BIRDS COLLECTED IN JAPAN. 231 



swimming in the little pools of water, they appeared most graceful little creatures ; and the 

 different attitudes they took in hending to the right or to the left to pick up insects, or to look 

 whether danger approached, were perfectly charming. 



" This hird did not appear, however, to be very numerous in Japan, not more than three or 

 four specimens having been obtained." 



V. ORDER NATATORES.— The Swimming Birds. 



DAFILA ACUTA, Linnaeus. 



Anas acuta, Linn. Syst. Nat. I, p. 202, (1766.) 



The pintailed duck. 



Wilson Am. Orn. VIII, pi. 68, fig. 3. Gould B. of Eur. V, pi. 365. 



A species inhabiting the temperate regions of all the countries of the northern hemisphere. 

 Specimens in the present collection are from Hakodadi, and are identical with the common 

 American and European bird. 



MAEECA FALCATA, Pallas. 



Anas falcata, Pallas' Travels IV, p. 223, (French edition, 1793.) 



Anas falcaria, Gm. Syst. Nat. I, p. 521, (1788.) 



The falcated duck, 



Pennant Arctic Zool. II, pi. 23. Pallas Zoog. Rosso-Asiat., pi. 70. 



This beautiful duck appears to be one of the most abundant of the water birds of Japan, and 

 was noticed at various points during the voyage of the expedition. It is remarkable for having 

 a singular prolongation of the tertial quills, which curve outwardly and present a very graceful 

 and almost peculiar character. 



Although arranged in various genera by late ornithologists, there is no one of them with 

 whom we can coincide, and have, after careful examination, assigned this bird to the genus 

 Mareca, or Widgeons. To this genus it appears to belong, at least, more properly than to any 

 other with which we are acquainted, though it is possibly the type of a distinct group com- 

 bining somewhat the characters of Mareca and Aix, or of Querquedula. It is, however, too 

 large for the last group, in which smallness of size appears to be a generic character. 



Specimens are from Hakodadi. 



MARECA PENELOPE, Linnams. 



Anas penelope, Linn. Syst. Nat., I, p. 202, (1766.) * 



The European Widgeon. 

 Gould B. of Eur. V, pi. 359. 



The widgeon of Europe is apparently disseminated throughout the Old World from the 

 Atlantic to the Pacific. A single specimen is in the collection of the expedition, and is labeled 

 as having been obtained at Hakodadi in May, 1854. It is a male, in spring plumage. 



Relating to this and the preceding species of ducks, we find the following in Mr. Heine's 

 notes : 



"The ducks in the collection appear to have been stragglers from the large flocks that abound 

 in the fall and winter in the vicinity of Hakodadi, remaining in the bay as late as the month of 

 May. All that I saw were exceedingly shy, and the present specimens were obtained only by 

 surprising them during foggy mornings, when feeding amongst the reeds." 



