DUCKS. 67 



regular visitor, being more numerous along our western shores, and its 

 handsome red-breasted ally {B. ruficollis) (765) very rarely wanders as 

 far west as Great Britain. The commonest species that visits us is 

 undoubtedly the Brent-Goose [Branta bernicla) (764), which is specially 

 numerous along the east coast and may sometimes be seen in almost 

 countless multitudes. The two forms of this bird are exhibited ; the one 

 having the underparts pale whitish-grey, while in the other they are dark 

 grey or brown. Another familiar member of this genus is the large 

 Canada Goose {B. canadensis) (762), which has for more than two 

 centuries been domesticated in this country. 



The Emperor-Goose {Philade) (766) and the Sandwich Island Goose [Case 41,] 

 {Nesochen) (767) are two somewhat remarkable forms, the latter being a 

 very rare species which inhabits the craters and lava-flows on the 

 hills of the Hawaiian Islands. 



To rather a different group belong the South American Upland-Goose 

 and its allies [Chloephaga] (768-770), the Abyssinian Dwarf-Goose 

 (Cyanochen) (771), and the Australian Maned Goose {Chenonetta) (772). 

 The Upland Goose is a familiar bird to many, for being a large, hand- 

 some and hardy species, it is frequently kept on ornamental waters in 

 this country. 



The last section of the Anatid<B includes the Spur-winged Geese [Case 42.] 

 (Plectropterus), represented by the N.E. African form P.riippelli (773), 

 characterised by its high frontal knob, and the Muscovy Duck {Cairina 

 moschata) (774) of Tropical South America, with its bare red face 

 and fleshy wattles, frequently kept in a domestic state both in this and 

 other countries. Another remarkable form is the Indian and N. African 

 Black-backed Goose {Sarcidiornis melanonota) (775), the bill of the male 

 being ornamented with a fleshy comb which is about 2 inches high in 

 the breeding-season. Both these and the Muscovy Ducks (774) nest in 

 hollow trees. 



The White-winged Wood-Duck (Asacornis scutulata) (776) and the [Ca«8 42.] 

 Pink-headed Duck {Rhodonessa caryophyllacea) {111), the only members 

 of their respective genera, are both peculiar to the Indo-Burmese 

 countries. The colouring of the latter is specially remarkable, the 

 delicate pink head and neck being quite unlike that of any other Duck. 

 The Pigmy Geese or Cotton-Teal (Nettopus) (778-780) are all natives 

 of the Old World, and several species representing these handsome little 

 birds are exhibited. The lovely Summer-Duck (782) of N. America, and 

 the still more splendid Mandarin-Duck (781) from N.E. Asia and Japan, 

 constitute the genus /E.v. With the full-plumaged male of the former 

 will be found another example in complete ''eclipse-plumage "like that 

 of the female. 



The Black-and-White Goose [Anseranas semipalmatus) (783) is the 



p3 



