THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 35 



is almost obscured by innumerable fleecy markings, varying from 

 yellowish-brown to dull chestnut-brown. As a rule the markings 

 are fairly even in size and distributed over the entire surface ; in 

 others they are intermingled with a few large confluent patches, 

 while in some they are larger and predominate chiefly on the 

 thicker end. A set of four taken on the 20th February, 1902, 

 measures as follows : — Length — [a), i.n x.9 inches ; (b), i.i x .87 

 inches; (c), i.ii x .87 inches; (d), 1.07 x .83 inches. A skin 

 of the parent bird was sent with these eggs. A set of six eggs 

 in Mr. French's collection, taken on the 21st January, 1902, 

 measures — (a), 1.13 x .87 inches; (b), 1.13 x .85 inches; 

 (c), 1.17 X .85 inches; (d), 1.16 x .86 inches; (e), 1.13X .85 

 inches; (/), 1.13 x .85 inches. 



Nettopus PULCHELLUS, Pygmy Goose. 



A nest of this beautiful species found in the grass on the margin 

 of a swamp on the loth February, 1902, contained five fresh eggs. 

 They are blunt ellipses in form and faint creamy-white in colour, 

 the shell being very smooth, lustrous, and more or less nest- 

 stained, two of the specimens so much so that they are of a uniform 

 light yellowish-brown. Length — (a), 1.69 x 1.35 inches ; {b), 

 1.82 X 1.37 inches ; (c), 1.75 x 1.36 inches ; (d), 1.7 x 1.36 inches ; 

 1.73 X 1.35 inches; (e), 1,7 x 1.35 inches. A skin of the parent 

 was sent with these eggs. A set of eight in Mr. G, A. Keartland's 

 collection, taken on the 7th February, 1902, measures — (a), 1.75 

 X 1.37 inches; (b), 1.77 x 1.42 inches; (c), 1.77 x 1.4 inches ; 

 id), 1.72 X 1.38 inches; (e), 1.83 x 1.4 inches; (/), 1.7 x 1.34 

 inches; (g), 1.76 x 1.38 inches; (h), 1.7 x 1.35 inches, 



Dendrocygna arcuata, Whistling Tree-Duck. 



A skin of this bird was sent, together with five eggs taken from 

 a nest in the grass on the 5th February, 1902. They are oval in 

 form, faint creamy-white in colour, the shell being smooth, 

 lustrous, and more or less nest-stained, and measure as follows : — 

 Length — (a), 2.02 x 1.5 1 inches ; (b), 2 x 1.5 inches ; (c), 2.04 x 

 1. 51 inches; (d), 2.07 x 1.53 inches; (e), 2.06 x 1.54 inches. 



Dendrocygna eytoni, Eyton's Tree-Duck 



A set of ten eggs in Mr. G. A. Keardand's collection, taken on 

 7th March, 1902, vary from oval to rounded oval in form, the 

 shell being close-grained, smooth, and slightly lustrous. In a few 

 places where the original colour is revealed they are of a milk- 

 white, but are much nest-stained, some being of a uniform, 

 others of a partial pale brown hue. They measure : — Length (a)., 

 1.97 x 1.45 inches; (b), 1.92 x 1.48 inches; (c), 1.83 x 1.45 

 inches; (c?), 1.98 x 1.47 inches ; (e), 1.95 x 1.45 inches ; (/), 1.83 

 X 1.4 inches; (g), 1.95 x 1.5 inches; (A), 1.94 x x.49 inches; 

 (i), 1.84 X 1.49 inches; (j), 1.9 x 1.52 inches. 



