Andean goose, 19th century

Andean goose (Neochen melanoptera), 19th-century illustration. This bird is found around lakes and marches in the high Andes in South America. Here it is classified as Anser melanopterus. Over the years it has also been classified in the genuses Oressochen and Chloephaga. This illustration is Plate 50 from the 1841 volume on birds ('Part III: Birds') that forms part of the multi-volume work 'The Zoology of the Voyage of HMS Beagle'. This work described the animals collected and observed by the British naturalist Charles Darwin during the survey voyage of HMS Beagle during the years 1832 to 1836. This expedition established Darwin's reputation as a naturalist. 'The Zoology of the Voyage of HMS Beagle' was edited by Darwin and published between 1838 and 1843. The volume on birds was written by British naturalist John Gould.