1880.] SPECIES OF ANATID.*. 497 



in October 1851, examples of no less than 51 species' were disposed 

 of", some of the most select of whicli were acquired by this Society. 



The dispersal of this splendid series under the hammer of the 

 auctioneer was an event which must always be regretted by orni- 

 thologists. Still more unfortunate is it that not one of the numerous 

 owners of well-watered parks and grounds in this kingdom have 

 taken up the subject and devoted themselves to the task of forming 

 a living collection of these beautiful birds. 



The following arrangement of the subfamilies of the Anatidae (based 

 upon their most obvious external character) is slightly modified from 

 that employed in the ' List of Vertebrates' : — 



A. Digito postico simplice. 



a. Pedibus semipalmatis 1. AnseranatincB, 



b. Pedibus palmatis. 

 a'. CoUo modico. 



a". Cera rostri ampla 2. Cereopsinm. 



b". Cera rostri nulla 3. Anserincs, 



b'. Collo elongate 4. Ct/gnincB. 



B. Digito postico anguste lobato 5. AnatincB. 



0. Digito postico late lobato. 



c'. Rostro depresso. 



Cauda rigidiuscula 6. Fuligulin<B. 



Cauda spinosa 7. Erismaturince. 



d'. Rostro compresso. 



Cauda elongata, i-igida 8. Merganettinm. 



Cauda modica 9. Merginw, 



B. Subfam. I. ANSERANATIN^. 



Genus Anseranas. 



1. Anseranas melanoleuca (Lath.). Black-and- White 

 Goose. 



Anseranas melanoleuca, Gould, B. Austr. vii. t. 2. 



Hab. Australia. 



The Black-and-White, or Semipalmated Goose, of Australia was 

 first received by the Society in 1855". It has never bred with us, 

 nor am I aware that it has done so in any of the continental 

 .gardens, although several of them possess specimens. 



C. Subfam. IL CEREOPSIN^. 

 Genus Cereopsis. 

 1. Cereopsis Nov^-HOLLANDi^E, Lath. Cereopsis Goose. 

 Cereopsis novcB-hollandia, Gould, B. Austr. vii. t. 1. 

 Hab. Australia. 



In ] 830 seven Cereopsis Geese were among the animals presented 

 to the Society by King William (see Rep. Council, 1831, p. 14). 

 The species bred frequently in the Gardens, in the early years of 

 the Society (Rep. of Council, 1832, p. 13, and List of Animals, 



' See Catalogue of the Menagerie and Aviary at Knowsley, formed by the late 

 Earl of Derby, K.G., President of the Zoological Society of London. Liverpool, 

 1851. 



* See Rep. of Council, 1856, p. 13. 



