Chapter III: Part 3

"The specimen here described was procured in the mountains of Trelawny and St. Anne's by Mr. White, proprietor of the Oxford estate." No specimen now known.

Habitat: Jamaica.

Mr. Gosse also relates that the Rev. Mr. Coward, in 1842, saw two large Macaws flying near the foot of the mountains in the parish of St. James, near the centre of the island. These birds were said to have been blue and yellow; if so, probably they were my _Ara erythrura_, whose precise island home is unknown.

ARA MARTINICUS (ROTHSCH.)

(PLATE 14.)

_Les Aras_ Père Bouton, Rel. de l'étab. d. Français dep. 1635, en l'ile
Martinique pp. 71. 72 (1640).

_Anadorhynchus martinicus_ Rothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 14 (1905);
Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Père Bouton says, "Les Aras sont deux ou trois fois gros comme les Perroquets et ont un plumage bien différent en couleur. Ceux que j'ai vus avaient les plumes leleucs et orangées."

No specimen preserved.

Habitat: Martinique. {54}

ARA GUADALOUPENSIS CLARK.

_Les Arras_ Du Tertre, Hist. gen. des Antilles Vol. II p. 248 (1667).

_Ara Rouge_ D'Aubenton, Pl. Enl. 12 (1779).

_Ara guadaloupensis_ Clark, Auk, XXII, p. 272 (1905).

Du Tertre gives the following description:--"The Arras is a sort of Parrot bigger than all the others. This is proved because those of Guadaloupe are larger than all the other Parrots, both those from the Islands as well as from the Mainland; while this Arras is larger than these by one third. It has the head, the neck, the belly and the back of the colour of fire; its wings are a mixture of yellow azure, and crimson feathers; while the tail is entirely red and a foot-and-a-half long."

Macaws of this colouration are mentioned by Du Tertre, De Rochefort, and others of the older authors as being found on Guadaloupe, Dominica and Martinique, and Mr. Clark has united them under one name. This I feel sure is wrong, and I believe each of the three islands had a distinct species of Red Macaw, so I confine this name to the Guadaloupe form.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

No specimen existing.

ARA ERYTHRURA NOM. NOV.

(PLATE 15.)

De Rochefort, Histoire Nat. & Mor. des Iles Antilles, &c. (1658), p.
154, Art. IX (Des Arras).

_Anadorhynchus coeruleus_ (non Gmelin) Rothsch., Bull. B.O.C., XVI, p.
15 (1905).

In the Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 15 (1905), I unfortunately described this bird under the name of _Anadorhynchus coeruleus_ (Gm.), having misread his description, and also said it came from Jamaica. Professor Salvadori, in the Ibis (1906) Series 8, Vol. VI, "Notes on Parrots," p. 451, calls attention to my double error, but failed entirely to realise what bird I really meant. The original description is (translated) as follows:--

"Among them are some which have the head, the upper side of the neck, and the back of a satiny sky blue; the underside of the neck, the belly, and undersurface of the wings, yellow, and the tail entirely red."

No specimen existing.

Habitat: One of the West Indian Islands.

{55}

ANODORHYNCHUS PURPURASCENS ROTHSCH.

(PLATE 13.)

_Le gros Perroquet de la Guadaloupe_ Don de Navarette, Rel. Quat. voy.
Christ. p. 425 pl. II (1838).

_Anadorhynchus purpurascens_ Rothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905);
Proc. IV Orn. Congr., p. 202 (1907).

The original description of this bird says it was entirely deep violet. Native name _Oné couli_. No specimen extant. I have placed this species in the genus _Anodorhynchus_ on account of its uniform bluish colour.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

{57}

AMAZONA VIOLACEUS (GM.)

(PLATE 17.)

_Perroquet de la Guadeloupe_ Du Tertre, Hist. Nat. Antill. II, p. 250,
fig. p. 246 (1667).

_Perroquets_ Labat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér., vol. II p. 214 (1742).

_Psittacus violaceus_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, p. 337 (1788).

Labat's translated original description is as follows:--"Those of Guadaloupe are a little smaller than the _Aras_; they have the head, the neck, and the belly slate colour with a few green and black feathers, the back is entirely green, and the wings are yellow and red."

Gmelin's description reads thus:--"Ps. violaceus viridi et nigro admisto varius, dorso ex fusco viridi, remigibus majoribus nigris, reliquis ex luteo, viridi, et rubro variis, tectricum macula rosea. Rostrum et orbitae incarnata."

Du Tertre's description is as follows:--"He is about as big as a fowl, has the beak and eyes bordered with red. All the feathers of the head, neck and belly are of a violet colour, a little mixed with black and green, shot like the throat of a pigeon. All the upper part of the back is green, strongly washed with brown. Outer primaries black, rest yellow, green and red."

No specimens in collections.

Habitat: Guadaloupe.

AMAZONA MARTINICANA CLARK.

(PLATE 18.)

_Perroquets_ Labat's Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 214 (1742).

_Amazona martinicana_ Clark, Auk. XXII, p. 343 (1905).

Labat's description reads thus:--"Those of Dominica have some red feathers on the wings, under the throat, and in the tail; all the rest is green (Amazona bouqueti, W.R.). Those of Martinique have the same plumage as the last mentioned, but the top of the head is slate colour with a small amount of red."

No specimen now known.

Habitat: Martinique.

{59}

CONURUS LABATI ROTHSCH.

(PLATE 16.)

_Perriques_ Labat, Voy. aux iles de l'Amér. II p. 218 (1742).

_Conurus labati_ Rothsch. Bull. B.O.C. XVI, p. 13 (1905); Proc. IV Orn.
Congr., p. 202 (1907).

Labat's translated description of this bird is as follows:--"Those of Guadaloupe are about the size of a blackbird, entirely green, except a few small red feathers, which they have on their head. Their bill is white. They are very gentle, loving, and learn to speak easily."

No specimens known.

Habitat: Island of Guadaloupe.

{61}

NECROPSITTACUS MILNE-EDW.

_Necropsittacus_ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. 3, p. 18
(1874).

Milne-Edwards considered _Necropsittacus_ closely allied to the genus _Palaeornis_, and at the same time to show affinities with the _Loriidae_. At the same time the two mandibles were sufficient, in his opinion, to show that this bird belonged to a little generic group standing near _Palaeornis_.

NECROPSITTACUS RODRICANUS (MILNE-EDW.)

_Psittacus Rodricanus_ A. Milne-Edw., Ann. Sc. Nat. (5) VIII, pp.
151-155, pl. 7, ff. 1, 2 (1867).

_Necropsittacus rodericanus_ A. Newt., P.Z.S. p. 41 (1875).

This parrot was described from a portion of the upper mandible by Professor Milne-Edwards, and then was more fully described by Dr. Günther and Sir Edward Newton, who examined a nearly complete skull and other bones.

A manuscript discovered in the Archives of the Ministry of Marine in Paris proves that this bird only became extinct at a not very distant date, it having been seen alive by the writer of the manuscript about the year 1731. In this manuscript the bird was said to have a body considerably larger than a pigeon, with a _very_ long tail and a _very_ large head and bill. Unfortunately the writer does not mention the colour, but adds that the smaller green and blue parrot (_Palaeornis exsul_) was much handsomer; so we can safely assume that our bird was of sombre colouration. It was undoubtedly closely allied to the genus _Palaeornis_. The two following, though much brighter coloured and but scantily described, apparently belong to the same genus.

Habitat: Rodriguez. {62}

NECROPSITTACUS(?) BORBONICUS NOM. NOV.

(PLATE 8.)

This parrot is described by the Sieur D.B. (Dubois) in the following terms:--"Body the size of a large pigeon, green; head, tail and upper part of wings the colour of fire." As he compares it with the other parrots which are true _Palaeornis_, it is evident that this bird must have been a _Necropsittacus_.

This description is the sole evidence we have of the existence of this bird.

Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion.

NECROPSITTACUS(?) FRANCICUS ROTHSCH.

_Necropsittacus francicus_ Rothsch., Proceedings Int. Ornith. Congress
1905, p. 197 (1907).

Original description:--"Head and tail fiery red, rest of body and wings green." We only know this bird from the descriptions in the various "Voyages" to Mauritius in the 17th and early 18th centuries.

Habitat: Mauritius.

{63}

MASCARINUS LESSON.

_Mascarinus_ Lesson, Traité d'Orn. p. 188 (1831--A mixture of forms. By
elimination the name _Mascarinus_ has been restricted to the Mascarine
Parrot).

The generic affinities of this bird have been discussed by various authors. Wagler, Gray, Pelzeln, Hartlaub (1877) and Messrs. A. and E. Newton united it with the Vaza Parrots in the genus _Coracopsis_, Finsch included it, together with the Vazas and the Grey Parrot (_Psittacus erithacus_), in the genus _Psittacus_. Recent authors--Oustalet 1893, W. A. Forbes 1879, and Salvadori (Cat. B. XX, p. 421, 1891)--have admitted a separate genus, _Mascarinus_. This is evidently the proper course, and I agree with W. A. Forbes, Oustalet and Salvadori that its nearest affinities appear to be the genus _Tanygnathus_ rather than _Coracopsis_, and that the place of _Mascarinus_ is among the _Palaeornithinae_ of Salvadori.

The large red bill, with distinctly ridged gonys, concealed nostrils and moderately long, strongly rounded tail, are peculiar characters. The colouration is unique. Only one species is known. {64}

MASCARINUS MASCARINUS (L.)

MASCARINE PARROT.

(PLATE 9.)

"_Perroquets un peu plus gros que pigeons, ayant le plumage de couleur
de petit gris, un chaperon noir sur la teste, le becq fort gros, &
couleur de feu_" Le Sieur D.B, (Dubois), Voyages aux Iles Dauphine ou
Madagascar, et Bourbon ou Mascarenne. p. 172 (1674--"Bourbon ou
Mascarenne").

_Psittacus Mascarinus_ Brisson, Orn. IV., p. 315 (1760); Hahn, Orn.
Atlas, Papageien p. 54, pl. 39 (1835).

_Psittacus mascarin._ Linnaeus, Mantissa Plantarum, regni animalis
appendix p. 524 (1771--"Habitat in Mascarina." Ex Brisson).

_Perroquet Mascarin_ Levaillant, Perroquets II, p. 171, pl. 189
(1805--"Madagascar," errore).

_Mascarinus madagascariensis_ Lesson, Traité d'Orn, p. 189
(1831--"Madagascar," ex Levaillant).

_Coracopsis mascarina_ Wagler, Mon. Psittac. p. 679 (1832); Pelzeln,
Verh. Zool. Bot. Ges. Wien 1863, p. 934.

_Mascarinus obscurus_ (non _Psittacus obscurus_ L.) Bonaparte, Rev. &
Mag. de Zool. 1854 p. 154 (Linnaeus, _Psittacus obscurus_--Syst. Nat.
Ed. X, p. 97, 1758, ex Hasselquist M.S.--though identified by himself
with the Mascarine Parrot in 1766--Syst. Nat. Ed. XII, I, p.
140--cannot be the same as _P. mascarinus_; the description disagrees
entirely, and the bird was described from a specimen probably seen
alive by Hasselquist, with uncertain locality. What Linnaeus' _P.
obscurus_ was, is difficult to say; if it was not for the long tail,
one might consider it a variety of the Grey Parrot).

_Psittacus madagascarensis_ Finsch, Papageien II pp. 306, 955
(1868--Finsch was not acquainted with the history of this Parrot, as he
still considered Madagascar to be its home, and wondered why it had not
been found there by recent collectors).

_Psittacus madagascariensis_ Pelzeln, Ibis 1873, p. 32.

_Mascarinus duboisi_ W. A. Forbes, Ibis 1879, pp. 304, 305 (figures),
306; Milne-Edwards & Oustalet, Centenaire Mus. d'Hist. Nat. pp.
191-205, pl. I (1893--excellent lengthy account).

_Mascarinus mascarinus_ Salvadori, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XX, p. 421
(1891--Réunion).

It has been mentioned above that "Le Sieur D.B." (Dubois) described this Parrot clearly in 1674, and that it lived on Réunion, and not on Madagascar. Linnaeus in 1771 (see above) was the first to bestow a scientific name on it, though Brisson had already again described it in 1760. Linnaeus' diagnosis is, as usual, rather poor, and not quite correct[1], but his reference to Brisson leaves no doubt as to what he meant.

This parrot is one of the rarest of extinct birds, only two stuffed specimens being known. One normally coloured specimen is preserved in the Museum of Natural History in Paris, and it is evidently this which has been figured by Daubenton and Levaillant, and in the "Centenaire du Muséum d'Historie Naturelle." From the latter plate my figure has been taken.

The example in Vienna is unfortunately semi-albinistic, there being some white feathers on the back, wings and tail. Another normal individual, however, lived formerly in the Menagerie of the King of Bavaria, where it was depicted by Hahn in 1835. Unfortunately this specimen has not been preserved.

{65}

PALAEORNIS EXSUL NEWTON.

(PLATE 19.)

_Palaeornis exsul_ A. Newton, Ibis 1872, p. 33.

Leguat was the first to mention these parrots as "Perroquets verds et bleus," and that they were wonderfully good to eat and also delightful pets.

Professor Newton's description is as follows: "Female: Of moderate size. General appearance greyish-glaucous, darker above than beneath. From the corner of the mouth proceeds an ill-defined dull black chin stripe, which becomes broader as it passes backward and upward, ceasing somewhat abruptly on reaching the level of the ears. Head, nape and shoulders, upper wing-coverts, and rectrices above dull greyish-glaucous, the blue tinge in which predominates when the bird is seen against the light, and the green when seen in the contrary aspect; the outer rectrices paler. Rump verditer blue. Primaries with their outer, and most part of their inner, webs deep greenish blue, the former with narrow, lighter edges, and the latter broadly bordered with pitch black; shafts and lower surfaces greyish black. Secondaries much the same as the primaries, but of a still deeper shade. Breast dull greyish-glaucous, but lighter than the upper parts and passing on the belly into verditer, which becomes lighter and greener on the vent. Rectrices beneath yellowish grey, darker toward the tips of the longer feathers. Bill black."

The specimen was sent in spirits to Sir Edward Newton in 1871 by Mr. Jenner, the Magistrate of Rodriguez.

The male differs from the female in having the upper mandible crimson, fading into horn at the tip. Top of head more glaucous. Black stripe from nostril to eye. Black chin stripe prolonged almost to meet on nape of neck. Most of primaries with dull black patch on inner webs. Middle secondaries dusky black.

The male was sent to Sir Edward Newton in 1875 by Mr. J. Caldwell.

Total length 16 inches.
Wing 7.5 "
Tail 8.5 "

Probably almost if not quite extinct. Recent investigations about its status are very desirable.

Habitat: Rodriguez Island. {66}

PALAEORNIS WARDI E. NEWTON.

(PLATE 20.)

_Palaeornis wardi_ E. Newton, P.Z.S. 1867, p. 346 (Seychelles).

The translation of Sir Edward Newton's diagnosis is as follows: "Similar to _P. alexandri_, but with a stouter bill, purple red shoulder patches, and the hind neck without a red band.

"_Adult Male._ Crown of head and throat bluish, cheeks ochraceous green, chin and line round base of mandible black, continued in a stripe from the gape to the hind neck; back and wings grass green; rump brighter; a single wide band (or patch) on the shoulders purplish red; remiges and rectrices deep green washed with blue, the latter yellowish, the former dusky below; belly yellowish green; bill vivid scarlet with paler tip; feet dusky. Total length 16 inches, wings 7.75, tail 9."

Female similar to the male but duller, and with the bill all black, and without the black mandibular stripe.

Formerly abundant on most of the islands in the Seychelles, especially Mahé, but now confined to the little islet of Silhouette, where it will in all probability become extinct. According to E. Newton its name was "Cateau vert."

Habitat: Seychelles Islands. {67}

PALAEORNIS EQUES (BODD).

_Psittaca borbonica torquata_ Briss., Orn. IV p. 328, pl. XXVII f. 1
(1760). (Bourbon.)

_Psittacus alexandri var._ [gamma] Linnaeus, S.N. p. 142 (1766).

_Perruche à collier de l'Isle de Bourbon_ Daubenton, Pl. enl. 215.

_Perruche à double collier_ Buff., Hist. Nat. Ois. VI, p. 143 (1779).

_Alexandrine Parrakeet var. C. Double Ringed Parrakeet_ Latham, Syn. I
p. 326 (1781).

_Psittacus eques_ Boddaert, Tabl. Pl. Enl. p. 13 (1783).

_Psittacus semirostris_ Hermann, Obs. Zool. p. 125 (1804).

_Psittacus bitorquatus_ Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 92 (1820).

Rose Ringed Parrakeet var. B. Latham, Gen. Hist. II p. 161 (1822).

_Psittacus bicollaris_ Vieillot, Enc. Meth. III p. 1385 (1823).

_Palaeornis bitorquatus_ Vigors, Zool. Journ. II p. 51 (1825).

_Palaeornis borbonicus_ Bp., Rev. and Mag. Zool. 1854, p. 152. No. 140.

There has been considerable confusion with regard to this parrot. It was first asserted that it occurred on both Bourbon and Mauritius. Then Professor Newton separated the Mauritius bird as _Pal. echo_. Salvadori, however, in Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. XX, p. 442, reunited the Bourbon and Mauritius birds, while quite unaccountably stating only Mauritius as the habitat.

The Abbé Dubois describes this bird as follows: "Green Parrots as large as pigeons having a black collar."

Now the species of _Palaeornis_ from Rodriguez, the Seychelles, and the mainland of Africa are all distinct, and the other land birds of Mauritius are and were different from those of Bourbon. I therefore feel quite certain that Professor Newton is right, and that his _Palaeornis echo_ is distinct from _P. eques_, though, unfortunately, we do not know in which way the two forms differed.

Habitat: Bourbon or Réunion, but now extinct. No specimens known. {68}

PALAEORNIS ECHO NEWTON.

_Palaeornis echo_ Newton, Ibis 1876, p. 284.

_Palaeornis eques_ Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. XX, p. 442 (1891).

Description of Male: Green, the occiput tinged with bluish; a narrow black stripe from the nostrils to the eyes; broad black mandibular stripes passing down and across the sides of the neck where they meet a pink collar, which is interrupted on the hind neck; under wing-coverts yellowish green; central tail feathers scarcely tinged with bluish; tail below dark yellowish grey; upper mandible red, under mandible almost black with only a brownish tinge in places. Iris yellow. Naked skin round eyes orange. Wing 7.5 inches, tail 8.75 inches, bill 9 inches. The female differs by the absence of the collar, no bluish tint on occiput, and the bill entirely blackish.

It differs from _P. torquatus_ in the incomplete collar, darker green colour and broader tail feathers. This bird is still found in the interior of the island, but is rare and apparently on the verge of extinction.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Three specimens at Tring, four in the British Museum.

{69}

CYANORHAMPHUS ZEALANDICUS (LATHAM.)

_Red Rumped Parrakeet_ Latham, Syn. I, p. 249, No. 50 (1781).

_Psittacus novae seelandiae_ Gmelin (nec. Sparrm.), S.N. I, p. 328, No.
83 (1788).

_Psittacus zealandicus_ Latham, Ind. Orn. I, p. 102, No. 58 (1790).

_Psittacus novae-zealandiae_ Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 44, var. 1 (1820).

_Psittacus erythronotus_ Kuhl, Consp. Psitt. p. 45, No. 67 (1820).

_Psittacus pacificus_ var. No. 3, Vieillot, Enc. Méth., p. 1387 (1823).

_Platycercus pacificus_, part. Vigors, Zool. Journ. I, p. 529 (1825).

_Platycercus erythronotus_ Stephens, Gen. Zool. XIV., p. 129, No. 9
(1826).

_Conurus phaeton_ Des Murs, Rev. Zool. 1845, p. 449.

_Platycercus phaeton_ Des Murs, Icon. Orn. pl. 16 (1845).

_Cyanorhamphus pacificus_ Bonaparte, Rev. et. Mag. 1854, p. 153, No.
184.

_Cyanorhamphus erythronotus_ Gray, Hand-list II, p. 140, No. 8029
(1870).

_Cyanorhamphus forsteri_ Finsch, Papag. II, p. 270 (1868).

This bird has received a variety of names owing to the adult bird being very different to the younger and quite young birds. _Adult_, forehead black; stripe from lores passing through eye almost to hind-neck scarlet; rump scarlet; back and breast dull green; cheeks, head, neck, belly, under-tail coverts and wing coverts, bright green. Flight-feathers blue on outer, brown on inner, webs; bend of wing blue; tail feathers blue, edged with green.

_Young_ differs in having a dull bluish-black forehead, brownish head, back mixed brown and green, rump and eye stripe chestnut red, and the underside greyish green.

This species was confined to the Society Islands, where it was obtained during Cook's Voyage by Ellis and by Forster, and lastly by Lieutenant de Marolles in 1844. We only know for certain at the present day of the existence of two specimens, one in the British Museum, ex Massena collection, whose origin is doubtful, and one in Paris, collected by Lieutenant de Marolles. What became of the other two specimens of the latter's collecting, and of Forster's and Ellis' specimens, I cannot say.

Habitat: Society Islands.

Evidently extinct. {70}

CYANORHAMPHUS ULIETANUS (GM.)

_Society Parrot_ Latham, Syn. I p. 250 (1781).

_Psittacus ulietanus_ Gmelin, S.N. I p. 328, n. 85 (1788).

_Platycercus ulietanus_ Vig., Zool. I p. 533, Suppl. pl. 3 (1825).

_Cyanorhamphus ulietanus_ Bonaparte, Rev. et Mag. de Zool. 1854, p.
153, n. 188.

_Platycercus tannaensis_ Finsch, Papag. II, p. 272 (1868).

_Psittacus fuscatus_ Pelz., Ibis 1873, p. 30.

_Adult_: "Olive brown, the head brown-black; rump and basal upper tail-coverts brown-red, the longest upper tail-coverts olive brown like the back; underparts olive-yellow; quills, primary-coverts, under wing coverts and tail-feathers grey; bill black, base of upper mandible grey; feet brown." (Salvadori, Cat. B. XX p. 579). Wing 5.3 inches, bill 0.8 inches, tarsus 0.8 inches, tail 5 inches.

Habitat: Ulietea, Society Islands (fide Latham).

The type from the Leverian Museum is in Vienna, and a specimen from Bullock's collection is in the British Museum. These are the only two specimens known, and as it is now more than a hundred years since anyone has procured a specimen, we may suppose that this is an extinct species. The specimen in Vienna, which I have recently been able to examine, has the head, back, wings, and tail deep umber-brown, the rump dark-crimson, upper tail-coverts olive, underside brownish yellow.

CYANORHAMPHUS SUBFLAVESCENS SALVADORI.

_Parrot from Lord Howe Island_ Phillips, Bot. Bay, p. 225 (1789).

_Cyanorhamphus subflavescens_ Salvadori, Ann. & Mag. (6) VII, p. 68
(1891).

Very similar to _C. cooki_ and _C. saisseti_ and intermediate in size. Above more yellowish than _C. saisseti_, below more greenish, tail shorter than in either of the latter.

This species is believed to be extinct. Last year I received some specimens of a _Cyanorhamphus_ from an inhabitant of Lord Howe's Island, but from subsequent letters these appear to have been collected on Norfolk or Philip Island, and they certainly are _C. cooki_.

Habitat: Lord Howe's Island.

A pair in the British Museum appear to be the only known specimens.

{71}

BUBO(?) LEGUATI NOM. NOV.

_Strix sp._ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX p. 13 (art. 3.) 1874.

Milne-Edwards had only a single tibio-tarsus of this form and described this bone, but refrained from giving it a specific name, though he stated it was probably a small _Bubo_, in the hopes of getting more material.

As, however, we have no further specimens, I think I am justified in naming it after Leguat, who first mentions Owls on Rodriguez. Milne-Edwards' description of this tibio-tarsus is that it equals in length that bone in _Asio accipitrinus_, but was distinguished from the latter by the strong inward curvature and the great development in width of its distal extremity.

_Tibio-tarsus._

Total length 77 mm.
Length from the proximal extremity to the
top of the peronial ridge 25 "
Width at distal extremity 10.5 "
Width at proximal extremity 9 "
Width of shaft 3.7 "

Habitat: Rodriguez.

{73}

SCOPS COMMERSONI OUST.

_Scops commersoni_ Oustalet, Ann. Sci. Nat. (8) III, p. 35 fig. 3
(1896).

This owl, I believe, is not a true _Scops_, being much too big, but we must leave it in that genus for the present, as there are no specimens or bones extant, and only Jossigny's drawing to guide us as to its appearance. The first mention of owls on Mauritius was in the year 1606, when Admiral Matlief says that owls were common in the Island. Monsieur Desjardins, in 1837, gave the first accurate description of the bird, of which I here reproduce the translation. "The digits and even the tarsi are not feathered, only on the front portion of these latter one sees some short, stiff feathers running down to a point nearly to the centre. The digits are very strong, they being armed with hooked nails.

The beak is very stout, arched from its base; the upper mandible, which is much longer than the other and covering it, is as if cut square at the point. The nostrils pierce the bill pretty high up in the horny portion. The eyes, of which I could not see the colour, are round, and placed, like in the entire family, in front. They are surrounded by a circle or disc of stiff, thread-like feathers, which is interrupted at the sides. A sort of collar is perceptible on the throat. Two tufts, similar to those of the Eagle Owls and Eared Owls, and very apparent, are behind the eyes and towards the top of the occiput.

The wings are a little longer than the tail, the fourth and fifth primaries being the longest, the third and sixth are shorter, and the second still shorter, being equal to the eighth, and the first is shortest of all. The tail reaches to the end of the digits; it is rounded and not much lengthened: all the retrices are equal in length. The ear-tufts are brown, with some slight buff shading, the discal plumes being white marked with buff. All the upper side is of a dark brown colour, the feathers of the head, the neck and the back are edged with rufous, but not very distinctly so; this rufous colour is more apparent on the scapulars, and some of these even have on the outer web one or two whitish patches surrounded with brown.

The large tail feathers are less brown and more rufous in colour, with lighter rufous marbling mixed with brown.

The tertials and secondaries have a darker brown bar towards the centre, and their outer web is pleasantly marked with somewhat square ocelli or irregular bands of white, pale buff, and brown. The large primaries or {74} flight feathers present the same ornamentation, but more strongly developed, and the blotches are buffy white on the inner web, which produces a regular spotting on a brown ground colour; the tip of these large feathers is finely stippled with brown on a fairly pale ground; and there is a large patch of white on the wings in addition.

The throat and abdomen are nicely adorned with dark buff feathers, which have a black brown centre and two to four large round white spots. The large feathers on the flanks are whitish, with a brown shaft line and marked with buff. All the well feathered parts, underneath the feathers are covered by a very thick black down."

The colour of bill and feet is reddish brown. Total length, 13½ inches = 345 mm. Desjardins says the specimen he described was killed at the end of October, 1836, in the forest crowning the hills close to "Bamboo Creek." In 1837 several were still seen near "La Savane," and one was killed at Curepipe by Dr. Dobson of the 99th Regiment. This latter is believed to have been one of, if not the last of this species, so we have to thank that excellent naturalist, Desjardins, and Monsieur Jossigny, the companion of Commerson, that we know what this extinct species was like.

Habitat: Mauritius.

{75}

ATHENE MURIVORA MILNE-EDWARDS.

_Strix (Athene) murivora_ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX p. 13
(Art. 3.) (1874).

Professor Milne-Edwards described this bird from a tibio-tarsus and a tarso-metatarsus collected in Rodriguez by Sir Edward Newton, and says that he considers it to belong to the genus _Athene_, because the proportions of the tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus agree with those of that genus. The most remarkable specific characters appear to be that the ridge to which the fibula is articulated is stout, and extends very far along the outer edge of the bone. The diaphysis is large and nearly straight; the distal extremity is furnished with two equal condyles separated by a deep channel.

_Tibio-tarsus._

Total length 71 mm.
Length from proximal extremity to end of
peronial ridge 25 "
Width of distal extremity 10 "
Width of proximal extremity 9 "
Width of shaft 4 "

_Tarso-metatarsus._

Total length 46 mm.
Width at proximal extremity 10 "
Width at distal extremity 15 "
Width of shaft 5 "

Habitat: Rodriguez.

{77}

SCELOGLAUX RUFIFACIES BULLER.

_Sceloglaux rufifacies_ Buller, Ibis 1904, p. 639; id. Suppl. B. New
Zealand II, p. 65, pl. VII (1906).

Original description: "Adult female: Similar to _Sceloglaux albifacies_, but appreciably smaller; face dull rufous brown, instead of being white; crown and nape blackish brown; entire upper surface strongly suffused with rufous; quills marked with regular transverse bars and a terminal edging of rufous brown; tail-feathers uniform yellowish brown, obscurely barred with pale brown; bill lemon-yellow; feet dull yellow."

"Wairarapa district, near Wellington, North Island, in the summer 1868-9."

This supposed "species" is a very doubtful one. A close examination in the Tring Museum of the type (which was offered me for such a high price that I did not feel justified in buying it, fond as I am of possessing extinct forms, types and varieties) by Messrs. Hartert, Hellmayr and myself proved beyond doubt to all three of us that the specimen was not fully adult, but showed signs of immaturity. If I said to Sir Walter Buller that it was an extremely young, hardly fledged _Sceloglaux_ this was certainly incorrect, and was perhaps just an exclamation after a hasty preliminary examination, for the bird is of course fully fledged and has passed, at least partially, through one moult of the feathers. On the other hand, both Professor Newton's and Dr. Sharpe's reputed statements that the owl in question is fully adult are not correct. It certainly shows unmistakable signs of immaturity, as noticed at once by Dr. Gadow (cf. Newton's letter on p. 66, l.c.), by Hartert, Hellmayr and myself. Moreover Professor Newton--though Buller says he "pronounced it to be an adult bird"--also admits that the bird "had moulted, though not necessarily to be in adult plumage," and he continues that he thinks the character of the markings continues to be juvenile.

Having thus discussed the age of this owl, the question must be considered if it is different from _S. albifacies_ from the South Island. This is less easily done. Buller described it as a "new species," and mentions among the distinctive characters (see above) the colour of the tail. The tail, however, is "skillfully" (as Buller calls it, though I should use a less complimentary adverb) stuck in, and does not belong to a _Sceloglaux_, but to an Australian _Ninox_, and also some feathers on the neck are foreign. The wings being abraded, its slightly smaller length is not very significant. Certainly, however, the colouration in general is slightly more rufous than {78} in _S. albifacies_, though some of my specimens approach it almost completely, and the face is more rufescent. Professor Newton cautiously warned Sir Walter Buller, suggesting that _S. albifacies_ might possibly have a red "phase," like _Syrnium aluco_, and this North Island specimen represented the latter. As for myself, I do not think that _S. albifacies_ has two phases, as I have seen too many specimens, and found them to vary but little. I have now in my collection eight specimens from the South Island. On the other hand, I have not seen juvenile examples; but it is very likely that the rufous face of the North Island specimen is a character peculiar to the North Island form, which would then be a sub-species of _S. albifacies_ from the South Island, and should be called _S. albifacies rufifacies_. The type from Wairapara is said to have been killed in the summer of 1868-9, and, since no further evidence of its existence has come forth, I presume that the North Island race of this owl must be extinct by this time.

{79}

STRIX NEWTONI NOM. NOV.

_Strix sp._ Newton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 287 (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadow give the measurements of, and describe a pair of metatarsi procured with the remains described as _Strix sauzieri_, and state that they do not fit in with that species. For, as they are fully adult bones, it is impossible to attribute their much smaller size to youth. They then add a sentence of which this is the first part: "Unless we assume, what is unlikely, that the Island of Mauritius possessed two different species of _Strix_, we have to conclude that the short pair of metatarsals belonged to a small individual of _Strix sauzieri_, ----." Evidently Messrs. Gadow and Newton, when they wrote this, did not remember the fact that throughout a very large portion of the range of _Strix flammea_, its various geographical races are found side by side with another species of the group of _Strix_, namely, _S. candida_ and _S. capensis_, popularly called "_Grass owls_"; these in nearly every case have the legs considerably longer than in the true _Barn Owls_ (_Strix flammea_ and its races).

Therefore I consider it not in the least unlikely that two species of _Strix_ inhabited Mauritius, and that _Strix sauzieri_ was the Mauritian representative of the "Grass Owls," while these two short metatarsals belonged to the representative of the "Barn Owls." I therefore have much pleasure in naming this form after the collector of these bones, the late Sir Edward Newton.

Length of tarso-metatarsi, 56 mm.

Habitat: Mauritius. {80}

STRIX SAUZIERI NEWT. & GAD.

_Strix sauzieri_ Newton & Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 286, pl.
XXXIII, figs. 11-18 (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadow describe this species from four metatarsi, three tibiae, and two humeri. They state that the relative length of the tibia to the metatarsus is very constant and characteristic of the various families and genera of owls. In the present instance this comparison indicates a species of _Strix_.

The longer and higher cnemial process of the tibia and the shortness of the humerus serve amply to justify the specific separation of this Mauritian owl.

The following are the measurements:--

Humerus, length 71 mm.
Tibia-tarsus, length 90-93 "
Tarso-metatarsus, length 63-66 "

Habitat: Mauritius.

{81}

"CIRCUS HAMILTONI" FORBES.

_Circus hamiltoni_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 186 (1892--no
proper description).

A very large harrier, much larger than _Circus gouldi_, but not so big as _Harpagornis_.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

"CIRCUS TEAUTEENSIS" FORBES.

_Circus teauteensis_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 186 (1892--no
proper description).

Another very large harrier from Teaute, which has never yet been properly described.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

{83}

ASTUR ALPHONSI NEWT. & GAD.

_Astur sp._ Milne-Edwards, Ann. Sci. Nat. (5) XIX, Art. II, pp. 25, 26,
pl. 15 fig. 2. (1874).

_Astur alphonsi_ Newton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII p. 285, pl.
XXXIII, figs. 9, 10. (1893).

Messrs. Newton and Gadow bestowed the name _Astur alphonsi_ on a pair of tibiae, a pair of metatarsals, and the metacarpals of the left side of a goshawk apparently of the same size and relative proportions as _A. melanoleucus_ of South Africa. They justified their description of this goshawk as a distinct species, first of all by the fact that most of the Mascarene extinct species were distinct; and then because the bony ridge for the _M. flexor digitorum communis_ was more strongly developed, the fibula reached further down the tibia, the peroneal crest was straighter and longer, and the cnemial crest slanted more gradually into the anterior inner edge of the shaft of the tibia.

Milne-Edwards gives the measurements of the solitary tarso-metatarsus of this bird which he had for examination as follows:--

Total length 80 mm.
Width at proximal extremity 11 "
Width at distal extremity 13 "
Width at smallest part of shaft 6 "

Messrs. Gadow and Newton give the length of their tarso-metatarsi as 81 mm., of their tibiae as 117 mm., and of the metacarpals as 55 mm.

Habitat: Mauritius.

Seven tarsi in the Tring Museum.

{85}

HARPAGORNIS HAAST.

Allied to _Aquila_, from which it is distinguished by the ulna being relatively shorter and the tarso-metatarsus stouter.

HARPAGORNIS MOOREI HAAST.

_Harpagornis moorei_ Haast, Trans. N.Z. Inst. IV, p. 192 (1872).

Description of femur (from Haast): The cylindrical shaft bent forward, and above the distal extremity it is slightly curved back. The hollow on the top of the head is very large and measures .42 inch across.

The trochanteric ridge is well developed and the outer side is very rough, showing that muscles of great strength and thickness must have been attached to it.

The inter-muscular linear ridges are well raised above the shaft, of which the one extending from the fore and outer angle of the epitrochanteric articular surface to the outer condyle is the most prominent. The pits for the attachment of the ligaments in the inter-condyloid fossa are strongly marked. The femur is pneumatic, the proximal orifice is large and ear-shaped, resembling in form most closely that of the Australian Sea Eagle.

Total length 6.66 inches.
Circumference at proximal end 4.66 "
Circumference at distal end 5.58 "
Circumference at thinnest part of shaft 2.50 "

Ungual phalanx (probably of left hallux):
Length 2.92 inches.
Circumference at articular end 3.17 "

Ungual phalanx (probably of right second toe):
Length 2.75 inches.
Circumference 2.92 "

Type locality: Glenmark Swamp.

Habitat: New Zealand.

Type bones: 1 left femur, 2 ungual phalanges, and 1 rib.

For a more detailed description my readers must refer to the Transactions of the New Zealand Institute VI, pp. 64-75 (1874).

{87}

CARBO PERSPICILLATUS (PALL.)

(PLATE 39.)

_Phalacrocorax perspicillatus_ Pallas, Zoogr. Rosso.-Asiat. II, p. 305
(1827--Berings Island); Gould, Zool. Voy. Sulphur, p. 49, pl. XXXII
(1844); Stejneger, Bull. U.S. Nat. Mus., No. 29, p. 180 (1885); id.
Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. XII, pp. 83-94, pls. II-IV (1889--Osteology);
Grant, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXVI, p. 357 (1898).

_Graculus perspicillatus_ Elliot, New and heret. unfig. sp. N. Amer. B.
II, part 14, No. 3, text and plate (1869).

_Pallasicarbo perspicillatus_ Coues, Osprey III, p. 144 (1899).

Pallas gives the first recognizable description of this bird, which, as translated from the Latin, is as follows: "Of the size of a very large goose. Of the shape of the former (sc. Cormorants), which it also resembles in the white patches on the flanks. The body is entirely black. A few long, white, narrow pendant plumes round the neck, as in Herons. Occiput with a huge tuft, doubly crested. Skin round the base of the bill bare, red, blue and white, mixed, as in a turkey. Round the eyes a thick, bare white patch of skin, about six lines wide, like a pair of spectacles. Weight 12 to 14 pounds. Female smaller, without crest and spectacles. (From Steller.)"

Steller, who was shipwrecked on Bering Island in 1741, was the discoverer of _C. perspicillatus_, and Pallas took his diagnosis from Steller's notes.

The Spectacled or Pallas's Cormorant is one of the rarest of all birds. It is generally said that four specimens are known, but five are really in existence: Two in the St. Petersburg Museum, one in Leyden, and two in London. One of these latter is perfect, while the other has no tail. Probably all five have been obtained by Kuprianoff, the Russian Governor at Sitka, who, in 1839, gave one to Captain Belcher, and sent some others to St. Petersburg. The careful researches of Stejneger and others on Bering Island have clearly shown that this Cormorant exists no longer. Formerly it is said to have been numerous, but the natives were fond of its flesh, which formed their principal diet when other meat was difficult to obtain. Probably it would not so soon have become extinct if it had not been that their rather short wings resulted in a certain slowness of locomotion on land and in the air. A good description is given in the Catalogue of Birds, and a still more detailed one by Stejneger (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus. 1899, p. 86) from Brandt's manuscript.

Habitat: Bering Island. {88}

CARBO MAJOR (FORBES).

_Phalacrocorax novaezealandiae var. major_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst.
XXIV, p. 189 (1892--no proper description).

Dr. Forbes only informed us that this shag was of greater dimensions than _Ph. novaezealandiae_ (a very closely allied form of _Ph. carbo_). It would be interesting to know more about it, and, especially, if this extinct form was incapable of flight, like _Ph. harrisi_ of the Galápagos Islands.

Habitat: New Zealand.

{89}

PLOTUS NANUS NEWT. & GAD.

_Plotus nanus_ Newton and Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII p. 288, pl.
XXXIV figs 1-5. (1893).

The humerus, the pelvis with sacrum, and the tibia were the materials on which our authors founded this new species. They state that all the strongly developed characters in these bones leave no possible doubt as to its being a species of _Plotus_, and its diminutive size at once distinguishes it from the three known species--_P. anhinga_, _P. melanogaster_, and _P. novaehollandiae_.

The measurements are as follows:--

Left humerus, length 89 mm.
Left tibia, length 61 "

Distance from acetabular axis to anterior end of sacrum 30 mm.

Distance between ventral inner margins of the acetabula 14.5 mm.

Habitat: Mauritius. (Also recorded from Madagascar.)

{91}

"CHENOPIS SUMNERENSIS" FORBES.

_Chenopis sumnerensis_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 188 (1892)
(Nomen nudum).

This appears to have been a very large species, with not very great powers of flight, if not flightless.

Habitat: New Zealand and Chatham Islands.

Bones from Chatham Islands in my collection.

{93}

CHENALOPEX SIRABENSIS ANDREWS.

_Chenalopex sirabensis_ Andrews, Ibis 1897, p. 355, pl. IX, figs. 1-3.

This species of which skull, sternum, pelvis, the bones of fore and hind limbs, &c., are preserved, appears to be closely allied to _Chenalopex aegyptiacus_, but has such a number of small differences that Mr. Andrews is, I think, quite justified in separating it; I do not, however, agree with him when he suggests that perhaps it is the same as Newton and Gadow's _Sarcidiornis mauritianus_, although many of the bones agree. Of course, his line of comparison was strengthened by the fact of subfossil bones of _Plotus nanus_ occurring both in Mauritius and Madagascar; but it does not follow that because in one family of birds the same species occurred in two places the others must do likewise, and, therefore, one must not necessarily regard a certain similarity of osteological characters as proof of identity. I must here again refer my readers to Mr. Andrews' very full description.

Habitat: Sirabé in C. Madagascar.

The measurements are:--

Coracoid 67-75 mm.
Humerus 132-147 "
Radius 126-134 "
Ulna 129-142 "
Metacarpus 76-85 "

The smaller bones, undoubtedly, belonged to female, and the larger to male individuals.

{95}

CENTRORNIS ANDREWS.

Allied to _Chenalopex_ and _Chenopis_, but differs from _Chenalopex_ in the form and proportion of its metatarsus, and from all other Anserine forms by the extreme length and slenderness of the shaft of the tibio-tarsus and the relative shortness of the fibular crest. From _Chenopis_ it differs in several respects, and the very long fibular crest of the latter at once separates them.

CENTRORNIS MAJORI ANDREWS.

_Centrornis majori_ Andrews, Ibis 1897, p. 344, pl. VIII.

This species was discovered by Dr. Forsyth Major and Monsieur Robert in the bed of an old lake at Sirabé, Central Madagascar, in 1896-1897. It was similar in many respects to _Sarcidiornis_ and _Chenalopex_ but differed in its large size and the great length of its legs. Indeed, judging from the slenderness of the metatarsus and femur and the slight degree of inflection of the lower end of the long tibia, it seems probable that this bird was ill adapted for swimming, though a good runner. The wings were long and powerful and armed with a long spur. I must refer my readers for a fuller description to Mr. Andrews, as quoted above.

The measurements are:--

_Tibia._

Length (exclusive of cnemial crest) 213-215 mm.
Width of upper articular surface 20-21 "
Width of middle of shaft 11-11.5 "
Thickness of shaft 8.5-9 "
Width of distal extremity 20-21 "

_Femur._

Length 103-107 mm.
Width of proximal extremity 25-26 "
Width of distal extremity 26 "
Width of shaft 11 "

{96}
_Metatarsus._

Length 130 mm. approx.
Width of shaft 8.5 "
Width of middle trochlea 10 "

_Coracoid._

Length 31 mm.
Width of glenoidal surface 13 "

_Scapula._

Width at proximal extremity 23 mm.

_Radius._

Length 24 mm.

_Ulna._

Width at middle of shaft 10 mm.

_Metacarpus._

Greatest width at proximal extremity 31 mm.
Length of spur 26 "
Width of second metacarpal 9 "

Habitat: Madagascar.

{97}

CNEMIORNIS OWEN.

Skull short and massive, with beak rounded and stout. Carina of sternum aborted. Limb-bones short and very stout, the ulna being shorter than the humerus, and having very prominent tubercles for the secondaries; cnemial crest of tibia greatly developed. No foramen between third and fourth trochleae of tarso-metatarsus. Spines of dorsal vertebrae tall. The power of flight was absent. The chief differences from _Cereopsis_ were the presence of extra pre-sacral vertebrae, so that two only instead of three ribs articulate with the sacrum; and an elevated pent-roof arrangement of the _ossa innominata_, which indicate more decided cursorial habits.

CNEMIORNIS CALCITRANS OWEN.

_Cnemiornis calcitrans_ Owen, Trans. Zool. Soc. V, p. 396 (1865).

"The type species. Very considerably larger than the existing _Cereopsis novaehollandiae_, with the limbs relatively much stouter and shorter" (Lydekker).

Height of back from ground 26 inches.
Length from beak to tail 34 "

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

For full description see Trans. N. Z. Inst. VI, pp. 76-84, pls. X-XII (1874). {98}

"CNEMIORNIS GRACILIS" FORBES.

_Cnemiornis gracilis_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 187 (1892)
(_Nomen nudum_).

"A most elegantly moulded goose from the North Island." Unfortunately this is all that has been published about this form!

Habitat: North Island, New Zealand.

CNEMIORNIS MINOR FORBES.

_Cnemiornis minor_ Forbes, Trans. N.Z. Inst. XXIV, p. 187 (1892); vide
also Trans. N.Z. Inst. VI, pp. 76-84 (Hector).

This species appears to be distinguished from _Cnemiornis calcitrans_ by its very small size, being hardly bigger than _Cereopsis novaehollandiae_.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

{99}

CEREOPSIS NOVAEZEALANDIAE FORBES.

_Cereopsis novaezealandiae_ Forbes, Trans. N. Zealand Inst. XXIV, p.
188 (1892).

This species was founded on an incomplete skull, and differed from _C. novaehollandiae_ by its slightly larger size.

Habitat: New Zealand.

{101}

SARCIDIORNIS MAURITIANUS NEWT. & GAD.

_Sarcidiornis mauritianus_ Newton & Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p.
290, pl. XXXIV, figs. 9-10.

The evidence on which this species is founded is a single left metacarpal and an incomplete left half of the pelvis. Its specific character is the very large size as compared to the two existing species.

Habitat: Mauritius.

In an old work entitled "Memorandums concerning India" by J. Marshall (1668) in the article on the Island of Mauritius, there occurs this passage: "They are many Geese; the halfe of their wings towards the end are black and the other halfe white; they are not large, but fat and good. Plenty of Ducks." As there is no mention of the caruncle on the bill here or in other authors alluding to geese in Mauritius, Oustalet doubted that these geese were this _Sarcidiornis_, but I believe this merely to have been an oversight of Marshall's and that his description goes far to prove the distinctness of Newton and Gadow's species.

The allusion to the small size also points to the geese of Marshall being the _Sarcidiornis_. L'Abbé Dubois in "Les Voyages du Sieur D.B." records the fact that on Bourbon were some wild geese slightly smaller than the geese of Europe but having the same plumage. Their bill and feet were red. It is also probable that wild geese were found on Rodriguez. There is nothing to show what these Bourbon geese were, and as no osseous remains of such birds have been found as yet it is impossible to do more than mention the fact of such birds having been recorded.

{103}

ANAS FINSCHI VAN BENEDEN.

_Anas finschi_ Van Beneden, Journ. Zool. IV, p. 267 (1875); Ann. de la
Soc. Geol. Belg. II, p. 123 (1876).

This duck is most peculiar, as it stands intermediate between _Querquedula_ and _Dendrocygna_ in structure, and its nearest known ally seems to be the extinct _A. blanchardi_ of Europe, and of living forms apparently _Clangula clangula_.

Skull nearest to that of _Clangula clangula_ but wider, nostrils more elongated, eye-sockets smaller, and the whole skull more regularly rounded off. _Sternum_ differs from that of _C. clangula_ by having the notch lower, more faint behind and shorter in front. Clavicle and coracoid resemble those of _Fuligula marila_. Humerus larger and stronger than in _F. marila_ and _C. clangula_, as are the femur, tibio-tarsus and tarso-metatarsus, which are almost double as long and thick.

Judging from the shape of its leg-bones this bird must have been a strong runner, and probably at the same time was a poor flyer.

Habitat: Middle Island, New Zealand.

ANAS THEODORI NEWT. & GAD.

_Anas theodori_ Newton & Gadow, Trans. Zool. Soc. XIII, p. 291, pl.
XXXIV, figs 11-17 (1893--Mauritius).

Messrs. Newton and Gadow founded this species on a fragment of a sternum, a pair of coracoids, eight humeri, and a pair of tarso-metatarsi. These are referable to a duck of larger size than _Nettion bernieri_, and somewhat intermediate between _N. punctata_ and _Anas melleri_.

The sternum differs from that of _A. melleri_ by the lesser height of the keel and by the shape and direction of the anterior margin of the latter. The coracoid is longer and larger than in _N. bernieri_, but is much shorter than in _A. melleri_, though agreeing with that of the latter in shape, and by the plain almost ridgeless ventral surface of the shaft. The seven humeri vary in length from 70-78 mm., and agree in size with those of _N. punctata_, thus proving our species to be smaller than _A. melleri_.

The two tarso-metatarsi are in poor condition; the right one measuring 42 mm. in length, thus indicating that _A. theodori_ was a bird with a shorter foot than _A. melleri_.

Habitat: Mauritius.

{105}

CAMPTOLAIMUS LABRADORIA (GM.)

(PLATE 36.)

_Anas labradoria_ Gmelin, Syst. Nat. I, 2, p. 537 (1788--"Habitat
gregaria in America, boreali." Ex Pennant and Latham.)

_Anas labradora_ Latham, Ind. Orn. II, p. 859 (1790).

_Rhynchaspis labradora_ Stephens, in Shaw's Gen. Zool. XII, 2, p. 121
(1824).

_Fuligula labradora_ Bonaparte, Ann. Lyceum N.Y. II, p. 391 (1826).

_Somateria labradora_ Boie, Isis 1828, p. 329.

_Kamptorhynchus labradorus_ Eyton, Mon. Anat. p. 151 (1838).

_Fuligula grisea_ Leib, Journ. Acad. Sc. Philad. VIII, p. 170
(1840--young bird).

_Camptolaimus labradorus_ Gray, List. Gen. B. ed. 2, p. 95 (1841);
Dutcher, Auk. 1891, p. 201, pl. II; 1894, pp. 4-12; Hartl. Abh. naturw.
Ver. Bremen XVI, p. 23 (1895).

_Camptolaemus labradorius_ Baird, B.N. Amer. p. 803 (1858); Baird,
Brewer and Ridgway, Water--B. N. Amer. II, p. 63 (1884); Milne-Edw. and
Oustalet, Centen. Mus. d'Hist. Nat., Notice Ois. éteint. p. 51, pl. IV
(1893); Salvadori, Cat. B. Brit. Mus. XXVII, p. 416 (1895).

The adult male and a young male, both in my museum, are represented on plate 36, but the young bird became too rufous, through the colour type reproduction, and should be somewhat more mouse-gray. Though first technically named by Gmelin in 1788, this duck was first described in 1785 by Pennant, in the Arctic Zoology II, p. 559, as follows:--

"Pied Duck. With the lower part of the bill black, the upper yellow, on the summit of the head is an oblong black spot; forehead, cheeks, rest of the head and neck, white; the lower part encircled with black; scapulars and coverts of wings white; back, breast, belly, and primaries, black; tail cuneiform, and dusky; legs black. The bill of the supposed female? resembles that of the male, head and neck mottled with cinereous brown and dirty white; primaries dusky; speculum white; back, breast, and belly clouded with different shades of ash-colour; tail dusky and cuneiform; legs black. Size of a common Wild Duck.

"Sent from Connecticut, to Mrs. Blackburn. Possibly the great flocks of pretty Pied Ducks, which whistled as they flew, or as they fed, seen by Mr. Lawson in the western branch of Cape Fear inlet, were of this kind."

The Labrador-Duck is one of those birds, the disappearance of which is not easily explained. As Mr. Dutcher truly said, "we can speculate as to the cause of its disappearance, but we have no facts to warrant a conclusion." Formerly _Camptolaimus_ was of regular occurrence along the northern Atlantic shores of North America, in winter south to New Jersey and New York. It has often been sold on the markets of New York and Baltimore, and nobody anticipated even fifty years ago that they might become extinct, but they {106} appear never to have been very numerous, at least we have no proof of this. It is true that Professor Newton tells us that this duck used to breed on rocky islets, and that "its fate is easily understood," since "man began yearly to visit its breeding haunts, and, not content in plundering its nests, mercilessly to shoot the birds." This, however, seems to be mere conjecture, as we do not know for certain where the breeding haunts of this Duck have been, and that anyone has ever visited them. All information known about the breeding of this bird is that of Audubon, who says that his son was shown empty nests on the top of bushes, which a clerk of the fishing establishment told him were those of the Labrador Duck. This information is certainly too uncertain to draw any conclusions from, but the breeding places might just as well have been much further to the north, and probably were.

The number of specimens extant is 48.

Amiens, Town Museum: 1 [male] ad. (Auk. 1897, p. 87).

Berlin Museum: 1, bought from Salmin (Hartl. p. 23).

Paris: [male] adult, presented 1810 by M. Hyde de Neuville.

London, British Museum: 2, a [male] ad. and a [female] ad., neither of
them with exact locality or date.

Liverpool: 2 [male] ad., 1 [female], 1 [male] jun.

Cambridge: 1 [male]

Dublin: 1 fine mounted [male] (Dr. Scharff in litt.)

Tring: 1 [male] ad., 1 [male] jun. (See below.)

Brussels: 1 [male] ad.

St. Petersburg: 1 [male] ad., purchased from Salmin.

Heine Museum in Germany: 1 poor specimen.

Munich: The Museum possesses a male from the collection of the Duke of
Leuchtenberg.

Dresden: 1 [male] and two doubtful eggs--the latter doubtless wrong I
should say.

Vienna: 1 [male] ad., exchanged from Baron von Lederer in 1830.
Locality New York; 1 [female] ad., bought from Brandt in Hamburg in
1846, for 4 Gulden!