placed in thin rushes, just above the surface of the water, which
was about two feet deep, and about ten yards from an island in the
centre of a good-sized tank. It contained a single large greenish-
white egg, quite fresh, and the surrounding rushes were broken
across (no doubt by the old bird), and bent down over the nest, so
as to conceal its contents. On revisiting the ‘ vley’ on the 25th
inst., I found another nest, precisely similar, about twenty yards off,
containing three fresh eggs. This nest was probably built by the
same pair of birds. The eggs were warm all day, and a small
flock, consisting of three or four pairs of birds, remained close by
constantly; still we never saw the hen bird go to the nest, although
there were feathers in it and scattered about on the water all round.
I fancy they slip off the nest and dive, like the Grebes, the moment
they see any one approaching. Legs and feet bluish plumbeous;
iris dark brown; bill dark brown, inconspicuously spotted on the
sides of the upper mandible; lower mandible pale brownish-yellow,
with base and tip dusky brown.” Mr. Ayres states that it is very
scarce in the Transvaal. Mr. Andersson observes : “ This is a comparatively
scarce species in both Great Namaqua and Damara Land;
but during one season I found it tolerably abundant at the large
marshy vley of Omanbonde, in the latter country. It is generally
found singly or in pairs. When disturbed it takes wing unwillingly,
and merely skims the surface of the water, settling again as soon as
possible; it appears to prefer endeavouring to escape from danger
by diving, in which it is very expert, being able to continue long
under water.” Mr. Monteiro found it in the fresh-water lakes of
Benguela to the south of Mossamedes; and Senor Anchieta has
procured it on the Coroca River.
Back white; all the rest of the upper parts variegated with
fulvous, black, and rufous; under parts fulvous, transversely
striped with dark brown, least so in the centre of the breast and
belly; head and back of neck fulvous, profusely mottled with black
round spots ; front and sides of lower part of neck bright fulvous ;
chin and spot on each side at the base of the bill white. Length,
18"; wing, 8"; tail, 2£".
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. Aves, pi. 107.
736. E rismatura maccoA (Smith). Maccoa Duck.
The singular rigid tail-feathers of this Duck will serve to
distinguish it from any of the other species inhabiting South
Africa. It is found at Verloren Vley; and Mr. Dumbleton informs
us that he shot .a specimen at Victoria. Sir Andrew Smith states
that it dives with great facility.
In the winter of 1858, great flights of these birds, and of Aythia
capensis, appeared in the neighbourhood of Cape Town, and were
shot in considerable numbers on the Cape Flats, and on all the
vleys of the neighbourhood. Since that date only a few stray
specimens have made their appearance at odd times; and it may
be reckoned as one of our scarcest ducks. Mr. Ayres observes .
M The specimen sent I shot in December whilst standing up to my
middle in water and mud in a very extensive lagoon on the borders
of the Vaal River. It kept constantly diving, and did not attempt
to fly; but so quick were its motions, remaining not a second
above water, that I had the greatest difficulty in shooting it. The
belly was extraordinarily large, and the stomach contained water-
snails.”
Dpper parts, chestnut-brown; under parts and wings, brown;
head and upper parts of neck, black; bill blue; tail-feathers very
narrow and rigid. Length, 1 7 wing, 6 6 ; tail, 3 2 . The
young male is beautifully mottled, and the female is generally of
an umber-brown colour, with the chin and sides of the head clear
white.
Mr. Ayres gives the following soft-parts :—The irides were
brown, the npper mandible black, the lower pale, tarsi and feet
dusky ash-colour.
Fig. Smith, 111. Zool. S. Afr. pi. 108.
Pam. PROCELLARIID2E.
737. O c ea n it is OCEANICA (Euhl). Wilson’s Petrel.
Thalassidroma vhlsoni, Layard, B. S. Afr. p. 359.
The accompanying description is from a specimen killed in Table
Bay on the 29th April, 1865, by Mr. L. C. Layard, who informs us
that he saw several more of the same species. We procured several
specimens off L’Agullas Bank in 1856, since which time, until
Mr. L. C. Layard found it in Table Bay, we had not seen them
on the coast.