NEW SOUTH WALES 107 



and the Blue-wing, which is the most beautiful and 

 wildest of the family. Young ducks are precocious, 

 hatching out with effective muscles. 



DISTRIBUTION OF GEESE AND SWAN 



Goose Teal. 

 Island Goose. 

 Swan. 



The Goose Teal are made up of two species, and 

 are confined to the northern half of Australia (map 

 44, c). They are the Pigmy Geese, and are remark- 

 able for the diminutive size, smaller than teal. 



In the breadth of southern Australia there is a 

 relic of an ancient fauna, the Cape Barren Goose. 

 The closest relation is the giant fossil goose of New 

 Zealand (a). It is the island goose, scarcely touch- 

 ing the mainland except through force of bad 

 weather. 



The Furneaux Group in the east and the 

 Recherche Archipelago in the west are good breed- 

 ing grounds. 



The birds do not nest till they are two years old, 

 and an old bird does not mate with a young one. 

 Should the male be killed the hen flies to another 

 flock, if the female, the male bird will call a new 

 mate from the nearest flock. It feeds largely on 

 grass. 



A more widely distributed bird is the Pied Goose, 

 with only half webbed feet. An equally well dis- 



