THE SPORTSMAN IN SOUTH AFRICA. 1 25 



underneath, a uniform dirty light brown, minutely streaked with a 

 darker shade; feathers on back, black, edged with broad lining of 

 yellowish brown; the white of the back imperceptible unless the 

 wings are open; paddles exceedingly large and placed far back; 

 tail, fan-shaped, consisting of about half-a-dozen short and almost 

 bare shafts^} 



This nondescript bird has been spoken of as an occasional visitor to 

 some of the vleys in the Cape Colony and Natal. In the Transvaal 

 and Bechuanaland it is far more common than is usually supposed, 

 but owing to its habits is not often noticed * It, however, frequents 

 the open waters of Lake 'Ngami simply in thousands. The flesh is 

 rather too oily to be palatable, and will not keep longer than a day 

 in hot weather. 



The IVIaccoa Duck (Erismatura maccoa). Fig. Sj, Plate XII. 



[Size slightly smaller than the last described. General colour, 

 uniform reddish brown, paleing on the -wings and underneath ; head 

 black ; bill slatey blue, resembling that of the Cape Shoveller 

 (Spatula capensis) in shape; tail feathers scarcely more than 

 bare shafts, placed more together, pointed, and less fan-shaped than 

 in the Yellow-throated Widgeon.'] 



This Duck is, like the last mentioned, a wonderfully expert diver, 

 and rarely takes to the wing except when migrating from one vley 



" Mr. NicoUs has shot round the numerons grass vleys in the neighbourhoocl of Vaal- 

 peus Pan in the Bechuanaland Protectorate on and off for the past six years, but 

 until last year he was not aware of the existence of this grehe-looking "Widgeon in the 

 district, although he has now no doubt whatever that they resort in large numbers 

 to these waters after heavy rains. Colonel Sir Frederick Carringtou and other gentle- 

 men from MafeMng have also constantly visited the pans in question, and although 

 they generally procured very large bags of other wild fowl, we are not aware that the 

 species under notice formed any portion of them. Last year we took a canvas boat 

 to the pan above mentioned, and with considerable difficulty forced our way in it 

 through the thick grass towards a small portion of open water in the centre of one of 

 the largest of the vleys, killing with the first discharge eight of these birds when 

 sitting. Although probably five or six dozen more were there at the time, the 

 remainder dived, not a single one taking to the wing. After gathering the dead birds, 

 the neighbourhood was searched for a considerable time, but we did not meet with 

 other specimens, nor could we discover any nests, although it was in the time of the 

 breeding season. Mr. Nicolls' experience at Lake 'Ngami has been similar, and 

 although he has shot dozens from a Berthon boat there, he never yet saw one in 

 flight. They always resort to the open water outside the reed beds, and never venture 

 in the shallow spaces next the shores. Mr. Nicolls is certain they are capable of 

 diving fifty or sixty yards. 



