ANATIM!. 349 



shining black-green ; on each side of the neck a large dead- 

 green patch, surrounded by the black; green of the head. 

 Length, 14"; wing, 6"; tail, 2" '"". 



This lovely little Goose may at once be known by its brilliant colour- 

 ing, particularly the green patch on each side of the neck. It is 

 abundant at Natal, where a friend informs me it swims in such large 

 flocks, that he has killed from ten to fourteen in a single discharge of 

 a common fowling-piece. Mr. Chapman found it equally abundant in 

 his travels to the northward ; but as yet I have not neard of its being 

 procured in the colony. 



The Sub-Family, ANATIN.ZE, or River-Ducks, 



have the bill lengthened, more or less broad, depressed 

 towards the tip, which is furnished with a hard nail, and the 

 inner portion of the lateral margins mere or less lamellated ; 

 the tarsi compressed, and generally the length of the inner 

 toe; the hind toe lengthened, and slightly bordered with a 

 membranous lobe from the base to the tip. 



Genus DENDROCYGNA, Swainson. 

 Bill long, higher at the base than broad, with the culmen 

 sloping to the tip, which is armed with a strong broad nail, 

 and the lateral margins straight ; the lamellae of the uppe'r 

 mandible advancing below the lateral margins, slender, and 

 set widely apart ; the nostrils large, oval, and placed near the 

 base and culmen ; wings short and rounded, with the second, 

 third, and fourth quills the longest ; the first quill with T, 

 deep notch in the middle, and the secondaries nearly as long 

 as the quills; tail moderate, and rounded at its end; t .rsi 

 slightly, shorter than the middle toe, robust ; toes long, lLa 

 lateral ones united to the middle one by an indented mem- 

 brane ; the hind toe very long, elevated, and simple. 



650. Dendrocygna Viduata. (Linn.) Eyton, 



PL Enl. 808 ; D. Personata, Herz. V., Wurtemb. ; 

 Penn. Gen. Birds, Pi. 13. 



ABOVE, brown ; the feathers broadly margined with dirty- 

 fulvous ; wings and rump blackish- brown in 'he centre of 

 the back a rufous patch ; centre of under parts immaculate 

 black-brown ; flanks and sides transversely barred with 

 fulvous; fore part of the head, chin, and spot on the middle 

 of the throat, white, more or less tinged with fulvous ; back 

 of head and neck black ; front of neck and chest, deep- 

 ruddy. Length, 17"; wing, 8J" ; tail, 3". 



This curiously marked Tree-Duck (which is easily distinguished from 

 all our other species by its half- white face) is occasionally met wich in 



