CHLOEPHAGA ANTARCTICA 93 



CHLOEPHAGA ANTARCTICA (Gmelin) 



Anas antarctica, Gmelin, Sijstema Naturce, i, p. 505, 1788. 

 Bernicla antarctica, Gould and Darwin, Voy. "-Beagle," Birds, 



p. 134, 1841 ; Gassin, TJ. S. Astron. Exp., ii, p. 200, pi. xxiii, ^ ? , 1855 ; 



Abbott, Ibis, p. 159, 1861 ; Oustalet, Miss. Sci. Gap. Horn, Ois., p. 195, 



1891. 

 Chloephaga antarctica, Gunningham, Nat. Hist. Strait Magellan, 



pp. 305, 319, 1871. 

 Chloephaga hybrida, Sahadori, Gat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvii, p. 130, 



1895. 



Habitat. — Patagonia, Chili and Chiloe Island, to Cape Horn ; the Falkland 

 Islands. 



The Kelp Goose, apparently common in the Falkland 

 Islands and on the south coast of Tierra del Fuego, proved rare 

 m parts visited by me. I did not obtain a specimen. I saw 

 one pair, on two occasions, on a spit of shingle on the rock-bound 

 coast in Whiteside Channel : they rose with a gaggle, and flew 

 low over the water. The snow-white male is very handsome. 

 Its striking appearance, and the peculiar and solitary habit it 

 has of frequenting the sea shore, distinguishes this Groose from 

 all others. 



"It lives exclusively on the rocky parts of the sea coast," 

 says Darwin. " In the deep and retired channels of Tierra del 

 Fuego, the snow-white male, invariably accompanied by his 

 darker consort and standing close by each other on some distant 

 rocky point, is a common feature in the landscape." 



The " Erebus " and ^' Terror " obtained it at Cape Horn. 



In the Falkland Islands, Abbott found it a very common 

 bird along the coast. 



On the " Nassau " Survey, Cunningham mentions one example 

 only was met with in the eastern portion of the Strait of 

 Magellan, but that more to the westward it is common. He 

 says : — " It never goes in large flocks, rarely more than five 

 or six being to be seen in company at a time, and generally 



