THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
the dry land. Long before the breeding-season they pair off, and one pair 
will occupy the same locality for some weeks, then for a while only one bird 
wiU be seen, which has become very tame, usually the male, although both 
birds help with the incubation. Where they breed in great numbers one pair 
of old birds will sometimes take possession of several families. At Wambiana 
Station, on the Macquarie River, my brother and self saw a pair of old birds 
with over fifty young ; we tried to count them, but could not, but were sure 
there were over fifty, and we could easily distinguish four different clutches, 
probably more. They prefer a dead tree to nest in, but are often found nesting 
in livmg Red Gums. As a rule thej?^ go a little distance away from the water 
for nesting purposes, and not in a tree overhanging water, such as other species 
of ducks prefer. I found one sitting upon eight eggs in a dead Box-tree near 
Narromine, quite two miles from the nearest water ; many people might think 
the young from a nest so situated would never live to reach water, but my 
own opinion is they do, and very quickly ; young Ducks, even though only 
Just out of the nest, are wonderfully active on their legs, and are most 
difficult to catch, either upon dry land or in water.” 
Mr. Tom Carter states : “ Have observed this species in the North-west 
and extreme South-west.” 
Sturt {Narr. Exped. Centr. Austr., Vol. II., App., p. 54, 1849) observed : 
“ There are two varieties of this beautiful goose, one bird being considerably 
larger than the other, but precisely the same in plumage. In the colony they 
are called the wood duck, as they rest on logs and branches of trees, and 
are often in the depth of the forest. They have an exceedingly small bill, 
characteristic of their genus, and a beautifully mottled neck and breast, the 
head and neck being a light brown. The smaller species is very common aU 
over South-eastern Australia, but the larger bird is more rare. Three only 
were shot during the progress of the Expedition. Their range did not extend 
beyond 28°. ” 
Berney’s notes read {Emu, Vol. VI., p. 156, 1907) : “ One of our commonest 
ducks during the summer, but it mostly appears to avoid us during the months 
of April to July inclusive. I have only come across a single instance of its 
nesting in the district (Queensland) : two ducklings in mottled brown down 
were captured at the end of March, 1904, and were successfully reared by hand. 
They are no favourite with the gunner, beiug very watchful and wary, besides 
being deemed mferior eating to the Black Duck or Teal. They weigh about a 
pound and a half. They are generally rather exclusive, not mobbing with 
other species of duck. Fifty or sixty would be the most I ever saw together, 
but this is not a favom’able locality for this class of bird ; we have no large 
sheets of water or swamps to attract them.” 
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