265 
bright ferruginous, with freckled margins, and varied more or less with brown , on the ^ 
plumage overlapping the thighs numerous freckled vermiculations of brown and white ; s o ’ 
mantle dark brown mixed with rufous, beautifully vermiculated with fulvous white and largely vane ^ 
ferruginous ; middle portion of back minutely freckled with white ; surface of wings precisely as in e 
male; rump and upper surface of tail glossy black; abdomen ferruginous largely mixed with dark brown, 
presenting a banded and mottled appearance; under tail-coverts paler ferruginous, freckled with biacK 
at the tips. 
Young. In the young state the sexes are alike, the plumage resembling more nearly that of the adult male. 
Head and upper portion of neck sooty black, varied with light brown ; lower portion of neck dark brown 
with narrow transverse lines of rufous ; the whole of the under surface blackish brown, mottled and barred 
with rufous, each feather narrowly margined with white ; shoulders, back, and lower sides of the body blac t, 
with white freckles and vermiculations ; wings as in the adult ; rump and tail black ; under tail-coverts 
pale ferruginous. 
Trogress towards maturity. Examples exhibit much individual variety in their progress towards maturity ; tins 
is especially the case with the female, the first indication of change being the appearance of irregular white 
feathers on the head and neck, which rapidly increase in number till the plumage of those parts becomes 
entirely white; and in a more advanced state the underparts are varied with scattered feathers of rufous m 
such a manner as to impart a very lively effect. Some specimens of the immature male are marked with 
rufous on the forehead and lores. 
Nestling. Covered with soft down, for the most part pure white, but largely varied on the upper surface with 
brown; the cheeks, throat, fore neck, and all the under surface entirely white; the top and upper sides o 
the head, in a line with the eyes, the hind neck and shoulders, a broad mark down the back spreading on 
the tail, the anterior portion and tips of wings, and a broad patch on each flank, continued in a me over e 
thighs, dull umber-brown; bill and feet pale brown. 
Obs Younger males differ from the perfectly matured ones in having a tinge of brown about the head, and 
the feathers of the shoulders more or less margined with dull fulvous brown, presenting on the surface 
wavy lines. 
Of the eight species of this tribe inhabiting New Zealand the “ Paradise Duck ’ of the colonists is 
undoubtedly the finest. It is spread all over the South Island, being extremely abundant in some 
localities: but in the North Island, although abundant in the Wairarapa and in the Ruataniwha 
plains, its range does not extend beyond lat. 39° S., or, in other words, it ceases to be met with aftei 
passing the Petane district, on the east coast*. It is difficult to understand why it should be thus 
confined, but it is nevertheless a well-established fact. A flock of five, many years ago, visited the 
Kaipara district, north of Auckland. Another flock of five visited Rotomahana Lake in March 1866, 
and a pair was seen on Lake Taupo in October 1873. These are the only instances that have come 
within my knowledge of the occurrence of this species beyond its ordinary range. At certain 
seasons of the year it associates in large flocks, which migrate from one part of the country to another, 
resorting at one time to the river-mouths and salt-marshes near the sea-coast, and at another retiring 
to the grassy plains and lagoons of the interior. In winter a partial separation of the sexes appears 
to take place, it being a common thing to see a flock of ten or more drakes to one duck, and vwe 
versa. At other times they wander about in pairs ; and whether reposing on the water or feeding 
* On the west coast it is very scarce. A few are always to he seen on the river-flats neai the mouth of the Ohai , ’ 
has "been shot on the Wanganui race-course ; but its comparative rarity may be inferred from the following paragrap , w iic 
appeared, not long ago, in the ‘ llangitikei Advocate ’ : — “ The well-known chief Utiku has a pair of rare cuiiosities at 
Houhou pah, in the shape of a brace of tame Paradise Ducks. The creatures arc as docile as domestic poultr3 . 
2 M 
VOL. II. 
