238 
Birds of Gambia. 
Plectropterus glfinihensis. SrUR-WlXGED GOOSE. 
Rmvgfe. West and East Africa. {H.L.) 
This laa-ge. Goose is plentiful throughout the Pjotectorate in 
suitaljlu localities, but is veiy shy and difficult to approach, though 
occasionally a flock will lly over a boat well within range, before 
they discover its preieuco. They are, however, hardly worth shoot- 
ing from a " chop " point of view, as lan old bird is so tough 
and hard, as well as nas'ty, as to be almost uneatable', ajud even a 
young one, although a bit more tender, docs not make a very at- 
t|r;u;tive dish. Tliey frequent the river and the pools in the swamps, 
generally in parties of about a diozien, though often in flocks of 
much larger size. During the dry season they feed mainly on what- 
ever they find in the swamps and pools, but durin(gi tha rains they 
do great damage to the growing rice, a diet they, seem to prefer 
aJbove any other. They thrive well in captivity, but are terrible 
tyi'ants among ducks and chickens or other rightful occupants of 
the yard. Here I may remark that the common tame Duck of the 
country is tlie Muscovy. 
The general colour of the Spur-winged Goose is olack, glossed 
with metallic inflections and variegated with white on the Jiead, 
faeck, belly, and wings. The amount of white seems to vary in 
dilieifiit indiviauals, in some of tlie white patches being- much larger 
than in others. The forehead and sides of the face are naked, the former 
bcairing a distinct frontal boss, which with the portion of' thei 
foreheau betwe:3n it and the bill, is a 'livid red in colour. The bar<j 
cheeks on the other hana are grey with a pink tinge. The wing- 
spur, placed at the angle of the wing, is stron/g, sharp and pinkish 
horn in colour. The iris is hazel, the toill red with a dirty white 
tip, the legs dull pink. Length (of an adult male) 40 inches. The 
female and young are smaller, and have much smaller frontal bosses, 
but in colour resemble the adult male. 
ISarcidionus melanonota. KNOB-BILLED DUCK. 
Range. India; Ceylon; Burma; Tropical Africa; Madagas- 
car. (H.L.) 
" .Old man Knob-bill," as he is commonly called, is much less 
common here than the Spurwing, and dilfers tjo in being as good 
to bat as the other is bad. They ii'e generally seen singly or 
in (i:airs at tlie swamp -pools or flying over the I'iver, but at times 
r [iiav(! seen parties of six or eight. 
The general coloui' over the gi'eater ^lart of the upper 
parts is bla-ck richly glossed with igreen and purple, and white 
below and on the centre of the lower 'back. The peculiar knob is 
l)orne by the male alone and disappears almost entirely at tJiC' 
close of the breeding season, except perhairs in very old birds'. 
It is a black or very dark brow'/'i (the same, cidoui- as thie bi!l), 
aemi-cii'cular elevation growing from tiie culin.en, of which it occu])ies 
the proximal two-thirds. The legs are black, the iris dark brown. 
