152 bulletin: musplum of comparative zoOlogy. 



Nycticokax cyanocephalus falklandicus Hartert. 

 Falkland Night Heron. 



Only a few Night Herons were noted. They were either flying 

 along the shore or roosting upon exposed rocks on the cliffs or beaches. 



Chloephaga hybkida malvinakum Phillips. 

 Auk, Oct., 19 1(), 33, p. 423^24. 

 " Kelp Goose ". 



The Kelp Goose is one of tlie most handsome geese in existence, and 

 is a common bird on the Falklands. 



They nest later than the other geese, and do not retire so far from 

 the shore. 



They are very tame, allowing one to approach within a few yards. 

 The female is the first to show any alarm, a single male being almost 

 as tame as a domesticated goose. When the female becomes nervous 

 she utters a harsh " lli-hiih-uh-huh-uh-hilh" with a rising inflection 

 if repeated rapidly. The male's only call is a thin feeble "Seep-seep." 



They seldom go into the water, and do not often fly. On one's 

 approach they will rim along the rocks or beach a long distance before 

 taking to the water. If a dead bird falls into the water its fluffy 

 plumage becomes more water-soaked than any species of goose 1 ha^•e 

 killed. 



It seems to be a general belief that this species feeds upon molluscs 

 and other marine animals. Such is not the case in these islands, 

 where its chief food is a thin fllmy alga that grows on the rocks and is 

 exposed at low tide. By the middle of December a large pulpy berry 

 growing on a low vine becomes ripe, and of these the Kelp (ieese arc 

 very fond. They never go more than about fifty yards inland in 

 search of these berries. 



The down;^' young are a dirty white. 



At one time the snowy breasts of the males were sold in considerable 

 numbers in London, but this traffic has become illegal. 



