86 ELASMONETTA CHLOROTIS 



Young in First Plumage: Very similar to the adult female (Salvadori, 1895). 



Young in Down: Covered with thick soft down, blackish brown, with lighter markings on the upper 

 surface; chin and under parts yellowish brown (Buller). 



Note: Several partial-albino specimens are described by Buller (1905) in his supplement, and the 

 head seems to be the part most affected, being often pure white. 



DISTRIBUTION 



This duck is resident in the islands of New Zealand, where it is generally distributed but has been 

 steadily diminishing in numbers during the last half century (Potts, 1870; Buller, 1888, 1905; 

 Hutton and Drummond, 1905). It occurs also on the Auckland Islands (Hutton, 1870) and ques- 

 tionably on the Chatham Islands (Hutton, 1872). The British Museum has a specimen purporting 

 to come from there. Recently what is evidently a young male of this species was taken in North 

 Queensland, Australia (Sassi, 1909). 



GENERAL HABITS 



Haunts. This very peculiar little duck is or was distributed all over New Zealand, 

 being found on every inland lake and often on deep fresh-water streams, where the 

 overhanging vegetation affords shelter. We are indebted to Sir Walter Buller (1888) 

 for almost all that is known of the habits of this duck, and he has given a very vivid 

 picture of its haunts. "For many miles along the low banks of the Manawatu and 

 other tidal rivers in the North Island there are what the settlers term 'kahikatea' 

 swamps, extending often considerable distances inland. Here the land, at all times 

 wet and swampy, is liable to frequent inundations from the river freshets. The trees, 

 which consist almost entirely of white pine, are laden with a prodigal growth of 

 kiekie (Freycinetia banksii) which entwines itself around the trunks, throwing out 

 tier above tier its waving bunches of flag-leaves, till a single tree sometimes supports 

 many tons of this epiphytic growth; it also spreads along the damp ground, forming 

 an almost impenetrable tangle, and shading from the sunlight the deep water holes 

 left by the subsiding river. Into this secure retreat, where the sportsman and his 

 dog alike are baffled by the very exuberance of the vegetation, the Brown Duck 

 loves to betake itself during the day, coming out in the cool hours of the evening to 

 feed in the creeks and lagoons." 



Wariness. In former years these ducks were ridiculously tame, and Buller 

 (1888) says he has approached them to within a few feet. But systematic persecu- 

 tion has made them very wary and in his supplement Buller (1905) says it is now 

 almost impossible to get near enough to them for a shot. 



Daily Movements. This species is distinctly a nocturnal feeder and is seen far 

 less than other ducks during the day. Buller (1888) says that at Horowhenua, where 

 they were particularly abundant, one is rarely surprised during the day, except by 



