THALASSORNIS LEUCONOTA. 761 
very common in the Ondonga country during the wet season; and 
whilst I was there eggs were shown to me which were said to belong 
to this Duck; and, though I did not succeed in identifying then 
with certainty, I think it probable that such was the fact, as they 
exceeded in size the eggs of Anas erythrorhyncha, from which they 
also differed in form and colour.” Senor Anchieta has procured 
this species at Mossamedes, on the Coroca River, and at Humbe, on 
the Cunene River. 
Male.—General colour above, deep brown, minutely variegated 
with grey; below, deep brown, tinged with rufous, more especially 
on the flanks and shoulders; lower part of the neck and breast 
approaching to black, tinged with faintish purple; cheeks and sides 
of upper part of neck, rich dark chestnut; small spot on the chin 
and bar on the wing, white. 
Female.——Throughout a lighter brown, approaching to white on 
the under parts, and all tinged and blotched with dirty rufous ; 
chin, anterior portion of throat, base of the bill, and stripe through 
the eye, white ; irides bright reddish-crimson, Length, 19’; wing, 
94"; tail, 3”. 
Fig. Eyton, Monogr. Anat. pl. iv, p. 61. 
735. THALASSORNIS LEUCONOTA, Smith. White-backed Duck. 
This singular Duck makes periodical visits to the vleys in the 
neighbourhood of Cape Town. It is found in abundance to the 
northward, and was included in Mr. Chapman’s collection. Sir A. 
Smith says it inhabits Verloren Vley, that great haunt of all water- 
fowl, and other lakes on the western coast of South Africa, and 
that it prefers diving to seeking safety by flight. We fancied we 
made out a pair of these birds at Zoetendals Viey. We examined 
them for some time with our binoculars, but they would not allow 
of a near approach ; still the yellow patch on the throat was very 
visible. 
Mr. Ayres has recorded it from Natal, and Major Feilden 
obtained his first specimen near the Buffalo River, early in Septem- 
ber. It was common on the vleys near this river and the Ingagane 
in October ; and Major Butler had the good luck to find a nest with 
four eggs in one of these vleys. He gives the following note: 
“Found a nest of this species on the 18th September. It was 
built of sedge, and very similar to a Coot’s nest, but smaller, and 
