Order ANSERES.] , rp^, ANATIILE. 



CASARCA VARIEGATA. 



(NEW-ZEALAND SHELDRAKE.) 



Variegated Goose, Lath. Gen. Hist. iii. pt. 2, p. 441 (1785). 

 Anas variegata, Gm. Syst. Nat. i. p. 505 (1788, ex Lath.). 

 CasarJca castanea, Eyton, Monogr. Anat. p. 108, pi. 10 (1838). 

 Casarca variegata, Gray, in Dieff. Trav. ii. App. p. 198 (1843). 

 Anas cheneros, Forst. Descr. Anim. p. 92 (1844). 

 Anser variegata, Ellman, Zool. 1861, p. 7471. 



Native names. 

 Putangitangi ; Putakitaki in the South Island ; " Paradise Duck " of the colonists. 



c? pileo undique et cervice virescenti-ingerrimis : collo undique nigricante, ochraceo vermiculatim vario : dorso 

 saturate cinerascenti-fusco, plumis omnibus albido transvermiculatis, plumis castaneis absentibus : dorso 

 postico nigricante obscure albido transvermiculato : uropygio et supracaudalibus purpurascenti-nigris : 

 remigibus nigris, minoribus extus pulcherrime viridibus, secundariis extus lsete castaneis, intus cinereis, 

 versus apicem albo vermiculatis : cauda, nigra : corpore subtus reliquo cinerascenti-fusco, albido trans- 

 versim vermiculato : abdomine medio castaneo obscure nigro transfasciato : subalaribus albis, imis 

 cinerascentibus, marginalibus paullb nigricante vermiculatis : rostro plumbescenti-nigro : pedibus et 

 iride nigris. 



$ mari dissimilis : supra fuscus, plumis fulvescente vel albido transversim vermiculatis, quibusdam castaneis 

 aut eodem modo vermiculatis vel omnino unicoloribus : dorso postico nigricante obscure albido trans- 

 vermiculato : dorso postico et uropygio, alis et cauda ut in mari coloratis : pileo undique et cervice 

 pure albis : corpore subtus castaneo, plumis quibusdam nigricantibus fulvescente aut albido transvermi- 

 culatis : abdomine medio saturate castaneo, nigro transfasciato : subcaudalibus lsetius castaneis : sub: 

 alaribus ut in mari coloratis. 



Adult male. Head and greater portion of neck black, with bluisb green reflections ; neck below and fore 

 part of breast ricb dark brown minutely spotted or freckled with pale rufous ; back and scapulars, as 

 •well as the lower part of the breast, sides of the body and flanks black, mottled and marked with wavy 

 lines or vermiculations of white ; on the sides and flanks the vermiculation is very distinct, and adds 

 much to the beauty of the plumage ; the rest of the underparts dark rufous spotted and barred with 

 black ; under tail-coverts bright ferruginous with darker stains ; the whole of the wing-coverts pure 

 white ; the primaries glossy black, lighter on their under surface ; the lesser quills shining green on 

 their exposed webs, dusky and margined with white on their inner, forming a large, bright speculum ; 

 the four inner secondaries have their outer webs rufous, becoming paler towards the tips, and their 

 inner webs dark cinereous, freckled more or less with white. The contrast of colours described above 

 gives the upper surface of the wings a very beautiful appearance when partially spread ; the under 



