IIIZIURA 95 



ivilh ivldty-hmivn : l>iU aii'/ Ifulli'T-lik'' lob'' ihp'iiidiiij frum (he cenlrf of I In- iiinler iiuiiidihl/' hhn-k, 

 lip of llie hitler //ink, edges of iJie apical porliou yel/oicish-irhile ; /fe/s and frrl dark slate colour ,■ sew 

 dark liroivn. Total lewjth in the //'>/( .29 indies, tving .9'J.7, tail -ro, bill 1'7~>, depth of lobe auder 

 lon'er mandible ■!' .'5, lar.tn.1 1'7-'). 



Adult KKMALK. — Snnilar in plamai/e In thr imtl' but smallir, tin' lobe nho heloai the nn.iler 

 mandible tniicJi stnalbr, nieasnriny unit/ li'.'i in ihplJi. W iii<j S-.'t inches. 



Distribution. — North-western Australia, Southern Oueensland, New South Wales, \'ictoria, 

 South Australia, \\"estern Australia, Tasmania. 



/"I^HE iMusk Duck is an inhabitant chietly of the southern portions of the Australian 

 -L Continent and Tasmania. It frequents the bays and inlets of the coast, likewise inland 

 riveis and lakes. Usually it is met with in pairs, sometimes solitary and alone, and occasionally 

 in laiL;e numbers, but not associated closely together. Once in llobson's Uay, Melbourne, 

 I witnessed a large assembly of these birds, and they were in the neighbourhood for about three 

 week's. From Albert Park and far as the eye could reach towards St. Kilda, just out of 

 shooting range, were numbers of these birds about twenty yards apart, swimming in all 

 directions, and one's attention being more often directed to them as they dived, churning the 

 water and raising up the spray at the same time; sometimes portion of the lower half of the 

 body and tail alone were visible as they tilted head downwards in the water, doubtless engaged 

 in procuring food. Each bird acted independently, swimming in a direct line to a certain point, 

 and then suddenly turning and swimming away at right angles; there was no concerted action 

 in whatever they were engaged in capturing. It is safe to say that there must have been some 

 hundreds in the water there at the same time. Only on one other occasion have I been 

 privileged to witness a similar congregation of these birds, and that was at the height of 

 summer in Corio Bay, Geelong, Victoria. On both occasions it was very seldom that 

 two approached any way near one another, and it appeared more by accident while 

 diving that one would reappear near another. Instances of a solitary individual occupying a 

 small waterhole are not uncommon, but one of the most remarlcable places for a Musk Duck to 

 be found was brought under my notice by a resident of Paddington, a suburb of Sydney. An 

 old residence situated in a large garden, and which had been unoccupied for some time, had 

 been taken by a new tenant, who heard strange noises under the tloor of one of the rooms, 

 accompanied by the splashing of water. Removing the flooring boards revealed the e.xistence 

 of a partially filled up well, containing a small quantity of water, and in it a large bird, which 

 dived repeatedly, and after some difficulty was eventually caught and brought alive to me for 

 identification. It proved to be an adult female Musk Duck, which probably had found its way 

 from Sydney Harbour. I have occasionally, during the summer months, seen these birds on 

 the upper parts of the Parramatta River, and in Hen and Chickens Bay; in some seasons 

 more numerous than others. Professor \V. A. Haswell (Trustee) informed me that on one 

 occasion his attention was attracted at Berowra Creek, an affluent of the Hawkesbury River, 

 by a number of Musk Duck's beating the water with their wings. Watching them for some 

 time, he observed the birds were slowly swimnfing in a line, and were apparently driving the 

 fish before them up to the head of the creek. 



From Copmanhurst, New South Wales, Mr. George Savidge sent me the following notes: — 

 "The Musk Duck (Bi::iiii'a lobata) may be found in all parts of the Clarence River District. It 

 is particularly fond of the large deep pools of water that fringe the great swamps of the lower 

 river; also on the long deep reaches of the Upper Clarence, for many miles above Copmanhurst. 

 It is a great diver, and can remain under water for a very long time. I have seen it in places 

 where it would be hard to account for its getting there, except by flight, but I could never force 

 it to take wing, no matter how hard pressed. I have never been successful in finding its nest 

 and eggs." 



