136 ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 



from a specimen in the collection brought from the Straits of Magellan, by Capt. 

 P. P. King. It is a true teal, and in size and form closely assimilates to the 

 common teal of Europe, and to the species inhabiting North America {Querqicedula 

 Carolinensis , Bonap.) to both of which it is evidently an analogue, and doubt- 

 less represents those birds in the southern half of the American continent." 

 My specimens were procured from the Rio Plata, and from the Straits of 

 Magellan. 



MiCROPTERUS BRACHYPTERUS. Eljton. 



Micropterus brachypterus, Eyton, Monog. Anat. p. 144. 

 Anas brachytera, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. 834. 



These great logger-headed ducks, which sometimes weigh as much as twenty- 

 two pounds, were called by the old navigators, from their extraordinary manner 

 of paddling and splashing over the water, race-horses, but now much more 

 properly steamers. Their wings are too small and weak to allow of flight, but by 

 their aid, partly swimming and partly flapping the surface of the water, they move 

 very quickly. The manner is something like that by which the common house 

 duck escapes, when pursued by a dog ; but I am nearly sure that the steamer 

 moves its wings alternately, instead of, as in other birds, both together. These 

 clumsy birds make such a noise and splashing, that the effect is most curious. 

 The steamer is able to dive but a very short distance. It feeds entirely on shell- 

 fish from the floating kelp and tidal rocks ; hence the beak and head are sur- 

 prisingly heavy and strong, for the purpose of breaking them. So strong is the 

 head, that I have sometimes scarcely been able to fracture it with my geological 

 hammer; and all our sportsmen soon discovered how tenacious these birds were 

 of life. When pluming themselves in the evening in a flock they make an odd 

 mixture of sounds, somewhat like bull-frogs within the tropics. 



1. PoDicEPS KALiPAREus. Quoy ^ Gaivi. 

 My specimens were obtained from Bahia Blanca (September), Northern 

 Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands. In the former place it lived in small flocks 

 in the salt-water channels, extending between the great marshes at the head of 

 the harbour. At the Falkland Islands I saw (March) very few individuals ; and 

 these only in one small fresh-water lake. Tarsi of the same colour as the plumage 

 of the back ; iris of a beautiful tint, between " scarlet and carmine red ;" pupil 

 black. Mr. Gould remarks that, " This beautiful species of Podiceps is equal in 

 size, and has many of the characters of the P.auritus, but is at once distinguished 

 from that species by the silvery colouring of the plumes that adorn the sides of 

 the head ; which in P.auritus are deep chestnut." 

 1 



