136 
ZOOLOGY OF THE VOYAGE OF THE BEAGLE. 
from a specimen in the collection brought from the Straits of Magellan, by Capt. 
P. P. King. It is a true teal, and in size and form closely assimilates to the 
common teal of Europe, and to the species inhabiting North America {Querquedula 
Carolinensis, Bonap.) to both of which it is evidently an analogue, and doubt- 
less represents those birds in the southern half of the American continent.” 
My specimens were procured from the Rio Plata, and from the Straits of 
Magellan. 
Micropterus brachypterus. Eyton. 
Micropterus brachypterus, Eyton , Monog. Anat. p. 144. 
Anas brachytera, Lath. Ind. Orn. ii. 834. 
These great logger-headed ducks, which sometimes weigh as much as twenty- 
two pounds, were called by the old navigators, from their extraordinary manner 
of paddling and splashing over the water, race-horses, but now much more 
properly steamers. Their wings are too small and weak to allow of flight, but by 
their aid, partly swimming and partly flapping the surface of the water, they move 
very quickly. The manner is something like that by which the common house 
duck escapes, when pursued by a dog ; but I am nearly sure that the steamer 
moves its wings alternately, instead of, as in other birds, both together. These 
clumsy birds make such a noise and splashing, that the effect is most curious. 
The steamer is able to dive but a very short distance. It feeds entirely on shell- 
fish from the floating kelp and tidal rocks ; hence the beak and head are sur- 
prisingly heavy and strong, for the purpose of breaking them. So strong is the 
head, that I have sometimes scarcely been able to fracture it with my geological 
hammer; and all our sportsmen soon discovered how tenacious these birds were 
of life. When pluming themselves in the evening in a flock they make an odd 
mixture of sounds, somewhat like bull-frogs within the tropics. 
1. Podiceps kalipareus. Quoy Gaim. 
My specimens were obtained from Bahia Blanca (September), Northern 
Patagonia, and the Falkland Islands. In the former place it lived in small flocks 
in the salt-water channels, extending between the great marshes at the head of 
the harbour. At the Falkland Islands I saw (March) very few individuals ; and 
these only in one small fresh-water lake. Tarsi of the same colour as the plumage 
of the back ; iris of a beautiful tint, between “ scarlet and carmine red pupil 
black. Mr. Gould remarks that, “ This beautiful species of Podiceps is equal in 
size, and has many of the characters of the P.auritus, but is at once distinguished 
from that species by the silvery colouring of the plumes that adorn the sides of 
the head ; which in P. auritus are deep chestnut.” 
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