PIED GOOSE. 
Nestling. Upper surface brown, bead darker ; on the wing a buff bar ; from the wings, 
on either side of the back, runs a buff stripe ; abdomen whitish ; sides and throat 
brownish ; fore-head and a stripe over each eye buff ; a stripe from the bill through 
the eye brown, and another almost from the base of the bill, running up to the nape. 
Nest. A large open structure of grass and weeds about two feet across the base, placed 
in shallow water, the bottom trodden sohd and resting on the ground. Inside 
measurement of egg cavity 14 inches wide by 3 deep. 
Eggs. Clutch, five to eleven. Creamy white, surface shghtly glossy and pitted. Axis 
70 to 80 mm. ; diameter 52 to 55. 
Breeding-season. February, March and April. 
This bird was first described by Latham in the Trans. Linn. Soc. (Lend.), 
Vol. IV., p. 103, 1798, but was again described in his Suppl. Index OrnitJi., 
p. Ixix., 1801, under the name Anas melanoleuca ; his first description was 
reproduced following this and a plate given. The name selected in the 
first instance had been Anas semipahnata, but for some inscrutable reason 
the other name was used for many years. In the Supplement, Latham 
states that he is indebted to Mr. Lambert for the drawing of the bird, but 
does not credit that gentleman with the account of its habits he details. 
The Lambert drawings have been investigated under the name of the 
Watling drawings, Watling being the name of the artist, by Dr. Bowdler 
Sharpe in the History of the Collections in the British Museum (Natural History), 
Vol. II., p. 153, 1906, where the full note is transcribed. As many of my 
readers will not have access to the History, I here give Watling’s note, the first 
life history of this species : 
“ This bird is about the size of our native Wild Goose. They are generally 
found in flocks and sometimes perching upon high trees. It has been 
observed by the man who sometimes shoots these birds that, in opening some 
of them, but not all, the windpipe formed several beautiful circumvolutions 
on the breast under the skin before it entered the thorax. An officer lately 
has opened one and confirms the truth of the sportman’s observations^. It is 
called by us the New South Wales Goose, palmated, instead of being web- 
footed, because its manner as weU as taste and flavour resembles that bird 
more than any other. The contour or general likeness is here very well 
observed. I have been informed that at times their note is tuneful and 
melodious, which appears probable from the conformation of the windpipe, if 
that singular circumstance is true. I have now a man out attending a pond 
where they most frequent, in hopes of getting one for dissection. They have 
only lately been observed and shot, principally on a pond near the Hawks burgh 
River, January 2nd, 1794. Native name Now-al-gang.” 
In the same drawings there was another pictmre with a note, “ This bird 
is about the size of a goose. Native name Bur-ra-yen-ne.” Upon this figure 
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