306 ANATID^. 



inhabitants of the Zoological Society's Gardens, and eggs 

 were laid, but not hatched, in 1868. They were white, 

 smooth and shining ; a specimen from the Transvaal, in the 

 collection of Mr. Bidwell, measures 2*8 by 2 in. 



The Spur-winged Goose is a native of intertropical Africa, 

 from Senegambia to the Transvaal and the Zambesi ; but in 

 Abyssinia and the neighbouring districts of eastern Africa, 

 its representative is a distinct species, PL rnepellL For 

 details of habits and distribution reference may be made to 

 Layard and Sharpe's 'Birds of South Africa,' and to Bocage's 

 ' Ornithologie d'Angola.' Although called a * Goose,' this 

 bird is more nearly allied to the Ducks ; and its manner of 

 feeding resembles that of the latter. 



Bewick's description of the specimen at Newcastle is as 

 follows : — " The bill is reddish -yellow, with a jointed pro- 

 tuberance on 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 other 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 altda sjmria 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 

 yellow." 



To give the actual appearance of the British-killed speci- 

 men, the Author had the figure taken from Bewick's work. 



On the death of a male which had lived nearly twelve 

 years in the Gardens of the Zoological Society, advantage 

 was taken of this opportunity to examine the organ of voice, 

 generally found to possess some remarkable variety in form 

 and structure throughout most of the species of this family ; 



