r,1 



AX AUSTRALIAN' BIRD IlOOft. 



131*Plumed Whistling Duck(Eyton Tree), D. eytoni, A., 

 T., N.Z. Stat. r. lagoons 



Upper grayish-brown; rump, tail blackish-brown; lower- 

 breast, flanks chestnut barred black; white, black 

 plumes on flanks; under base tail white; whistles when 

 flying; f., sim. Water-plants, fish. 



16 



the season, nor is the male different in color from the female. 



The Australian Teal is closely similar to the Teal of Europe. 

 It is a grass feeder, and is a good table bird. The female is very 

 different from the male. It is impossible to distinguish the male 

 Gray Teal from the female Teal when in the free state. Mr. 

 Keartland (ex-President of the Field Naturalist Club, and ornith- 

 ologist to the Horn and Calvert exploring expeditions) has shown 

 that there is a big difference in weight. The male of the 

 smaller Gray Teal is not brightly colored like the male Chestnut- 

 breasted Teal. 



The remarkable Shoveller comes next. It is closely similar to 

 the English Shoveller. Strange that this name was first used 

 for the Spoonbill. The Shovellers are found the world over. 

 The males are very brightly colored in the nesting season. 



Unlike most other birds, Swans and Ducks lose the whole of 

 their wing feathers at once when moulting, so that for a short 

 time they cannot fly. As a protection, the gaudy ones acquire a 

 quiet, inconspicuous coloration for a time, so that the male is said 

 to get an "eclipse plumage." Many other birds get a bright dress 



