THE BIEDS OF HAITI AND THE DOMINICAN REPUBLIC 97 



In addition to the color, which has been described above, this 

 species may be told by its form, as it stands taller than the great 

 blue heron, and by the curious, heavy bill, which is bent down at an 

 abrupt angle near its middle. Young are whitish with dusky streak- 

 ings above. 



Order ANSERIFORMES 



Family ANATIDAE 29 

 Subfamily Dendrocygninae 



DENDROCYGNA VIDUATA (Linnaeus) 

 WHITE-FACED TREE-DUCK 



Anas viduata Linnaeus, Syst. Nat., ed. 12, vol. 1, 1766, p. 205 (Lake 

 Cartagena ) . 



Dendrocygna viduata, Moltoni, Att. Soc. Ital. Scienz. Nat., vol. 66. 1929, 

 p. 309 (Haina, specimens). 



Very rare; possibly of accidental occurrence. 



The only record for this species is that of Moltoni who reports 

 a pair taken by Ciferri at Haina May 20, 1926. The species is com- 

 mon in the continental portions of tropical America and has been 

 recorded casually in Cuba and Barbadoes in the West Indies. 



29 The species of ducks that are now known to occur in Hispaniola are so few that it is 

 certain that the list will he considerably extended with further observations. Some of 

 the species to be found are included beyond in brackets to indicate that they are still in 

 hypothetical status. 



Anas torquata, reported from " St. Domingue " by Schlegel (Mus. Pays-Bas, Anseres, 

 1866, p. 61) does not refer to Hispaniola, since the species in question, now known as 

 Nettion leucophrys, comes from South America. 



The muscovy duck Cairina moschata (Linnaeus), common in domestication, may occa- 

 sionally be found in a wild state, through wandering from its accustomed place with 

 man. Buffon (Hist. Nat. Ois., vol. 9, 1783, p. 167) states that these ducks were kept 

 captive at that day but says nothing to indicate that they had become feral. Ritter 

 (Naturh. Reis. Westind. Insel Hayti, 1836, p. 157) reports a specimen, but does not say 

 where he obtained it. An officer in the Marine Corps described to Doctor Abbott a 

 large duck that must have been this form that he had killed near Santo Domingo City. 

 There is no indication that this species was native to the island. 



There is uncertain record for the wood duck Aix sponsa (Linnaeus), since it was 

 reported to Abbott that it had been shot near Santo Domingo City. He saw no specimens. 

 The species is resident in Cuba. Bond also says (Proc. Acad. Nat. Sci. Philadelphia, vol. 

 80. 1928, p. 520) that in February he "shot a small duck which was swimming about 

 with a small flock of Lesser Scaup (Vi/roca- afpnis) at Lake Miragoane. Unfortunately 

 the bird was only wounded and I was unable to find it. The duck appeared to have 

 white patches about the eyes, giving it a spectacled appearance. After examination of 

 the study collection of ducks in this Academy, I feel the bird may have been a female 

 wood duck, but am by no means certain. An American living in Port au Prince told 

 me of having observed the wood duck in Haiti." 



There is ground for belief that geese of unknown species came in earlier years as 

 migrants. Oviedo (Hist. Gen. Nat. Indlas, Libr. 14, cap. ?. Reprint, Madrid, 1851, p. 

 443) says " hay muchos Ansares de passo bravas y es el passo dellas por diciembre." 

 Further Descourtilz (Voy. Nat., vol. 2, 1809, pp. 251-252) remarks under the name oie 

 sauvage, " est la m6me que celle d'Europe, * * * Elles volent aussi tres-haut sur 

 deux lignes, formant un V." 



