126 



ANATID.E. 



333. COSCOROBA CANDIDA (VieiTA 

 (COSCOROBA SWAN.) 



Cygnus coscoroba, Burm. La-Plata Reise, ii. p. 512 (Parana); Scl. et Salv. 

 Nomencl. p. 129; iid. P. Z. 8. 1876, p. 371; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 191 

 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 400 (Centr. Patagonia) ; Gibson, Ibis, 1880, p. :iO 

 (Buenos Ayres). Coscoroba Candida, Reichenb. Nat. Syst. p. x. 



Description. White ; tips of the primaries black ; bill coral-red ; .feet dull red : 

 whole length 4OO inches, wing IT'S, tail 5-8. Female similar. 



Hab. Patagonia, Chili, Argentina, and Paraguay. 



This Swan is considerably smaller than the black-necked species, and 

 also inferior in beauty on account of its shorter iieck. It is, neverthe- 

 less, a very handsome bird, being entirely of a pure white colour except 

 the tips of the primaries, which are black. The beak and legs are bright 

 rosy red. In its habits, language, and flight it also differs much from 

 Cygnus nigricollis, and the country people call it Ganso (Goose) , probably 

 on account of its goose-like habit of sometimes feeding away from the 

 water, or because its flesh has the flavour of Wild Goose. As a rule 

 they go in small parties of five or six individuals, but sometimes flocks 

 numbering two or three hundred are seen in the cold season. Their 

 migrations are very irregular, and sometimes they are excessively abun- 

 dant in a district one year and absent from it the next. When disturbed 

 they utter a loud musical trumpeting cry, in three notes, the last with a 

 falling inflection ; and their wings being much longer proportionately 

 than in the black-necked species, they rise with greater ease and have 

 a much freer and an almost soundless flight. 



Concerning their breeding-habits, Mr. Gibson observes that the nest 

 is usually placed on the ground at some distance from the water. It is 

 about a foot and a half high, made of mud and rushes; the hollow, 

 which is rather deep, is lined with dry grass. 



The eggs are eight or nine in number ; smooth, white, and rounder 

 than those of Cygnus nigricollis. 



340. DENDROCYGNA FULVA (Gm.). 

 (FULVOUS TREE-DUCK.) 



Dendrocygna fulva, Burm. La- Hat a Reise, ii. p. 514 (Parana); id. P. Z. 8. 

 172, p. 367; Scl. et Salv. Nomencl p. 129; iid. P. Z. S. 18C9, p. 635 

 (Buenos Ayres), et 1876, p. 372 ; Durnford, Ibis, 1878, p. 63 (Buenos Ayres) ; 

 White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 625 (Buenos Ayres). 



Description. Chestnut- red, top of head darker, with black line down the 

 nape ; back black, on the upper portion banded with chestnut ; win^s and tail 



