332 
ANAS SPINICAUDA 
Argentina 
more northern districts it is not a common bird, although it has been recorded from practically every 
Province: from eastern Jujuy, February (Bruch, 1904), from Tucuman (Lillo, 1902), 
from Rioja, March to May (Koslowsky, 1895; Giacomelli, 1907), from Mendoza (H. 
Burmeister, 1860; Reed, 1916), from Cordoba (Dabbene, 1910) and from the district north of Entre 
Rios, where it is said to breed (Dabbene, 1910). Farther south it becomes very abundant, occurring 
in great numbers, especially in the Province of Buenos Aires where it is both resident and migratory 
(A. H. Holland, 1892; Hartert and Venturi, 1909; C. H. B. Grant, 1911; E. Gibson, 1920; Wetmore, 
in litt.). Farther south still, in the Provinces of Rio Negro and Chubut it is equally common and 
breeds (Durnford, 1877, 1878a; Doering, 1881; P. L. Sclater and Hudson, 1889). According to Scott 
and Sharpe (1912) it is found at all seasons, and nests, even in southern Patagonia; but on the 
Straits of Magellan it is probably largely a summer resident. Salvadori (1900a) has, however, 
recorded a specimen taken at Punta Arenas in May, and the Brewster-Sanford collection (American 
Museum of Natural History) possesses another taken in the Straits in July! 
Tierra del It does not winter in Tierra del Fuego, but in summer it is the commonest duck and 
Fuego breeds (Crawshay, 1907). Blaauw (1916a) met with a small number at Estancia Sarita. 
In the Falklands the Brown Pintail is not by any means a common species. Abbott (1861) took a 
Falkland few specimens in East Falkland, where he says it is resident. The Brewster-Sanford 
Islands collection also has a few specimens taken in late December in these islands, but W. S. 
Brooks (1917) did not meet with it. 
This is the commonest duck in Chile and is found throughout the country (Schalow, 1898; Lane, 
1897). I doubt whether it winters in the southern parts, but it is exceedingly common in the central 
Provinces (Quijada, 1910). It has been reported specifically from Lago Todos los 
Santos (Blaauw, 1916a), Ancud (American Museum specimen), Rio Bueno in January, 
and Corral in February (British Museum), Colchagua (Lataste, 1893), Penaflores, January to March 
(Lataste, 1895), Valparaiso (von Pelzeln, 1868-71), Ovalle in October (Schalow, 1898), Antofagasta 
(Philippi, 1888) and Tarapaca, where it is said to be the commonest duck and breeding (Lane, 1897). 
Chile 
GENERAL HABITS 
Haunts. This southern representative of our Common Pintail is very similar in its 
general conformation, habits and life-history. The nature of its country, however, 
is so different from that of the northern regions that its times of arrival and depar- 
ture are extremely irregular and adapted to regions of spasmodic rainfall and well- 
tempered winters. It is the only duck of southern South America that exists in really 
enormous numbers, and no doubt it numerically exceeds all other species com- 
bined. 
It ranges everywhere from coast to coast wherever suitable shallow waterways 
occur, and it has even been known to feed in coastal regions in eastern Patagonia. 
It is, however, a strictly fresh-water species. On the elevated Andean plateaus it is 
found on the swampy prairies up to 12,000 feet in northern Chile, and still higher in 
Peru. There is no geographic race occurring on this plateau, and it is safe to say that 
the bird is not completely sedentary there, but moves in a more or less irregular 
vertical migration (Lane, 1897). In the central part of its range, in the Province of 
Buenos Aires, it is common throughout the year, but is probably more abundant in 
the autumn (E. Gibson, 1920). Still, Wetmore (MS.) .saw enormous numbers come 
into this region early in November, after the breeding season, and it is evident that 
