Page:Australia, from Port Macquarie to Moreton Bay.djvu/231

 of its plumage; the 'Coturnix pectoralis,' which is almost identically the same as the English species; and the 'Turnix velox' which is rather smaller. In the district of Port Macquarie, and at the MacLeay river, quails were particularly abundant. I remember that on one occasion, Mr. T— of Port Macquarie, shot no less than thirty brace in a few hours, on the cultivated alluvial plain at our squatting station at the MacLeay river.

There are several varieties of ducks in New South Wales, such as the brown duck (Anas superciliosa), which is rather larger than the English wild duck; the wood duck, which occasionally perches on trees; the large green-headed shieldrake, the white-headed or Rajah shieldrake, the Australian shoveller, &c.

It is worthy of remark how wary the Australian ducks become after they have been shot at a few times, so much so that it is impossible to approach sufficiently near in a boat, to the large flocks of ducks which alight on the estuaries of the rivers, to reach them with a common gun. As I employed a large punt-gun for this purpose, I however made great havoc among them at the MacLeay river; but there is more sport in shooting ducks among swamps and reedy lagoons with water spaniels. These swampy lagoons are also resorted to by wild geese, and several varieties of moor-fowl and water-rails, among which is a beautiful blue bird with scarlet bill and legs, and as large as a fowl. This bird can only take very short flights, and is easily taken by