222 ANIMALS IN MENAGERIES. 



to black : legs red ; toes webbed only for about half 

 way from the base. In some birds^ the white sur- 

 rounds the neck as a collar; in others^ it extends between 

 the shoulders to the back. 



'^'^ Inhabits New Holland : found in flocks near Hawks- 

 bury river, and called New South Wales goose : its 

 note said to be tuneful and melodious ; and is some- 

 times observed to perch in trees, in the manner of the 

 whistling duck. The native name is Newal Gang." 



The trachea of this species, independent of its 

 length, is singularly situated ; for, after passing down 

 on the fore part of the neck in the usual way, it makes 

 several folds on the outside of the breast, under the skin, 

 before it enters the cavity. Dr. Latham, however, seems 

 never to have seen the bird itself ; for he expresses his 

 thanks to Mr. Lambert for the figure which is engraved 

 on his 178th plate ; and he intimates as much in regard 

 to the trachea, v>hich he also figvires. But the truth 

 is, the doctor's style of writing is so vague, and at 

 times so careless and ungrammatical, that we are per- 

 petually at a loss to understand the meaning he intends 

 to convey. 



The Red-billed Whistling Duck. 



Dendrocygna erythroryncha, Siv. 



Chestnut rufous : crown, body beneath, quills, and tail 

 black ; shoulder covers bright orange ; greater and 

 lesser covers white : bill red : cheeks light ash. 



Anas Autumnalis Linn., Auct. Siffleur a bee rouge, Bvff. 

 PL Enl. 826. lled-biUed Whistling Duck, Edwards, pi. 

 194. Gen. Sijn. vi. 498. 



Our menageries, so far as we can learn, are still 

 without this very interesting and, to us, rare species ; 

 for although it would appear to be well known in the 

 AVest Indies, and to be very common in New Grenada, 

 on the opposite part of the American continent, it is so 

 rare, even in museums, that we have not yet been able 

 to examine it. Edwards has figured it on his 194th 



