92 1.,UISMAI'IU:IN,K. 



of the gun to a nicety, and dives to escape the dan^'er. I saw one sportsman, who had no 

 (iilticulty in kilhnt; Biacl'; Duck or Teal, lire fourteen shots at a White-eyed Duck before he 

 killed it. The bird simply dived e\ery time he fired at it. When flying down the wind it 

 travels at a great latc At r-!rookman Creek, Western Australia, I shot a Black Duck which 

 was mated to a Wliite-eyed r>ack. The range of this species embraces the whole of the 

 continent. Their llesh is highly appreciated as an article of food." 



From notes made by r>r. f^onsdale Holden while resident in Tasmania, I have extracted 

 the following :—" On the 8th April, iSSy, an adult male Nyroca (iiislmlis was shot amongst the 

 P)lack Duck' on the big lagoon on Circular Head Peninsula; bill black, anterior third pale 

 slate colour, under mandible blackish, legs and feet greyisli-brown in front, blackish-slate 

 posteriorly; iris buffy-white or yellowish-white, not quite pure white. On the 19th March, 189S, 

 I saw one of these birds tied to a Black Duck on Ilobart Wharf, and was informed it was 

 shot at Sandford. I obtained the bird, skinned it, and sent it to the Tasmanian Museum. In June, 

 1898, many were exposed for sale, and I saw one flying myself the previous month at Risdon. 

 On the 28th April, igoo, I bought a pair of Nyroca austrdlis in a shop at Holiart ; at the same 

 time I was offered a pair of Shovellers, and also a pair of Black Duck, and was informed all 

 had been shot at Brid.Ljewater." 



An egg in Mr. G. Savidge's collection, from a set of five taken on Buckiinguy Station, on 

 the 14th (Jctober, 1894, is an ellipse in form, dull creamy-white, the shell being close-grained, 

 smooth and glossy. Length 2-15 x 17 inches. An egg in Mr. G. A. Heartland's collection, 

 taken in Riverina, measures 2'35 x I'f^^ inches. 



Sub-family ERISMATURIN^?:. 

 Erismatura australis. 



BLUE-BILLED DUCK. 

 O.fynra niislralis, Gould, Proc. Zool. Soc, PS36, p. 8."i. 



KrUmalnra aua/ra/is, (lould, Bds. Austr., fol. Vol. VIF., pi. 17 (184S) ; /«/., Haudljk. B.ls. Austr., 

 Vol. ]]., p. 379 (1865); Salvad., Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., Vol. XXVII., yx 4.51 (1^95); 

 Sharpe, Hand I. Bds., Vol. T., p. 227 899). 



Adult M.^LK. — (^pwral cnhiur ahni'i^ ricli cliednul : centre of loirer hack and tipper fail-cocerts 

 lirutvnisJi-hhick, the hUler lippi'il iri/h rich chestiiiU : iviwi/s aivi tail dark hrotvn ; head and neck 

 (flossy black, sliyhtli/ ii-ashed n'i/h clteshmf ; forewck, upper part nf rhrs/ and fhiiiks rich cliestHiU : 

 remainder of the under surface pale or ivhilij-broivii, each featlier indistinctly barred with darker 

 brown,; " upper mandible shUy-blue, lower mandilile ivory-while, skin along its centre pale brown ; 

 legit and feet oehreoaa-lirowi}, t//eir inner asjiect tvhilish-stone colour, ?vebs black, nails brown" 

 (Holden). Total lew/th in thejlesh Up-' inches, utinij I'rl'i, tail 2-S, bill 1-7, tarsus lo. 



Adult fem.\le. — (iewral cohnr above blackish-broivn, all the feathers crossed with narrow 

 icavy lines of pale rtifoHs-bnJf and 'cliity-brown, these transverse barrings broadest on the scapulars : 

 t/uills and tail-Jeathers brown : head dark brown, Jiwly freckled or barred with chestnut on the 

 forehead and crown of tlie Ifad, chestnat-hnnvn on. the sides of the heail and irhily-brown on 

 the -sides of the neck ; throat daV v)hite, tninnlely fnckled with, bronni : fonneck brown with pa>e 



