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Show 524 MR. P. L- SCLATER ON THE [June 15, Genus MALACORHYNCHUS. 75. MALACORHYNCHUS MEMBRANACEUS, Swains. Membranaceous Duck. Malacorhynchus membranaceus, Gould, B. Austr. vu. t. 13. Hab. Australia. Genus METOPIANA. 76. METOPIANA PEPOSACA (Vieill.). Rosy-billed Duck. Anas peposaca, Scl. P. Z. S. 1867, p. 687. Metopiana peposaca, Scl. P. Z. S. 1870, p. 666, t. xxxvii.; Scl. et Salv. P.Z.S. 1876, p. 398. Hab. Antarctic America. A single male of this beautiful Duck was received in 1867. In 1870 we obtained three pairs from Mr. Weisshaupt's Chilian collections, but they did not breed until 1873. Dates of Hatching of the Rosy-billed Duck. 1873. July 20th. 1874. „* 6th. 1875. September 7th. 1876. July 1st. 1879. „ 11th. G. Subfam. VI. FULIGULIN^E. Genus FULIGULA. a. Species Arcticee. 1. FULIGULA RUFINA (Pallas). Red-crested Whistling Duck. Branta rufina, Gould, B. G. Brit. v. t. 22. Hab. South Europe, North Africa, and Western Asia. W e first received a single male of this beautiful Duck from our Corresponding Member Mr. E. C Buck, in 1874. In 1876 the same gentleman most liberally presented us with twelve males and six females of the same species, obtained in the Punjaub. In spite of every care lavished upon several pairs of this Duck, selected out of the lot thus acquired, they have hitherto refused to reproduce inter se. But last year five curious hybrid Ducks were bred in the Society's Gardens, which seem certainly to be the produce of a cross between this species and Metopiana peposaca, as examples of these two species were in the pond in which they were hatched, although it is not certainly known of which sex the parents were respectively. 2. FULIGULA CRISTATA (Leach). Tufted Duck. Fuligula cristata, Gould, B. G. Brit. v. t. 23. Hab. Palaearctic Region. The Tufted Duck occurs in the earliest list (1831), and is a familiar inhabitant of our "Three-island Pond." Up to 1848 it bred pretty regularly in this situation. In 1849 it hybridized with the White-eyed Duck, and the hybrids thus produced continued to breed either inter se or with one of the parents until 1861. |