124 ANSEEBS DBNDEOCYCNA 



Although the bill of this bird is shaped somewhat like that of a 

 goose, it differs widely from the Geese in structure and habits. It is 

 rarely seen on land and is a good swimmer and diver, whereas the 

 true geese are good walkers and essentially land-feeders. 



Genus IV. DENDROCYCNA. 



Type. 



Dendrocygna, Swains. Class. B. ii. -p. 365 (1837) D. arcuala. 



Bill moderate, depth at the base less than half the total length ; 

 of nearly equal width throughout, but slightly broader about two- 

 thirds of the way down ; a strong downwardly-pointed nail ; wings 

 rounded, second and third primaries usually the longest but these 

 are all generally shorter than the longest primaries ; no speculum ; 

 tail short and rounded, of sixteen feathers ; tarsus long and strong, 

 about the same length as the inner toe without claw, covered with 

 reticulate scales in front as well as on the sides ; hind toe narrowly 

 lobed ; trachea with an osseous bulb in the males. 



Nine species of this genus, which is spread over the tropical 

 regions of both hemispheres, are recognised by Salvadori ; two of 

 these are found in Africa, and both of them occur within our limits. 



Key of the Species. 



A. Anterior half of head and throat white, hinder half 



black D.viduata.,p. 124. 



B. Head rufous brown, becoming paler on the chin and 



throat D.fulva, p. 126. 



615. Dendrocycna viduata. White-faced Duck. 



Anas viduata, Linn. Syst. Nat. i. p. 205 (1766). 



Dendrocygna viduata, Ourney, Ibis, 1859, p. 251, 1862, p. 158 [Natal] ; 

 Layard B. S. Afr. p. 349 (1867) ; Ourney in Andersson's B. 

 Damaral. p. 338 (1872); Barratt, Ibis, 1876, p. 214; Holub d 

 Pelneln, Orn. 8iid-Afr. p. 828 (1882); Sharpe, ed. Layard's B. S. 

 Afr. p. 751 (1884) ; W. Ayres, Ibis, 1887, p. 64 ; Nicolls and Egling- 

 ton, Sportsm. S. A. p. 126 (1892) ; Bryden, Oun and Camera, p. 407 

 (1893) ; Flecl!, Journ. Ornith. 1894, p. 380; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. 

 xxvii. p. 145 (1895) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 171 (1896) ; Woodward 

 Bros., Natal B. p. 209 (1899) ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, p. 443 ; 

 Beichenow, Vbg. Afr. i. p. 124 (1900). 



" Masked Duck " of some authors. 



