Bill stout, compressed at base, flattened at tip, which is blunt
or rounded or rarely spatulate (Spatula), and covered with soft,
leathery membrane except the hard overhanging "nail" at tip; nostril
from subbasal to subterminal, open and usually oval; neck small and
usually long; body compact, heavy, flattened, densely covered with
short feathers; wings stiff, strong, and rather pointed; tail usually
short and rounded and fairly stiff, never forked and but rarely long
and pointed (Dafila); legs short; toes stout and palmate; hind toe
simple or lobate. Eggs six to one dozen or more, white, cream-color,
or light buff; nest usually lined with down from the breast of the
old bird; young covered with down and able to swim at birth. [20]
Family ANATIDÆ.
Characters same as those given for the Order.
Subfamilies.
a1. Smaller; culmen less than 25 mm.; throat, breast, and abdomen
white. ... Plectropterinæ (p. 185)
a2. Larger; culmen more than 32 mm.; throat, breast, and abdomen not
uniform in color.
b1. Head, neck, and breast not of a uniform color; no occipital
crest. ... Anatinæ (p. 187)
b2. Head, neck, and breast brownish black, in adult male glossy
black; adult male with a pointed occipital crest. ... Marilinæ
(p. 197)
Subfamily PLECTROPTERINÆ.
Genus NETTAPUS Brandt, 1836.
Members of this genus are distinguished by their small size and short
stout bill.