226 ZOOLOGY. 



SCIENTIFIC AND LITERARY NOTES. 



ZOOLOGY. 



The following note, taken from the " Proceedings of the Zoological Society, 

 December 10th, 1861," and published in the " Annals and Magazine of Natural 

 History for April, 1862," has a peculiar interest for Canadian Zoologists at the 

 present time. During last mnter, several specimens of Anas glocitans or Anas 

 bimaculata were procured at the St. Olair flats. One of these is in the posses- 

 sion of Geo. W. Allan, Esq., M.L.O.; another was presented to the Museum of 

 the University of Toronto, by Mr. Barber, from whom a communication on the 

 subject to the Canadian Institute was also expected. Fr9m several characters 

 of the birds examined by us ; from the amount of variation in the invividual 

 specimens ; and from the strongly expressed opinion of several experienced 

 sportsmen, who had on various occasions seen examples, we were inclined to 

 conclude that the supposed species is a hybrid, one of the parents being the 

 Anas boschas. This view is supported by Mr. Newton's note ; yet for our com- 

 plete satisfaction, further information on the subject is desirable. 



ON A HYBRID DUCK. — BY ALFEHD NEWTON, M.A., F.L.S., F.Z.S. 



I am indebted to the kindness of my friend, Mr. Newcome, for the opportunity 

 of exhibiting to the Society a specimen of a fine hybrid duck, beautifully 

 mounted by Mr. Ellis, of Swaff ham, which presents several points of interest. 



This bird (a male) was bred by Mr. Durham, of Bremley Grange, near Ripon, 

 from a male widgeon {Mareca Penelope, Selby) and a female which was a croS3 

 between the common wild duck {Anas boschas, Linn.) and an ordinary farm- 

 yard duck. It was sent to Mr. Newcome by the intelligent gamekeeper at 

 Hornby Castle, Mr. Anthony Savage, from whom I learn that Mr. Durham hag 

 since bred several other hybrids from the same male widgeon and a female of 

 the domesticated variety of Anas boschas known as the " Grey Call Duck." Of 

 these hybrids, Mr. Savage informs me that he sent a pair to Mr. Grantley 

 Berkeley, and another pair to ]Mr. John Hancock. 



No detailed notice of the particular cross I now exhibit has, to my know- 

 ledge, been hitherto published, though Mr. Yarrell, in the last edition of his 

 work ('B. B.' ed. 3, iii. p. 216) mentions the fact as having occurred ; and my 

 friend, M. de Selys-Longchamps, who has, it is well known, devoted especial 

 attention to the subject, informed me about two years ago that he was aware of 

 other instances of such a hybrid. According to the views of the last-named 

 accurate observer, the Anas bimaculata of Keyserling and Blasius* — the Anas 

 glocitans of Gmelin (but not of Pallas)— is the result of this cross ; and Mr. 



* Several writers assign the authority of Penuaut for the trivial name " bimaculata." I 

 cannot trace it further back than the " "Wirbelthiere Europas " of the naturalists I have 

 mentioned. There is no question about the Anas glocitans of Pallas being a good species, 

 but I do not know any recorded instance of its occurrence in Europe. 



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