644 



PLECTROPTERUS GAMBENSIS. GAMBO SPUR- 

 WINGED GOOSE. 



Spur-winged Goose. Bew. Brit. Birds, II. 296. 



Plectropterus Gambensis. Stepli. in Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII. pt. II. 6. 



Anser Gambensis. Jen. Brit. Vert. Anim. 226. 



Bill reddish-yellow ; feet orange ; upper part of the head 

 and neck brown; lower part of the neck, sides of the breast, 

 and zipper parts black, glossed with green; lower parts 

 white. 



Of this species, which is indigenous to Northern and 

 Western Africa, a specimen Avas killed near St. Germains, in 

 Cornwall, in June, 1821, and, after being mutilated, was 

 sent to Mr. Bewick, who thus describes it : — " The bill is 

 reddish-yellow, with a jointed protuberance at the base of 

 the upper mandible. The upper part of the head and neck 

 are dingy brown ; the auriculars and sides of the throat are 

 white, spotted with brown ; the lower part of the neck, 

 sides of the breast, and all the upper plumage appear black, 

 but this colour is lost, particularly in the scapulars and 

 tertials, which are most resplendently bronzed and glossed 

 with, brilliant green, and most of the outer webs of the 

 feathers partake of the same hue ; on the bend of the wing 

 or wrist is placed a strong white horny spur, about five- 

 eighths of an inch in length, turning upwards and rather 

 inwards ; the whole of the edges of the wing from the alula 

 spuria to the elbow and shoulder are white, all the under 

 parts the same. This beautiful bird is nearly of the bulk of 

 the Wild Goose, but its legs and toes are somewhat longer, 

 and of a red or orange-yelloAv." 



Mr. Mewburn, of St. Germains, who sent the skin to 



