334 ANATIDffi. 



it resorts to breed in the numerous inlets and bays, also on the 

 islands adjacent to the mainland. Capital sport is to be had 

 during the moulting season, by chasing down and capturing these 

 birds by means of a fast sailing yacht. It breeds from September 

 to January, and constructs a large nest of reeds and other aquatic 

 herbage, laying from five to nine eggs of a pale green, the shell 

 of which is rather rough, and stained with brown. 



Dimensions of four eggs taken from a swamp near the Lachlan 

 River, taken by Mr. K. H. Bennett are as follows :— length (A) 

 4-1 X 2-6 inches; (B) 4-03 x 2-65 inches ; (C) 3-9 x 2-55 inches; 

 (D) 3-9 X 2-6 inches. 



Rah. Derby, North- West Australia, Rockingham Bay, Port 

 Denison, Wide Bay District, Richmond and Clarence Rivers 

 Districts, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, 

 West and South- West Australia. {Ramsay.) 



Genus CEREOPSIS, Latham. 



CEREOPSIS NOV^-HOLLAITDI^, Latham. 

 Oereopsis Goose. 

 Gould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 578, p. 350. 



This bird is found on the southern coast of Australia, and the 

 shores of Tasmania, but the islands of Bass's Straits is its great 

 stronghold and breeding ground. It breeds readily in 

 confinement, and I am indebted to Dr. Sinclair of Gladesville, for 

 a description of the nest and eggs of this species, who kindly 

 allowed me to examine those in his possession. One, of several 

 pairs of these birds had chosen for the site of their nest a clump 

 of bamboo canes which was growing in a small inclosure in one of 

 the paddocks. The nest was made on the ground and was composed 

 of the dried leaves and strips of stiff paper-like ddbris of the 

 bamboo, intermingled with down plucked off the breasts of the 

 birds. It measured sixteen inches across externally, and 



