Anas arcuata Horsfield, Zool. Res. in Java (1822), pl. 65.
Dendrocygna arcuata Salvadori, Cat. Birds Brit. Mus. (1895), 27,
153; Oates, Cat. Birds' Eggs (1902), 2, 158.
Dendrocygna arcuata Sharpe, Hand-List (1899), 1, 214; McGregor
and Worcester, Hand-List (1906), 37.
Ba-li'-uis, Luzon; ná-ga, Ticao; ga-kit', Bohol.
Bantanyan (McGregor); Basilan (Steere Exp., McGregor); Bohol
(Everett, McGregor); Camiguin N. (McGregor); Catanduanes
(Whitehead); Cebu (Everett); Guimaras (Steere Exp.); Leyte
(Everett); Luzon (Cuming, Worcester, McGregor); Masbate (Bourns
& Worcester); Mindanao (Everett, Bourns & Worcester); Mindoro
(Bourns & Worcester, McGregor); Negros (Clarke MS.) [22]; Panay
(Bourns & Worcester); Samar (Jagor, Steere Exp., Whitehead);
Sibuyan (McGregor); Siquijor (Steere Exp., Bourns & Worcester,
Celestino); Ticao (McGregor). Indo-Malayan Islands, Moluccas,
Celebes, New Guinea, Australia, Oceania.
"Adult male and female.--Upper part of head and a line down back of
neck brown-black; sides of head and neck pale fulvous; throat almost
white; back and scapulars black, with the edges bright rufous-chestnut,
on upper back the black part of the feathers with rufous spots or bars;
rump black; median upper tail-coverts black, lateral ones buffy white,
more or less spotted with black; breast pale rufous, each feather
with black dots or crescent-like spots in the middle, and shading
into the bright rufous-chestnut of abdomen; lower abdomen and under
tail-coverts whitish buff, the latter uniform, but the abdomen with
brown spots; feathers of flanks with broad mesial buffy white streaks,
edged with black; lesser and median wing-coverts bright chestnut,
the greater ones, quills, and tail black. Iris brown; bill blackish
or dark ashy; tarsi and feet dark ashy. Length, about 432; wing, 216;
tail, 71; culmen, 43; tarsus, 47." (Salvadori.)
A male from Sevilla, Bohol, March 22, 1906, measures: Length, 424;
wing, 188; tail, 56; exposed culmen, 41; tarsus, 45; middle toe with
claw, 71.
A female of the same locality and date measures: Length, 424; wing,
175; tail, 58; exposed culmen, 42; tarsus, 46; middle toe with
claw, 66.
A young bird from Taguig, Laguna de Bay, January 12, 1902, (length of
skin 305 mm.) has upper parts covered with dark gray down and lower
parts covered with white down; on crown, scapulars, breast, sides,
and flanks the feathers of the adult dress are more or less developed.
"The eggs of the wandering tree duck in the collection are almost
elliptical in shape, one end being very slightly compressed. They
are cream-colored and have a fair amount of gloss. Four specimens
measure respectively: 52 by 38; 48.2 by 35.5; 47.4 by 38; 48.2 by
36.3." (Oates.)
"Common in favorable localities throughout the islands. Frequently met
with in very large flocks. Found breeding in the Island of Siquijor
in the month of February." (Bourns and Worcester MS.)
This tree duck is usually found in large flocks on lakes and
fresh-water marsh-land. When flushed the flock circles about and
generally the birds can be killed without the precautions which are
usually necessary in duck-shooting. A hard-shelled egg was taken from
a bird killed on the Laguna de Bay in January. Oates records two eggs
collected by Moseley in May.