BIRDS OF ETHIOPIA AND KENYA COLONY 



41 



Mearns' observational records of this species are as follows : 

 Ethiopia: Loco and Giclabo Kiver, March 15-17, 2 seen; Black 

 Abaya Lake, March 18-19, 52; Galana River, March 20, 4; Gate 

 Eiver (4,000 feet) , near Gardula, March 29 to May 17, 100; Anole and 

 Wobok, June 18-19, 7; ChafFa and Ballal River, June 24-25, 2; 

 Kenya Colony: Hor, June 26-30, 6; Lake Rudolf, July 5-8, 1,000; 50 

 miles southeast of Lake Rudolf, July 10, 50; Guaso Nyiro River, 

 August 31, 10; near mouth of Thika River, August 23, 10; junction 

 of Tana and Thika River, August 23-26, 100 ; Ithanga Hills, August 

 28, 2. 



PLECTROPTERUS GAMBENSIS GAMBENSIS (Linnaeus) 



Anas gambcnsis Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, p. 195, 1766: Gambia. 

 Mearns recorded seeing a spur-winged goose on the Northern Guaso 

 Nyiro River, July 31-August 3. It was not collected. 



CYANOCHEN CYANOPTERUS (Ruppell) 



Bemicla, cyanoptcra RtippiXL, Syst. Uebers., p. 129, pi. 47, 1845 : Sboa. 



Specimens collected: 



Two male adults, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 16, 1912. 



One female adult, Alaltu, Ethiopia, January 16, 1912. 



The blue-winged goose is an uncommon bird in collections and, 

 from all accounts, is very local in its entire range and never goes 

 about in flocks, being found chiefly in isolated pairs. 



Recently Blaauw ^^ kept some individuals in captivity and found 

 them to be largely nocturnal, a factor which also helps to explain 

 their apparent scarcity. 



*^ Avicultural Mag., vol. 3, ser. 4, no. 7, July, 1925, pp. 169-171. 



