98 Captain P. P. King on the Animals 



55. Another apparently undescribed species of the Anatidce. — In? 

 fact all the birds of this family which I have met with in the Straits 

 appear to me to be new, with the exception of the Anser Magellanicus ; 

 and they are all distinguished by their beauty. Nothing can be more 

 brilliant than the speculum of the bird I am about to describe. 



Anas speculakis. 



An. capite summo, dor so, alls, cauddque nigris; sahtas pallidk griseuSj. 

 pectore brunneo undalato : speculo lata purpurascenti-aureo splendentey 

 fascid atrd alterdque albd marginato: maculd utrinque suboculariy 

 mento, thoraceque albis. 



A suboval spot of white marks the fore cheeks of this bird on each side 

 between the bill and the eyes : the throat has a narrow streak of the same 

 colour, which extends from the lower mandible to the breast, before 

 arriving at which it spreads into a wide patch on each side of the neck, 

 but does not surround the neck. The upper part of the back is fuscous, 

 the feathers being edged with light gray; the lower part is shining black. 

 The under parts of the bird are of a light gray, the breast being mixed 

 with reddish brown, the upper abdomen faintly fasciated with the same 

 colour, the middle slightly fasciated with fuscous, and the lower being 

 quite plain. The speculum of the wing is broad and splendidly shining 

 with a golden purplish lustre : a. fascia of deep black succeeds the purple, 

 and a narrow band of white margins the black. The under wing coverts 

 are entirely black. The bill is black ; the legs red. The length of the 

 bird is 26 inches; of the bill, 2f; of the wing, from the carpal joint ta 

 the extremity of the second quill feather, 11; of the tail, 6; of the torn, 2^. 



56. A second species of Dwcit, very similar to the last ; but distinct. 



Anas specularioides. 



jin. capite summo corporeque supra fuscis; suhtus pallida grisev^, 

 pectore rufo-brunneo fasciato; remigibus, crisso, rectricibusque atris; 

 speculo subangusto purpurascenti-aureo splendente, fascid atrd, al- 

 terdque apicali albd. 



The general appearance of this bird is similar to that af the last; and 

 it might at first sight be taken for the female, or a young male of the 



