1920.] On Chloephaga inornata King. 497 



XV. — On the Type-specimen 0/ Chloephaga inornata Kimj in 

 the British Museum^ and some further notes. By F. E. 

 Blaauw, C.M.Z.S., M.B.O.U. 



(Plate XIII.) 



I HAVE alwa3^s deplored the fact that the very appropriate 

 name Chloephaga dispar for the black-banded Goose of 

 southern South America was altered by Salvadori in the 

 * Catalogue of Birds ■' into C. inornata. 



Being in London in September last I took the oppor- 

 tunity, kindly afforded rae by Mr. Chubby of having a 

 look at the type of Chloephaga inornata of King, which is 

 responsible for the alteration of the name of C. dispar into 

 C. inornata. The result is that I find that this specimen of 

 King's is not an individual of the South American bhack- 

 banded Goose [C. dispar) but a young male of Chloephaga 

 magellanica in its first plumage and not quite full-grown. 

 1 have bred during a great many years dozens of C. dispar 

 and of C. magellanica, and have invariably found that the 

 young males of the black-banded Goose (C. dispar) are 

 transversely banded on the under side quite as much as an 

 adult male of this species, although the bands are not so 

 clearly defined. The head is also much greyer. 



The young males of C. magellanica are white on the under 

 side with only occasional black spots, which are chiefly 

 or most marked on the sides. The specimen of King 

 which is responsible for the alteration of the name of 

 C. dispar into C. inornata, is a bird which is white on the 

 under side with a few black spots, which are chiefly on the 

 sides. There is not the slightest doubt that this is a 

 specimen of C. magellanica in its first plumage. 



The wing-speculum is not glossy green in this specimen, but 

 dull brownish grey, which again proves that it is a bird in 

 its first plumage. During the first autumn of their life the 

 geese of the genus Chloejjhaga (and most other geese 

 as well) moult all their feathers except the large flight- 

 feathers, which are retained until the second moult. During 

 the first moult they acquire the glossy green wing-speculum. 



