176 The Goose-like Birds 



adapt it. Its walk, too, is quite un- Goose-like, resembling the stately tread of 

 a typical wader, such as a Crane or Heron. Its cry is described as a loud, 

 coarse whistling. The Semi-palmated Goose was formerly very abundant in 

 the southern part of* Australia, but advancing civilization has thrust it farther 

 and farther back. It is readily domesticated. 



Spur-winged Geese. Quite closely related are the African Spur- winged 

 Geese (Pleclropterus'), of which some four species, or well-marked geographical 

 races, are recognized. They are quite large birds, being about thirty -eight 

 inches long, and take their name from the presence of a stout spur on the bend 

 of the wing. In two of the species the front of the head is provided with a high 

 knob, but' this appears to be a rather variable character. The plumage is 

 metallic black above, with green and purple reflections, and, except for the 

 black breast, is mainly white below. The legs are rather long and placed near 

 the middle of the body. In the common species (P. gambensis] of West and 

 East Africa, the frontal knob is rather small, this, together with the bare fore- 

 head and bill, being coral-red in color Similar, but larger, is Riippell's Spur- 

 winged Goose (P. riippelli) of northeast and equatorial Africa, which has 

 the highest frontal knob of any of the species. In southeast Africa the place 

 is taken by the black species (P. niger}, and in Shoa by the nearly knobless 

 species (P. scioanus). The habits of the common species (P. gambensis) are 

 described as follows by Mr. Thomas Ayres: " Sometimes they are very shy, 

 and at others almost absurdly tame; as a rule it requires heavy shot to kill 

 them. They come out early in the morning from the swamps and weeds to 

 feed on grass seeds, and are often seen on the farmer's corn lands. As a rule 

 they are gregarious, but are sometimes seen singly, and at other times in pairs; 

 they breed away from water in thick, grassy or rushy spots, and lay a number 

 of white eggs with thick, glossy shells." 



Pygmy Geese. Belonging to the same subfamily (Plectropterina), but very 

 different in size and appearance from those last considered, are the curious 

 little Dwarf or Pygmy Geese (Neltopus), of which four species are known, rang- 

 ing from tropical Africa and Madagascar through India and Malacca to China 

 and Australia. These diminutive Geese, for they are true Geese, are no larger 

 than a small Green- winged Teal, the largest being only thirteeri and one half 

 inches in length, and the smallest but eleven and one half inches. The African 

 species (N. auritus] is shining black-green above and mostly white below, with 

 a white stripe along the wing, and the chest, flanks, and sides rufous, the first 

 narrowly black barred. It is found in pairs or small flocks in the lagoons near 

 the rivers and lakes and is rarely seen away from the water. The Indian species 

 (N. coromandelianus), which may be known by the white neck and a broad black 

 band across the breast, is said by Dr. Jerdon to nest "generally in holes in old 

 trees, often at some distance from water, occasionally in ruined houses, temples, 

 old chimneys, and the like, laying eight or ten sometimes, it is stated, as 

 many as fifteen small white eggs." The Green Pygmy Goose (N. pulchellus] 

 of Australia is reported by Gould to build a nest of dried grasses in shallow 

 water, which, it appears, the Indian species may also occasionally do. 



