244 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
to the more open spaces of swamps. It procures most of its food out of 
the water, feeding on grass and herbage growing on the margins of streams 
and swamps; it often frequents fiats some distance from water. 
Nest . — In a hollow limb or hole in a tree, lined with down and 
feathers; often high up, and sometimes far from water. 
Eggs .—Six to twelve, creamy or creamy-white, the surface being 
smooth and lustrous. Breeding-season: all the year round, dependent on 
rainfall. 
9. Freckled Duck Stictonetta ncevosa Gould 
Stic-to-net'-ta —Gk, stictos, freckled; Gk, nctta, duck: ncev-o-sa _L. 
ncevosus, spotted. 
Distribution. —Southern Australia (as far north as North West Cape 
Western Australia, and the Flinders River, northern Queensland) and 
Tasmania. 
Notes. —Also called Monkey Duck and Speckled Duck. Usually in 
pairs or small flocks, frequenting chiefly lakes and swamps of the inland 
districts. It is a rare species in coastal areas, generally arriving in the 
interior during periods of drought. Although a fast flier, it is rather a 
quiet species, spending much of its time resting on banks and fallen logs 
or floating lazily upon the water. Food: aquatic plants and animals. 
Nest. A flat structure, composed of grass and herbage; lined with 
down. Generally well hidden among herbage growing in or near water 
and sometimes with a platform leading to it. 
hem, S T, n °, r twelve > P ale creamy-brown, the surface 
November°or 1 December. 1 ^ ' US,r ° US - <>"= September 
10. Pink-eared Duck Malacorhynchus membranaceus Latham 
tlc!uTri] H r y,1Ch '~ 1<S T Gk ' ma ! acos > soft ; Gk, rhynchos (rhugchos), beak: 
mem-bra-na -cc-us L., membranaceus, adj. from membrami, membrane. 
West ^fTm AUStraHa (except Western Australia south of North 
v\ est Cape) and lasmania. 
Usuaflv^nT^t-c 0 CaHed Z ,? b ™ Duck ’ Pink -eyed Duck, and Widgeon, 
lakes p ’ occ T as, . onall y 111 small flocks, frequenting chiefly shallow 
occSioi S, Xt 15 Tf/ con ? ned to the districts y and only 
ahont wfil ^ n .I 0 - 5 ' J Most of lts food is Procured by “shovelling" 
ftsW under L?er h f ^ bo “ om of & water; it often keeps 
animals ° f ^ thy pci ' iods ‘ Food = aquatic plants and 
parent f> birdI A nd 0 nLrerl maS * ° f down P lucked from the breasts of the 
tree,Jrom water-level up to°T heTght’oTdO feet'or'moro. 1 ” 111 ' ^ h °' e 3 
season: August to Dece t mber alTly " Whlte, tllC surface bein £ dulb Breeding- 
