/)8 I'l.Kcriim'rKiiiN*:. 



2-i8 inches; (B) 2-Sg x 2-o6 inches ; (0)3-05 x j-i6 inches; (U) 2'8 x 1-98 inches; (E) 2-83 

 X 2'i inches. Anotlier set of five, taken near IJlniarra, measures: — Length (A) 2-85 x 2-08 

 inches; (1-!) 3-05 x 2-08 inches: (C) 3-25 x 2-i inches; (D) 3-12 x 2-15 inches: (li) 3'i x 

 -'■12 inches. A set of twelve taken by Mr. |. A. J:!oyd at Goose Lagoon, in tiie Merbert River 

 District, during the first week of Maicli, i8yi, measures : —Lenglii (A) 2-82 x 2-04 inches; 

 (ij) 2-87 X 2-07 inches; (C) 2-83 v 2-14 inches; ( D) 2-83 x 2-J2mches; (L) 2-87 x 2-12 

 inches; (F) 2-85 x 2-o7inclies; (0)3-15 x 2-15 inches; (H)2-y4 x 2-07 inches; (1)2-89 ^ 

 2-09 inches; (J) 3-13 x 2-22 inches; (K) 2-9 x .:-07 inclies; (L) 3-18 x 2-13 inches. 



Immature birds may be distin,L;uished by liaving the scapulars black and some of the feathers 

 on the flanks l)lackish-brou-n. 



In Eastern Australia the breeding season is e.xtremely varied, and probably, it is greatly 

 influenced by the rainfall. In the Herbert River District Mr. J. .\. lioyd has sent me 

 notes of finding nests with eggs in January, February and Marcli. .At IJlmarra, in the 

 Clarence River District, many nests with eggs were found at the latter end of July, and new 

 nests in October; while in Riverina, in the southern portion of the State, nests with eggs are 

 common from October to December. In the Northern Territory of South Australia the breeding 

 period is usually in the rainy season in the early months of the year, and in October, 1909, I 

 saw a large number of immature birds in the possession of M. Octave Le lion, who informed 

 me they had been netted near Port Darwin in August of that year. 



Sub-family PLECTROPTERIN^. 

 Nettopus pulchellus. 



GREEN PYGMY GOOSE. 



A^etta/iiit: palchrHus, Liovik\, Froi:. Zoo\. 80c., 18-Il,p. 89; id., Eds. Austr., fol. Vol. VII., pi. I 

 (1848) ; ;,/., llaiidbk. l!ds. Austr., Vol. 11 , p. 3.^>7 (ISCt)). 



Ni-.Uu/nis jiufchelliiK, ii>i\vn(i., C.).t. lids, lirit. .Mus. Vol. .\XVII., p. 67(1898); Sliarpe, Hand-l. 

 Bds., Vol. I., p. -209 (1899). 



Adui.t m.\lk. — Crmru nj thr hiuid hroiin, Irtnisrerticli/ barred with dull dark yreeu\ iivck 

 iiMiUl'', hack, ifcii/iu/ar.-i and 11,/ijifr nnag-coverls dark 'llu^ay yrceii ; primaries black ; secondaries while 

 until, yreeuish-blticli Ijnsea : ii/j/ier tail-coverls (/rrtitt^/i-lilnck, irreyularly barred ur freckled with white ; 

 tail,-J'ealhers bltiek ivUh a shyhl yreeiiish ylosx ; lirres, a bare vval. patch below the eye and the chin 

 white, remainder 0/ the under surface /vhite, each feather of tJie fore-neck and, sides of the -neck ha rim/ 

 tnio or inure yreenish-hlack crrsceiUic iiiarkiitijs, the black predominatini/ in the centre of the fore-neck, 

 and the yreen liiivards tlic )iind-neck ; the jlank f-atlirrs similarly marked ivitli black; nnder l,ail- 

 coverls broimish-bbick : bill dark yreenish-yrey, the nail a,nd a spot on each side of the npper mandible 

 Jlesh-tvhite : the under inandihlr jhsh. colour, blotched iijith yreenish-grey ; iris dark brown. Total 

 length ill tin' Jlesh Ui\'5 inches, wiug H-fi, tail •>'-..', bill 1, tarsns 1. 



Adult fkmalk. — Similar in phimicge to the iii<de, but liaaing the crown of the head niiiforni 

 dark brown and the entire sides of the head and throat white fi nely freckled with black. 



Distribution. — North-western .Australia, Northern Territory of South Australia, Northern 

 Queensland. 



