398 ANSERES. ANATID.E. 



selves over the ponds in the open plains to feed, 

 till near morning, when they return. It is usual 

 for people to watch for them in the evening, when 

 they go to feed, and to shoot them. When the 

 gunner hears them whistling in their flight, he 

 imitates the sound, and thus lures them to where 

 he is, arid, of course, to their destruction. A 

 duck and mallard with their young brood com- 

 monly fly together." (Rob. MSS.) 



Mr. Swainson's conjectures that this is the male 

 of the Red-billed species, (Anim. in Menag. p. 

 223.) and also that it is the female (Ibid. p. 

 24.) are both groundless. The Red-bill is per- 

 fectly distinct ; and the sexes of the present species 

 do not differ from each other. The difference in 

 depth of the warm brown tint on the belly and 

 chin is common to both sexes. The trachea is 

 terminated by a trilateral bony capsule, where the 

 bronchi divaricate. There is but one pair of tra- 

 cheal muscles. The feet-webs are so concave, as 

 to be little more than semi-palmate. 



It is very common in Hayti, where its Indian 

 name, Iguasa, is adopted by the Spaniards. 



All Ducks are fond of shaking their tails and 

 their feathers, but in the Whistling Ducks of 

 both species, from their height, this is particu- 

 larly conspicuous. 



The Red-billed Whistling Duck (D. Autumnalis) 

 though much less common in Jamaica than the 

 preceding, is found there in some seasons, as an 

 autumnal visitant from the Spanish-main. I have 



