WHITE-EYED DUCK. 
bottom of the lakes. I have known them often to prefer to escape by diving 
than to take to wing. Their food consists chiefly of small fresh-water shell- 
fish ; ninety per cent, of these birds are infested with tapeworms, their 
intestines containing yards upon yards of these worms.” 
Mr. J. W. Mellor notes : “ Known as the ‘ Hardhead,’ also ‘ Widgeon ’ 
by the colonists, and ‘ Punkery ’ by the blacks, they are fairly common in 
South Australia. I have seen them on Lakes Alexandrina and Albert, at the 
Reed-beds and various other places. They sometimes collect in flocks of some 
scores in number and may be seen on the swamps diving and dredging with 
their bills in the soft mud and aquatic plants, securing their food. They do 
not seem to nest in these southern districts but depart in the spring, presum- 
ably for the more isolated spots, where they can breed unmolested.” Later 
he added : “ They breed in the district, as a resident of Lake Albert last 
season secured a splendid clutch for the Adelaide Museum, containing no 
fewer than sixteen eggs — a truly large clutch for such a small bird ; the eggs 
resemble the usual duck eggs in colour and shape, but are smaller than the 
Black Duck and larger than the Teal.” 
Berney {Emu, Vol. VI., p. 157, 1907) regarding Queensland recorded : 
“ A far from common and a shy Duck in these parts, showing up with the 
summer rains and leaving again as soon as they cease and the outside waters 
dry up. The stomach (of a male shot January, 1905) was examined by 
Mr. A. S. Le Souef, who reported that it contained ‘ roughly, fifty per 
cent, gravel, many broken small sheU-fish, grass or plant-fibres, no trace of 
bones or insects.’ ” 
Hall {Emu, Vol. IX., p. 78, 1909) has written : “ This is one of the two 
species known as Widgeon or Hardhead. It fishes in conjunction with the 
Coots {Fulica australis). A flock of say 100 will find a large flock of 
Coots and watch them disturbing the shrimps in order to secure a share. 
The Coot collects its food below the surface, while the Hardhead catches the 
shrimp as it jumps in the air. The Hardhead catches two to the Coots’ ^one. 
This is a Diving Duck and probably the only one that resorts to this method. 
The Coots appear to do all the work. Mussels form another food, which is 
found in the clayey banks of the river, into which the Ducks plunge their 
beaks below the water surface. They prefer timbered lakes. A loud 
squawk is their signal to rise quickly.” 
The bird figured and described is a male collected in Victoria in 
December, 1862. 
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