Habitats: Derby, North West Australia; Port Darwin, I'ort Essington, Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape 

 York. Rockingham Hay, South Coast of New Guinea. 



NETTAPUS ALIUPENXJS. (Gouid.j 



WEI TE-Q JJILBEB PTGMY GOOSE. Genus: Nettapus. 



rpillS species is so closely allied to to the Coromandelianus of India and -lava that the same name was bestowed 

 upon it, but inasmuch as it is much larger, and has a correspondingly larger white patch on the primary 

 wing Feathers, Albipennis was considered by Gould the more appropriate designation. 



Though this little goose is very common to the eastern portion of the continent, it seems to have 

 escaped the observation of naturalists, Gould himself confessing that it was one of the few birds in New South 

 Wales he was unable to observe in a state of nature. Consequently it follows that we are unable to give any 

 particulars of its habits and economy, though we may safely infer that what is true of the allied species, Nettapus 

 < foroniande/iaints, is also true of this bird. The former " frequents weedy and grassy tanks in moderate or rather 

 large (locks, Hies with great rapidity, uttering a cackling call, and is, when undisturbed, very familiar and unwary. 



It breeds generally in the boles of trees, often at some distance from water, and lays eight or ten white eggs." 



The male is so much larger and more brilliant than his mate that the sexes are easily distinguished. 



Top of head brown, showing patches of lighter brown ; cheeks and neck dirty white, lightly freckled 

 with brown towards shoulders, the brown increasing till it forms a decided ring dividing the white of the neck 

 from the white of the breast and under surfaces ; back and wing coverts brown, showing metallic lights ; 

 shoulders, tertiarics, and secondaries, bright metallic green; primaries, white, tipped with brown; flanks lightly 

 freckled with grey ; abdomen and vent light fawn ; patch of brown on under tail coverts ; upper tail coverts 

 finely freckled brown ; tail, wood brown ; bill, black ; feet, varnish brown; irides, chestnut red. 



Ilabitats : Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, Wide Bay District ; Richmond and Clarence River Districts 

 New South Wales. 



GENUS CHLAMYDOCHEN. {Bonaparte.) 



fPHIS genus is so nearly allied to the genus Bernicla, that Gould called the only known Australian species by 

 the name Bernicla in his " Birds of Australia," but later he adopted the term Chlamydochen, as being more 

 suitable. Ramsay departs from both names in preference for Brcmta. As a matter of fact our solitary 



species differs in many minor respects from the true Bernicla. 



CHLAMDYDOCHEN -JUBATA. 



MA NEB GOOSE, or WOOB BECK. 



TPIIIS bird is common to the entire mainland, but has never been seen in the islands of Bass' Straits or in 

 Tasmania, therefore we may safely assume it is not migratory. In New South Wales it was plentiful at 

 one time, and in South Australia it is one of the commonest of water birds about the rivers of the interior. 



