364 MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN ON [Apr. 4, 



iride fere nigra, pedihus flams : long, tota circ. 26, alts 16, 

 caudce 5".5, rostri a rictu \-G, tarsi 3*3, dig. med. cum uag. 3 

 (Descr. exempl. ex Ins. Falklaadiei in Mus. S. & G.). 



Hab. Straits of Magellan {King, Darwin, Cunningham) : Staaten 

 Island {Cook): Falkland Islands {Darwin, Abbott). 



According to Darwin, this Goose is found in Tierra del Fuego and 

 the Falkland Islands, being common in the latter. They live in 

 pairs or small flocks in the interior of the island, and seldom ap- 

 proach either the sea or the freshwater lakes. They build on the 

 outlying islets, probably through fear of the foxes ; and the same 

 cause may also account for their being tame by day but the reverse 

 on the approach of dusk. They live entirely on vegetable matter, 

 and are called by the seamen " Upland Geese." 



Capt. Abbott, who, like other travellers, found this species common 

 in East Falkland, says that it breeds all over the country, as well as 

 on the adjoining islets — and on this point differs from Mr. Darwin ; 

 but he adds that the disappearance of foxes from East Falkland may 

 have led to a change of habits as regards the situation chosen by 

 this species for its nest. He gives a good account of its nesting- 

 habits. 



This species appears to do well in captivity, and many broods 

 have been reared in the Gardens of this Society since its introduction 

 in 1857 (Rev. List of Vert. Zool. Soc. 1872, p. 245). 



The Chilian form of this Goose has been described by Philippi and 

 Landbeck as Bernidu dispar — the main and, in fact, the only 

 distinction consisting in the male being distinctly barred with black 

 on the under surface. Our immature male specimen from the Falk- 

 lands is marked to a slight extent in a similar manner ; and we are 

 disposed to consider the character one of hardly suflScient value to 

 separate the two forms specifically. The following references belong 

 to the Chilian form : — 



4, Bernicla dispar. 



Bernida magellanica, Cassin, Gilliss's Exp. ii. p. 201, t. xxiv. 

 (1856); Gay, Fauna Chil. p. 443 (1848) (Chiloe). 



Bernida dispar. Ph. & Landb. Wiegra. Arch. 1863, p. 190, et 

 Cat. Av. Chil. p. 40; Burm. P.Z.S. 1872, p. 366; Sclater, Ibis, 

 1864, p. 122. 



Chloephaga dispar, Scl. P. Z. S. 1867, pp. 320, 334. 



Hab. Central Chili {Ph. et Landb.) ; Argentine Republic, Sierra 

 Tinta and Rio Negro {Burm.). 



Philippi and Landbeck state that this Goose is of frequent occur- 

 rence in winter in the central provinces of Chili, and that one of the 

 collectors for the Museum of Santiago brought a specimen from the 

 Straits of Magellan. 



Burmeister refers the Goose frequenting the Sierra Tinta, near 

 Tandil, to the southward of Buenos Ayres, to this species or race ; 

 he also adds that he has recently received both sexes from El Carmen, 

 on the Rio Negro. 



In October 1871 the Society purchased of Mr. Weisshaupt, along 



