of the Falkland Islands. 159 



31. Chloephaga poliocephala, G.R.Gray. 



This can hardly be called a Falkland-Island bird, although 

 Mr. Gould has included it in his list given in the ' Proceedings 

 of the Zoological Society *.^ During the three years I have 

 been in East Falkland I have never seen but three, and these 

 were met with singly, at different times, amongst flocks of the 

 Upland Goose (C magellanica). Probably these birds were 

 stragglers from the coast of Patagonia, where the species is said 

 to be very common. 



32. Bernicla ANTARCTICA (Gm.). (Kelp Goose.) 



A very common bird along the coast. Its breeding-time is 

 the same as that of the Upland Goose, and, as the nest is placed 

 a few yards from the shore and quite exposed, I have frequently 

 seen the female sitting from a distance. The male bird is gene- 

 rally also stationed very close by, as is the case with the Upland 

 Goose. The interior of the nest of this bird is covered with 

 down, taken from the female only, as I have ascertained by 

 the colour. The eggs are generally six or seven in number, 

 and are carefully covered over with down when the bird is away 

 at feed. 



33. Cygnus nigrtcollis (Gm.). (Black-necked Swan.) 

 This Swan is found all the year round in East Falkland, but 



is rather scarce and very wild. In 1859 a number appeared 

 in the River Murrel, and most of them moulted there. A pair 

 of them which were caught did not survive long in captivity. 

 The Black-necked Swan seems to breed principally on the ad- 

 jacent islands, as I have never heard of more than one nest 

 being found on the mainland. This was on the edge of a pond 

 at Mare Harbour. 



34. Cygnus coscgroba (Mol.). (White Swan.) 



Mare Harbour is the only part of East Falkland where I have 

 even seen or heard of this bird. At this spot there is generally 

 a flock of eight or ten to be found. I have never seen the nest ; 

 but on the 1st of May, 1860, three young ones about a month 

 old were observed, which, no doubt, had been bred on some of 

 the adjacent islands. 



* Proc. Zool. Soc. 1859, p. 96. 



