ANSBBES PLBCTEOPTEEUS 116 



genus from Abyssinia, Shoa, West, Central and South-east Africa 

 respectively, but the distinctive characters are chiefly those which 

 vary with sex and age, and are therefore of uncertain validity. Two 

 of the so-called species are found within our limits. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Throat and under tail-coverts mostly white P. gambensis, p. 115. 



B. Throat and under tail-coverts mostly black P. niger, p. 118. 



Pig. 32. — Bend of the wing of Plectropterus gambensis showing the carpal 

 spur. X ^2, 



611. Plectropterus gambensis. Spur-winged Goose. 



Anas gambensis, Linn. Syst. Nat. 12th ed, i. p. 195 (1766). 



Anser leucogaster et melanogaster, Livingstone, Miss. Travels, p. 253 

 (1857). 



Plectropterus gambensis, P. L. Sclater, P. Z. 8. 1859, p. 131, pi. 153, 

 1860, p. 38 (fig. skull and trachea), 1880, p. 498 ; Kirk, Ibis, 1864, 

 p. 335; Laijard, B. S. Afr. p. 346 (1867); Gurney, in Andersson's 

 B. Damaral. p. 334 (1872) ; Buckley, Ibis, 1874, p. 390 ; Ayres, Ibis, 

 1880, p. 272 ; Holub IfPeUeU, Orn. Sud-Afr. p. 310 (fig. of skeleton) 

 (1882) ; Butler, Feilden and Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 426 ; Sharpe, ed. 

 Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 746 (1884) ; P. L. Sclater, Ibis, 1886, p. 300, 

 fig. 3 (spur) ; Nicolls andEglington, Sportsm. S. A. p. 121, pi. xii, fig. 

 63 (1892) ; Bryden, Oun and Camera, p. 405 (1893); Fleck, Journ. 

 Ornith. 1894, p. 380 ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 48 (1895) ; 

 Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 170 (1896) ; Woodward Bros. Natal B. p. 208 

 (1899) ; Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 268; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 443 ; 

 Beichenow, Vog. Afr. i, p. 134 (1900) ; Whitehead, Ibis, 1903, 

 p. 237 ; Shortridge, Ibis, 1904, p. 206. 



