PLUMED WHISTLING DUCK. 
Leptotarsis sp. Leichhardt, Journ. Overl. Exped. Austr., pp. 45, 287, 1847. 
Dendrocygna arcuata (nec Cuvier) Bennett, in Sclater Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lend.) 1866, p. 149. 
Dend/rocygna [Leptotarsis) eytoni Bennett, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Bond.) 1866, p. 418 ; Gray,. 
Handl, Gen. Sp. Birds, pt. in., p. 80, 1871. 
Dendrocygna [Leptotarsus) eytoni Ramsay, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., Vol. I., p. 195, 1877 ; 
Vol. II., p. 200, 1877 ; id., Tab. List Austr. Birds, p. 22, 1888. 
Dendrocycna eytoni Sclater, Proc. Zool. Soc. (Lond.) 1880, p. 510 ; Reichenow, Vogel. Zool. 
Gart., p. 59, 1882 ; Tristram, Cat. CoU. Birds, p. 50, 1889 ; Salvador!, Cat. Birds 
Brit. Mus., Vol. XXVII., p. 165, 1895 ; HaU, Key Birds Austr., p. 107, 1899 ; 
Campbell, Nests and Eggs Austr. Birds, Vol. II., p. 1027, 1901 ; Garter, Emu, 
Vol. III., p. 211, 1904; Hall, Key Birds Austr., 2nd ed., p. 107, 1906; Ingram, 
Ibis 1907, p. 395 ; Berney, Emu, Vol. VI., p. 156, 1907 ; Littler, Handb. Birds Tasm.,, 
p. 218, 1910. 
Dendrocygna eytoni munna Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. I., p. 86, 1912, Queensland ; 
Mathews and Iredale, Ibis 1913, p. 407. 
Distribution. Australia ; Tasmania (New Zealand). 
Adult male. Mantle, back, scapulars, and wings lead grey with pale margins to some of 
the short scapulars ; bastard- wing, primary-coverts, and quills dark brown, some 
of the secondaries slightly edged with white at the tips ; lower back, rump, and upper 
tail-coverts dark brown with paler edges to the feathers ; sides of rump yeUowish- 
buff margined with black as also the long upper tail-coverts, the latter broadly 
tipped with black ; tail uniform black ; crown of head and hind-neck pale rufous 
like the fore-neck and sides of neck, becoming bright chestnut on the sides of the 
breast and strongly barred with black, more faintly on the middle of the breast, 
where the ground-colour is buff ; chin and throat white, sides of face and lower 
throat grey ; the long narrow flank plumes buff, margined with black ; abdomen, 
thighs, and under tail-coverts white ; axillaries white, broadly edged with dark, 
brown ; under wing-coverts buffy-white barred with black. BiU, upper mandible 
black, mottled with flesh-colour, tip brown, bar flesh-colour, lower mandible flesh- 
colour ; eye and eye-lash yellow ; tarsi and feet flesh-colour. 
, Adult female. Similar to the adult male. Wing 233 mm. ; culmen 41, tail 70, tarsus 56. 
Nest. “ Similarly situated to that of the other Whistling Duck, upon the plains, in herbage, 
generally far from water. Has no down ” (Campbell). 
Eggs. “ Clutch, 10 to 12 probably ; roundish in form ; texture of shell fine ; surfaVje 
: glossy; colour, a light creamy outer-coating, on being removed reveals a fighter- 
coloured shell. Occasionally specimens are stained or minutely spotted with fight 
; brown. Dimensions in inches : 1.88-1.97 x 1.4-1.56 ” (Campbell). 
Breeding-season. September, October, November ; February (Berney). 
I 
4: The lack of observations with regard to the economics of this bird is again 
noticeable and most regrettable. It was recorded with great pleasure by 
the intrepid explorers of Central Australia, Stokes, Leichhardt and Sturt, all 
referring to it as one of the most numerous edible fowl of the Interior, 
; and as contributing to their welfare many times. Leichhardt especially 
, makes notes of this, and particularly mentions the whistling flight. 
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