THE EIDER DECK. 
69 
to beyond the nostrils, then curved, the ridge broad at the base, broadly 
convex towards the end, the edges perpendicular, obtuse, with about fifty 
small lamellae on the inner side, the unguis very large, elliptical. Nostrils 
sub-medial, oblong, large, pervious, nearer the ridge than the edge. Lower 
mandible flattened, with the angle very long, rather narrow and rounded, 
the dorsal line short and slightly convex, the’ edges with about sixty lamellm, 
the unguis very broad, elliptical. 
Head very large. Eyes of moderate size. Neck of moderate length, 
rather slender at its upper part. Body bulky and much depressed. Wings 
rather small. Feet very short, strong, placed rather far behind ; tarsus very 
short, compressed, anteriorly having a series of scutella in its whole length, 
and a partial series above the fourth toe, the rest reticulated with angular 
scales. Hind toe small, with a free membrane beneath ; anterior toes double 
the length of the tarsus, connected by reticulated membranes, having a sinus 
at their free margins, the inner with a broad lobed marginal membrane, the 
outer with a thickened edge ; all obliquely scutellate above, the third and 
fourth about equal and longest. Claws small, that of first toe very small and 
curved, of middle toe largest, all rather depressed and blunt. 
Plumage short, dense, soft, blended. Feathers on the fore part of the 
head extremely small ; on the upper part very narrow, on the occiput and 
upper and lateral parts of the neck hair-like, stiff and glossy. Wings rather 
short, narrow, pointed ; primary quills curved, strong, tapering, the first 
longest, the second scarcely shorter, the rest rapidly graduated ; secondaries 
short, broad, rounded, the inner elongated, tapering, and recurved. Tail 
very short, much rounded, of sixteen narrow feathers.. 
Bill pale greyish-yellow, the unguis lighter, the soft tumid part pale flesh- 
colour. Iris brown. Feet dingy light green, the webs dusky. Upper part 
of the head bluish-black ; the central part from the occiput to the middle 
white. The hair-like feathers on the upper part and sides of the neck are 
of a delicate pale green tint. The sides of the head, the throat, and the 
neck are white, the fore neck at its lower part of a fine colour intermediate 
between buff and cream-colour. The rest of the lower surface is brownish- 
black, as are the upper tail-coverts, and the central part of the rump. The 
rest of the back, the scapulars, smaller wing-coverts, and inner .curved 
secondary quills, white, the scapulars tinged with yellow. Secondary coverts 
and outer secondaries brownish-black ; primaries and tail-coverts greyish- 
brown. 
Length to end of tail 25 inches, to end of wings 21i, to end of claws 27 ; 
extent of wings 42 ; wing from flexure 111; tail 4i; bill from extremity of 
tumid part 2}|, from its notch 2 T 2 2 , along the edge of lower mandible 
