324 GOLDEN-BYE DUCK.
of the smaller coverts, some of'tlie secondary uoyorts, and six or seven
Of the secondary quills, pure white. The basal part of the secondary
coverts black: A.xillar feathers and lower wing-coverts dusky ; the
elongated feathers: of the sides Have the inner, some of theni also their
outer margins black, that colour in those ôpthe innermoScovering the
whole inner web. The feathers on the legs, and along thé sides of the
rump, dusky; The tail brownish-gr^y.
•Length to oi'.d .oil tail 20 inches,' to end of wings 17|, to end of
claws20i ; extent of wings 31i bill along the ridge I f , from the angles
2, along the edge of lower mandible 2 f t ; wing from flexure !.' ; tail 4J ;
tarsus lg§iy hind toe | | s its-'claw $ ; ; second rj g claw ft ; third
toe 2!, its claw ft ; I'otirSli toe its claw A- Weight 2 lb.
Of another male, length teenB ®1taiil 19J, to end of claws 21J, to
end of wings'17 ; extent of wings 31.
Adult J-Yiuale. PlateiÇCCXLII. Fig. 2.
The fernale is much smaller. Bill dusky, a portion at the end, not
however including the unguis, dull yellowish-orange. feet
as in the male. Head and upper part of neck dull reddish-brown.
Lower part of neck: and the' sides oT' the body brownish-grcy, the
feathers; maa-gined with pale- 'gfef. Upper parts greyish-brown,
much darker behind;, tail brownish-grey ; wiàgfHj»ôwnish-black,
seven of their coverts, excepting at the bases, white, the smaller coverts
lighter and tipped with greyish-whito ; the legs and sides of the
rump greyish-brown.
Length to end of tail 16 inches, to end of wings 15, to end of claws
17j. ; e x t e n t ; of1 wings 28; »inir from fluxure 83 : tail 3] ; bill along
the ridge If, from the angle? 1J, lilong the lower mandible I f ; tarsus
If*; hind tee I, its claw middle toe 2f', its claw f ; outer toe |
longer ; inner, toe and claw 2. Weight If lb.
An adult male examined. The tongue is 2 inches long, fleshy, pa
pillato at the base, with two scries of lateral filaments, a deep .median
groove, ami a thin semicircular tip, as in many other lucks. The oesophagus
is 10 inches longjt 'of moderate diameter, dilated towards <the
ijâowcr part of the neck to j inch ; its walls very thick ; the proventri
cuius with numerous oblong glandules. The stomach is a .large and
powerful gizzard,, of a roundish form,-2. inches long, and of equal dia-
GOLDEN-EYE DUCK.
meter, its lateral musdes very large, and upwards of half an inch H I
its epithelium rugous. Ti e i n t e s t i n ^ 6 fe!|ï ".eh long, its d»neter
varying from 5 twelfths to 4 twelfths; the recWft 4 i n ç h ^ long ; the
W Ê H inches .in length, their greatest B 2* twelfths. The contents
» s t o m a c h » » a s s of u reddisbrfcblonr, in w h i e hWH
tingnished small rtwh and remains oMsfes.'with some vegetable
-fljSSêSk'i ' ..
-The.trachea » 9 metes long, for 4 A s narrow, Ws diameter
being about'4| twelfths, and b r ings , which arc (¡0 in number, carti-
WÊÊÊÈ it then forms an ovate, oblong e x p a n s i o n , which, when drawn
in breadth, and is formed of ossmcd
aud i lat teui rings, .¡ar'roiver behind, placed obliquely, and about 30 »'
number ; it the i feritracts to a diameter of 5 twelfths, and has 16 free
rings, but below this the rings, 25 m numbi fhecome united or blended,
and gradually-expand into à vast irregular cavity, having a broad
bony fran&îùi front, membranous, behind, and separating to the distance1
of 1 inch, the bronchi, which are large, t i e rig«® much
larger and longer than the left, ui.d composed of 20 rings, all of which
are alm|l'l(it>nipletSand cartilaginous, excepting the two upper. The
ringsS§ the also about 20, are more incomplete. ^
• » o w fcr i ^Se tur«, Thesi 4orniBus dilatations arc intended
for1 strengthening the voice. Hut the voice- i» *ot strong in this duct,
Well, then, they are rêcteptacles of air, to eiîabïe the bird to keep
longer under water. But the bird does not keep longer under Water
than many other, ducks, and besides, the female, which has no such dilatations,
dives as well as the male.
One u§e at least is thisi ' A comparison'df" thé windpipe Of an
American <i..lden;
cye, with those, of two Scotch d^e^shews that the
so-called Clausula Americana, is in this rcspfect precisely similar to the
Chmuli chnmpk'halma. Their digestive organs are also the same ;
and American skins compared with European skins, exhibit no diffi--
rencefcof the slightest importance. Some individuals, especially males,
have ¡much larger bills than others,' but this, happens in the birds of
both countries, and the Golden-eyc; is not singular in this respect.'
ClanguUi Americana, therefore, requires a better elucidation than the,
appendage; of a: " Nob," before' it can be admitted, as a species.