BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 219 



glossed with green; wing coverts white; primaries and primary 

 coverts black; speculum on secondaries glossy green; outer web 

 of teriiaries rich chestnut, inner dark grey ; under tail coverts 

 black; under wing coverts and axillaries white; bill black; legs 

 and feet greyish-black. Dimensions in mm.: — Length, 695; 

 bill, 48; wing, 368; tail, 143; tarsus, 58. 



Female. — Plumage duller and dimensions less than male; 

 head and upper neck brownish-black; feathers round base of the 

 bill mottled with white. 



Young. — According to Mr. A. J. Campbell, the young in down 

 are marked on the head, along the back, and across the wings 

 with dark grey, tending to black, the rest of the upper surface 

 and underneath parts being whitish. 



Nest. — Usually within the hollow spout of a tree, close to 

 water. The nesting hollow is lined with down and fine grass. 



Eggs. — Clutch ten to twelve usually; roundish-oval in shape; 

 texture fairly fine; surface greasy to the touch; colour creamy- 

 white. Dimensions in mm. of a portion of a clutch : — (1) 68 x 49, 

 (2) 67 X 49, (8) 67.5 x 49.5, (4) 70 x 50, (5) 69 x 48, (6) 68 x 48. 



Breeding Season. — August to October generally. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South, Western, and North-West Australia. 



Observations. — Shooting begins 1st February, ends 30th June. 

 This handsome Duck is somewhat rare in Tasmania, the Lake 

 district appearing to be its stronghold. I have both seen and 

 have records of it from several other parts of the State. In no 

 locality is it anything approaching plentiful. 



]\Ir. George Eussell, of Cressy, informs me that as a table bird 

 it is almost worthless, many people refusing to touch jt at all, its 

 flesh being very ' ' strong. ' ' 



BLACK DUCK (Wild Duck) 

 {Anas superciliosa, Gmelin). 



Male. — Crown of the head and nape and a band from the 

 forehead through the eyes to the occiput black, slightly tinged with 

 brown ; superciliary stripe and a band from the base of the upper 

 mandible through the cheeks, chin, and throat clear pale buff; a 

 blackish -brown band from the gape to the ear coverts; back, rump, 

 upper tail coverts and tail brownish-black, the feathers, especially 

 the scapularies, narrowly edged with oohreous-buff ; wings brown- 

 ish; speculum on the secondaries glossy green; anteriorly and 

 posteriorly is a band of black; outer web of outer tertiaries black; 

 whole of under surface brownish-black, the feathers margined 

 with yellowish-buff; under wing coverts and axillaries white; bill 

 dull bluish-red; legs and feet yellowish. Dimensions in mm.: — 

 Length, 568; bill, 52; wing, 264; tail, 98; tarsus, 40.5. 



Fe-maJe.— Hind-neck, upper back, and scapulars distinctly 



