220 BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 



brownish ; margins of feathers on the under surface tinged with 

 rufous; other parts similar to male. Dimensions in mm.: — 

 Length, 605; bill, 53; wing, 263; tail, 124; tarsus, 45. 



Young. — Plumage in general paler than in adult; margins to 

 feathers distinctly brighter. 



Nestling. — " Upper parts dark olive-brown, with produced hair- 

 like filaments of paler brown; sides of the head and under parts 

 of the body pale yellowish-brown, lightest on the abdomen; from 

 the base of the bill on each side a dark band passes beyond the 

 eye and another in a curve below it ; there are markings of fulvous 

 white on the edges of the wings, and on each side of the back there 

 are two irregular spots of the same about an inch apart. Irides 

 black; bill and legs plumbeous, the nail of the former brown" 

 (Buller). 



Xest. — Either placed on the ground among herbage, or else 

 in a hole in a tree or in a stump. It is formed of grass, lined with 

 do^vn. 



Eggs. — Clutch ten to twelve; elliptical in shape; texture fairly 

 fine; surface glossy and greasy; colour light greenish -white. 

 Dimensions in mm. of a portion of a clutch: — (1) 57 x 41, (2) 67 

 X 40, (3) 56 X 40, (4) 57.5 x 42, (5) 56.5 x 40.5, (6) 58 x 41.5. 



Breeding Season. — August or September to December. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, King Island, whole of 

 the mainland; also New Zealand, Polynesia, Timor, and Java. 



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

 Of the various species of Ducks inhabiting Tasmania, the ^Yild 

 Duck is the best known, and one of if not the highest esteemed, 

 both as a game and table bird. Owing to the persistency with 

 \Ahich it has been hunted of late years, it has become very shy, 

 calling forth great patience and ingenuity on the part of gunners 

 to circumvent it. On several of our larger rivers " ilatties " are 

 rauch used, these often being decorated with reeds and rushes to 

 conceal the gunner. Owing to its semi-noctmnal habits, it is the 

 custom in districts where this bird frequents .lagoons to do most 

 of the shooting at night, a clear moonlight night being considered 

 the best. When arriving at its feeding ground, and before settling 

 down, it always circles round to reconnoitre, and then descends in 

 an oblique direction. 



" In its habits, it differs in no respect from the other members 

 of its group. In the water it swims low, with the neck erect and 

 the head gently swayed to and fro ; when at rest it either floats 

 on the surface with the head drawn closely in, or it reposes on the 

 bank verj- near to the water's edge, often selecting a jutting point 

 of land, as affording a more unobstructed view and less danger 

 of surprise ; and when the banks are soft and muddy it takes up 

 its station on a log of wood, bare rock, or other projecting object " 

 (Buller). 



On the Tamar and Derwent Eivers especially, and in other 



