CLANGULA LEUCONOTA.
F orm, &c.—Figure robust; head very large; neck moderately long, at
the middle contracted; body short and bulky; tail short, slightly rounded,
the feathers twelve or fourteen, narrow, and rounded at the point, the shafts
rigid. The upper surface of the head is arched; the feathers of the forehead
rigid, of the top and hind head rather elongated, and those of the latter form
a compressed rudimentary crest. Wings short, rounded, and when folded
reach only to the base of the tail, the longest of the primaries and tertiaries
the same length, the third and fourth quill feathers longest and equal, the
second and fifth slightly shorter, the sixth nearly a quarter of an inch
shorter than the fifth, the first rudimentary. Bill short, rather narrow, high
at base, flattened and convex towards point. Nasal fosste large, oval, and
wdh a distinct membranous septum, in the anterior part of which are the
nostrils, open; small, and oval. The upper part of the bill, between the
ossae, anteriorly narrow, posteriorly wider, and consists of two slightly
diverging sides, between which is a slight groove, which extends to the
centre of the forehead. Nail of upper mandible oval, the anterior half bent
over the apex of lower jaw at nearly a right angle; margin of upper mandible
internally strongly, and deeply crenulated. Legs short, reticulated on all
sides, the scales very small on the inner side, larger and many sided on
the outer and anterior sides. Toes long, the webs complete and terminate
at the base of the nails, the portions on each side of the middle toe more
advanced than the lateral parts. Hinder toe short, with a large membranous
flap, on inner side. Nails of all the toes short, slender, slightly curved
and blunt.
1. 5£
2 6
2 6
1 11
0 10J
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines.
Length from the point of the bill to the
base of the tail....................... ig g
of the bill to the angle of the
mouth .............. 2 0
of the tail.................................... 2 0
wings when folded ....... 6 7
Length of the tarsus
outer toe .,
middle toe
inner toe ..
hinder toe ..
The colours of the male more bright than those of the female, the rudimentary
crest also much more distinct.
Inhabits Verlorn Vley and other lakes on the western coast of Southern Africa. It flies
but seldom, and when it does it simply skims along the surface of the water; when disturbed
it immediately dives, continues a considerable time under water, and on its returning to the
surface it descends again immediately if the cause of its fears continues near it.