NATATORES. 



355 



common on the rivers near Sydney, particularly on the 

 Ilawkcsbury ; at the present time it is sometimes seen there, 

 and is still numerous on the Hunter and other rivers 

 towards the interior limits of the colony. In South Australia 

 it is one of the commonest of the water birds, frequenting the 

 brooks of the interior. No specimen has yet been procured 

 at Port Essington, nor, as far as I am aware, on any part of 

 the north coast. It presents a very pleasing appearance while 

 flying up and down the brooks in flocks of from six to thirty 

 in number, and is equally interesting when perched in small 

 companies on the branches of fallen trees which have found a 

 resting-place in the beds of the rivers and water-holes, or when 

 sitting on the topmost branches of the high gum-trees in the 

 midst of the woods. Its flesh is excellent, and not unfre- 

 quently forms an acceptable repast for the settled colonist and 

 the weary traveller. It frequently utters a loud barking note so 

 unlike the voice of any other goose, as at once to excite the 

 attention of any person who may be traversing the parts of 

 the country it inhabits. I found it to be tolerably tame in 

 disposition, which circumstance enabled me to procure nu- 

 merous examples without difficulty. 



It usually breeds in the hollow parts of large trees, those 

 chosen for the purpose being often situated in the bush far 

 away from water. 



The food consists of grasses and aquatic plants, snails, and 

 insects. 



The sexes vary considerably in size and in the beauty of 

 their plumage, the male far exceeding the female in both 

 respects. 



The male has the head and neck rich brown ; the length- 

 ened plumes down the back of the neck black ; back, lesser 

 wing-coverts, tertiaries and scapularies brownish grey ; the 

 scapularies very broadly margined on their external webs, and 

 very narrowly on their internal webs, with deep velvety black; 

 lower part of the back, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail deep 



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