CAIRINA MOSCHATA. 



121) 



343. CAIRINA MOSCHATA (Linn.). 

 > (MUSCOVY DUCK.) 



Cairina moschata, Burm. La-Plata Keise, ii. p. 514 (Parana, Santa F6, Tucu- 

 man) ; id. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 307 ; Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 129 ; iid. P. Z. 8 



1876, p. 378; White, P. Z. S. 1882, p. 625 (Salta). 



Description. Whole head and neck and body beneath brownish black ; belly 

 closely banded with narrow white lines ; back greenish purple, with the feathers 

 edged with black ; scapulars and elongated tertials and tail bright shining green ; 

 secondaries edged with metallic blue ; primaries black ; upper and under wing- 

 coverts and axillary plumes white ; flanks slightly tinged with green ; bill with 

 caruncles red ; feet black : whole length 29-0 inches, wing 15-0, tail 7'5. Female 

 similar, but smaller. 



Hab. Central and South America. 



Everyone is familiar with this species in its domestic state, called in 

 the Argentine country Pato creollo (Creole Duck) ; but the wild bird, 

 called Pato real, is little known, although a few stragglers are seen as 

 far south as Buenos Ayres, where I have met with eight or nine 

 examples. Concerning the distribution and habits of this species 

 Messrs. Sclater and Salvin write : " The Muscovy Duck, so well 

 known in a domestic state 'nearly all over the world, is a native of the 

 hottest portion of tropical America. It is usually found in lowland 

 swampy districts ; and where there are extensive forests it not unfre- 

 quently abounds. During the day the birds remain in the forest- 

 swamps j but towards evening numbers may be seen sitting on the lower 

 boughs of trees standing on the margin of a clearing. 



" Its extreme northern limit seems to be N.W. Mexico. Its southern 

 range extends to the upper Parana and Tucuman. It is not uncommon 

 in Paraguay, according to Azara, although not found on the La Plata. 

 It is to be seen usually in pairs or singly, but also in flocks of twenty 

 or thirty. It always roosts in trees, usually resorting to the same trees 

 night after night. The nest, in which from ten to fourteen eggs are 

 deposited, is made in a hole or fork of a large tree at some elevation 

 from the ground. It seeks its food not only in the rivers, but on 

 moonlight nights resorts to the maize and corn-fields, and also plucks 

 up the roots of mandioca. 



:< The native habitat of the Muscovy Duck was known to some of the 

 earliest writers. The date of its introduction as a domesticated species 

 into Europe and elsewhere does not appear to have been recorded, but 

 doubtless dates back to soon after the Spanish conquests in America/' 



VOL. n. 



