SPUR-WINGED GOOSE 51 



In British East Africa the species occurs almost exclusively in the lake region of the southern 

 central part. Lbnnberg (1912) says it is not found in the dry season, but that it is pretty common in 

 the wet weather, at Kagio, Fort Hall, Punda Melia, and that it may breed on the British 

 Rovin River. G. H. Gurney (1909) states that it is common on Lake Naivasha and East Africa 

 the Athi River, while Fischer (1884) has recorded it for Kageji and Lake Naivasha. According to 

 Ogilvie-Grant (1901) it has been taken at Buffa Lake. Van Someren (1916) states that it is com- 

 mon, and breeds on Lake Nakuru. Another record for the Athi River is that of Dearborn (1909). 

 In Uganda it has, as far as I know, been found only by van Someren (1916) who has reported it for 

 Kasaka and Jinja. 



It seems that in Tanganyika Province (German East Africa) the species is much more abundant. 

 Schillings (1905) found it on the Pangani River and common on the Rufu River, and on the Lafitti 

 Hills, as well as south of Kilimandjaro. He states also that the species is abundant on Lake Njiri. 

 According to Sjostedt (1910), it occurs on the Natron Lakes, and in the Kilimandjaro-Meru region, 

 "not rarely" in the dry season. In the wet season he met it at altitudes up to 1400 meters. Further 

 records are those for Lake Jipi (Volkens, 1897) for Newala (Tristram, 1888), for Pangani, Kingani, 

 Ronga and Engatana (Fischer, 1885), for Bagamojo, Ugalla, Wualaba, where it breeds, Tanganyika, 

 Kakomo, Bogo Katani, Lualaba, Luwule, Itambe Lake, Lugoma, Lufira and Likulwe (Bbhm, 1882), 

 for Kibaja Massai (Neumann, 1898), for Tareba in Massai (Shelley, 1889), for Uniamuesi (P. L. 

 Sclater, 1864), and for the extreme southeastern shore at Muasi (Grote, 1912). 



From the western side of Tanganyika the species has been recorded as occurring in the Congo 

 Free State. Both Neave (1910) and Mouritz (1914) state that it is not uncommon in Katanga, while 

 Bbhm (1882) met with it in the Upemba Lake region and von Trotha (fide Reichenow, _ ., 



1900) in the vicinity of Lake Tanganyika. Neave (1910) also reports that it is frequently 

 found in northern Rhodesia, and it has been taken near Lake Banguelo (Salvadori, 1914). We 

 may assume that it inhabits also the western section of the Colony, for it has been recorded from the 

 upper Zambesi, where it is rather abundant (Livingstone, 1857; J. Chapman, 1868; Holub and 

 von Pelzeln, 1882), and lower Zambesi (W. L. Sclater, 1912); and it has been found in Zambesi 

 various sections of southern Portuguese West Africa, namely, in Benguela, at Huilla, and 

 at Humbe, on the Kuene River, and at Quindumbo (Barboza du Bocage, 1877-81). Sou* 11 ^ 1 " 10 * 1 

 Andersson (1872) however, did not meet with the species in German Southwest Africa, and if it occurs 

 at all, it must be rare there. On the other hand, it is quite common in the lake region of the Bechuana 

 Protectorate (Horsbrugh, 1912), on the Okawango River (Andersson, 1872), on Lake Ngami (An- 

 dersson, 1872; Fleck, 1894; Bryden, 1893; J. Chapman, 1868), on the Tonka River (Andersson, 1872; 

 Bryden, 1893; J. Chapman, 1868), at Nocana (Fleck, 1894), on the Botletli River (Bryden, 1893; J. 

 Chapman, 1868) and on the Limpopo River (Holub and von Pelzeln, 1882). It is recorded also 

 from Matabeleland (E. C. Chubb, 1908; Buckley, 1874) and has been reported as not uncommon in 

 Mashonaland (G. Marshall, 1900). On the coast, in Portuguese East Africa, it seems to be fairly abun- 

 dant, having been found on Lake Shirwa (Shelley, 1893) and commonly on the Shire River (Kirk, 

 1864; Sperling, 1868; Percival, 1902) as well as on the Lower Zambesi, where it breeds (J. Chapman, 

 1868; Kirk, 1864; B. Alexander, 1900). 



In the Cape Region the Spur-wing is, however, rare. The records for the Transvaal are all for the 

 southern and western borders, in parts of which it is common according to Horsbrugh (1912). 

 W. Ayres (1887) met with it at Potschefstroom. Gilfillan met with it on the Vaal Cape 

 near Heidelberg (Stark and Sclater, 1906) and from the Bechuana frontier it has been Colony 

 recorded as found at Taungs (Stark and Sclater, 1906), on the Harts River (Holub and von Pelzeln, 

 1882), and near Mafeking (Nicolls and Eglington, 1892). It has been seen a few times in Natal, at 

 Newcastle (Butler, Feilden and Reid, 1882) and at Howick, Maritzburg, and the Conzella flats 

 (Woodward, 1899). It is not uncommon and apparently breeds in Zululand (W. L. Sclater, 1912). 

 In Basutoland it was found breeding near Maseru on the Caledon River (Bowker, fide Stark and 



