. 
Length to end of tail 20 inches, to end of wings 18, to end of claws 22 ; 
extent of wings 33J ; bill from the angle in front 1^ ; from the prominence 
at the base 2£; along the edge of lower mandible 2^] wing from flexure 9f ; 
tail 3f ; tarsus 1 ^ ; first toe and claw H ; outer toe and claw 2£ ; middle 
toe and claw T u longer. Weight 2 lbs. 7 oz. 
Adult Female. 
Bill greenish-black; iris as in the male ; feet yellowish-orange, webs grey- 
ish-dusky, claws black. The general colour of the plumage is brownish- 
black ; darker on the top of the head, the back, wings, and tail ; on the 
breast and sides the feathers edged with dull greyish-white. 
Length to end of tail 19 inches, to end of wings 15f, to end of claws 18 ; 
extent of wings 31a ; wing from flexure 8f; tarsus IS; middle toe 2f, hind 
toe T V. Weight 2 lbs. 2 oz. 
In an adult male, the tongue is 1 inch 9 twelfths long, has numerous 
conical papillae at the base, is deeply grooved along the middle, has two 
lateral series of bristles, and terminates in a thin rounded lobe, 2 twelfths 
long. On the middle line of the upper mandible are about ten short conical 
papillae, and on each of its margins about 35 lamellae; on the lower an equal 
number. The heart is 1 inch 8 twelfths long, 1 inch 2 twelfths broad. The 
oesophagus, 8^. inches long, is wide, its diameter at the upper part being 1 
inch, towards the middle of the neck 1^ inches. The proventficulus is Is 
inches long ; its glandules cylindrical, twelfths in length, and, as in all 
other ducks, arranged so as to form a complete belt. The stomach is a 
powerful gizzard of a roundish form, 1 inch 10 twelfths long, 1 inch 10 
