138 ANATID^E. 



relations geographically as well as in habits. In appearance it is a fine 

 bird, the black plumage being frosted on the upper parts with white in 

 a very delicate manner, while the rosy bill and large carmine caruncle 

 and golden red iris contrast beautifully with the glossy purple head and 

 neck. The speculum is white, the legs bright yellow. The plumage of 

 the female is brown. 



In marshy places on the pampas the Rosy-billed Duck is very abun- 

 dant, and they sometimes congregate in very large flocks. They obtain 

 their food from floating weeds in the water, and are never seen, like the 

 Pintails and other kinds, feeding on the dry land. They rise heavily, 

 the wings being comparatively small, and have a rapid, straight, violent 

 flight; they are nevertheless able to perform long journeys and travel 

 in long lines and at a considerable elevation. Their only language is a 

 deep, hoarse, prolonged, raven-like note, uttered by the male in the love- 

 season. The nest is made on swampy ground near the water, of dry 

 rushes, and is, for a duck, a deep well-made structure ; the eggs are 

 oval in form, cream-coloured, and twelve in number. 



355. ERISMATURA FERRUGINEA, Eyton, 

 (RUSTY LAKE-DUCK.) 



Erismatura ferruginea, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 131 ; iid. P. Z. S. 1876, p. 404 ; 

 Sclater, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 549 (Rio Negro) j Burmeister, P. Z. S. 1872, p. 368 

 (Buenos Ayres) ; Durnford, Ibis, 1877, p. 42 (Chupat), p. 192 (Buenos Ayres), 

 et 1878, p.^401 (Central Patagonia). 



Description. Above chestnut-red, whole head and neck black ; wings and tail 

 brown : beneath dirty white, sprinkled with brown ; breast and flanks chestnut ; 

 bill bluish ; feet brown : whole length 16'0 inches, wing 5*5, tail 3-8. 



Hab. Central Peru, Chili, and Argentina. 



This Lake-Duck ranges from Central Peru and the north Argentine 

 provinces to Patagonia in the south, but is in no place a very common 

 bird. It inhabits interior lakes and streams, living almost as much in 

 the water as a Grebe 5 which in habits it resembles, remaining motionless 

 when disturbed, but gradually sinking lower in the water, and diving, 

 when only the head and neck are visible above the surface. 



356. NOMONYX DOMINICUS (Linn.). 

 (WHITE-WINGED LAKE-DUCK.) 



Erismatura dominica, Scl. et Salv. Nomencl. p. 131 j Lee, Ibis, 1873, p. 137 

 (Entrerios) ; Barrows, Auk, 1884, p. 274 (Pampas). Nomonyx dominicus, 

 Baird, Brew., et Ridgw. Water-B. N. A. ii. p. 109. 



