ACROSS THE PLAINS 167 



fied ; for we had failed to find a nest of the Pink-eared 

 Duck [Malacorhynchus membranaceus] . My com- 

 panion knew this swamp to be a breeding place of the 

 species, and we searched diligently among the Lig- 

 num. It was rather risky, pulling aside the stems 

 and peering into the bushes, for Black Snakes were 

 likely to be disturbed. But neither nest nor reptile 

 was seen. The Pink-eared Duck, which is peculiar 

 to Australia and has no near relative,- is known to 

 sportsmen as the Widgeon. Gould was charmed by 

 this species ; in his "Handbook to the Birds of Aus- 

 tralia" he writes: 



"No one of the tribe that I have observed in a 

 state of Nature presents a more elegant or graceful 

 appearance than this little Duck, which is generally 

 seen in small companies of from six to twenty in 

 number, swimming over the placid lagoons, and be- 

 traying so little fear and shyness on the approach of 

 man, as to present a singular contrast in this respect 

 to the other members of the famiiy. Its flight is 

 very powerful and swift." 



Near the swamp, in the shade of a gum tree, we 

 saw a flock of Maned Geese or Wood-Ducks [Chlamy- 

 dochen jubata], beautiful little birds brown, black 

 and gray plumage, metallic green on the wings. We 

 met with this species again at Yanco Creek, where 

 the tent was pitched among lofty Eucalypts, old trees 

 with huge fantastic boughs. It was pleasant to rest 

 beside running water, and screened from the sun, 

 hear birds calling amid the leaves. But the camp 

 fire attracted hosts of insects, which dropped into the 

 tea, explored the "tucker box," or wandered into the 

 tent. The night was cool, and we might have enjoyed 

 sound slumber had the mosquitoes been less aggressive 

 than they were. In the morning, after a cruise in 

 a flattie among the gaunt, dead gum trees in the 

 creek, we began the homeward journey. The wind, 

 a zephyr when we started, gradually increased its 



