  New data on both total and differential cross sections of the production of
$\eta$ mesons in proton-deuteron fusion to ${}^3\text{He}\,\eta$ in the excess
energy region $13.6\;\text{MeV}\leq Q_\eta \leq 80.9\;\text{MeV}$ are
presented. These data have been obtained with the WASA-at-COSY detector setup
located at the Forschungszentrum J\"ulich, using a proton beam at 15 different
beam momenta between $p_p = 1.60\;\text{GeV}/c$ and $p_p = 1.74\;\text{GeV}/c$.
While significant structure of the total cross section is observed in the
energy region $20\;\text{MeV}\lesssim Q_\eta \lesssim 60\;\text{MeV}$, a
previously reported sharp variation around $Q_\eta\approx 50\;\text{MeV}$
cannot be confirmed. Angular distributions show the typical forward-peaking
that was reported elsewhere. For the first time, it is possible to study the
development of these angular distributions with rising excess energy over a
large interval.

Nuclear Experiment;Nuclear Theory