1917-] of the South African Black Duck. 7\ 



The old female continued to incubate the Australian 

 Wild Duck eggs, and each time she left them in search of 

 food the male kept her company as long as she was about. 



A few days before the eggs hatched the male moulted his 

 flight-feathers, and from that moment kept to himself, and 

 only rejoined the female with her foster-chihlren when the 

 moult was completed. 



At ten days old the bills of the Black Duck chicks had 

 become bluish-lead colour, and the birds had grown to more 

 than double the size they were when just hatched, and looked 

 sleek and glossy. 



At the age of about 24 days the first feathers began 

 to appear — the tail-feathers first and then the shoulder- 

 feathers. 



When fully feathered at about two and a half months they 

 were very similar to the adults, but more brownish and the 

 whole underside silvery white. Upperside, head and neck 

 excepted, but including tail-coverts, with a number of buff 

 spots or edges to the feathers. No white spots. Blue wing- 

 bar with its white and black edgings present, but duller in 

 colour. Upper mandible blue, nail black. Underside of 

 under mandible flesh-colour. 



At about seven weeks the black saddle-mark on the upper 

 mandible begins to appear, but it is only visible under 

 certain lights when the bill is seen sideways, and is invisible 

 when the bill is seen in front. As the birds get older the 

 black mark becomes more and more plain, and at the age of 

 about nine Aveeks it is always visible, although not so black 

 as in adult birds. Towards the end of August some of the 

 bufl' spots of the upperside began to turn into white without 

 a moult, and about the middle of September nearly all the 

 spots had become white. Towards the end of September 

 the birds began to moult_, and towards the end of October 

 had acquired the dress of the adults. 



Anas sparsa is a very expert diver, diving with as much 

 ease and readiness as a true Diving-Duck to get food from 

 the bottom of the water. 



