Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of AmericaAudubon, John James
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Ornithological biography, Vol. 4 (of 5) : $b An account of the habits of the birds of the United States of America
Audubon, John James
Birds -- North America
GREAT AUK, _Nuttall_, Manual, vol. ii. p. 553.
Adult in Summer. Plate CCCXLI. Figs. 1, 2.
Bill as long as the head, feathered as far as the nostrils, beyond
which it is very high, exceedingly compressed, tapering, and slightly
declinate. Upper mandible with the dorsal line straight for an inch
and a quarter, then declinate and decurvate to the end, the ridge
very narrow, broader at the base; the sides nearly flat, with a basal
ridge succeeded by a deep groove, then a large flat space, succeeded
by eight oblique curved ridges, the edges sharp toward the end, the
tip decurved and obtuse. Nostrils marginal, linear, short, pervious,
but concealed by the feathers. Lower mandible with the angle long,
the sides extremely narrow and linear for half their length, the horny
part not being extended over the bone, which is covered with feathers,
afterwards deep and compressed, with the dorsal line at first convex,
then ascending and concave to the end, the sides flat, with about ten
transverse ridges, the edges sharp, the tip deflected.
Head large, oblong, anteriorly narrowed. Eyes rather small. Neck short
and thick. Body compact and full. Wings extremely small, but perfectly
formed. Feet placed far behind, short, very strong; tarsus short,
compressed, anteriorly scutellate, laterally covered with angular
scales, those on the hind part very small. Hind toe wanting; third
toe longest, outer nearly as long, inner much shorter, lateral toes
marginate, all with numerous scutella and several rows of angular
scales above, and connected by reticulated webs. Claws rather small,
narrow, arched, convex above, and obtuse.
Plumage close, blended, very soft, on the head and neck short and
velvety. Wings diminutive, much pointed; the primaries tapering to
an acute point, the first longest, the rest rapidly graduated, their
coverts long; secondaries short and broad, scarcely longer than their
coverts. Tail short, pointed, of _fourteen_ feathers.
Bill black, with the grooves between the transverse ridges white. Iris
hazel. Feet and claws black. Fore part of the neck below, and all
the lower parts white, of which colour also is a large oblong patch
before each eye, and the tips of the secondary quills; the rest black,
the throat and sides of the neck tinged with chocolate-brown, the
wings with greyish-brown, the head, hind neck, and back glossed with
olive-green.
Length to end of tail 29 inches, to end of wings 23-3/4, to end of
claws 31-1/2, to carpal joint 18-1/2; extent of wings 27-1/4; wing from
flexure 7-1/8; tail 2-7/8, bill along the ridge 3-5/8, along the edge
of lower mandible 4-1/2, greatest depth of upper mandible 1, depth of
lower 5/8; width of gape 1-7/8; tarsus 2; middle toe 2-5/8, its claw
5/8; outer toe 2-5/8; its claw (3-1/2)/8; inner toe 2-(1/2)/8, its claw
(4-1/2)/8.
GOLDEN-EYE DUCK.
_FULIGULA CLANGULA_, BONAP.
PLATE CCCXLII. MALE AND FEMALE.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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