Ducks. 
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and are of a more or less pale buff colour, with a distinct tinge of green. The ground colour of the plumage 
throughout is a dark brown ; on the head and back of head and back it is of a deeper shade than the breast 
and under-parts, each feather being laced with a margin of buffy-white. The head, brownish, of a deeper 
shade ; bill, of a bluish lead colour ; eyes, hazel. A stripe of buffy-white extends in a crescentic form from 
the centre of the base of the upper mandible over the eye and behind the ear, a second broad stripe of 
buffy-white extending from the base of the upper mandible below the eye, almost meeting the upper stripe at 
the back. The centre between the two stripes is a dark brown. The upper portion of the throat and sides 
of the neck are a buffy-white, slightly mottled with brown, gradually merging into the deeper tint of the back 
of neck. Tail, brown, with a narrow edging to each feather of buffy-white ; legs, brownish-yellow. 
Wood Duck. — Next in value to the " Black Duck " as an edible bird is the Australian Maned Goose, 
or " Wood Duck." This variety is one of the most handsome and beautifully marked species of the wild 
duck inhabiting Australia. Some years back they were quite common on the northern rivers of this colony, 
and afforded excellent sport. Although this bird is termed a Wood Duck, owing to its habit of perching on 
trees, and willows by the water side, and, further, that it usually breeds in the hollow limbs of trees over- 
hanging the waters of rivers, creeks, or lagoons, it is by no means confined to timbered localities, and maybe 
often found on the coast and open lagoons in company with the various wild varieties, such as " Teal," 
" Black Duck," " Musk Duck," etc. 
This variety, however, is found in far greater numbers on the heavily timbered margins of rivers, creeks, 
and lakes inland, and invariably resorts to hollow trees for the purposes of breeding. It is found throughout 
Australia, with the sole exception of the extreme northern portions of the Continent. One peculiarity of this 
nird is the distance (where opportunity offers) from the opening in the hollow of the branch, or tree, they 
build the nest, instances having been known of the nests being found ten to twelve feet from the opening. 
The nest, unlike the other varieties of Wild Duck, is composed entirely of the downy feathers plucked from 
the breast of the parent bird. The eggs laid at a batch vary from eight to twelve in number. The shell of 
the egg is very fine in texture, slightly glossy, and of a creamy-white colour. Where the nesting-place 
is some distance from the water's edge, on the ducklings being hatched, the female carries one by one 
in her bill to the water, but where the nest is made in a horizontal branch overhanging the creek, or 
river, the young birds follow the mother to the entrance, and, encouraged by her calls, flutter down 
into the water below. The breeding season usually commences in the early Spring, continuing till quite 
the end of the year. 
The drake's head and neck are of a rich, deep brown colour, slightly glossed with green on the top of 
the head. The plumes from which it derives the name of the Maned Goose, which extend down the back 
of the neck, are a deep purplish black ; the upper part of the back is greyish, each feather broadly marked 
with black on either side, the lower portion of the back, rump, upper tail-coverts and tail black, the latter 
slightly glossed with green ; the lesser wing-coverts, tertiaries, and scapulars grey — the latter broadly margined 
with black on the outer webs of the feather ; greater wing-coverts dark grey, well tipped with white on the 
outer edge ; wing-primaries dark brown, running darker until almost black at the tips ; speculum on the outer 
webs of the secondaries brilliant glossy-green, the apical portion of the outer feathers white. The feathers of 
the breast are greyish white at the base finely pencilled with brown, the apical portion brown in the centre, 
blackish-brown on the sides, with a semi-rounded marking of buffy-white at the tip ; sides of the lower 
portion of the breast and the sides grey, each feather minutely pencilled with irregular black markings ; the 
centre of the lower portion of the breast and under-parts to the tail are black ; eyes brown, of a dark shade ; 
bill, olive brown ; legs and feet, dark brown. The duck's body colour is on the top portion greyish-brown ; 
the lower portion of back, rump, and tail, blackish, the wing speculum not being nearly so bright as the 
male ; the head and neck are pale brown ; the sides of the head, the throat, and under part of neck freckled 
with white markings ; breast and under sides brown, each feather broadly tipped and crossed in the centre 
with white ; centre of the breast and under-parts white. 
