562 Mr. N. A. Vigors on the Anas glocitans of Pallas. 



with a free hallux; legs placed within the equilibrium of the 

 body, and inferior powers of swimming and none of diving, 

 affect the neighbourhood of fresh waters, feed occasionally on 

 land, and as such form part of the aberrant subdivisions of the 

 Natatorial Order. It is evidently remote from A. boschas, of 

 which the middle tail-feathers also appear the longest, but which 

 are invariably curved upwards. While it may also be perceived 

 to hold a different station from A. acuta, which, although closely 

 allied to the same group, yet from its long neck and legs is 

 found to stand at that remote end of it where it is connected 

 with the Aiiseres, the next conterminous division of the family. 

 Its nearest affinity among the European species is to the A . cir- 

 cia, Gmel., and A. crecca, Linn.* 



The appearance of this species in the British Islands seems of 

 rare occurrence ; two instances only of the kind having been 

 recorded. These most probably are to be attributed to some 

 extraordinary accident or stress of weather. 



* The Querquedula circia and Q. crecca of modern Ornithologists. 



XXVII. A De- 



