APPENDIX. 
399 
any lining of feathers or down, and contained fifteen eggs in an 
early stage of incubation, several of which he took. This Duck is 
very common in the neighbourhood, and is found frequenting the 
large swamps, but this is the first time we have obtained the nest.” 
The eggs in form, are an ellipse tapering sharply to each end, 
which are pointed and of equal size. They are of a pale creamy- 
white, and in the specimens forwarded have light reddish-purple 
markings on one end appearing as if beneath the surface of the 
shell, these markings are I think abnormal, one specimen having 
only a few spots on the side. Length (A) 2'09 x 1-43 inch; 
2T3 x 1'42 inch. 
in a subsequent letter, Mr. Barnard writes as follows:—“Nearly 
all the Whistling-Duck’s eggs taken had markings on one end, 
but most of those left in the nest wore without them, I do not think 
the markings are typieal, but only the effect of the season, as I have 
noticed the markings on the Butterflies and Moths were darker 
and richer this past season than in ordinary ones.” 
ilab. Derby, N. W. Australia, Port Darwin and Port Essington, 
Gulf of Carpentaria, Cape York, Rockingham Bay, Port Denison, 
Wide Bay District, Richmond and Clarence Rivers District, 
New South Wales, Interior, South Coast New Guinea. {Ramsay.) 
SPATULA RIIYNCHOTIS, Latham. 
Australian Shoveller. 
Gould, llandbk. Bds. Aust., Yol. ii., sp. 588, p. 3G8. 
Mr. Bennett has found several nests of this species last season, 
so I take this opportunity of giving the measurements of a full 
set of the eggs, together with the following extract from one of his 
letters :—“ September 22nd, found nest of Spatula rhynchotis, 
containing eleven eggs, all quite fresh. I shot the female as she 
flew off. The nest was composed of a few stems of grasses tfcc., and 
was placed in a slight hollow in a bunch of herbage on the plain.” 
In several sets examined they are elongated ovals in form. 
A set of eleven taken by Mr. Bennett at Yandembah, on 
the 22nd September, 1889, measures as follows :—Length (A) 
