ANAS. 
341 
Genus ANAS, Linnoeus. 
ANAS SUPERCILIOSA, Gmelin. 
Australian Black Duck. 
Gould, TIandbh. lids. Amt., Yol. ii., sp. 585, p. 363. 
“ The eggs of this species vary in number from six to ten for a 
sitting. The nest is often placed at some distance from the water 
among herbage on the ground, which hides the bird from view 
when sitting. Often a small ‘ run ’ through the long grass and 
herbs leads to the nest itself. A great variety of situations is 
chosen for the nest, and the eggs are always covered over with 
down and feathers of the parent bird when she leaves the nest. 
The colour is a pale cream tint, sometimes with a greenish shade. 
One egg I have seen has a round green spot, but this must be 
looked upon as quite accidental. Average length 2-2 x 1-9 inches 
in breadth.” ( Ramsay, P.L.S., JY.S. IK, 2nd Series, Yol. i., p. 1152.) 
ILab. Derby, N.W. Australia, Port Darwin and Port Essington, 
Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, 
Wide Lay, Dawson River, Richmond and Clarence Rivers 
Districts, New South Wales, Interior, Victoria and South Australia, 
lasmania, West and South-west Australia, South Coast New 
Guinea. (Ramsay .) 
ANAS CASTANEA, Eyton. 
(A. punctata, Cuvier.) 
» 
Australian Teal. 
Gould, llandbk. lids. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 586, p. 365. 
This well known bird is widely dispersed over the Continent of 
Australia, and the greater portion of Tasmania. It usually resorts 
to the hollow limbs of trees to breed, enveloping its eggs in a mass 
of down plucked from the breast of the parent birds; but 
occasionally its nest is found in the long grass or rushes bordering 
the margins of rivers and lagoons. Eggs eight or nine in number 
