ANSERES PCECILONETTA 141 



Habits. '-This, the smallest of South African Dacks, is found 

 singly or in pairs, in lagoons, but little is known of its habits as it 

 appears to be everywhere a scarce bird. 



There are two eggs of this species in the British Museum, 

 obtained by Andersson, in Ovampoland ; they are described as oval 

 in shape, smooth, moderately glossy, and of a pale cream colour. 

 They measure 1-7 x 1'3. 



Genus IX. PCECILONETTA. 



Fascilonitta, Eyton, Mon. Anat. Tp. 32 {183S) P. bahamensis. 



This genus is also very closely allied to Anas, from which it 

 differs chiefly in the colour of the speculum, which is a fawn or 

 salmon colour, the narrow black band at its base perhaps represent- 

 ing the metallic speculum of Anas. 



Three species are assigned to this genus by Salvadori ; two of 

 them from South America and the Galapagos Isles respectively, the 

 third from Africa. This last species is included in the key on 

 p. 133. 



623. Poecilonetta erythrorhyncha. Bed-bill. 



Anas erythrorhyncha, Gmel., Syst. Nat. i, p. 517 (1788) ; Burchell, 

 Travels, i, p. 283, ii, p. 346 (1822-4) ; Pelz., Novara Beise, Vog.,-p. 138 

 (1865) ; Layard, B. 8. Afr. p. 351 (1867) ; Bryden, Gun and Camera, 

 p. 405 (1893) ; id. Nat. and Sport, p. 42 (1897) ; Fleck, Journ. Ornith. 

 1894, p. 380 ; Beichenow, Vcig. Afr. i, p. 118 (1900). 



Querquedula erythrorhyncha, Smith, Cat. S. A. Mus. p. 36 (1837) ; 

 Holuh Sj' Pelzeln, Orn. Siid-Afr. p. 330 (1882). 



Pcecilonetta erythrorhyncha. Smith, Illustr. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 104 

 (1845) ; Gurney, Ibis, 1859, p. 251, 1861, p. 134, 1862, p. 158, 1868, 

 p. 471 [Natal and Transvaal] ; id. in Andersson's B. Damaral. 

 p. 339 (1872) ; Ayres, Ibis, 1880, p. 272 ; Oates, Matabeleland,p. 328 

 (1881) ; Butler, Feilden ^- Beid, Zool. 1882, p. 427 ; Sharpe, ed. 

 Layard's B. S. Afr. p. 754 (1884) ; Nicolls and Eglington, Sportsm. 

 S. A. p. 126, pi. xii, fig. 62 (1892) ; Salvadori, Cat. B. M. xxvii, p. 285 

 (1895) ; Shelley, B. Afr. i, p. 172 (1896) ; Woodward Bros., Natal B. 

 p. 211 (1899); Marshall, Ibis, 1900, p. 269 ; Alexander, Ibis, 1900, 

 p. 443 ; Oates, Oat. B. Eggs, ii, p. 174 (1902) ; Whitehead, Ibis, 1903, 

 p. 238. 

 " Smee Eendje'' of the Dutch; the word Smee is sometimes used in 

 East Anglia for the Widgeon ; " Semto Letata " of Basutos (Murray). 



