144 ORNAMENTAL WATERFOWL. 
last of April to the early part of June, and the nest is placed 
on the ground, in the grass or rushes in the neighbourhood of 
ponds, pools, or streams, in meadows, and sometimes swamps. 
It is a large and neatly arranged structure of weeds and grass, 
nicely hollowed, lined with down and feathers from the 
breast of the bird. Specimens of the breed can usually be 
obtained at about £1 a pair. 
Male.—Head and upper body brown; throat and fore- 
parts of a lighter shade ; wings and tail sooty brown ; wing-bar 
beautiful violet-blue ; bill greenish ; legs and feet dirty-yellow. 
Female.—Similar to male. 
Young.—In down, head, and upper body dark brown, 
a straight dark line from base of bill across eye to nape of 
neck, another similar line below; face yellowish-white; chin 
and throat white; breast and abdomen dirty-white; legs and 
bill dusky-yellow. 
Egg.—Greenish ; “‘ yellowish-white ”— (Audubon) ; eight 
to ten in number. May—July. Incubation, about four weeks. 
AUSTRALIAN WILD DUCK; SUPERCILIOUS DUCK. 
(Anas superciliosa). 
This bird, also known as the “ Eyebrowed Duck,” is an 
inhabitant of Australia, where it is common, as also in the Pacific 
Islands. Specimens were first received by the Zoological 
Society of London from the late Mr. Edward Wilson, of 
Melbourne, in 1860; other examples following in 1863, 1865, 
1866. Dr. Sclater states that it may now be considered well 
established in Europe, having bred freely for a succession 
of years in the various Zoological Gardens of Europe. Its 
appearance is not prepossessing, resembling at the first glance 
