| OCR Text |
Show 1886.] REV. CANON TRISTRAM ON A NEW DUCK. 79 with several young, also without locality, in the Leyden Museum; and the present individual from Salangore. 28. TRAGULUS KANCHIL, Raff. a. Salanga, Junkceylon, 16/2/79 (Dai-ling), b. Taroar, 4/2/79 (Darling), c-e. Klang, Salangore, 5 and 10/79, and 2/80. f, g. Singapore island, 8/2/79. 3. O n an apparently new Species of Duck (Dafila) from the Central Pacific. By H. B. TRISTRAM, D.D., F.R.S. [Eeceived November 14, 1885.] (Plate VII.) I lately received a small parcel of birds collected by Mr. Arundel, at Sidney Island, Phoenix Group, lat. 4° 30' S., long 171° 20' W. The island, which is a mere coral-lagoon island, has never, so far as I know, been visited by any naturalist. But, alas, Mr. Arundel was not able to discover any land birds whatever, beyond Charadrius fulvus and Totanus incanus. He has, however, sent three specimens, one male and two females, of a Duck which appears to be hitherto undescribed. The only note I have respecting it is, that there were no Ducks on the island on Mr. Arundel's arrival, but that afterwards they appeared, and were tolerably numerous for a time. I gather from this remark that it is probably a migrant from one island to another; and a glance at the position of Sidney Island on the map will show that a Duck may enjoy a considerable range of migration in those regions, without necessarily coming under the eye of a collector. It is now nine years since Dr. Streets described a new Gadwall from Washington Island (Bull. Nuttall Club, i. p. 46), and yet the species has not since that time been met with, The bird before us is a plain-coloured Pintail of diminutive size. The male specimen is just discarding the young or summer dress, and assuming the delicately vermiculated and pencilled plumage of the flanks and back which characterize our own Pintail in breeding-dress. On the flanks only two or three young feathers remain. I propose to name it, from its extreme simplicity of plumage, DAFILA MODESTA, sp. nov. 6 - Supra cinerea, lineis albidis spissis vermiculata: brunneo nigro et subfusco minute striato, gula rufescente, postico brunneo, albido minute striato, subtus albido, minutissime penicillato ; remigibus cineraceis, intus pallidiori-bus, scapis albis; secundariis cinereis, extus metallice late albo terminatis; tectricibus alarum cinereis, terminates: cauda brunnea, acuta, supracaudalibus brunneis, albo marginatis: corpore toto subtus fulvo, indistincte maculato lateribus transfaseialis et sicut dorsum vermiculatis : |
