ANAS SPARSA.
F orm, &c.— F ig u r e m o d e r a te ly r o b u s t ; h e a d c om p r e s s ed an d su p e r io r ly
ra th er f la t ; w in g s p o in ted , an d w h en fo ld ed reach h e y o n d th e fir st h a lf o f th e
ta il, th e s e c o n d q u ill fea th e r rath er th e lo n g e s t, th e first a lit tle sh o r te r , th e
third rath er sho rter th a n th e first, an d th e fourth ab ou t h a lf a n in ch sh o r te r
th an th e third ; th e te r tia r y q u ill fea th e r s n e a r ly a s lo n g a s th e s e v en th q u ill
fea th e r ,— th e s c a p u la r ie s c o n s id e r a b ly sh o r te r th a n th e ter tia r ie s. T a il rig id
an d s lig h t ly rou n d ed . B ill sh o r t an d m od e ra te ly broad, ra th er d e ep a t th e
b a s e , b u t m u ch d e p r e s sed tow a rd s th e tip . T a r s i and to e s m o d e ra te ly lo n g
an d ra th er s tr on g , th e former p o ster io r ly an d la te r a lly co v e r ed w ith r e ticu la ted
s c a le s , a n te rio r ly tow a rd s to e s w ith sm a ll tra n sv e r se p la te s , th e w eb on e a ch
s id e o f m id d le to e , an d o n th e in s id e s o f th e outer an d in n e r to e s is co v e red
w ith se v e r a l rows o f ra th er la rg e f la t sc a le s , and th e p a r ts b e tw e en th e s e
s c a le s are s tu d d ed w ith sm a ll d e ta ch ed som ew h a t g ran u la r s c a le s . C law s
sh o r t, ra th er stron g , s lig h t ly curv ed an d o b tu s e a t th e p o in t.
DIMENSIONS.
Inches. Lines. Inches. Lines.
Length from the point of the bill to Length of the tarsi ............... ..... 1 8*
the tip_of th eta il............... . 22 0 of the outer toe,,............. ...... 1 l l£
of the bill to the angle of the of the middle toe........... ..... 2 o:£
mouth ................................ 2 : 3. j of the inner toe........... . ..... I - -----6
of the wings when folded....... 11 6 - ■ of the hinder toe ... . . . . .. ..... 0 .6
of the tail................................ 4 9
F em a l e .—As regards colours, the two sexes are nearly alike. The female
This species occurs throughout the whole of South Africa, but not abundantly in any district.
It is usually found on the waters of rivers, and most commonly in localities where the.:
banks are of a vegetable mould or where drift wood, &c.,-is accumulated in abundance,' In
these situations it seeks its food, which consist's of small Crustacea, &c., which are generally
found abundantly in situations circumstanced as above stated.
In point of figure this differs considerably from the more typical species, its body being more
depressed and broader, its wings proportionally larger, its tail longer, and the web of the hinder
toe more developed. Besides differing in these respects, it also differs in some of its habits ; it
never congregates to form flocks, but is either observed solitary-or in:company with a second
specimen probably o f the opposite sex.
Some time ago I had an opportunity of examining a duck which was said to have been
brought from Abyssinia by Ruppel, and which at the time I was ■ much disposed to regard
as identical with Anas Sparsa. Should such prove to be the case, I am inclined to believe
it has been named and described by that celebrated traveller; hence the name which I have
adopted will require to give place to that which has priority for its claim.