Birds of Celebes: Anatidae. 
865 
FAMILY ANATIDAE. 
Description as for the order. Count Salvadori (1. c.) recognises 11 sub- 
families, of which 3 are represented in Celebes — the Plectopterinae by Nettopus, 
the Anatinae by Dendrocycna, Anas, Nettion and Querquedula, and the Fuligulinae 
by Nyroca. 
GENUS NETTOPUS Brandt. 
Bill Goose-like, shorter than the head, across the nostrils as high as bro9,d ; 
hind toe small, not lobed; no wing-speculum; size small. Four species, inhabit- 
ing the Indian, Australian, and Ethiopian Regions. 
367. NETTOPUS PULCHELLUS J.Gd. 
Australian Pygmy Goose. 
a. Nettapus pulchellus (1) Gould, P. Z. S. 1841, 89; (II) id., B. Austr. VD, pi. 4 (1842), 
(III) Rchb., S. A., Natatores, 1844, t. 96 (LV, Spl. X XI H), figs. 938, 939; (4) Gould 
Hb. B. Austr. 1865, D, 357; (5) W. Bias., Z. ges. Orn. 1886, 202, 210; (6) Rams., 
Tab. List 1888, 22, Nr. 661; (7) North, Nests and Eggs B. Austr. 1889, 337. 
b. Anserella pulcheUa (1) Gray, HL. 1871, HI, 77, Nr. 10595. 
Nettopus pulcheUus (1) Sclat, P. Z. S. 1880, 505; (2) Salvad., Orn. Pap. 1882, HI, 384; 
(3) Finscb, Mt. om. Ver. Wien 1884, VTU, 109; (4) Salvad., Agg. Om. Pap. 1891, 
210; (5) id.. Cat. B. 1895, XXVn, 67. 
For further references see Salvadori 2, 4, 5. 
Figures and descriptions. Gould all, 1, 4; Reicbenbacb a III', Salvadori 2, 5. 
Adult male. Above glossy bottle-green, tbe feathers of head above tipped with, and crossed with 
a subterminal bar of pale brown; a broad collar round neck and throat dark bottle-green , 
upper tail-coverts vei-miculated with white; secondaries partly white, two or three 
of the middle ones entirely white, fonning a white band on the wing; face and ear- 
coverts white, dusky between the gape and eye; under-jjarts white, the jugulum, 
sides of neck and of body crossed with U- und V-shaped bands of bottle-green and 
blackish; under wing-coverts and axillaries blackish bottle-green; under tail- 
coverts blackish, the shorter ones glossy ([cf] ad., Amboina: Riedel — 0 7324). 
“Irides dark brown ; bill dark greenish grey (nib wliite), under mandible irregularly 
blotched with a lighter colour; legs and feet blackish brown, with a yellowish white 
nail” (Gould a II). 
Female. Wants the green collar of the male, and has the head above uniform dark glossy 
brown, continuous with a green gloss down the hind neck. 
Immature male or male in non-breeding or winter plumage. According to Finsch both 
sexes are similar . Probably this is when the male is not in nuptial dress or is im- 
mature. 
Measurements. Wing 170—178; tail c. 75; tarsus 26; middle toe with claw c. 46; exposed 
culmen c. 35 mm. 
Nest and eggs. Gilbert found a nest of this species at Port Essington near the margin of 
a lake; it was “built up in the long grass about afoot above the water, the bottom 
of the ’nest resting on its surface; it was composed of long dry grasses, slightly hol- 
Meyer & Wigleswortli, Birds of Celebes (Dec. 11th. 1897). 109 
