Mr. E. P. Ramsay on Australian Oology. 413 



In conclusion, I might as well mention that I have just heard 

 from M. Armand David, the Missionary at Peking. He tells 

 me that he has returned from his zoological campaign with 

 only a very few new species of birds. He says the western 

 region is poor in species. From the Peking Province he has 

 procured Vultur monachus, Grus monachus, G. virgo, and Ibis 

 nippon. He several times saw Gypaetus barbatus, but did not 

 succeed in killing it. He has noted no less than 296 species 

 in .the north of China. Dr. Giglioli, before leaving China, was 

 kind enough to send me a list of all the birds that Prof. De 

 Filippi and he had collected and observed. He said he would 

 publish notes on them in ' The Ibis.^ I will therefore not 

 forestall him by alluding to his discoveries. 



Amoy, 15tli April, 18G7. 



XXIV. — Illustrations of Australian Oology. 

 By Edward P. Ramsay, C.M.Z.S. 



(Plates VIII. and IX.) 



1. BiziURA LOB ATA (Shaw). (Plate VIII. fig. 1.) 

 This anomalous form of the Anatida, although by no means 

 rare, is usually difficult to obtain, on account of its extreme wari- 

 ness and great pow-er of diving and remaining under water for 

 an incredible space of time. The Musk-Duck frequents alike 

 the lakes, lagoons, rivers, and even the creeks and water-holes — 

 in fact, wherever it can find a sufficiency of food, which consists 

 of Uniones and other freshwater mollusks, with the seeds of the 

 water-lilies and other aquatic plants. These Ducks are, for the 

 most part, met with in pairs only ; and sometimes a single bird 

 may be found taking possession of one particular water-hole, 

 where it will remain, if unmolested, the whole year round. I 

 have, however, in two instances, on the Murrambidgee River, 

 met with small flocks, one five and the other seven or ten in 

 number. They seldom take wing ; only upon a few occasions 

 have I seen them do so, and these when they have been fired at 

 and wounded mortally. One, which I had come upon suddenly 

 with a charge of shot from behind a rock, seemed so surprised, 

 that, instead of diving, it took wing and, after flapping along 



