S.A. NAT., VOL. XV. 
Sept. 20th , 1934. 
1.13 
A FRESH-WATER MUSSEL ATTACHED TO A 
DUCK'S FOOT. 
By Bernard C. Cotton. 
PLATE II. 
An account of a large fresh-water mollusc, Hyridella australis, 
attached to the foot of a common “Black Duck,” Anas super ciliosa 
appears in the “Advertiser” of July 7, 1934. 
The bird was noticed flying near Xaracoorte with its foot 
hanging and was shot. The foot with mussel attached was given 
to the S.A. Museum and although the mollusc had been out of 
water four or five days it was still alive and very firmly adhering 
to the foot by the ventral margins of the shell’s two valves; the 
toe bone of the bird actually being crushed by the pressure. 
The mussel is a very fine specimen weighing 24ozs., and is 
the species commonly found in the River Murray and South 
Australian rivers generally. With this authentic record in mind, 
it can readily be understood how species of fresh-water Molluscs 
may become distributed over vast areas. 
