ERISMATURA MACCOA. 



MACCOA DUCK. 



(Plate 64.) 



Oxyura maccoa, Smith, Cat. S. Afr. Mus., p. 37 (1837). 



Erismatura maccoa, Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 762 

 (1875-84); NicoUs & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 125 

 (1892) ; Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvii, p. 448 (1895) ; 

 Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 105 (1900-01) ; Sclater, Ann. 

 S. Afr. Mus., m, p. 352 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, Birds of 8. Afr., 

 IV, p. 153 (1906). 



Description. The birds figured are an adult male and female. 

 There are several species of Erismatura, but this is the only 

 South African representative. 



Maccoa differ from most duck in that they have very thick 

 necks, and when skinning them the head and neck can be turned 

 inside out quite easily. Length 18| in. 



Distribution. This is one of the rarest, if not quite the rarest, of 

 the South African ducks, but from its habits and the nature of 

 its haunts it is quite possible that it is commoner than is supposed. 



Sergt. C. G. Da vies writes me that he has seen and shot it on 

 various " vleis " and waters in East Griqualand. It has been 

 shot at Mafeteng in Basutoland, and it appears to be sparingty 

 distributed in suitable places throughout Cape Colony. I have 

 seen skins obtained from Lake Naivasha in British East Africa. 



Col. Sloggett's collectors, Messrs. Grant & Seimund, obtained 

 it near Deelfontein. 



The Maccoa Duck is a splendid diver and most reluctant 

 to fly ; but it by no means follows that it is unable to do so, 

 as it whizzes along at a great pace once it is on the wing. 



It feeds chiefly on water-snails, water-beetles, etc. 



Sergt. C. G. Davies, writing from East Griqualand in March, 



160 



