NKTTIO.V 



The eggs are usually eight to twelve in number for a sitting, elliptical inform, of a rich 

 cream-colour, the shell being fine grained, smooth and lustrous. Eight eggs of a set of eleven 

 taken by Dr. L. Holden in North-western Tasmania, measure as follows :— Length (A) 1-97 

 X 1-38 inches; (8)2-03 x 1-42 inches: (C) 1-93 x 1-36 inches; (D) 1-95 x 1-41 "inches ; (E) 

 2-03 X 1-38 inches; (F) 1-95 x 1-42 inches; (G) 2-oi x 1-4 inches; (H) ixjj x 1-4 inches. 



^ August and the four following months constitute the usual breeding season of this species 

 in Southern Australia and Tasmania. 



There is a beutiful semi-albino specimen of the Chestnut-breasted Teal in the Australian 

 Museum, presented by Mr. X. J. Seckold, and obtamed by him at Lake Albert, near Wa-aa 

 New South Wales. 



Nettion gibberifrons. 



SLEXDER TEAL. 

 Ana>: ( .VarnyiJ (jibberifroHi, S. Mull., Verli. Land en Volkenk, p. I.=i9 (1844). 

 Mari-ca [lihberifruiis. Gray, Gen. Bds., Vol. III., p 6U (1845). 

 Ana, pnncl.ita, Gould, Handhk. lids. Austr., Vol. IL, pp. ;3(35, 3G(J (part) (186.5). 

 N.tU..u ;,ihh,rifrons, Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XXVlI.,p. -254, PI. ii., tig. 2, head (18'J5). 

 Nflthiin yih/jerifroiis, Sharpe, Hand I. Bd.s., Vol. I., p. 219 (1899). 



Adult ,1 ale. -Genera/ a.lunr ab,n.. .Urk bro,rn, all the finlhers, ...-cep, iha.e on the loa-n- bark 

 andra.np, n-hu-h are .lujhtl,, ,/nrkrr, nUh pale Jahou.-bro>vn ,naryins : upp.r wing-covert, dark 

 gre;psh.bron-n, the outer yrrater cnrerts whit,, the tips of the inner one. and of th. secondaries white 

 more or Uss tnuj-d with bup : prunari.s dark brown : wm.j speeuhua on the outer webs of til 

 secondaries ve! rety-black, with a metallic yreen lustre in the middle, shaded in some lights with copper,, 

 red : laddeathers dark brorcn, with paler brown edges ; crown of the headand nape blackish-brown with 

 narrowju/rous margins to all the fathers: sides of the head Jul rous-white, with narrow blackish- 

 brown centres to the Jcalhers ; chin and throat whitish or fuh-ons-white : remainder of the nnd^r 

 surface pale fulvous, with dark brown centres to the feathers, those on the upper breast approaching a 

 blackish -brown, while those on the lower breast and abdomen are more obscure and less distinctly 

 marked; under tail-cocerts blackish-brown with pair brown edges. Total length in the /l.sh 17 fj 

 inches, icing S, tail 4, bill Vf',, tarsus I--',. 



Adult fkmalk. — Similar in plumage to the male. Wing 7S. 



in 



Distr,bution.-^onh.^vestern Australia, Northern Territory of South .\ustralia, Queensland 

 New South W ales, \ ictoria. South Australia, Western Australia. 



^LTHOUGH not restricted in its range to this continent, the Slender or Grey Teal is one 

 -£r-\. of the best known species of the family Anatii-.e inhabiting Australia, both sexes of 

 It closely resemble the female of N,/^/<„/ rashnirnm, another Australian species, with which it has 

 often been confounded. Gould appears to have been unaciuainted with the Slender Teal when 

 writmg the " Birds of Australia," but in describing the Chestnut-breasted Teal (N. castaurnm) 

 there is evidence to prove that he strongly suspected the e.xistence of this distinct species of 

 feal-one m Australia, the other in Tasmania. Many observers, including sportsmen, both in 

 Australia and New Zealand, had also noted the difference in size and weight of the supposed 

 females of the Chestnut-breasted Teal. Upon dissection, however, those'specimens who by 

 their plumage were judged to be females, proved to be in many instances fully adult males, 

 and It was at once recognised that the slightly smaller and duller plumaged birds belonged to a 

 distinct species. Specimens from New Zealand the late Sir William Butler described in " The 



