Argentine Ornithology Volume Ii Part 24

341. DENDROCYGNA VIDUATA (Linn.).

(WHITE-FACED TREE-DUCK.)

+Dendrocygna viduata+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 515 (Tuc.u.man); _id. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 367; _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1869, p.

160 (Buenos Ayres), et 1876, p. 376; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p.

64 (Buenos Ayres).

_Description._--Face and spot on the throat white; nape, neck in front, middle of abdomen, tail, rump, and wings black; hind neck chestnut; middle of back and scapulars brown, the feathers margined with ochraceous; wing-coverts olivaceous black; flanks banded with black and white; bill and feet black: whole length 170 inches, wing 90, tail 25. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ South America.

This Tree-Duck resembles that last described in size, form, and maroon-red plumage, but is of a darker tint, and may also be easily distinguished, even at a long distance, by its white face contrasted with the velvety black of the head and neck. Compared with _Dendrocygna fulva_ it is a rare species, being usually found in pairs in the Plata district, although sometimes as many as half a dozen are seen together.

When taking wing it also whistles, but differently from the allied species, having three long clear whistling notes, not unlike the three-syllabled cry of the Sandpiper, only the notes are more prolonged.

Of its breeding-habits I know nothing.

342. SARCIDIORNIS CARUNCULATA (Licht.).

(CRESTED DUCK.)

+Sarcidiornis regia+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 513 (Tuc.u.man); _id. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 365. +Sarcidiornis carunculata+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 377; _Sclater, P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 695, pl. lxviii.

_Description._--Head and neck white, spotted with black, hind neck almost black; base of neck and body beneath white; flanks black; back and wings black; secondaries glossed with bronze, the scapulars with purple; lower back grey; tail brown; bill, with caruncle on the culmen, and feet black: whole length 300 inches, wing 150, tail 60. _Female_ similar, but rather smaller.

_Hab._ Brazil, Paraguay, and northern confines of Argentina.

Dr. Burmeister met with this Duck in the province of Tuc.u.man, and it probably occurs also in other places on the northern frontiers of the Republic.

343. CAIRINA MOSCHATA (Linn.).

(MUSCOVY DUCK.)

+Cairina moschata+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 514 (Parana, Santa Fe, Tuc.u.man); _id. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 367; _Scl. et Salv.

Nomencl._ p. 120; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 378; _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 625 (Salta).

_Description._--Whole head and neck and body beneath brownish black; belly closely banded with narrow white lines; back greenish purple, with the feathers edged with black; scapulars and elongated tertials and tail bright shining green; secondaries edged with metallic blue; primaries black; upper and under wing-coverts and axillary plumes white; flanks slightly tinged with green; bill with caruncles red; feet black: whole length 290 inches, wing 150, tail 75. _Female_ similar, but smaller.

_Hab._ Central and South America.

Everyone is familiar with this species in its domestic state, called in the Argentine country _Pato creollo_ (Creole Duck); but the wild bird, called _Pato real_, is little known, although a few stragglers are seen as far south as Buenos Ayres, where I have met with eight or nine examples. Concerning the distribution and habits of this species Messrs.

Sclater and Salvin write:--"The Muscovy Duck, so well known in a domestic state nearly all over the world, is a native of the hottest portion of tropical America. It is usually found in lowland swampy districts; and where there are extensive forests it not unfrequently abounds. During the day the birds remain in the forest-swamps; but towards evening numbers may be seen sitting on the lower boughs of trees standing on the margin of a clearing.

"Its extreme northern limit seems to be N. W. Mexico. Its southern range extends to the upper Parana and Tuc.u.man. It is not uncommon in Paraguay, according to Azara, although not found on the La Plata. It is to be seen usually in pairs or singly, but also in flocks of twenty or thirty. It always roosts in trees, usually resorting to the same trees night after night. The nest, in which from ten to fourteen eggs are deposited, is made in a hole or fork of a large tree at some elevation from the ground. It seeks its food not only in the rivers, but on moonlight nights resorts to the maize and corn-fields, and also plucks up the roots of mandioca.

"The native habitat of the Muscovy Duck was known to some of the earliest writers. The date of its introduction as a domesticated species into Europe and elsewhere does not appear to have been recorded, but doubtless dates back to soon after the Spanish conquests in America."

344. HETERONETTA MELANOCEPHALA (Vieill.).

(BLACK-HEADED DUCK.)

+Heteronetta melanocephala+, _Scl. et Salv. P. Z. S._ 1876, p. 382.

+Anas melanocephala+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 129; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1878, p. 64 (Buenos Ayres).

_Description._--Above deep blackish brown, minutely vermiculated with rufous; head and neck black; narrow terminal band on the secondaries white; beneath dirty white, on the upper breast, flanks, and crissum freckled with rufous; bill blackish, with a basal spot on each side flesh-colour; feet h.o.r.n.y brown: whole length 145 inches, wing 63, tail 23. _Female_ similar, but head like the back; cheeks brown, freckled with black, and throat and superciliary stripe whitish.

_Hab._ Southern Brazil, Paraguay, Argentina, and Chili.

This small, obscurely coloured Duck extends from Southern Brazil over the pampas of Buenos Ayres into Chili. Near Buenos Ayres it is scarce.

Durnford shot a pair in September 1876, in the reed-beds of Alvear, about twenty miles to the north-west of the city.

345. QUERQUEDULA CYANOPTERA (Vieill.).

(BLUE-WINGED TEAL.)

+Anas cyanoptera+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 516 (Mendoza, Parana). +Querquedula cyanoptera+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p.

129; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1869, p. 160 (Buenos Ayres), et 1876, p.

384; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 191 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p.

400 (Patagonia); _White, P. Z. S._ 1882, p. 625 (Catamarca); _Barrows, Auk_, 1884, p. 273 (Pampas). +Pterocyanea cyanoptera+, _Burm. P. Z. S._ 1872, p. 368.

_Description._--General plumage red; top of head black; middle of back and scapularies streaked with black; lesser wing-coverts blue; wing-speculum green, margined above with white; primary wing-feathers black, secondaries flammulated with white and buff; bill black; feet yellow: whole length 180 inches, wing 76, tail 30. _Female_: above blackish, feathers margined with whitish: beneath dirty white, variegated with brown; throat white, with blackish freckles.

_Hab._ North and South America.

This Teal has an exceedingly wide distribution in America, being found from California in the northern continent down to the Straits of Magellan and the Falkland Islands in the south. Its fine, strongly contrasted colours give it a very handsome appearance--the wings being clear grey-blue, the body deep maroon-red, the feet vivid yellow, beak black, and iris gold-colour. On the pampas it is common, and almost invariably seen in pairs at all seasons. Many of the Teals are quarrelsome in disposition; but this species, I think, exceeds them all in pugnacity, and when two pairs come together the males almost invariably begin fighting.

346. QUERQUEDULA FLAVIROSTRIS (Vieill.).

(YELLOW-BILLED TEAL.)

+Anas flavirostris+, _Burm. La-Plata Reise_, ii. p. 516 (Mendoza).

+Querquedula flavirostris+, _Scl. et Salv. Nomencl._ p. 129; _iid. P. Z. S._ 1868, p. 146 (Buenos Ayres), et 1876, p. 386; _Durnford, Ibis_, 1877, p. 191 (Buenos Ayres), et 1878, p. 401 (Patagonia); _White, P. Z. S._ 1883, p. 42 (Cordova); _Burm. P.

Z. S._ 1872, p. 367.

_Description._--Above pale slaty brown; whole head barred across with narrow blackish bands; middle of back rufescent, with the centres of the feathers black and narrowly margined with brownish ochraceous; rump paler; a broad wing-speculum black, with a margin of ochraceous above and below, and a bronzy-green blotch in the centre; wing-feathers slaty, margins of secondaries on each side pale rufous; abdomen whitish, breast and belly distinctly spotted with black; bill yellow; culmen and tip black; feet horn-colour: whole length 150 inches, wing 75, tail 75. _Female_ similar.

_Hab._ Argentina, Chili, and Patagonia.

In the southern part of the Argentine Republic this is one of the commonest species, and is almost invariably found in every marsh, stream, and pool of water on the pampas. It is resident, and usually goes in flocks of from a dozen to thirty individuals. It has a rapid flight, and is restless, lively, and extremely pugnacious in its habits.

When a flock is on the water the birds are perpetually quarrelling. They are also highly inquisitive, and I have often shot them by first showing myself to the flock, and then standing or sitting still, when they would soon come wheeling about, flying in very close order. They quack and chatter in a variety of tones, and the male has also a clear whistling note in the love-season.

The nest of this Duck is always made at a distance from the water, sometimes as far as one or two miles. It consists of a slight hollow in the ground under a thistle-bush or tussock of long gra.s.s, and is lined with dry gra.s.s and a great deal of down, which is increased in quant.i.ty during incubation. The eggs are reddish cream-colour, and five is the usual number laid; but I have also found nests with six and seven.

347. QUERQUEDULA VERSICOLOR (Vieill.).