THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 329 



grazing bird, and would be a valuable addition to domes- 

 ticated poultry were it not for its quarrelsome disposition. 



The colour is greyish brown, with lighter patches on the 

 back, and with black on the wings ; the head is ver}' light 

 grey ; the short powerful bill is black, and the cere greenish 

 buff. The legs are grey-pink, and the eyes red. 



It breeds freely in England ; the eggs are cream 

 coloured. 



The Black Swan is a handsome bird, but not nearly as 

 biof as its white congeners, nor has it as long and graceful 

 a neck ; but it puffs out its wings much in the same 

 manner when swimming. The general colour is black, but 

 the feathers appear to have a grey edging, which is really 

 due to the way in which they are curved at the free 

 extremity. The bill is deep red, and the primaries 

 white. 



The eggs are green, seven or eight in number, and the 

 young at first are covered with grey down. 



The black swan breeds freely in England. 



The Blue Duck is a native of New Zealand ; the bill is 

 dark green ; the head and neck very dark blue, with a 

 metallic gloss ; the wings and back blue, with a bronzed 

 tinge : tlie greater wing coverts have white tips, which 

 form a line across near-ly the middle of the wing ; the 

 lower breast, belly, and hinder parts are grey, with a 

 reddish brown tinge at the sides : the feet are dark 

 greenish gre}'. 



The Hymenol.5:mus Duck has a dull yellow bill, and is 

 all over of a dull leaden blue colour, except on the breast, 

 on which occur a number of dotted lines of a dull chest- 

 nut brown. The legs and feet are dull yellow. It is a 

 native of New Zealand. 



