brooks: fat.kland island birds. 155 



Taciiyeres cinereus (Gmelin). 

 "Loggerhead Duck". 



This is a very aliundant duck in the Falkland Islands, and is to l)e 

 seen everywhere on hoth exposed and prot(>eted l)eaehes. 



There is no doubt in my mind that there are hoth flying and non- 

 flying Steamer Ducks, but how they are to be satisfactorily separated 

 and diagnosed remains a task as yet unaccomplished. 



C. C. Abbott writing in the Ibis, 1861, p. 162, says "the flying 

 Loggerhead is not uncommon in the Falkland Islands," and con- 

 siders it worthy of separation setting up the name T. pniachonicus of 

 King. 



I spoke with many people in these islands and they all mentioned 

 a flying bird that they called a "Canvas-back," which they have 

 seen fl\- from the nest. Their only diagnostic character seemed to 

 be a lighter color. An old male taken at Port Stephens, January 17, 

 orig. no. 1289, apparently unable to fly, was identified by the residents 

 as a "Canvas-back," my attention being called to its lighter color. 

 It seemed to me that it was merely an old grizzled bird, its skeleton, 

 and larynx giving every evidence of old age. It is a large bird and 

 the wings as small in proportion as on any other. 



It was not my good fortune to see any of these ducks flying, though 

 many when frightened could raise the body clear of the water except 

 the feet. From this state of very nearly flying, one sees even in a 

 single flock every stage to mere flapping. The wings are less often 

 used as paddles, the birds generally managing to keep the forepart 

 of the body oft' the water, and pulling themselves along. 



Mr. F. E. Blaauw (Ibis, July, 1916, ser. 10, 4, p. 488^92) discusses 

 these two forms, and though he may have settled this question as 

 regards birds in Terra del Fuego, and the Strait of Magellan he has 

 proved nothing regarding this species in the Falklands. 



He states (p. 491) that T. patachonicus, the flying duck is smaller 

 than T. cinereus, and the bill is orange-yellow. The plumage is 

 bluish gray, with a white breast and belly, and a white wing-speculum. 



The female patachonicus (p. 491) is smaller, head brown, rest of the 

 body except the white underside and white wing-bar, of a wine-color, 

 with gray centres to the feathers of the upperside and sides. The bill 

 is brown or black. 



T. cinereus according to Mr. Blaauw (p. 489) is "enormously big." 

 " Both sexes when adult are grey in this species, with a white under- 



