251 



from the marsh where they were apparently feeding they rose high in the air, and came down 

 suddenly into the creek with a rapid, oblique, and rather awkward flight. On the water they 

 kept near to each other, and I killed both at one shot. They proved, on dissection, to be male 

 and female ; I found the skin very tender, and the flesh extremely delicate, with fat of a bright 

 yellow colour. 



I afterwards saw a pair on the wing, passing over one of the freshwater lagoons of the Upper 

 Manawatu, the white alar bar being very conspicuous ; and, subsequently, I obtained a fine speci- 

 men in the flesh from Napier. 



The form of this Duck is remarkably slender and graceful, the contour of the body being 

 almost as elongate as that of a Gannet. 



Although of rare occurrence in New Zealand, the species has a wide geographical distri- 

 bution, examples having been recorded from Timor, Flores, Celebes, Northern Australia, South 

 Australia, and New Caledonia. It bears a close resemblance to Anas punctata of Australia; but 

 it is appreciably smaller, and the male does not exhibit the bright summer plumage of that 

 species. Mr. Gould, in his account of Anas punctata, observes : — " There appear to be two very 

 distinct races of this bird, one of which is much larger than the other ; so great, in fact, is the 

 difference in this respect in specimens from various parts of the country, that the idea presents 

 itself of their being really distinct species. The smaller race inhabits Tasmania, the larger the 

 western and southern portions of Australia." These remarks, no doubt, refer to the present 

 species, inasmuch as I was able to identify a specimen received by Dr. Haast from Australia 

 with the true A. gibberifrons. This circumstance was noticed by me in a communication to the 

 ' Ibis'*; and I have since had an opportunity of further verifying the fact by the examination of 

 several specimens in the Sydney Museum. 



* Ibis, 1869, p. 42, note. 



