Smith. — On Neio Zealand Ducks. 253 



ing have been collected and recorded by New Zealand ornitho- 

 logists. The only papers on the subject that I am acquainted 

 with are by Sir Walter Buller,* Mr. T. W. Kirk,f and myself. J 

 Sir Walter has recently described § several varieties, together 

 with hybrids between the grey and the imported domestic duck. 

 I have now to record several more varied forms which have for 

 several years frequented the lakes in the public Domain at 

 Ashburton. When the shooting-season opens in April large 

 flocks of grey and other species of native ducks assemble on 

 the lakes in the Domain and remain during the winter. As 

 there is not sufficient food for them in the Domain, they 

 repair in the evening to the river-bed and adjacent swamps 

 to feed during the night, and return in the early morning to 

 spend the day unmolested under the willow-trees growing on 

 the islands in the lakes. For several years I have observed 

 their arrival in April, and have noted the occurrence of any 

 individuals exhibiting colours diverging from the normal type. 

 In July, 1892, a fine individual inhabited the lower lake, 

 having its head, throat, and pectus pale-buff. The scapulars 

 were beautifully mottled with white feathers, which made the 

 bird conspicuous among the large flock of ducks resting on 

 the lake. During the winter of 1894 a partial albino inhabited 

 the Domain waters. The back, breast, and scapular region 

 were of a faded white, while portions of the neck were lightly 

 studded with pale-white feathers. The bird remained very 

 timid throughout the winter, and never came to the banks of 

 the lake with the others to feed on the oats or wheat v^e 

 scattered there for them every morning. In the same year we 

 observed a bird with the whole plumage tending to melanism. 

 When swimming leisurely about on the lake, or when resting 

 on the bank in the sunshine, the plumage appeared to be of a 

 lustrous black. I have frequently watched the bird preening 

 its feathers, and while thus engaged the under-parts appeared 

 to be much paler than in normally-coloured birds. Last 

 winter a fine individual with the primary wing-feathers pure 

 white remained on the lakes from April until the 8th June, 

 when they became frozen over and compelled many of the 

 birds to seek food and shelter elsewhere. At the present 

 time a remarkably-coloured form inhabits the lower lake — the 

 head, breast, back, and tail pale-white ; other parts normally 

 coloured. The bird is extremely timid and watchful, and 

 readily takes wing at the slightest disturbance. It is well 

 known to ornithologists that albinoes and white varieties, and 

 other conspicuously-aberrant forms, are more wary than 



"■ Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. vi. 



+ Trans. N.Z. Inst., vol. xiii., p. 235. 



I The Field, June, 1891. 



§ " Birds of Nev? Zealand," 2ad edition, p. 251. 



