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Show 366 MESSRS. SCLATER AND SALVIN O N [APR. 4, 5. BERNICLA POLIOCEPHALA. Anas inornatus ?, King, P.Z.S. 1830-31, p. 15 (Straits of Magellan). Bernicla inornata, Gray & Mitch. Gen. B. t. 165; Gay, Faun. Chil. i. p. 444. Chloephaga poliocephala, Gray, List Gall. Grail, and Anseres in B.M. p. 127(1844), descr. nulla; Scl. P. Z. S. 1857, p. 128; 1858, p. 290; 1861', p. 46 (Falkland Islands); 1867, p. 335 ; Abbott, Ibis, 1861, p. 159 (Falkland Islands); Scl. & Salv. Ibis, 1868, p. 189 (Oazy Harbour) ; 1870, p. 499 (Port Grappler) ; Nomencl. p. 128. Bernicla poliocephala, Burm. P. Z. S. 1872, p. 366 (Bahia Blanca). Anser poliocephalus, Schl. Mus. des P.-B., Anseres, p. 101. Chlcetrophus poliocephalus, Bann. Pr. Ac. Phil. 1870, p. 131. Bernicla chiloensis, Ph. & Landb. Wiegm. Arch. 1863, p. 149 (Chiloe), et Cat. Av. Chil. p. 40. Capite toto et collo cum scapularibus griseo-plumbeis, pectore et dorso superiore castaneis nigro transfasciatis ; abdomine, tectricibus subalaribus, campterio et tectricibus minoribus albis ; primariis nigris; secundariis albis, interioribus fusco in pogonio externo notatis; tectricibus alarum majoribus nigris, extus viridescenti-nitentibus, apicibus albis; dorso imo et cauda nigris, hypochondriis nigro et albo transfasciatis, crisso castaneo; rostro nigro, pedibus extus flavis intus fusco-nigris: long, tota 24, ala 13*5, cauda 5, tarsi2'7, dig. med. cum ung. 2*5 (Descr. maris ex Patagonia (Rio Negro) in Mus. S. & G.). Fern, mari similis. Hab. Straits of Magellan (King, Cunningham); Patagonia, Rio Negro (Hudson); Chiloe (Philippi Sf Landbeck) ; Falkland Islands (Abbott, Leconte). This species was at first supposed to be the female of the bird described by Captain King as Anas inornatus, under which name an excellent figure of it was given by Gray and Mitchell in the * Genera of Birds.' Mr. Gray was the first to detect the error and to give the present bird a M S . name ; but he left it to Sclater to describe the species and make the distinctions clear. The fact of the similarity of the sexes in this and the next species has been abundantly shown by living birds which have reared broods in captivity in our Gardens. The species does not seem to be very common in the far south, as it escaped Mr. Darwin's notice ; and in the Falkland Islands, the great rendezvous of these Geese, it would appear to be only a straggler. During the three years Captain Abbott resided in the Falkland Islands he only observed three examples of this species; and these were obtained singly amongst flocks of "Upland Geese" (B. magellanica) : he supposes that these birds were stragglers from the coast of Patagonia. F. Leconte, who was sent by this Society to the Falklands to obtain living animals, brought home one skin of this Goose. Burmeister says the range of this Goose extends over the whole of Patagonia, where it is one of the most common species. |