MOUNTAIN DUCK. 
Roy. Soc. Tasm., 1886, p. 244, 1887 ; Tristram, Cat. CoU. Birds, p. 59, 1889 ; Hartert, 
Katal. Vogels Mus. Senckenb., p. 228, 1891 ; Mathews, Nov. Zool., Vol. XVIII., 
p. 237, 1912 ; White, Emu, Vol. XII., p. 183, 1913. 
Vulpanser tadomoides Reichenow, Orn. Centralbl., 1882, p. 35 ; id., Vogel. Zool. Gart., 
p. 62, 1882. 
Nettalopex tadornina Heine and Reichenow, Nomencl. Mus. Hein. Orn., p. 343, 1890. 
Casarca tadernoides Hall, Key Birds Austr., p. 107, 1899 ; Milligan, Emu, Vol. II., p. 76, 
1902 ; HiU, ih., p. 167, 1903 ; Hall, Key Birds Austr., 2nd ed., p. 107, 1906 ; {id., 
Emu, Vol. IX., p. 133, 1910. 
Tadorna tadomoides westralis Mathews, Austral Av. Rec., Vol. I., p. 118, 1912 ; South-west 
Australia. 
DiSTRiBUTioif. New South Wales ; Victoria ; Tasmania ; South Australia ; South- 
west AustraUa. 
Adult male. Head and upper-neck all round glossy black followed by a white coUar ; 
a short white line immediately below the eye ; fore-neck, breast, lower hind-neck, 
and mantle rufous chestnut ; back and scapulars black, finely vermiculated with 
sandy-buff fike the sides of the body, abdomen, and under tail-coverts ; lesser, 
median, and greater upper wing-coverts pure white ; bastard-wing, primary- 
coverts and quills black ; secondary-quills glossy green on the outer webs, brown 
on the inner ones and fringed with white, some of the inner secondaries almost 
white with only a little brown freckling near the tip, the innermost secondaries 
chestnut on the outer webs and dark grey on the inner ones ; rump, upper tail- 
coverts, and tail black ; axillaries and under wing-coverts white, the greater imder 
wing-coverts pale brown like the quill lining. Bill black ; iris dark brown ; feet 
greyish-brown. Total length 740 mm. ; culmen 45, wing 368, tail 118, tarsus 64, 
Adult female. Differs from the adult male in having the feathers encircling the base 
of the bill white, also a white ring round the eye which broadens out on the hinder 
part, the white collar narrower, the chestnut not so uniform in colour and extending 
on to the sides of the body, and the abdomen brown instead of black. Total length 
730 mm. ; culmen 40, wing 343, tail 114, tarsus 56. 
Immature female. Differs in having the crown of the head more freckled with brown. 
Immature male. Differs from the adult female in having much less white at the base of the 
bill and round the eye, the head brown instead of black, and the chestnut on the 
fore-neck, breast, hind-neck, and mantle much paler, abdomen also paler. 
Nestling in down. Pure white marked with pale brown on the head, hind-neck, back, 
wings, tail, middle of the back, and on the sides of the back leading towards the 
thighs. 
Nest. Usually placed in a hollow limb of a tree ; sometimes near water, but often not. 
Sometimes nests in rabbit-burrows and on the ground. Nest lined with down. 
Eggs. Clutch, 8 to 14 ; ground-colour creamy-white, surface glossy ; axis 68-70 mm., 
diameter 49-50. 
Breeding-season. July to December. 
Although I have received more notes concerning this bird it will be 
obvious to the student that little is yet known of its habits, and there is 
still much to do. 
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