346 
ANATIDffi. 
Genus ERISMATURA, Bonaparte. 
ERISMATURA AUSTRALIS, Gould. 
Blue-billed Duck 
Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 594, p. 379. 
This bird is dispersed over the southern and western portions of 
the continent of Australia, and is tolerably abundant on the 
Gippsland Lakes in Victoria ; it has also recently been found on 
Lake Buddali, near Trangie in New South Wales. 
According to Mr. Gould “ it breeds in September and October, 
constructing a nest very like that of the Biziura lobata, and laying 
from two to nine or ten eggs, which are of a large size, and of a 
uniform bluish-white, with a very rough surface; two inches and 
live-eighths long by two inches broad.” (Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. 
Aust., Vol. ii., p. 379.) 
llab. New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, West 
and South-west Australia. (Ramsay .) 
Genus BIZIURA, Leach. 
BIZIURA LOBATA, Shaw. 
Musk Duck. 
Gould, Ilandbk. Bds. Aust, Vol. ii., sp. 595, p. 381. 
“ The nest of this species is placed among the rushes, reeds, and 
weeds on the banks of the small islands in the lakes and the 
lagoons. It is composed of aquatic plants, leaves of the reeds, 
flags, and the like, and lined with a few feathers. The eggs are 
usually two in number, of a pale olive colour, 3-2 inches in length 
by 2-1 inches in breadth. The shell is minutely granulated, rough, 
and very strong. The breeding season begins in August and 
continues to the end of November.” ( Ramsay, Ibis, 1867, Vol. 
iii., New Series, p. 413, pi. viii., fig. 1.) 
Ilab. Wide Bay District, Richmond and Clarence Rivers 
Districts, New South Wales, Interior, Victoria and South 
Australia. {Ramsay.) 
