OXYURA AUSTRALIA Gould. 



Ma sc. Oxy. capite toto collogue nigris ; pectore, dor so lateribusque nitide castaneis ; remigibus, tec- 

 tricibus caudceque nigrescentibus ; uropygio nigricante brunneo inornate ; abdomine crissoque brun- 

 neo-cinereis brunneo transversaliter obscure striatis ; rostro pedibusque plumbeis. 



Foem. Differt toto corpore nigricante, obscuris lineis guttisque castaneis notato ; partibus inferioribus 

 corporis pallidioribus. 



Long. tot. 15 unc; rostri, 2; alee, 6; caudce, 3; tarsi, 1±. 



Male. Whole of the head, throat, and neck black ; chest, breast, back, and flanks rich chestnut ; 

 wings and tail brownish black; rump brownish black freckled with brown; belly and under tail- 

 coverts brownish grey, obscurely marked transversely with dark brown ; feet and bill blackish lead 

 colour. 



Female. Is the same size as the male, and has a plumage of uniform blackish brown, transversely 

 marked with indistinct zigzag lines and freckles of chestnut brown, lighter and more greyish brown on 

 the under surface ; tail-feathers black. 



Oxyura Australis, Gould in Proc. of Zool. Soc, Part IV., 1836. 



Habitat. Australia : localities, Van Diemen's Land, and Swan River, 



