132.  Spatula RHYNCHOTIS.—­Australian Shoveller.

Not quite so large as the wild duck, but extremely good eating.  This bird is not common in the interior, and was only seen once or twice amongst other ducks.  Its plumage is a dark brown, and it has a light dull blue band across the wing.  It takes its name from its peculiar bill, and may be termed the Shoveler of Australia.  The specimens we procured in the interior are precisely the same as those of the southern coast of the continent.

133.  MALACORHYNCHUS MEMBRANACEUS.—­Membrane Duck.

A beautiful duck, of delicate plumage, but little fit for the table.  It is very common on most of the Australian creeks and streams, and is called the Whistling Duck.  This duck is rather larger than our teal.  It has a grey head, with a brown tinge, and is mottled in the breast something like the woodcock.  Its eye is dark and clear, and it has a line of rose-pink running longitudinally behind it.

134.  ANAS punctata, CUV.—­Common Teal.

Somewhat larger than the English Teal, and equally good for the table.  The plumage of this little bird is dark, like that of the wild duck, from which, in this respect, it hardly differs.  It is the most numerous of the water birds of the interior, and was sure to be in greater or less numbers on any extensive waters we found.  A pair had a brood on one of the ponds in the Depot Glen; but the whole were taken off by a kite, Milvus affinis, that watched them land and then flew at them.  So long as they kept in the water they were safe, but on land soon fell a prey to the kite.

135.  LEPTOTARSIS EYTONI, Gould.—­Eyton’s Duck.

This new and fine bird was first shot on Strzelecki’s Creek by Mr. Browne; and was subsequently seen by me in considerable numbers on Cooper’s Creek.  Its range was not to the westward, nor was it seen north of the Stony Desert.  I believe I am wrong in stating that the first was killed at the place above mentioned; for, if my memory does not deceive me, we had already secured a specimen at the Depot.  In its general plumage it is of a light brown, with a mottled breast and neck.  It has long white feathers crossing the thighs, with a fine black line along them, and altogether it is a handsome bird.  Under ordinary circumstances we might have fared well on this duck at Cooper’s Creek; but it was so wild as to keep out of our reach, being evidently hunted by the natives of the creek.

136.  BIZIURA Lobata.—­Musk Duck.

This ugly bird was common on the Murray, and was seen by me in hundreds on Lake Victoria; but it is seldom seen on the Darling—­never to the westward of Stanley’s Range.  It is an Oxford grey in colour, with a light shade of brown; he flaps only, not being able to do more than skull along the top of the water.  It trusts therefore for its safety to diving; and is so quick as to be shot with difficulty.  The peculiarities of this bird are two-fold:  first its strong, musky smell, and secondly the large appendage the male bird has attached to the under part of the bill.