NETTOPUS AURITUS. 



DWARF GOOSE. 



(Plate 49.) 

 Anas auritus, Boddaert, Tabl. PI. Enl, p. 48, n. 770, 1783. 



Nettapus auritus, Sharpe's ed. Layard Birds of S. Afr., p. 750 (1875-84) ; 

 Reichenow, Vogel Afrikas, i, p. 127 (1900-01). 



Nettapus aurilius, Nicolls & Eglington, Sportsman in S. Afr., p. 122 

 (1892). 



Nettopus auritus Salvador!, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., xxvn, p. 65 (1895) ; 

 Sclater, Ann. S. Afr. Mus., m, p. 351 (1905) ; Sclater & Stark, 

 Birds of S. Afr., iv, p. 122 (1906). 



Netfoppus auritus, Woodward, Natal Birds, p. 208 (1899). 



Descbiption. The birds figured are an adult male and female. 

 Length about 12 J in. 



Distribution. This near relation of the Indian Cotton-Teal (N. coro- 

 mandelianus) is found all over Africa, south of Gambia on the west, 

 and Somaliland on the east. It is also a resident in Madagascar. 

 Mr. Sclater states that it is a casual visitor to the Colony, and only 

 met with along the coast and larger rivers, but it is more fre- 

 quently to be seen in Natal and the Transvaal up to the Zambesi. 

 He also says that it is not recorded from German South-west 

 Africa, though fairly plentiful about Lake Ngami. 



Three specimens were shot on the Umtumvumu River, Pondo- 

 land, during October and November, 1908. 



I DO not quite understand why this little bird is called a 

 Goose at all. AU geese are naturally grazing birds, and 

 do not dive unless wounded or pressed by a bird of prey, 

 while the Dwarf Goose dives as easily as a Pochard, and gets 

 most of its food from underneath the surface. On Lake 

 Victoria Nyanza this bird may often be seen in flocks 



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