244 



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a fleet dog, until at last, having drawn him to what she deems a safe distance from her nest, she 

 at once rises from the ground, screaming out her harsh danger-signal, to the complete discomfiture 

 of the panting dog. Upon the danger-signal being uttered by the parent birds, the young ones 

 usually make at once for the nearest flowing water, down which they float close to the bank, 

 seeking cover, and availing themselves, with great sagacity, of every opportunity of shelter or 

 concealment, in which they are assisted by their similarity in general colour to the soil and vege- 

 tation ..... . The Paradise Duck breeds from October to January, and not unfrequcntly rears 



two broods during the season. I have, in fact, more than once seen two broods of difi'erent ages 

 running with the same pair of parent birds. The single broods vary in number, the largest I 

 ever saw being ten." 



Mr. Proctor Smith relates the following incident within his own experience at Otago : 



a 



I 



have seen a drake of this species gallantly beat off a large hawk from the duck I had wounded. 

 On my reaching the scene of combat, the cunning drake feigned to be wounded, and limped 

 away beyond gunshot, while the duck escaped by concealing herself in a large marsh close by." 



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