48-2 



LAMELLIROSTRAL SWIMMERS — ANSERES. 



maries, aud tail deep black, the rectrices pure white basally. Bill and feet bright flesh-color, the 

 former yellow near the uostrils and black on the nail ; iris brown. ^ Sexes alike. Young : Much like 

 the adult, but with the pattern less distinct aud the colors duller. Chinamon replaced by dingy 



gray, more or less tinged with rusty ochraceous. 

 Abdomen, flauks, and crissum grayish white, 

 tinged with deeper gray. Bill dusky ; feet 

 dark reddish. Doicny young : Above, blackish 

 brown, varied by large areas of sulphury buff, 

 as follows : a supraloral streak extending over 

 the eye ; a wide stripe from the bill under the 

 eye and extending across the occiput, the black- 

 ish below it extending forward only about as far 

 as directly beneath the eye, and confluent pos- 

 teriorly with the uuchal longitudinal stripe of 

 the same color ; a pair of sulphury buff patches 

 on each side of the back, uud another on each 

 side the rump ; posterior half of the wing whit- 

 ish buff, the end of the wing blackish ; the black 

 of the upper parts sends oflf two lateral pro- 

 jections on each side, the first on each side the 

 crop, the second over the flanks to the tibia; ; 

 the buff of the abdomen extending upward in 

 front of this last stripe as far as the middle por- 

 tion of the buff spot on the side of the back. 

 Lower parts wholly whitish buff, paler and le.ss 

 yello\vish along the middle. [Described from a specimen " about four days old," obtained by 

 Dr. J. C. Merrill, U. S. A., at Fort Brown, Texas, Aug. 14, 1877. " Bill bluish above, yellow 

 below ; legs olive."] 



Wing, 9.20-9.70 inches ; culmen, 1.90-2.15 ; tarsus, 2.25-2.60; middle toe, 2.30-2.70. 

 The cinnamon-color of the breast varies, in this species, from a vinaceous to a rich rufous cast, 

 but that of the lower neck is always continuous with that of the back ; the white of the wing- 

 coverts is sometimes clouded with pale ash. The South American representative, D. discolor, Scl. 

 & Salv., differs conspicuously, in the lower neck and breast being fulvous-gray, strongly and 

 abruptly contrasted against the dark chestnut-brown of the back, the black instead of whitish tibiie, 

 and different proportions. It is perhaps speciflcally tlistinct ; but in the aljseuce of specimens 

 from the region in which intergradation, if existing, would occur, we for the present consider 

 it a geographical race of the same species. Three examples in the collection measure as follows : 

 wing, 9.10-9.30 inches ; culmen, 1.80-1.90 ; width of biU across middle, .70-.75 ; tarsus, 2.20- 

 2.25 ; miildle toe, 2.25-2.35. 



This species of Tree Duck obtains a place in the i^ortli American fauna from its 

 occurrence on the Eio Grande and in Southern California. It is found throughout 

 Mexico, Central America, the northern portions of South America, and many of the 

 West India Islands. 



In Texas it is known as the " Long-legged Duck." Mr. Dresser mentions it as 

 being found occasionally near Matamoras during the summer ; and he was assured 

 by a person residing in Monterey — one well acquainted with the bird — that it 

 breeds in the neighborhood of that place. At Galveston a German hunter informed 

 Mr. Dresser that it is quite common there during the winter, arriving in Xovember 

 and departing in ]\Iarch. 



In regard to its presence in Southern California, nothing more is known beyond 



' "The soft parts in ; 

 above ; nail of bill bliiisli 

 p. 170. 



fuU-plumaged living male were as follow : iris brown ; bill coral red, orange 

 legs and feet piukish white." — JlEP.iaLL, Proc. U. S. Xat. JIus. Vul. 1. 



