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



ire doubtfully represented by the two aberrant genera Metopiana 

 and Tachyeres; and the Andean Merganetta stands quite alone. 



The Shovellers {Spatula) of north and south are strictly con- 

 generic ; so also are the members of the genera Erismatura and 

 Mergus. 



Returning to the strictly tropical members of this family, and 

 tracing their alliances and range, we find some remarkable facts in 

 geographical distribution, which, so far as we are aware, find no 

 parallel amongst birds. The genus Chenalopex contains but two 

 species — one belonging to the valley of the Amazons and the adjoining 

 districts, the other to Africa. Sarcidiornis is found in Paraguay, 

 Africa, Madagascar, the peninsula of India, Ceylon, and Burmah. 

 Bendrocygna viduata is common to both the American and African 

 continents; and D.fulva is found alike in America, India, and Mada- 

 gascar. The causes of this singular distribution of so many mem- 

 bers of one family are at present inexplicable. 



The greater part of our characters in the following synopsis are 

 taken from specimens in the collection of Salvin and Godman, 

 which contains most of the known South-American species. In 

 selecting specimens for description we have sought out such as 

 came from the same or the nearest locality to that where the 

 original types were procured. 



III. Synopsis of the Species of Neotropical Anatid^e. 

 The Anatidse may be divided into the following seven sub- 

 families : — 



I. Anserince or Geese. 

 II. Cygnince or Swans. 

 III. AnatincB or River-ducks. 

 IV. Fuligulince or Sea-ducks. 



V. ErismaturincB or Lake-ducks. 

 VI. Merganettince, or Torrent-ducks. 

 VII. MergincB or Mergansers. 



Subfamily I. Anserine. 



Genus 1. Anser. Type, 



Anser, Cuv. Regn. An. i. p. 530 (1817) A. cinereus. 



Chen, Boie, Isis, 1822, p. 563 A. hyperboreus. 



Anser is strictly an arctopolitan form, of which winter visitants 

 belonging to three species occur in the Antilles. 



I. Anser hyperboreus. 



Anser hyperboreus, Pallas, Spic. Zool. vi. p. 31 (1/69); Zoogr. 

 vol. ii. p. 227, t. 65 ; Baird, B. of N. Am. p. 760 (1858) ; Cab. J. 

 fur Orn. 1857, p. 225 (Cuba); March, Pr. Ac. Phil. 1864, p. 70 

 (Jamaica). 



Chen hyperboreus, Gundl. Repert. F.-N. i. p. 387, et J. fur Orn. 

 1875, p. 371 (Cuba). 



Hab. Cuba (Gundlach) ; Jamaica (March), 



