THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 45 



each species. Those of the Chestnut-breasted Teal are a rich 

 cream colour, while the others are white. I have examined eggs 

 from four nests of the sombre birds, and they were all alike ; but 

 I have seen several lots of eggs in other collections, labelled 

 Common Teal, which I feel sure are those of the Chestnut- 

 breasted. 



I would like also to point out that, for many years, our duck- 

 shooters have regarded them as distinct varieties. The bright 

 coloured ones are called Mountain Teal and the sombre ones 

 Common Teal. 



The habitat of the two kinds are also different. Mr. Jenkins 

 informs me that all the gay birds he gets are from Gippsland, but 

 that his chief supply of the common ones are from the Murray 

 Flats. This agrees with my own experience, for although I have 

 found the two varieties on the same lagoon, I have almost 

 invariably met with the gay birds in pairs, or small flocks of six 

 or seven, while the sombre ones can be seen in hundreds. 

 Whilst the common ones are met with in the waterholes on 

 Keilor Plains and other flat country, you must go to the hilly 

 districts to find the chestnut-breasted ones. In conclusion, I 

 would like to say that what I regard as a mistake on the part 

 of some collectors in naming their eggs may arise from the 

 similarity of the female birds. 



[Since writing the foregoing, I have been informed that Dr. 

 Ramsay, of Sydney, holds the same views as myself, and 

 whilst allowing the chestnut-breasted variety to retain the old 

 name, has suggested Gibberifrons as the correct name for the 

 common one. I cannot find any other authority to support my 

 opinion, but would like to hear the experience of others on the 

 subject. — G. A. K.] 



With regard to Mr. Keartland's paper on the two varieties of 

 Teal, I may quote a few remarks made by Mr. Sclater, the secre- 

 tary of the London Zoological Gardens, on the subject. He 

 says : — " In August, 1879, we purchased a lot of eighteen Austra- 

 lian ducks, which, at the time of their purchase, I had believed 

 to be the Chestnut-breasted Ducks {Anas castaned) in female 

 plumage or non-nuptial dress, but which I now believe to be the 

 Anas gibberifrons, or Slender Duck. There were six pairs, but 

 they did not breed in 1880 nor in 1881, but in 1882, in March, 

 a pair hatched out four young birds, which did well. There is no 

 longer any doubt, therefore, that we have to deal with a species, 

 which, however much it may resemble the female of Anas 

 castanea, is quite distinct, and of which the sexes, as may be 

 proved by the examination of our breeding birds, are very nearly 

 alike, the female being merely slightly smaller in size and duller 

 in plumage. It is, in fact, the species described in the Ibis for 



