226 AVES NATATORES. [ANSER. 



to have visited the banks of the Tweed, at Carham, in February 183*2, and two to 

 have been killed ; but according to the conjectures of Mr Selby, they had probably 

 made their escape from Gosforth, the seat of the Earl of Wemyss, upon the Firth of 

 Forth, where great numbers of these birds are kept in the artificial pieces of water. 



(3. PLECTROPTERUS, Leach.) 



229. A. Gambensis, Briss. (Spur-winged Goose.) 

 Neck, and all the upper plumage, black, glossed with 

 purple on the back ; cheeks, throat, and under parts, white : 

 bill and legs red. 



Plectropterus Gambensis, Steph. in Shaws Gen. Zool. vol. xii. part ii. 

 p. 6. pi. 36. Spur-winged Goose, Lath. Syn. vol. in. p. 452. pi. 102. 

 Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 296. 



DIMENS. Size of the Common Goose, but standing higher on its 

 legs : length of the bill more than two inches. LATH. 



DESCRIPT. Upper part of the head and neck dingy brown; ear- 

 coverts, and sides of the throat, white, spotted with brown ; the lower 

 part of the neck, sides of the breast, and all the upper plumage, ap- 

 pear black, but this colour is lost, particularly in the scapulars and 

 tertials, which are most resplendently bronzed and glossed with bril- 

 liant green, and most of the outer webs of the other feathers partake 

 of the same hue: on the bend of the wing or wrist a strong white 

 horny spur, turning upwards, about five-eighths of an inch (Latham 

 says an inch and a half) in length, and pointing rather inwards : the 

 whole of the edges of the wing, from the alula spuria to the elbow 

 and shoulder, white : all the under parts the same : bill reddish yellow : 

 legs and toes somewhat longer than those of the Wild Goose ; of a red or 

 orange-yellow. BEW. (Egg.) Unknown. 



A single individual of this rare species, shot near St Germain's, Corn- 

 wall, June 20th, 1821, is now in the Newcastle Museum. No other has 

 hitherto occurred in this country. Inhabits Gambia, and other parts of 

 Africa. Habits and nidification unknown. 



GEN. 88. CYGNUS, Meyer. 



* 230. C. Guineensis, Nob. (Guinea Swan.) An elevated knob at 

 the base of the upper mandible: upper parts of the body brownish gray, 

 the edges of the feathers paler : a black list down the nape of the neck. 



Anser Guineensis, Briss. Orn. vol. n. p. 435. Chinese Goose, Lath. Syn. 

 vol. in. p. 447. Swan Goose, Bew. Brit. Birds, vol. n. p. 274. 



DIMENS. Entire length three feet four inches. 



DESCRIPT. (Male.) A white streak from the corners of the mouth surrounding 

 the base of the upper mandible : down the nape a longitudinal black stripe reach- 

 ing from the occiput to the back ; this last, and all the rest of the upper parts, 

 brownish gray, with the edges of the feathers somewhat paler : fore part of the neck 

 and breast yellowish brown ; belly, abdomen, and under tail-coverts, white ; flanks 

 brownish gray, the feathers edged with white : bill with a large protuberance at the 

 base of the upper mandible ; black, the base and protuberance sometimes orange : 

 under the throat a loose skin, forming a kind of pouch and almost bare of feathers : 

 legs black. (Female.) Smaller : the frontal protuberance not so much developed. 

 (Egg.) White : long. diam. three inches three lines ; trans, diam. two inches two 

 lines. 



A domesticated species, common in many parts of ^ngland on artificial pieces of 

 water. Native country somewhat doubtful. SahTb'y some to have been brought 



