36



C. S. Webb—Collecting Waterfowl in Madagascar



a single example which I possessed about 1898. It was a hen which

mated with a Long-tailed Grassfinch. A nest was built and eggs

laid, but one morning the hen was found dead on the nest.


It is very rarely now that any birds come to Europe from the

north-east of Australia, and hence the rarity of P. leucotis.



COLLECTING WATERFOWL IN

MADAGASCAR


By C. S. Webb


As very little has been published on the bird life of Madagascar

in English, a few notes concerning my last trip there may be of interest.


For the benefit of those who have only a vague idea of the size and

situation of Madagascar, it is as well to point out that it is over 900

miles from north to south and over 300 miles in the widest part from

east to west. It is situated off the south-east coast of Africa, the nearest

point being about 300 miles away. It is a French possession. Although

comparatively close to Africa, Madagascar must have been separated

from it for millions of years as it has no representatives of any of the

w r ell known African fauna. Their place is taken by a large family of

lemuroid animals. There are no dangerous beasts at all, excepting

crocodiles, and even the snakes are not venomous.


Birds, of course, are not so restricted in their movements and so

many African forms and migrants from Europe are to be found in

Madagascar. Nevertheless there is a remarkable number of genera

peculiar to the island.


Apart from the railway which runs from the east coast to

Antananarivo the capital, and a branch line northwards to Lake

Alaotra, transport is very difficult in the greater part of the country.

Where there are no roads the usual method of transport for Europeans

is by “ filanzana ”, a sort of chair mounted on two horizontal poles.

Four natives carry this on their shoulders at a fast pace, and if

travelling any distance another four are in attendance to take over



