N. Wharton-Tigar—London Zoo Notes



119



Tree Duck ( D . arborea ) is peculiar to the Antilles. It has been bred

by the late Mr. Blaauw and the Zoological Gardens of Cologne.


The Falcated Teal [Anas falcata) breeds in East Siberia, and

winters in China and Japan. I will give Mr. Delacour’s description

of this species : “ The Falcated Duck is one of the handsomest of


the genus. The drake in colour has a crest at the back of his head,

and his tertiary flight feathers are very long, slender, and curved in

hoops over his back. The colouring is silvery-grey vermiculated with

black, tail speculum and hoops are bronzed-green, edged with light

grey ; head, neck, and crest are green shot with purple, with a little

spot on the forehead ; the chin, throat, and a patch below the neck

are pure white.” Also the Clucking or Baikal Teal (A. fortnosa), a

charming Siberian species which winters in China and Japan.


The Zoo has specimens of the well-known and frequently bred

Carolina and Mandarin Ducks, the former, A. sgonsa, from North

America, and the latter, A. galericulata, from China, Formosa, and

Japan. The Mandarin Drake in full colour is the most lovely and

amusing little creature ; the Carolina is almost equally so ; no wonder

they are so popular. Mr. Terry Jones tells me that one interesting

point about them is that they both nest in trees (in holes) high off the

ground. For the first day or so the ducklings of both species are

able to jump great heights, and their claws are very sharp to enable

them to climb out of hollow trees, from where they jump to the ground.

Their extreme lightness and flufliness enabling them to do so without

injury. In captivity they often try and climb out of the coop, and

sometimes manage to cling upside dowm on the roof. Should they

get out, they are as difficult to catch as a mouse !


Another very lovely little Duck is Barrow’s Golden-eye ( Bucephala

clangula islandica), native of Arctic America, Iceland, and Greenland.

The drake has head and neck black glossed with bluish, the head is

crested and velvety ; altogether a striking little bird.


Lastly, there is at the Zoo a specimen of the curious and rare

Steamer Duck ( Tachyeres cinereus), Falkland Isles, very interesting,

but not exactly a thing of beauty. Mr. Seth-Smith tells me opinions

differ about this bird, many maintain there are two races, one which

can use its wings in flight, and the other to which the Zoo specimen



