SPUR-WINGED GOOSE. 179 



Mr. Bewick^s description of the specimen at Newcastle 

 is as follows : " The bill is reddish-yellow, with a jointed 

 protuberance on the base of the upper mandible. The 

 upper part of the head and neck are dingy brown ; the 

 auriculars and sides of the throat are white, spotted with 

 brown ; the lower part of the neck, sides of the breast, and 

 all the upper plumage appear black, but this colour is 

 lost, particularly in the scapulars and tertials, which are 

 most resplendently bronzed and glossed with brilliant 

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

 partake of the same hue ; on the bend of the wing or 

 wrist, is placed a strong white horny spur, about five- 

 eighths of an inch in length, turning upwards, and rather 

 inwards; the whole of the edges of the wing from the 

 alula spuria to the elbow and shoulder are white, all the 

 under parts the same. This beautiful bird is nearly of the 

 bulk of the Wild Goose, but its legs and toes are somewhat 

 longer, and of a red or orange yellow."" 



To give the actual appearance of the British killed 

 specimen our figure is taken from Mr. Bewick's work. 



This species is a native of northern and western Africa, 

 but its habits are unknown. A male in the collection of 

 the Dublin Zoological Society paired with an Egyptian 

 Goose as already mentioned. 



A male specimen died lately in the gardens of the 

 Zoological Society, after living there in confinement nearly 

 twelve years. Advantage was taken of this opportunity to 

 examine the organ of voice, generally found to possess 

 some remarkable variety in form and structure throughout 

 most of the species of this extensive family ; and the 

 expectation was fully realised. By permission of the 

 council of the Zoological Society, I am enabled to publish 

 the following description and figures. 



N2 



