Occasional Notes. 131 



Recorded from Marico (Barratt) and near Potchefstroom 

 (Ayres). Breeding-places : (a) Berg River, September 

 (Layard) ; (h) Loetendal's Vlei, Bredasdorp, November 

 (Layard) ; (c) Newcastle, Natal, September to October 

 (Butler) ; Ql) Odongo, Ovampoland, February (Andersson). 



" 14. Ihalassornis leuconota (White-backed Duck, Wit- 

 rugeend). — Recorded from Potchefstroom (Ayres), Pienaar's 

 River, near Pretoria (Penther), and Modderfontein, near 

 Johannesburg (Haagner). Breeding-places : (a) Clairmont, 

 near Durban, November to February (Millar) ; {!>) ? New- 

 castle district, Natal, September to October (Butler and 

 Fielden) ; (c) Modderfontein, near Johannesburg, April 

 (Haagner) . 



^^ 15. J^rismatura maccoa (Maccoa Duck). — Recorded from 

 the Vaal River at Potchefstroom (Ayres). Breeding-places : 

 It is thoaght that Butler and Fielden's eggs from Newcastle, 

 described under (h) of No. 14, were of this species. 



" 16. Plectropterus niger (Black Spur-winged Goose). — 

 Recorded from Potchefstroom, the specimen being in the 

 British Museum. This bird is of doubtful specific identity, 

 being probably a variation of No. 1. 



"To the above list I can add the few following notes : — 



" No. 8. Anas sparsa (Black Duck). — Nest and eleven 

 eggs photographed in July 1905 at Irene, near Pretoria, by 

 Mr. L. E. Taylor, F.Z.S. 



" No. 6. Casarca cana (South African Shelduck). — 

 October 5th, 1906. I found three young birds in down, 

 about a fortnight or three weeks old, Kruger's Drift, 

 Modder River, O.R.C. One of these is in the Pretoria 

 Zoo. 



" Most of the species of Geese and Ducks which occur in 

 South Africa have a very wide range, and most are probably 

 migratory in more or less degree. Probably comparatively 

 few of the species, and comparatively few individuals of 

 those species which visit the Transvaal, will be found to 

 make a practice of nesting in the Colony ; while probably, 

 again, those few species which do nest regularly in the 

 Transvaal will be found to vary considerably both as species 



9* 



