30 Alexander, Observations at Bremer Bay (W.A.) [ 



Emu 

 .t July 



14 ozs., I (grey) ; 13 ozs., i (grey) ; 12 ozs., o ; 1 1 ozs., i (grey). Since 

 my return home I have studied the figures given for these birds, as 

 quoted by Mathews in "The Birds of AustraUa." Keartland is 

 given as authority for the statement that Chestnut Teals average^ 

 males, 25 ozs., and females (grey), 24 ozs ; whilst Grey Teals average 

 — males, 18 ozs. ; females, 17 ozs. According to these figures, all my 

 birds, including the two green-headed birds, were Grey Teals ! Do 

 both species sometimes assume the chestnut plumage with green 

 heads ? I regret now that I did not weigh and sex all the Teal shot 

 during our stay. The only one that I examined was the green-headed 

 bird which weighed 18 ozs., which proved to be a male. 



Grey Teal {Virago gibberifrons). — Very abundant, especially on the 

 upper reaches of the estuary. 



Shoveller (Spatula rhynchotis). — A female " Blue-wing " was shot 

 by one of the party at the fresh-water swamp near the Ilunter River. 



White-eyed Duck (Nyroca aiis'ralis]. — Seen several times among the 

 flocks of Grey Teal. It is commonly called "While-wings" in 

 Western Australia, and it may be readily recognized by this character 

 when seen flying overhead. 



Musk- Duck {Biziura lobata'). — Common on all the sheets of water 

 in the district, generally associating in small flocks. On two occasions 

 individuals approached by the boat, instead of diving, as usual, 

 escaped by flapping along the surface of the water in the fashion that 

 has earned them the name of " Steamer," presumably in the days 

 of paddle-steamers, I had never seen them do this before, and 

 cannot account for this departure from the ordinary custom of diving 

 on these two occasions out of the dozens of times when we disturbed 

 these common birds. On the small swamp or lake near the Hunter 

 River, to which I have already alluded, there was a number of these 

 birds, including an old drake with a very large flap below the bill, 

 and from the bank I was several times a witness of his curious amatory 

 performance. When the party was near together he would swim 

 in among them with his head held low, so that the bottom of the 

 membranous flap was touching the water, and his stiff tail-feathers 

 turned right forwards over his back, standing out from one another. 

 Then all of a sudden he uttered his curious " ponk " note, and at the 

 same moment flapped both his wings, splashing up the water on each 

 side. The loudness of the " ponk " sound I attribute to the flap 

 acting as a sounding-board to convey it to the surface of the water.* 

 The note and splash were repeated 20 or 30 times at intervals of a 

 few seconds, the bird swimming about among the others in his curious 

 attitude all the time. They appeared to take very litt'e notice of his 

 performance. 



* Since my return home I have noticed that other observers attribute the 

 splash to the feet and not to the wings. Having subsequently had an 

 opportunity of watching another bird performing these antics, I think this 

 is correct, though it is difficult to see how such a considerable splash is 

 produced by the feet. Careful watching, however, does not reveal any 

 movement of the wings. In another respect tliis bird differed from that 

 watched at Bremer in that its membranous flap was held clear of the water. 

 yet the "ponk" was equally loud. Sometimes the sound produced was a 

 loud whistle quite unlike the usual ponk. but the accompanying movements 

 were exactly the same. 



