228 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



*MUSK-DUCK 



(Biziura lobata, Shaw). 



Male. Crown of the head and nape brownish-black; back, 

 wings, chest, and flanks blackish-brown, crossed by very narrow 

 freckled lines of buffy-white; quills and tail feathers blackish- 

 brown; sides of the head and neck freckled with buffy-white and 

 black; abdomen blackish-brown, with broad buffy-white margins 

 to the feathers : towards the under tail coverts the margins almost 

 disappear; "bill and large lobe beneath the chin greenish-black; 

 legs and feet dark leaden-grey, inside of the tarsi greenish-grey " 

 (Gould). Dimensions in mm. : Length, 658; bill, 40; wing, 246; 

 tail, 152; tarsus, 38. 



Female. Plumage similar, save that the narrow buffy-white 

 bars on the upper surface are more distinct, lobe much smaller 

 or even absent. Dimensions in mm.: Length, 565; bill, 33; 

 wing, 186; tail, 99; tarsus, 35. 



Young in Down. ' ' Upper parts, head, neck, upper part of the 

 breast, sides, and flanks uniform dark brown, scarcely lighter 

 round the face at the base of the bill ; lower breast, abdomen, and 

 under tail coverts whitish " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. Usually a hollow in the ground among rushes or grass, 

 or the centre of a slight elevation in a swamp, is chosen. The 

 nesting hollow is lined with down. 



Eggs. Clutch two to three; elliptical in shape, with both ends 

 somewhat pointed; texture of the shell coarse; surface slightly 

 glossy and rough; colour greenish-white, more or less soiled. 

 Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : (1) 84 x 54, (2) 85 x 51. 



Breeding Season. October to December or January. 



Geographical Distribution. Tasmania, round and on several of 

 the larger Bass Strait islands, New South Wales, Victoria, South 

 and Western Australia, and South Queensland. 



Observations. At one time and another much printers' ink 

 has been expended in controversy over this Duck's ability or 

 otherwise to fly. A proof positive that it does so is furnished by 

 Mr. C. H. Hamilton (Emu, vol. i., p. 147), who records being 

 with a friend when he shot a Musk-Duck at dusk one evening in 

 mistake for a Black Duck ; it was flying high and very fast. 



The largest flock of this species I have ever seen numbered 

 twenty-four birds (actual count), on the Eiver Tamar. On some 

 of the inland waters it is moderately plentiful, but very shy. 



As is well known, this Duck, when disturbed but in no 

 immediate danger, will submerge itself until only the eyes and 

 nostiils are showing above water. 



