LOGGERHEAD GOOSE. 213 



legs and feet like the bill : irides dark hazel. Tail 

 rounded, of nineteen feathers, and of nearly the same 

 length as the wings. 



The Loggerhead Goose. 



Anas trachyptera, Latham. 



Loggerhead Duck, Lath. Synop. of Birds, vi. 439. Gen. Hist. 

 X. 226. 



One of the principal considerations that have guided 

 our present selection of birds, is that of calling the 

 attention of our readers to those imperfectly known 

 species, which seem to possess the properties of domes- 

 tication ; with the hope of inducing such persons, as 

 have the power, to clear up their history, and to at- 

 tempt, where practicable, the importation of living 

 specimens into this country. Our accounts of such 

 species will, of necessity, be taken from those authors 

 who have thus imperfectly mentioned them. But as 

 this volume will, in all probabihty, from its wide 

 circulation, fall into the hands of many of our country- 

 men now residing in or visiting the countries where 

 these species are- said to occur, we think much eventual 

 good will result from this plan. Amateurs are 

 frequently anxious to do something for Natural His- 

 tory, if they knew what to do ; and, if they had a 

 friend w^ho would guide their inquiries to a useful end, 

 exertions would often be made, and much valuable 

 information procured. Under this impression, we shall 

 here introduce the accounts of several little-known 

 species of the Anatince family, chiefly, as it is said, 

 inhabitants of South America, where so many of our 

 countrymen are now residing ; and from whom the 

 Ornithological Society may hope to receive either pre- 

 served skins, for determining the species more correctly, 

 or Hving specimens for adding to their menagerie. 



The first we shall notice is a most singular bird, 

 called by Dr. Latham, in one of his works, a Duck; but 

 in his last, a Goose, without any assigned reason for the 

 p 3 



