BEENICLA JUBATA. 



(Maned Goose.) 



Male.— Head and neck, deep brown ; behind the neck, a mane of deep black ; the under eyelid, clothed with minute white feathers ; upper 

 part of the back, deep grey, with darker lunate markings ; lower portion of the back and the tail, deep black ; breast, light creamy grey, each 

 feather margined at the eye with intense black, giving that part a spotted appearance ; the tip of each feather, whitish, delicately spotted with 

 black, which feature is continued to a considerable extent down the abdomen, the centre part of which is jet black ; the flanks are beautifully 

 and regularly barred with minute stripes of black on a light grey ground ; under tail coverts, black ; shoulder and upper wing coverts, reddish 

 grey, followed by a stripe of white ; secondaries, bright metallic green for about one-third their length, and terminating with pure white for 

 the remainder ; primaries, deep brown at the tip ; inner webs, externally, black ; tertiaries, grey — several being margined with black, the 

 lowest pair showing the beautiful metallic green which adorns the secondaries ; bill, olive brown ; irides and feet, dark brown. 



The Female is smaller, and has the head and neck paler than the male, and though possessing the spotting as conspicuously on 

 the breast, has only a small indication of the glossy green speculum ; the centre of the abdomen and under tail coverts are white. She differs 

 in other minor particulars, but bears so general a resemblance to the male as not to be mistaken. She is also destitute of the mane. 



Length, 19| inches; wing, lOf ; tail, 5; bill, If; tarsus, 1|. 



This beautiful species, the " Wood Duck '' of the colonists, is found very largely distributed over the Australian continent. It 

 has been found in everv locality except the extreme north, but does not probably visit Tasmania. Its beautiful appearance and the excellency 

 of its flesh (scarcely inferior to that of the black duck), render it an object much coveted by the sportsman, and being by no means shy, there 

 is little difficulty in shooting it when it is to be found. It associates in small companies of from six or eight to thirty or forty ; and when 

 feeding among the grass in the neighborhood of lagoons, a flock presents a picturesque appearance, the brilliant plumage of the adult male 

 forming a pleasing contrast to the more unassuming tints of the other sex. It perches commonly on trees, as do also several other species of 

 Australian ducks and geese. It builds in the hollows of trees, sometimes at a considerable distance from water. The young are not unfre- 

 quently obtained, and are easily domesticated, feeding and associating readily with common poultry. 



