NESTS AND EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN lURDS. 1053 



761. — BizuRA LOBATA, Sliavv. — (595) 



MUSK DUCK. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 18. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxvii., p. 452. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Gould : Birds of Australia (1848), 

 also Handbook, vol. ii., p. 38? (1S65) ; Ramsay : Ibis, p. 413, 

 pi. 8, fig. I (1867); Campbell: Proc. Roy. Soc, Victoria, p. 5 

 (i8go). 



Geographical Distribution. — South Queensland, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, Soutli and West Australia, and Tasmania. 



Nest. — A hollow in the ground, in rushes, grass, &c., on a bank or 

 knoll in a swamp, or in a short hollow stiuiip or log ; occasionally nishes 

 growing in water are trodden down and bent over so as to form a 

 covered nest; Uned wanuly with gi-ass, down, (fee. Dimensions, 5i 

 inches across by 3i inches deep. Ncst-downi light-grey, whitest in the 

 centre of each particle. 



Eggs. — Clutch, two to three ; elliptical in shape, both ends some- 

 what pointed ; textiire of shell thick and coarse ; surface slightly glossy 

 and rough ; colour, a coating of dirty greenish-white or pale-olive, on 

 being removed, reveals a light gi'eenish-wlnto shell. Dimensions in 

 inches of a proper clutch : (1) 316 x 2-17, (2) 3-16 x 2-11, (3) 3-12 x 2-16. 



Observations. — The habitat of this curious Duck ranges across the 

 southern half of Austraha, including Ta^smania and some of the islands 

 in Bass Strait. 



The Musk Duck is found in the waters of sheltered bays, estuaries, 

 &c., as well as in the placid lagoons of the interior. Altogether, it is 

 a remarkable bird, and httle appears to be understood of its economy. 

 The colour is brownish-black, crossed by numerous narrow freckled bars 

 of bufly-white, eyes dark-brown, bill also dark, and legs leaden-colour. 

 The male is about twice the size of the female, and it is furnished with 

 a semi-circular pouch under the throat. Tliis appendage is not the 

 seat, as is popularly supposed, of the strong musky odour emitted by 

 the bird. The odour conies from the oil gland near the extremity of 

 the tail, and is .so powerful that even dogs will not retrieve the bird. 

 A skin will retain its musky smell for years. I once saw four fine male 

 Musk Ducks — a somewhat unusual consignment of cargo — which were 

 waiting removal from the Customs Examination Shed at the Victorian 

 Railways, Melboiune. Their chai-acteristic powerful scent filled the 

 whole place. 



Although more than a pair of Musk Ducks is rarely seen at one time, 

 I have observed numbers together in the waters of Port Phillip, near 

 the eastern shore, notably at St. Kilda, MorcUalloc, and Dromana. 

 On a stormy evening it is pleasant to hear their whistle-hke notes borne 

 in on the wind. I imagine the birds occasionally come ashore at night. 



