THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
they are as much nocturnal as they are diurnal, and one would wonder 
when they take their rest.” 
Captain S. A. White’s notes, also regarding South Australia, confirmed 
the preceding, but a later one made upon Lake Albert, reads pleasantly : 
“ I had never seen more than twenty to thirty of these birds together 
before, but this trip opened our eyes. By lying flat down in a small 
duck boat we were able to get within thirty yards of a flock of these 
birds, which would be under-estimated if put down between three and 
four thousand. On rough days when the surface of the lake was much 
disturbed, they assembled in a dense mass on a spit some distance from 
the shore, in company with many kinds of ducks, pelicans, spoonbills, crane, 
etc. When the weather was fine they spread out over the shallow parts of 
the lake, feeding upon the weed at the bottom. The female makes a loud, 
harsh, nasal, canking cry, and the male answers with a deep short note like 
a grunt. We found these birds were not nearly so good eating as other 
duck, still they are far from what some people think — that is unedible, and 
we were glad at times to get their flesh to eat.” 
Hall {Emu, Vol. IX., p. 79, 1909) observed : “ Feeds upon the short 
mossy grasses in the same way as the Maned Goose. This causes quick 
decomposition of the bird when killed in summer.” 
In view of Mr. Mellor’s experiment with the nestlings of CJienonetta jubata 
(ante, p. 57), it should be recorded that Campbell {Nests and Eggs, Vol. II., 
p. 1031, 1901) has reproduced the account of a writer in the weekly news- 
paper The Australasian, who unfortunately signed himself “ Nemo.” This 
writer asserted that this bird carried its young in its bill from the nesting- 
hole to the ground. More reliable observations must be made to reconcile 
this assertion with Mr. Mellor’s results above referred to. 
Mr. T. P. Austin (North, Austr. Mus. Spec. Cat., no. 1, p. 71, 1913) noted : 
“ On Barwon Park Station, near Winchelsea, Victoria, the Mountain Duck 
{Casarca tadornoides) was to be seen on the brackish and salt lakes at aU 
times of the year, but never in very large numbers. Although not looked 
upon as a suitable bird for the table, consequently never shot at, they 
were always very wild, in fact the wildest of all the Ducks. A few pairs 
bred on this station every year, as I always saw young birds about, often 
just hatched, but it was a puzzle to me where they had their nests ; I 
never found one or heard of one being found. The only trees about were 
a few Red Gums along the Barwon River. It was a most unusual thing 
to see any of these Ducks at fresh water.” 
Dr. Macgillivray’s account {ibid.) reads : “ Of the Anatince found here 
(Hamilton, Western Victoria) Casarca tadornoides is the earliest breeder, eggs 
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