120 MUSK DUCK. 



as fertile as any in the world. The males of this 

 tribe (similar to other parts of the colony) knock 

 out the front incisor tooth on arriving at the age 

 of puberty, and being admitted into the council 

 and society of men. 



I had an opportunity of examining a male 

 stuffed specimen of the " musk duck," which 

 had lately been shot in the Cudgegong river. 

 I felt desirous of procuring a recent specimen 

 for dissection, to ascertain from what gland the 

 musk was secreted, which diffuses so strong an 

 odour over the body of this bird, and its situa- 

 tion, but did not succeed in securing one fit 

 for the purpose ; I felt more desirous of de- 

 ciding the point, as those persons with whom I 

 had conversed on the subject, and who had seen 

 the bird in its recent state, were much divided 

 in opinion, and gave very contradictory ac- 

 counts. The bird is of an uniform dark 

 speckled colour over the whole body, except 

 upon the breast and abdomen, where it be- 

 came lighter ; the bill is black and short, in 

 proportion to the size of the bird ; the wings are 

 short, and inadequate for the purpose of flight, 

 but assist the animal as it runs over the water ; 

 the second penfeather of the wings is the longest ; 

 the tail is short, and consists of several very stiff 

 feathers. It is a shy bird, diving the instant it 



