iVESTS AND EGGS 01- AUHTRAUAN BIRDS. 103 1 



that, although the Jloiuitaiu Duck usually bi-eeds ia trees, he has 

 sometimes seen uest« 011 the ground, while two instances of nests 

 being found on the gioiuid are mentioned in the Australian Musevmi's 

 ■■ Descriptive Catxaloguc ' of nests and eggs. 



For a complement of eggs to a nest 1 can go several higher than 

 the record of Mr. Siraiige. 1 saw a pair of birds that were captured when 

 young by Jlr. G. W. Warner, on Wharparilla, near Echuea. 'Ihey were 

 from a brood of fourteen, which Mr. Warner intercepted and carefidly 

 counted on the plains. There was no doubt in Mr. Wai-ner's mind that 

 the little fellows were one happy family, and not membei's of amalga- 

 mated broods. Interesting statements relative to the Mountain Duck 

 weix) made to me by Mr. and Mrs. John Macaulay, who were eye- 

 witnesses of the scene. There was a nest in a tall red giuii (Eucalyptus) 

 overhangirig the Collegen, Rivcriiia, on the opiwsite side of the creek to 

 their housu at Dimvegan. Towards the end of August, 1894, Mi', and 

 Mrs. Macaulay had their attention directed to the peculiar antics and 

 calling of a pair of Mountain Ducks, whch were on the water below the 

 tree. Presently they saw two Ducklijigs timible out of the hole, which 

 was fifty feet or more above the stream, their little wings acting like 

 par;ichutcs, and drop with a light splash into the water. They then 

 Killed beside their parents, apparently none the worse for their fii'st fall. 

 Shortly afterwards the others aloft jjerformed similar feats, until no 

 fewer than seventeen fell (the niunber being again counted after the 

 birds wei-e on the water). Tliey were piloted safely away down stream 

 by the old bu'ds — one swimming before and the other behind the precious 

 flock. 



When Mr. and Mi-s. Macaulay were pointing out to me the exact 

 tree, a Teal came and lodged on the edge of the hole where the Movmtain 

 Duck's nest had bjen. It was, no doubt, prospecting for ai likely place 

 toideposit its own eggs. The date was 22nd September. 



The question natvu'ally arisss. How do Mountain Ducks, or any Ducks 

 in fact, get their little ones out of the nesting hole when there is no 

 water iindenieath to break their fall? It is reasonable to suppose that 

 the yoimg are conveyed to the gi'oimd in the mouth of then parents. 

 On this important point I give the valuable testimony of an eye-witness, 

 who, writing to " The Australasian " under the nom de plume of " Nemo," 

 states : — " On the morning of October 12th, 1899, I was riding tlrrough 

 the ranges at the head of Waratah Bay, It was just at the break of 

 dawn. I had pvdled up my hoise, and was watching the first rays of 

 light flashing upon the gi-anite peaks of Wilson's Promontory, when the 

 silence was suddenl)' broken by the hoarse croak of a Mountain Duck. 

 I was sinprised to hear it in such a place, and on looking round I saw 

 a bird come struggling backwards out of the hoUow limb of a tall gum 

 on the opposite side of the gorge. It tumbled from the limb to the 

 gromid. fluttering in it»s downward course as though it were shot. Im- 

 mediately it reached the foot of the tree it darted off, flying low along 

 tops of the heather, and disappeared in the dark shadows of the forest. 

 I got off any hoi-se and approached the tree. As I drew near, a second 

 Duck, whicli I had not seen, rose from the top of a neighbouring tree 

 and circled roimd me for a few minutes, and then flew off out of sight. 



