70 Mr. F. E. Blaauw on the Breeding [Ibis, 



These birds have not the voice of the typical members of 

 the genus Anas and have quite different manners. I think 

 that they are nearer in these respects to Chaulelasmus than 

 to Anas. 



After having safely brought home my pair of birds, I put 

 them on a small piece of ornamental water on which were 

 several other exotic water-fowl, and they were soon quite at 

 home. 



In spring 1915 the birds began to be very quarrelsome 

 with the other Ducks, and so I took them away and gave 

 them a small pond to themselves, hoping that they wouhl 

 breed. It appeared, however, that their season was past, 

 for they began to moult and nothing came of it. 



In the spring of 1916, towards the end of April, the 

 female began to lay in a small l)ox placed among the reeds 

 over the water. 



Six eggs were laid, and an abundant layer of down was 

 plucked out of the bird's own breast to cover them. The 

 eggs were rather large for the size of the bird, rather elon- 

 gated, and of a pale yellow colour with much gloss. 



As I was afraid that something might happen to the eggs 

 or chicks if I left them in charge of the old birds, I took 

 them away and put them under a bantam hen, giving the 

 Black Duck some eggs of the Australian Wild Duck 

 instead. 



On the twenty-fifth day of incubation the six eggs under 

 the hen hatched. This was on the 29th of May. 

 The cliicks were coloured as follows : — 

 IJpperside and band round tlie breast, Avhich does not 

 quite meet in front, black. Five or six yellow spots on each 

 side of the body. Sides of the head yellow, with a black 

 line through the eye and a second one a little lower down. 

 Underside white, slightly tinged with yellow. Bill black. 

 Legs and toes pale dusky yellow in front, webs and hind- 

 part of legs dusky. 



The little chicks were very active from the first, and fed 

 on ants' eggs and any insect they could catch. 



