274 
ANAS FLAVIROSTRIS 
Argentina 
Young in Down: Very similar to many other ducks, but there is a broad black face-patch along 
the center of the cheeks, with a light stripe between it and the eye. There is a narrower black stripe 
through the eye and a superciliary brownish streak. At the base of the culmen a round brownish 
spot. Top of head coal black. Upper side very dark brown with the usual white areas on scapulars, 
wing-rudiments and sides of rump. Lower side silvery white to yellowish, with suggestions of a 
gray band across the upper breast. 
DISTRIBUTION 
The Yellow-billed Teal is a fairly common bird in southern South America, and like so many ducks 
in that region, appears to be essentially non-migratory. In the northernmost part the range meets 
or coincides with the southern part of the range of Anas oxyptera, and it may be that some of the 
records for this district are confused. 
The present species is recorded as occurring throughout Argentina. It has been met with in the 
northernmost Province, Jujuy, near Moreno (Ldnnberg, 1903) and near Carahuasi in eastern Salta 
(Borelli, fide Dabbene, 1910). Lillo (1902) has recorded it for Tucuman, and Gia- 
comelli (1907) for Rioja. It has been found breeding in Cordoba (E. W. White, 1883; 
Frenzel, 1891) and is said to be common near Mendoza (H. Burmeister, 1860; Reed, 1916). 
Eastward it is probably less common in the Chaco. It does not occur in Paraguay, but is said to be 
Uruguay common on the lower Uruguay (Barrows, 1884) and it has been found in southeastern 
Brazil in the Province of Rio Grande do Sul (von Berlepsch and von Ihering, 1885; 
H. and R. von Ihering, 1907) and is the commonest Teal in Uruguay (Aplin, 1894; 
Tremoleras, 1920). 
Returning to the Argentine, I note that the species is common in the Province of Buenos Aires, 
where it breeds to some extent (A. H. Holland, 1892; C. H. B. Grant, 1911 ; Durnford, 1878; Hartert 
and Venturi, 1909; E. Gibson, 1920). It is even more abundant, especially as a breeding bird, in 
p . . Patagonia, and has been so recorded for the region of the Rio Negro and Rio Colorado 
^ (Doering, 1881) and for Chubut (Durnford, 1878; Gerling,^de Dabbene, 1910). Mr. 
J. L. Peters, who has recently been collecting for me in western Patagonia (Gobernacion del Rio 
Negro) says the species was a not too common resident in the localities he visited, but Scott and 
Sharpe (1912) say it is common in Patagonia. 
It must be an abundant bird in the Straits of Magellan, judging by the number of records avail- 
Straits of able. Vinciguerra {fide Dabbene, 1910) found it nesting on the Island of Estados, and 
Magellan others have recorded it for Punta Arenas (Schalow, 1898; Salvador!, 1900; Brewster- 
Sanford collection). Penguin Rookery (Salvadori, 1900), Port Gallant and Cockle Cove (R. B. 
Sharpe, 1881) and Port Famine (Ridgway, 1890). 
In Tierra del Fuego the species is migratory, and it seems to be a common enough breeder 
(Crawshay, 1907; Blaauw, 1916a). In the Falklands it is a common bird and has been found nesting 
(P. L. Sclater, 1860b; Abbott, 1861; Oustalet, 1891; W. S. Brooks, 1917). 
What its status in Chile may be I do not know. L. Fraser (1843), Gay (1847), Philippi (1868), 
James (1892) and Quijada (1910) all include it in their lists and some state that it is common, or 
Chile generally distributed. The only specific records or localities I have been able to find 
are these: Blaauw (1916a) saw flocks on Lago Todos los Santos; Hartlaub (1853) 
records it for the Rio de Valdivia, and von Bibra (1855) says he found it common on all the lakes 
about Santiago. Lane (1897) does not seem to have found it in northern Chile, where it is no doubt 
replaced by Anas oxyptera. 
GENERAL HABITS 
There are several curious traits in this bird w'hich make it rather noteworthy. 
It is the most Teal-like of the South American ducks, although in its appearance 
