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Show 066 THE SECRETARY ON ADDITIONS TO THE MENAGERIE. [Nov. 1 5. CHUNGA BURMEISTERI. (Plate XXXVI.) The acquisition of living examples of this recently discovered second form of the peculiar Neotropical family Cariamidee is of special interest. Burmeister's Cariama was discovered by the eminent naturalist whose name it bears in the provinces of Catamarca and Tucuman, in the north of the Argentine Republic, in 1859, and was first described by Dr. Hartlaub in this Society's 'Proceedings'*1'. Soon afterwards Reichenbachf gave the species the generic rank which it seems entitled to, and called it Chunga burmeisteri. As this remarkable bird is very little known, and specimens of it are very rare, the accompanying drawing (Plate XXXVI.) will be acceptable. We may hope that at a later period some one will undertake a special comparison of its structure with that of Cariama, which has been so well worked out by Burmeisteri. 6. CYGNUS COSCOROBA, Mol.; Gray and Mitchell, Gen. of Birds, iii. pl. 166. These are the first examples of this beautiful little Swan that have reached us alive. They were in poor condition when they first arrived, but are now in good health, and may, we hope, breed next spring; so that there is some chance of the introduction of this fine species into our ornamental waters. 7. METOPIANA PEPOSACA§. (Plate XXXVII.) A single male of this fine Duck was received in 1867||. From the present collection we have obtained three pairs, so that there is every hope for the continuance of the species. 8. DAFILA SPINICAUDA. (Plate XXXVIII.) There has been a good deal of confusion about this elegant species of Pintail, of which we have now for the first time received living specimens. Dr. Burmeister has been inclined to consider that there were two allied species-D. spinicauda, from the east of the Argentine Republic, and D. oxyura, from Mendoza, Chili, and Peru (La Plata-Reise, ii. p. 515); but, as Mr. Salvin and I have already stated (P. Z. S. 1869, p. 157), we believe that he has been in error upon this point. D. spinicauda is closely allied in shape and form to the so-called Bahama Duck (D. bahamensis), which has long been an inhabitant of the Society's Gardens, but is readily distinguishable by its yellow-marked bill and other peculiarities. The species, which has never been figured, is well represented in the accompanying drawing (Plate XXXVIII.). * P. Z. S. 1860, p. 335. t Handb. d. Sp. Orn. Tauben, p. 159. J "Beitrage z. Naturgescbichte d. Seriema," Abh. Nat. Ges. Halle, i. p. 11 (1854). § Anas peposaca, Vieill. Enc. Meth. p. 357. Metopiana peposaca, Scl. et Sab P. Z. S. 1868, p. 146. || See P. Z. S. 1867, p. 687. |