1028 NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



koombah, we frequonth' distiu-bcd them in thousands as they were 

 feeding amongst thr diy gi-ass, probably on the seed. Towards moniing 

 they return, to the water, and after a short bath repair to the shelter 

 of the bushes on the maagin. These birds lie so close together when 

 sleeping that seven or eight are often seciu-ed at one discharge. On 

 several occasions I killed birds of the two species (eytnni and vmjanx) 

 at the one shot. Both species breed very freely in the coarse gi-ass 

 near Mount Campbell, and the natives in that neighbourhood make sad 

 havoc amongst their eggs." 



Mr. A. J. North says that for the opportunity of examining and 

 describing the eggs of Eyton Tree Duck, ho was indebted to an ardent 

 sportsman, who found them when out shooting on the Macquarie 

 Marshes on the 23rd September, 1893 (then close season). Mr. North 

 proceeds to state : — " In the long caaie-gi'ass, about one-third of a mile 

 from an aaiarbranch of the Macquarie River, lie (his correspondent) 

 flushed one of these birds, which he quickly fired at, and it fell. As he 

 moved foi-ward to pick it up he almost stepped on the nest, which was 

 built at the side of a tussock of cane-grass. It was a slight hollow in 

 the soil, lined only with short pieces of cane-gi"ass, and contained nine 

 fresh eggs. Evidently the Ducks had jvist begim to lay, for, although 

 twelve of them were obtained, only one more nest was found tliat day, 

 which was similarly constracted, and had two fresh eggs in it. Later on, 

 in the same locality, another nest was found containing seven fresh eggs. 

 From these nests the Ducks had made nms or tracks through the long 

 grass to the water's edge. All the eggs when found were immaculate, 

 and entirely free from the usual feet marks of the female, or stains of 

 any kind. Two average eggs from the set of nine are oval in form, 

 tapering somewhat shai-ply towards the smaller end, and are •ompara- 

 tivcly small for the size of the bird. In colour they are milk-white, 

 with an almost imperceptible tinge of cream ; smooth in texture, and 

 liaving a. slight satiny lustre. The shell is thick and exceedingly hard, 

 and the finder of the nests compared it to flint when he was engaged in 

 drilHng the eggs. Length : (A) 1-92 x 1-36 inches, (B) 1-88 x 1-36 inches. 

 These eggs may be easily distinguished from those of any member of the 

 family Anatince, in Australia, by their being almost pure white." 



Dr. Ramsay's original description of the eggs of this species was from 

 a specimen found in the oviduct of a bird shot near Port Denison (Q.) 

 by Mr. Rainbird. It measured 1-95 x TS inches. 



Dr. Wm. Macgillivray has favoured me with the following note: — 

 " The Whistling Ducks were well known to me in my old home in Queens- 

 land (Gulf of Caqientaria District), especially ei/toni, these latter being 

 more numerous than the other species up there, going in immense flocks 

 and generally keeping to themselves, mixing only with D. areuata when 

 they were present. With regard to their ogg^, I liavc a pair of ei/toni 

 which ai"e long-pointed ovals, answering to the description you gave of 

 those of the arrnala received from Mr. Barnard.* I may also add a 



* It is just possible there may have been a transposition somehow in describing 

 the e(jg.s of the two species. Mr. Jackson kindly sent me a pair as tWi'iiiis (inciiala) 

 which entirely differed from those received from Mr. R.irnard and rcjombled 

 those of eytoni which I obtained from the Adelaide Museum. Furllicr remarks 

 will prove which "Whistler " lays the peculiarly pointed eggs that I have seen in 

 several collections. 



