NETTOPUS. 433 



Genus NETTOP.US, Brandt, 1836. 



This well-marked genus, containing four species one African, 

 one Indian, and two Australian is distinguished by its small size 

 and short goose-like beak. The bill is very high at the base and 

 narrows gradually in front ; the nostrils are small, near the base, 

 and oval ; wings pointed ; tail short, rounded, of 12 feathers. 

 Feet placed far back ; hind toe with a narrow, but distinct lobe. 

 The sexes differ but little in winter, but in the breeding-season 

 the male assumes a somewhat brighter and more distinctive garb. 



Although the bill is shaped somewhat like that of a goose, " Cotton 

 Teal," as they are called in India, differ widely from geese in 

 structure and habits. Geese feed almost entirely on land, walk 

 well, are rarely seen swimming, and seldom dive, whilst members 

 of the genus Nettopus are very poor walkers (though by no means, 

 as stated by some writers, unable to walk) and are always found 

 on the water, whether feeding, resting, or sleeping, except when 

 they perch on trees, and they dive freely. Neither in flight, 

 voice, structure of the trachea, nidification, nor plumage is there 

 any resemblance between Anser and Nettopus. 



Fig. 110. Head of N. coromandelianus. ^. 



1591. Nettopus coromandelianus. The Cotton Teal. 



Anas coromandeliana, Gm. Syst. Nat. i, p. 522 (1788). 



Anas girra, Gray in Hardw. III. Ind. Zool. i, pi. 68 (1830-32). 



Nettapus coromandelianus, Blyth, Cat. p. 302 ; Jerdon, B. I. iii, p. 786 ;: 



Blyth, Ibis, 1867, pp. 175, 310 ; Hayes Lloyd, Ibis, 1873, p. 419^ 

 Walden, Ibis, 1874, p. 149 ; A. Anderson, ibid. p. 222 ; Butler, S. F. 



iv, p. 27 ; Hume, ibid. p. 294 ; Hume $ Dav. S. F. vi, p. 486 ; Ball, 



S. F. vii, p. 231 ; Cripps, ibid. p. 311 ; Legge, Birds Ceyl. p. 1066 ; 



Vidal, 8. F. ix, p. 92 ; Simson, Ibis, 1882, p. 86 ; Kelham, ibid. 



p. 200 ; Oates, B. B. ii, p. 272 ; Barnes, Birds Bom. p. 397 ; 



Oates in Hume'sN. $ E. 2nd ed. iii, p. 280; F. Finn, P. A. S. B. 



1897, p. 81 ; Baker, Jour. Bom. N. H. Soe. xi, p. 191. 

 Nettapus coromandelicus, Hume, S. F. ii, p. 315. 

 Nettopus coromandelianus, Hume, 8. F. vii, p. 491 ; id. Cat. no. 951 j 



Butler, S. F. ix, p. 436 ; Hume $ Marsh. Game B. iii. p. 101, pi. ; 



Reid, S. F. x, p. 79 ; Hume, ibid. p. 417 ; Taylor, ibid. p. 531 ; 



Hume 8f Cripps, 8. F. xi, p. 341 ; Barnes, Jour. Bom. N. H. Soc. 



vi, p. 287 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 68. 



The White-bodied Goose-Teal, Jerdon. Girri, Girria, Girja, H. ; 

 Gur-gurra, Etawah ; Ghangariel, Ghanganij Beng. : Bullia-hdns, Dacca, 

 Faridpur, Sylhet ; Dandana, Uriya ; Leniyet-perriget, Merom-derebet, 

 Kol. ; Ade, Adla, Ratnagiri ; Kalagat, Burmese. Most of these names 

 are imitations of the bird's cry. 



Coloration. Male in summer. Forehead and middle of crown 

 extending to the nape dark brown ; remainder cf head, including 



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