27. ANAS. 197 



Anas bo3chas, var., Hartl. J.f. 0. 18-54, p. 170 (Sandwiclilsl.). 

 Anas superciliosa a. sandwicheasis, Bp. Compt. Rend, xliii. p. 649 



(1856) (noni. nudum). 

 Anas superciliosa, var. (part.), G. li. Gr. Cat. B. Trap. Isl. p. 54 



(1850). 

 Anas superciliosa, Dole {nee Gm.), Pr. Bost. Soc. N. S. xii. p. -305 



(1869) (Sandwich Isl.); Sclat. Ibis, 1871, p. .360; Dole, Haw. 



Almanac, 1879, p. oo; id. B.Hawai. Isl. 2nd ed. p.55 (1879). 

 Anas sandwicliensis, " Bp.," Bxdler, B. New Zeal, p. 245 {in syn. 



A. superciliosffi) (1873). 

 Anas wvvilliana, Sclat. P. Z. S. 1878, p. .350 (juv., Sandwich Isl.); 



Bidt/w. Pr. U.S. Nat. Mus. i. p. 251 (2) (1878); Selnt. Ibis, 



187i), p. 92 ; Finsch, Ibis, 1880, p. 79 : Sclat. Voy. Vhall, Birds, 



p. 98, pi. xxii. (juv.) (1880); id. P. Z. S. 1880, p. 517; Wall. 



Island Life, p. 296 (1881) ; Rchnw. Orn. Centralbl. 1882, p. 19; 



Snlvad. dm. Pap.e Mol. iii. p. 396 (note) (1882) ; SteJ7i. Pr.U.S. 



Nat. Mus. xi. p. 98 (1888) ; Scott Wils. Aves Saiuaiienses, pt. iv 



pi. — (1893). 



Besides the four specimens mentioned below, I have seen three 

 others received for inspection from Prof. Xewton, and many more, 

 over twenty, in the Hon. W. Rothschild's collection. As observed 

 by Dr. Stejneger, the specimens inspected show a number of extra- 

 ordinary variations, truly perplexing, and I must confess that I do 

 not quite understand this species. The most adult male bird 

 examined in ^Ir. Rothschild's collection has the central tail-feathers 

 curled up, so that this species appears to come near to A. hosccis. 

 Examining the series as I have done, it seems to me that perhaps 

 not one of the specimens inspected is in full dress, and, secondlj', 

 that many of the birds have some taint of A. hoscas, which, 

 according to Judge Dole, is naturalized in all the Islands. Both 

 these points cannot bo solved at present, but we must wait for 

 further information obtained in the Sandwich Islands. 



Before proceeding to mention the principal features distinguishing 

 A. un/vilUana, I wish to point out that the figure of the type of 

 Anas ivyvilliana (Voy. of the ' Challenger ') is not very exact in the 

 following particulars : — 1st, the speculum is much too green ; 

 2nd, the feathers of the breast have small roundish dark spots, 

 while in the type there are U-shaped black submarginal bands ; 

 3rd, the general colouring is not olive-brown, but much more 

 rufescent. 



When I was in Paris I examined in the Museum the presumed 

 tj-pe of A. hosclias a. freycineti ; it is a male in moult, putting on 

 the green feathers of the head. This bird, which is labelled as 

 from " Les Isles Malouines," was inadvertently stated by Gray 

 to be from the Sandwich Islands. According to the information 

 given to me by M. Oustalet it is not at all improbable that the 

 type of A. hoschas a,, freycineti came from the Marianne Islands, 

 and if so, it would be the same as my A. oustaleti. 



Besides the central tail-feathers being curled up in one specimen, 

 and very little so in another, the most adult male specimens of 



