404 ANSERES. ANATID.E. 



SPINOUS SQUAT-DUCK.* 



Erismatura spinosa. 

 Anas spinosa, LATH. PI. enl. 967. 



IN a broad piece of water near Radonda, which 

 is crossed by the high road from Savanna le Mar to 

 Negril, and which is connected with the vast mo- 

 rass that lies behind the former town, I have seen 

 these curious little Ducks. Rarely more than 

 three are visible at one time, scattered over the 

 water, often very near the road. They pay very 

 little attention to passing travellers ; but if one 

 stop and gaze at them, they take alarm, and sink 

 the body lower into the water, until the back is 



* Length 13 inches, expanse 19, flexure 5 T ^, tail 2, breadth of 

 beak at tip , rictus 1^, tarsus 1^-, middle toe 2. Irides black ; beak 

 glaucous green, culmen blackish, under mandible colour of the nails ; feet 

 yellowish-grey, webs paler. Upper head deep bistre ; neck minutely 

 mottled with bistre and pale umber. Back, scapulars, and less wing- 

 coverts bistre, each feather tipped and transversely banded with pale 

 umber ; feathers on rump velvety, minutely mottled with deep brown 

 and whitish. Tail-coverts mottled with dark brown and bright bay. 

 Tail of 18 feathers, very narrow, black, worn at tips, the shafts extend- 

 ing beyond the vanes. Wings smoke-black ; first primary rudimentary ; 

 second and third sub-equal ; the first five secondaries have the basal 

 three-fourths of the outer webs pure white, and their greater coverts 

 wholly white, forming a white patch in centre of wing. Sides of head 

 marked by two bands of brown, one passing through the eye, the other 

 from rictus to ear ; over each of which is a parallel band of pale brown. 

 Chin and throat pale bay, satiny ; breast and belly pale buff, mottled 

 obscurely with blackish. Tail-coverts both above and below, hardly dif- 

 fering from clothing- feathers. Inner surface of wings shining grey. 

 Form broad and flattened. 



