family. Its long wings and long legs denote a rapid runner and a rapid
flyer, so that it has little trouble in catching its insect food,
either in the air or on the ground.
Our inland Stone-Curlew has a call very similar to that of the sea
(true) Curlew, but it has a short, straight bill, instead of a long,
arched bill. The proper name of the land Curlew is the Southern
Stone-Curlew or Stone-Plover. It is the only Australian bird that
seems to have the power of varying the color of its eggs. If the eggs
are laid in grass, they are greenish; if amongst ironstone, the eggs
are reddish-brown; if on sand, the eggs are tawny; and so on. Other
ground-laying birds seem to pick out the soil that matches the
color of their eggs, and lay there only. Possibly local races of the
Southern Stone-Curlew keep to the one class of country. However, the
eggs do match the surroundings, and the birds nest on different kinds
of soil and rock.
In Family 42, the only Australian bird is the Australian Bustard, our
representative of a widely-spread family, a member of which formerly
bred in Great Britain. It is the well-known "Wild Turkey." As it is a
good table bird, it is generally shot on sight. This is a mistake,
as it is (as Mr. C. French, Government Entomologist, has pointed out)
worth many times its table value as an insect destroyer. None of the
family has spread to America. As no Bustard occurs in the regions
between Australia and India, this bird supplies a good example of
what is known to zoo-geographers as "discontinuous distribution."
"Discontinuous distribution," as applied to land animals, _e.g._,
marsupials found in America and Australia, ratite birds in South
America, South Africa, Australia, and New Zealand, or the tapir,
found in Central America and Malaysia, implies a land connexion (not
necessarily complete at any one period) to allow of the gradual spread
of the animals. Of course, as flying birds can pass easily from one
region to another, "discontinuous distribution," as applied to them,
cannot have so much importance attached to it as indicating previous
land connexions.
====
[Page 42]
[Illustration: [76] [77] [78] [79] [80] [81] [82]]
ORDER X.--CHARADRIIFORMES.
F. 34. _Chionididae_, Sheathbills, Kelp-Pigeons, 3 sp.--2(2)E.
1(1)Nl.
F. 35. _Thinocorythidae_, Seed-Snipe, Seed-Plover, 5 sp. Nl.
F. 36. CHARADRIIDAE (44), Waders, Plover-like Birds, 202
sp.--68(29)A., 75(5)O., 84(2)P., 70(24)E., 65(3)Nc., 74(28)Nl.
1
2
=76 Turnstone=, Sea-Dottrel, Calico (beach) Bird, _Arenaria
interpres_, cos.
[~76 _Morinella interpres._]
Mig. c. _shore_ 8
Winter plumage, mottled brown, black; summer plumage in far
north; black and white conspicuous; short bill black; legs,
feet, orange; f., duller. Sand-hoppers, shellfish.
[Page 43]
2
13
=77 Pied Oyster-catcher= (White-breasted, Black and white),
Seapie, Olive, Redbill, Torea, _Haematopus longirostris_,
Mol., N.G., A., T., N.Z., Chatham Is. =vt. Eur.
Oyster-catcher.
Stat. c. _shores_ 19.5
Black; abdomen, rump, base tail above, below white; eyes,
bill, legs red; bill 3.75in.; f., sim. Sand-hoppers,
shellfish, worms.
=78 Black Oyster-catcher= (Sooty), Redbill, Toreo-pango, _H.
fuliginosus_, A., T., N.Z.
Stat. c. _shores_ 18
Sooty-black; bill, feet, eye red; f., sim. Shellfish, worms.
1
1
=79 Red-kneed Dottrel=, Sandpiper (e), _Erythrogonys cinctus_, A.
Mig. r. _muddy river banks_ 7.5
Head, upper-neck, chest, black; throat, sides of neck,
abdomen, under base tail white; back olive-brown; middle tail
feathers olive, rest white; thigh, knee pink-red; f., sim.
Insects.
2
4
=80 Spurwing Plover= (Wattled), Alarm-Bird, _Lobivanellus
lobatus_, A., T.
[~80 _Lobibyx novae hollandiae._]
Stat. c. _plains_, _swamps_ 14
"One of most beautiful of plovers;" crown black; face,
hind-neck, rump, under white; upper brown; tail white tipped
black; wattle on face lemon-yellow; spur on shoulder; f., sim.
Insects.
1
1
=81* Black-breasted Plover= (Stubble, Flock, Plain), _Zonifer
tricolor_, A., T.
Stat. v.c. _plains_ 10.5
Upper brown; crown, line on face down to broad band on chest,
wing-quills black; line through eye, throat, abdomen white;
tail white barred black; spot at base of upper-bill blood-red;
f., spot lighter-red. Insects.
1
1
=82 Gray Plover= (Black-bellied), Gray Sandpiper (e), Maycock,
_Squatarola helvetica_, cos. 82
[~_Squatarola squatarola._]
Mig. r. _muddy shores_, _rivers_ 12
Crown, upper, wings, olive-brown mottled white; wing-quills
blackish-brown; rump white; tail white barred light olive;
face, under white, breast tinged buff; bill, feet blackish;
small hind toe; brighter in far North; f., sim. Insects,
worms.
[Page 44]
[Illustration: [83] [84] [85] [86] [87]]
1
2
=83 Lesser Golden Plover= (Pacific, American, Australian,
Eastern), _Charadrius dominicus_, almost cos.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Mig. flocks, r. _plains near sea_, _rivers_ 9
Upper, tail dark-brown marked whitish; under mottled buff,
brown, white; line over eye, throat whitish; no hind toe;
brighter in far north; f., sim. Insects, worms.
4
8
=84 Double-banded Dottrel= (Banded), Pohowera, _Ochthodromus
bicinctus_, A., T., Norfolk Is., Lord Howe Is., N.Z.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Mig. c. _shores_, _grass_ 6.5
Upper brownish-gray; under white; black band on chest;
chestnut band on abdomen; forehead white; black line through
eye; eyelash scarlet; no hind toe; f., duller. Insects, worms.
=85 Oriental Dottrel= (Eastern, Asiatic, Mongolian), _O.
veredus_, Mongolia, China to A.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Mig. v.r. _sandy coasts_ 9.5
Indistinct mottled plumage; upper brown and buff; throat
lighter; abdomen white; slender bill dark-brown; legs long,
slender; no hind toe; f., sim. Insects, worms.
4
19
=86 Red-capped Dottrel=, Red-necked Plover, Sandlark,
_AEgialitis ruficapilla_, China to A., T., N.Z.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Stat. c. _shores_ 6
Crown, hind-neck rust-red; upper, wings pale-brown;
wing-quills blackish-brown; centre tail dark-brown, rest
white; under, forehead white; f., duller. Shellfish.
=87* Black-fronted Dottrel=, _AE. melanops_, A.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Stat. r. _rivers_, _pools_, _lakes_ 6
Forehead, broad band on chest black; throat, abdomen, stripe
over eye, round hind-neck white; eyelash bright-red; "active,
elegant bird;" f., sim. Insects, worms.
[Page 45]
[Illustration: [88] [89] [90] [91] [92] [93]]
=88 Hooded Dottrel=, _AE. cucullata_, A., T.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Stat. c. _shore_ 8.3
Head, throat, upper-back black; hind-neck, under white;
lower-back light brownish-gray; middle tail feathers black,
rest tipped white; scarlet ring round eye; f., crown mottled
black, white. Sand-hoppers, worms.
1
1
=89 Australian Dottrel=, _Peltohyas australis_, A. =vt. Eur.
Common Dottrel.
[~83-89 _Genus Charadrius._]
Mig. v.r. _plains (interior)_ 8
Upper sandy-buff mottled with dark-brown; black band across
top of head from eye to eye; black collar on hind-neck
continued as a narrow V across chest; forehead, throat white;
m., duller. Insects.
1
7
=90 White-headed Stilt= (Pied), Longshanks, Stilt-bird,
Long-legged Plover, _Himantopus leucocephalus_, Great Sunda
Is., Mol., N.G., A. =vt. Eur. Stilt.
[~90 _Hypsibates_]
Nom. r. _swamps_, _lakes_ 15
White; hind-neck, back, wings black; long legs pink; f.,
smaller. Insects, pond-snails.
1
1
=91 Banded Stilt=, Rottnest Snipe (e), _Cladorhynchus
leucocephalus_, A.
Nom. v.r. _shallow lakes_ 13.5
White; broad chestnut band on breast; wings, centre of abdomen
black; long bill black. Plaintive whistle.
1
4
=92 Red-necked Avocet=, Cobbler, Cobbler's Awl, Painted Lady,
Scooper, _Recurvirostra novae-hollandiae_, A., T., N.Z. =vt.
cos. bird.
Nom. r. _lakes_, _tidal bays_ 15.5
White; head, neck chestnut; wings black; f., sim. Shellfish,
insects.
2
9
=93 Australian Curlew=, Sea-Curlew, _Numenius cyanopus_, E.
Sib., Japan to A. =vt. Eur. Common Curlew.
Mig. c. _tidal shores_ m., 21; f., 24
Arched bill 7in.; mottled brown; f., larger. Crabs, worms.
[Page 46]
[Illustration: [94] [95] [96] [97] [98] [99]]
=94 Oriental Whimbrel= (Australian), Jack-Curlew, Mayfowl, _N.
variegatus_, E. Sib., Japan to A., T. =vt. Eur. Whimbrel.
Mig. r. _river_, _swamp_ 15
Brown mottled; chin, abdomen white; tail barred brown, white;
arched bill 3in.; f., sim. Crabs, shellfish, worms.
1
1
=95 Little Whimbrel=, _Mesoscolopax minutus_, E. Sib.,
Mongolia, Japan to A.
[~95 _Numenius minutus._]
Mig. v.r. _swamps_ 12
Upper blackish-brown much marked and spotted buff; under, line
past eye buff; arched bill 1.7in. Insects, worms.
[Page 47]
2
5
=96 Barred-rumped Godwit= (Pacific), Kuaka, _Limosa,
novae-zealandiae_ (_lapponica_, Am.O.U.), Alaska, California;
E. Sib. to A., T., N.Z., Oceania =vt. Eur. Barred-tailed
Godwit.
[~96 _Limosa baueri._]
Mig. c. _shores_ 15
Upper brownish-gray marked whitish; rump, tail barred brown,
white; abdomen white; legs brownish-black; broad, indistinct
whitish eyebrow; bill long, slightly upturned; f., larger.
Shellfish, worms, sand-hoppers.
=97 Black-tailed Godwit=, _L. limosa_, Br. Eur., N. Afr.,
India, E. Sib., Japan to A., Greenland (acc.), may be a
distinct species than called _L. melanuroides_.
[~97 _Limosa melanuroides._]
Mig. v.r. _shallow lakes_ 16
Upper grayish-brown; wing white band flying; lower-back
blackish-brown; upper base tail white; tail black, white at
side at base; neck, breast, flanks grayish-brown; abdomen
white; bill long, slightly upturned; f., larger. Insects, pond
snails, worms.
1
2
=98 Common Sandpiper=, Summer Snipe, _Tringoides hypoleucus_,
Eur. (Br.), N. Asia, Afr., Ind., to A. (acc.).
[~98 _Tringa hypoleuca._]
Mig. u. _shores_, _lakes_ 8
Upper pale-brown marked darker; wing-quills slightly tipped
white; centre tail feathers glossy-brown, side feathers white
barred brown; under white; chest marked pale-brown; indistinct
pale eyebrow; tail constantly jerked; f., sim. Water-insects,
shellfish.
1
1
=99 Greenshank=, _Glottis nebularius_, Br., Eastern
hemisphere, Florida (acc.).
[~99 _Tringa nebularia._]
Mig. r. _shores_, _lakes_ 14
Face, under, tail white; sides of breast streaked brown; edge
of tail barred freckled brown; crown, hind-neck gray; wings
dark-brown; upper light-brown; legs deep olive-green; f., sim.
Shellfish, worms.
[Page 48]
[Illustration: [100] [101] [102] [103] [104] [105]]
1
1
=100 Sanderling=, _Calidris arenaria_ (_leucophoea_, Am.O.U.),
cos. exc. Pacific Is.
[~100 _Arenaria leucophaea._]
Mig. v.r. _sandy shores_, _swamps_ 7.5
Crown, back gray; white band on wing; sides, lower-back white;
eyebrow, forehead, face, under white; no hind toe; brighter in
far north; f., sim. Sand-hoppers, insects. "Wick."
[Page 49]
2
5
=101 Eastern Little Stint= (Little), Red-necked Sandpiper,
Land-snipe, Little Dunlin, _Pisobia ruficollis_, E. Sib.,
Jap., China to A., T., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Little Stint.
[~101 _Erolia ruficollis._]
Mig. flocks c. _shores_ 6.2
Upper ashy-brown mottled darker; wing-quills blackish-brown;
centre tail feathers blackish-brown; rest whitish; forehead,
under white; faint chestnut band on chest; bill, legs black;
brighter in far north; f., sim. Insects, shellfish.
1
5
=102* Sharp-tailed Sandpiper= (Siberian-, Asiatic-Pectoral),
Sharp-tailed Stint, Marsh Sandpiper, Marsh Tringa,
_Heteropygia aurita_, (_P. aurita_, Am.O.U.), Alaska, E. Sib.,
Japan, Ind, to A., T., N.Z.
[~102 _Erolia aurita._]
Mig. r. _coast_ 8.5
Upper dark-brown marked gray; crown faint rufous; wing-quills
dark-brown; face, under whitish, breast brownish; f., smaller.
Small water-animals.
1
1
=103 Curlew-Sandpiper=, Pygmy Curlew, Curlew-Stint,
_Ancylochilus subarquatus_ (_Erolia ferruginea_, Am.O.U.), A.,
T., N.Z., almost cos. exc. Pac. Is.
[~103 _Erolia ferruginea._]
Mig. flocks r. _shore_ 8.5
Upper grayish-brown; eyebrow, rump, under white, chest tinged
brown; bill 1.5 in., black, arched; brighter in far north; f.,
sim. Insects, worms.
2
2
=104 Knot=, Knot-Snipe, _Tringa canutus_, almost cos., A., T., N.Z.
[~104 _Canutus canutus._]
Mig. r. _tidal mud flats_ 9
Upper grayish-brown; under white; flanks, breast barred
grayish-brown; upper base tail white barred black; brighter in
far north; f., sim. Insects, worms.
=105 Eastern Knot= (Japanese), Great Sandpiper, _T.
crassirostris_, E. Sib., Jap., Ind. to A.
[~105 _Canutus magnus._]
Mig. v.r. _shore_ 11.5
Crown, neck, brownish-gray; back, wings brown; rump white;
tail brownish-gray; breast dark-brown marked white; abdomen
white; bill olive, 1-3/4 in.; brighter in far north; f., sim.
Insects, worms.
[Page 50]
[Illustration: [106] [107] [108] [109] [110]]
1
23
=106* Australian Snipe= (Japanese, Latham), Jack Snipe,
Bleater, Long-bill, _Gallinago australis_, Jap., Formosa, to
A., T., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Snipe.
Mig. c. _swamps_ 9.5
Richly mottled; crown blackish with buff line along centre;
face, chin buff; breast, washed reddish-brown; brown bars on
flanks; back mottled brownish-black; under wings finely barred
black, white; chestnut band on tail; two black lines on face;
bill 2.7 in.; f., sim. Insects, worms.
1
3
=107* Australian-Painted Snipe=, Australian Rhynchaea,
_Rostratula australis_, A.
Mig. v.r. _grassy_, _bush_ 9.5
Beautiful mottled dotted; crown dark-brown, with buff line;
throat, chest dark, chin lighter; wing brown, spotted black,
white, buff; abdomen white; long straight bill 1.7 in.; m.,
duller, smaller. Insects, worms.
[Page 51]
F. 37. PARRIDAE (1), PARRA, Jacana, Water-Pheasant, 11
sp.--2(1)A., 3(2)O., 3(3)E., 1(0)Nc., 4(3)Nl.
F. 38. _Cursoriidae_, Coursers, 15 sp.--3(2)O., 1(0)P.,
13(12)E.
F. 39. GLAREOLIDAE (2), PRATINCOLES, Swallow-Plovers, 10
sp.--2(0)A., 4(1)O., 3(0)P., 7(5)E.
1
1
=108 Australian Pratincole=, Swallow-Plover, _Stiltia
isabella_, Borneo, Java to A., N.Z. =vt. Eur. Pratincole.
Mig. v.r. _(interior) rivers_, _marshes_ 9.5
Upper, wings, breast light-rufous, throat whitish; abdomen
chestnut; base tail above, below white; centre tail black,
rest white; bill red, tipped black, swallow-like flight; f.,
sim. Insects.
F. 40. _Dromadidae_, Crab-Plover, 1 sp.--1(0)O., 1(0)E.
F. 41. OEDICNEMIDAE (2), STONE-CURLEWS, Stone-Plovers,
Thick-Knees, 13 sp.--2(1)A., 3(1)O., 1(0)P., 7(6)E., 3(3) Nl.
1
1
=109* Southern Stone-Curlew= (-Plover) Willaroo, Scrub Curlew,
_Burhinus grallarius_, A., T. (acc.).
Stat. c. _sandy plains_, _timber_ 20.5
Crown, upper dark-gray, marked black; round eye white; throat
buff; chest, abdomen whitish, streaked blackish; white patch
on wing; legs long; bill short, black; f., sim. Insects,
berries. "Wee-lo."
F. 42. OTIDIDAE (1), BUSTARDS, 33 sp.--1(1)A., 7(2)O., 7(2)P.,
23(21)E
1
5
=110 Australian Bustard=, Wild Turkey (e), _Eupodotis
australis_, A.
[~110 _Choriotis australis._]
Mig. r. _plains_ 48
Crown black; face, neck grayish-white; upper, wings brown;
wings spotted black-white; black band on chest; abdomen white;
f., smaller. Seeds, grass, lizards, insects.
====
Australia, fortunately, has one representative of Order XI.--Cranes.
This is the Native Companion, the only true Crane found in Australia.
These are interesting birds, with their "quadrille parties,"
"corroborees," and dances. They live chiefly on vermin--insects,
lizards, &c. The great Gould said: "Its presence adds greatly to the
interest of the scenery." Would that more Australians thought so!
Cranes are amongst the best of flyers. They are said to fly sometimes
at a height of from three and a half to five miles, and have been
seen to cross lofty mountains in Central Asia without increasing
their altitude. Perhaps because of its inappropriate name--Native
Companion--some have proposed to regard this bird as the typical
Australian bird, but it is not so. In fact, it is our one
representative of an almost world-wide group.
====
[Page 52]
[Illustration: [111] [112] [113] [114] [115]]
ORDER XI.--GRUIFORMES.
F. 43. GRUIDAE (1), CRANES, 19 sp.--1(1)A., 8(2)O., 9(1)P.,
7(5)E., 3(0)Nc., 2(0)Nl.
1
3
=111 Australian Crane=, Native Companion, Brolga, _Antigone
australasiana_, A.
[~111 _Mathewsia rubicunda._]
Nom. r. _plains_ 42
Deep silvery-gray; wing-quills black; naked red patch about
face, throat; legs, feet black; f., smaller. Insects, lizards,
bulbous roots, seeds.
F. 44. _Aramidae_, Courlans, Limpkin, 2 sp.--1(0)Nc., 2(1)Nl.
F. 45. _Rhinochetidae_, Kagu, 1 sp. A. (N. Cal.).
F. 46. _Mesoenatidae_, 1 sp. E. (Madagascar).
F. 47. _Eurypygidae_, Sun-bitterns, 2 sp. Nl.
F. 48. _Psophiidae_, Trumpeters, 7 sp. Nl.
F. 49. _Cariamidae_, Seriema, Saria, 2 sp. Nl.
====
In Order XII. Australia has representatives of the Ibises, Spoonbills,
Storks, Herons, Egrets, Night Herons, and Bitterns, so well known in
every part of the world.
Amongst the world's birds, few are better known than the Ibis. This
bird was so highly prized by the ancient Egyptians as to be considered
sacred, and they thought enough of it to embalm it. As Egypt depended
on the overflow of the Nile for food supply, and as this overflow was
heralded by the arrival of the migratory Ibis from the South, it was
natural for the Egyptians to connect the rise of the river with this
bird, and thus look for its approach. Again, the Ibis is an insect
destroyer, and, as Egypt was subject to plagues of grasshoppers, it
undoubtedly rendered as valuable service there as it does here. This
is another reason that has been assigned for the esteem in which this
valuable bird was held. However, it is now almost unknown in Egypt.
In Australia we have three Ibises. One, the Sacred Ibis, or White
Ibis, is practically identical with the Sacred Ibis of Egypt. Our
second Ibis is the even more valuable Straw-necked Ibis, which extends
its labors to plains and pastures, while the Sacred Ibis is rarely
seen except on swampy lands. The Straw-necked Ibis is restricted to
Australia. It seems to be increasing in numbers, for I have seen small
and large flocks in many parts of the Eastern States recently. It has
an insatiable appetite for grasshoppers and other insects. This bird
is a valuable asset to Australia, and yet thoughtless farmers used
to shoot it. Mr. Le Souef and Dr. C. Ryan came upon a flock of Ibises
breeding in Riverina. They estimated the flock to contain 240,000
birds. They found that each bird shot contained on the average 2000
young grasshoppers. Think of it; 480,000,000 grasshoppers a day! Where
are those birds now, when needed to stem a locust plague? We have to
pay the price of our folly in destroying valuable birds. A third Ibis
is identical with the little Glossy Ibis of Europe.
The six Spoonbills are found throughout the world except in New
Zealand and the northern parts of North America. They used to breed
in England before man's selfishness and stupidity destroyed them and
their nesting-places. They breed at present in the Murray swamps.
The Australian Stork--the Jabiru--does not come to the Southern
parts of Australia, but breeds on the Queensland coast. It is
a quaint-shaped, though beautifully-colored, bird. Its large,
awkward-looking bill has a slight curve upwards.
Now come those beautiful birds, the Egrets. Man's cupidity and
selfishness, and woman's desire for ornament, seem to have doomed
these birds to total extermination, for the plume trade, which is
responsible for some of the "most abominable cruelty practised in
the animal world," is a war of extermination. Egrets are shy, and are
approachable only in the breeding season. At that time they are, in
obedience to parental instincts, brave in defence of their young. It
is just then that the plume-hunters visit the rookeries and shoot the
parents, leaving the helpless, almost fully-fledged, young to die in
the nest, so high overhead. And all for what? Could anyone who has
seen the devastated nests, with the famished bodies of the fledglings
rotting in the sun, ever take pleasure in Egret plumes decking the
head of a sister or wife? Women of refinement and tender heart will
refuse to wear the proceeds of human cruelty. Those engaged in the
trade resort to the mean trick of calling the plumes "Osprey plumes."
Now, the Osprey is a Fish-Hawk, and so possibly of little use to the
land-dweller, but these plumes grow on the back and neck of a valuable
insect destroyer. The extent of this trade is appalling. At one plume
sale, held in London on 4th August, 1909, the breeding plumes of
24,000 birds were offered for sale. Think of it! The slow starvation
of 40,000 nestlings, the death of 64,000 birds, to provide the plumes
for one day's sale. No, ladies, if you consider you are in need of
ornament, wear ostrich plumes and pheasants' feathers, for these
do not involve the death of a bird, but rather the reverse, for the
greater the demand for these feathers, the more birds will be bred;
but spare the Egret.
The Reef Heron is found on beaches from the Bay of Bengal to New
Zealand. It has given scientists much trouble, for it has a pure-white
form and a dark slaty-gray form. We found and photographed the nests
on Mast Head and Heron Islands. This was a prize, for no photograph
of a Reef Heron's nest had been published previously. As soon as the
falling tide exposed the reef round the island, Reef Herons, Gulls,
Plovers, Dottrels, and Terns, went out to have their next meal.
The "Blue Crane" of the country dwellers is the "White-fronted
Heron" of the bird-lover. "Fronted" in a bird name refers only to
the forehead. Herons are valuable birds to the grazier, farmer,
and irrigationist, for, in addition to insects and snails, they eat
yabbies (fresh-water crayfish), which bore into the banks and bed of
irrigation channels, and so cause much loss of water by soakage.
Distinguished from these birds mainly by its nocturnal habit is
the interesting Nankeen Night Heron, our one representative of a
practically cosmopolitan genus. Our one Night Heron hides on a leafy
bough asleep during the daytime. About dusk he sets off to a swamp.
The Australian Bittern, also our one representative of a cosmopolitan
genus, skulks in a bed of reeds. Hence it is seldom seen. Its loud,
dismal, booming note probably assisted in the formation of the Bunyip
legends of the blacks. I saw more Bitterns in a recent trip down the
Brisbane than I ever saw before.
At breeding time these birds assemble in very large companies, and
their nesting-places are called heronries or rookeries. The chief
rookeries here are in the Riverina, where the great annual overflow of
that fine river, the Murray, converts the country into a great series
of lakes and swamps. Here water animals live in large numbers, and
thousands of birds take advantage of this abundant food supply to nest
there in the enormous redgums.
Each bird is the close relative of a similar bird in Europe, so that
what is read concerning Herons and Egrets there, applies equally to
our members of this widely-distributed family. Eating grasshoppers
and other insects in great numbers, they are friends of the farmer and
grazier. Destroying yabbies and other burrowing water animals, they
are valuable allies of the irrigationist, and it is decidedly bad
policy to shoot one.
====
[Page 53]
ORDER XII.--ARDEIFORMES.
F. 50. IBIDIDAE (3), IBISES, 27 sp.--4(2)A., 6(2)O., 3(0)P.,
10(8)E., 4(0)Nc., 11(7)Nl.
1
5
=112 Australian White Ibis= (Black-necked), Sickle-Bill, _Ibis
molucca_, Mol., N.G., A. =vt. Sacred Ibis of Egypt.
Nom. flocks, r. _lagoons_ 30
White; head, upper-neck bare black; back of head and neck
barred rose-pink; black bill arched; f., smaller. Insects.
1
1
=113 Straw-necked Ibis=, Dryweather (Letter) Bird, Farmer's
Friend, _Carphibis spinicollis_, A. T.
Nom. flocks, c. _grassy_ 28
"This beautiful ibis;" head, fore-neck naked black; black bill
arched; pointed, straw-colored plumes on neck; breast, upper
greenish-purple barred black; abdomen, flanks, tail white; f.,
smaller. Insects.
1
3