SARCIDIORNIS MELANONOTA. 



KNOB-BILLED DUCK. 



(Plate 48.) 



Anser melanotus, Pennant, Ind. Zool., p. 12, PI. xi (1769). 



Sarcidiornis africana, Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 752 

 (1875-84) ; NicoUs & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 123 

 (1892). 



Sarcidiornis melanonata, Salvador!, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvn, p. 54 

 (1895) ; Solater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., ra, p. 351 (1905) ; Sclater 

 and Stark, Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 119 (1906). 



Sarkidiornis melanotus, Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 129 (1900-01). 



Local Name. " Comb-duck " of some authors. 



Description. The plate represents a female and a male in full 

 breeding-plumage, with the bunch of orange-yellow feathers on the 

 side of the lower-abdomen that the male carries at that season, 

 and the excrescence that he carries on the bill at its fuU develop- 

 ment. The male bird figured was one shot by Sergt. Davies, 

 and the excrescence was drawn to scale by him. At other times 

 of the year the excrescence is inconspicuous. The young birds 

 resemble the female, but have no metalUc gloss. 



Length about 31 in. 



Distribution. There are two species of Knob-billed Duck, both 

 very similar, one of which is found all over South America, while 

 the other, the subject of our drawing, is distributed throughout 

 Africa and southern Asia. 



Besides being found in India, Burma, and Ceylon, the Knob- 

 billed Duck is also found throughout Africa from Gambia and 

 Khartoum southwards, as well as in Madagascar. 



I have shot it in British East Africa on the Uasin Gishu Plateau, 

 but have not met with it in South Africa. A small flock was 

 met with in Pondoland, out of which was shot the male bird 

 now illustrated. 



114 



