On the Birds of Madagascar. 261 



tired out from scrambling tlirough the thick high grass under 

 a tropical sun, I returned to the ship, greatly pleased witii 

 the opportunity I had enjoyed of becoming acquainted with 

 the interesting bird-life of this out-of-the-way little island. 



Roebuck Bay, N.W. Australia, 

 letli September, 1891. 



XX. — On the Birds of Madagascar, and their Connection 

 ivith Native Folk-lore, Proverbs, and Superstitions. By the 

 Rev. James Sibree, Jr., F.R.G.S.*— Part V. 



[Conchided from p. 119.] 



VIII. — The Wild-fowl, Pelicans, Sea-birds, Dia ers, 

 AND Extinct Species. 



When speaking, in the last chapter, of the Waders, it was 

 remarked that the physical conditions of Madagascar rendered 

 it well fitted to be a home of that Order of birds ; and this is 

 equally true of the next Order, according to Dr. R. Bowdler 

 Sharpens classification, that of the Wild-fowl. As will be 

 seen by the tabular List (p. 270), there are ten species of 

 Wild Ducks, Dwarf Geese, Diving Ducks, Teal, and Tree- 

 Ducks living in this island, and these find appropriate con- 

 ditions for their existence, as well as abundant food, in the 

 numerous marshes and the many small lakes and meres found 

 all over the country, as well as in the extensive lagoons of 

 the eastern coast. Two of these Wild-fowl are peculiar 

 species, but the rest belong to widely-spread kinds. 



In some parts of the island the Wild Ducks are found in 

 vast numbers, especially in the immense swamps which cover 

 the greater part of the level country in the Antsihanaka 

 province. These mark the former extension of a great lake, 

 which in ancient times covered the whole valley, and of which 

 the present Lake Alaotra is the still slowly diminishing rem- 

 nant. In a journey round the north-western portion of the 



* Repriuted from the ' Autananarivo Annual,' 1891, witli additions 

 and corrections by the Author. 



