188 BIRDS OF BRITISH GUIANA. 



directions. The statement that the hirge flesh warts on the fore- 

 head of this bird give out a musk-smellino- oil is not correct. 

 I have obtained innumerable specimens for food, and have only 

 been able to detect the slightest trace of a musk scent. This 

 bird is known by the name Bisam — or Turkish duck. The 

 " Macusis^' call it Mairva, and the " Warraus'" Oumeh. 



Mr. C. A. Lloyd (Timehri (2) xi. p. 8): — makes the following 

 remarks on this species : — " Decaying Eta palms are the nesting 

 places of the wild Muscovy Duck, Cairina moschata, which the 

 Indians call by the rather pretty name of ' Miwah.^ This duck 

 is notable for the great dis{)arity in the size of the sexes, the male 

 bird being often nearly double the bulk of his mate. The 

 complement of eggs is stated to be from eight to ten. When the 

 young ducks are hatched, the mother bird is said to convey them 

 in her beak to the nearest water. '^ 



AVe quote the following note from Mr. Beebe (Our Search for 

 a Wilderness, p. 357) : — " We now and then heard a louder w^histle 

 of wings, and a family flock of four or five great black Muscovy 

 Ducks would rush past ; the leader, the drake, being almost twice 

 the size of the members of his harum.^^ 



Genus DENDROCYGNA Swains. 



Dendroci/giia Swainson, Classif . Birds, ii. p. 3(35, 1S37. Tvpe D. arcuata 

 (Horsf.). 



The Tree Ducks are distinguished by their long necks, naked 

 tibia, long tarsi, and the absence of transverse scutellse on the lowpr 

 front portion of the tarsi, which is reticulated. This genus is 

 distributed in Africa, Asia, Australasia, Central and South 

 America. Two species are represented in British Guiana. 



Key to tlie Species. 



A. Head, sides of face, chin, and middle of fore- 



neck white ; nape, hind-neck, and middle of 

 throat unifonu deep black ; breast deep chest- 

 nut ; sides of abdomen barred with black and 

 white D. vlduafo, p. 189. 



B. Head rusty brown ; sides of face and tliroat dusky 



grey ; a narrow line on the hind-neck blackish ; 

 breast grey with a rusty tinge ; sides of 

 abdomen uniform black B. discolor, p. 190. 



