Mr. G. Bennett on the Mycteria australis. 459 



grown males, and in fine and brilliant adult plumage. These birds 

 being so rarely seen, and difficult to proeure when seen, are valuable 

 as specimens when dead, and much more so when alive. Many of the 

 residents of the northern districts had seen the bird, but rarely, and 

 at a distance, and were aware how difficult it was to procure it ; 

 but none had ever seen it in captivity before, and it was therefore 

 regarded with great interest. The number of skins of this bird I 

 have seen durhig my residence of twenty- two years in the colony 

 only amounts to four. The bird is very graceful : its attitudes, and 

 bearing, whether in a state of repose, stalking rapidly, or walking 

 gently over a lawn or yard with its measured, noiseless steps, have a 

 combination of grace and elegance, and it displays an independence 

 of manner that might be expected in a bird so wild and roaming in 

 its habits. It is gentle and good-tempered, soon gets reconciled to 

 captivity, and seems to take pleasure in being noticed and admired, 

 remaining very quiet to be looked at — keeping a bright eye upon the 

 spectator, however, during the time. Although, when first seen, it 

 has an uncouth appearance, from the large size of the mandibles in 

 proportion to the body, yet on a closer acquaintance its manner 

 wins upon you, and a feeling of attachment arises towards it from 

 its placid, tame, domesticated manner, elegance of form, graceful 

 carriage, and beautiful metallic brilliancy of plumage, more espe- 

 cially over the head and neck. 



This bird had been in captivity four months previous to its arrival 

 in Sydney, having been captured by the blacks. It permits any one 

 to approach it, only timidly moving away when an attempt is made 

 to touch it. It sometimes stands quite erect, or on one leg, with the 

 other thrown out ; or rests upon the tarsi, like the Emeu and Mooruk, 

 and again upon one leg, with the bill inclined upon the breast. It 

 was very hungry on its arrival at my house, and with the greatest 

 facility devoured 1| lb. of beef cut into small pieces, placed in a 

 tub of water, or caught the meat in the mandibles when thrown to 

 it. It also feeds on fish and reptiles. "When the food is hard or 

 gristly, it is rejected from the mandibles after trying to masticate it, 

 and bruised with the point of the beak until it becomes sufficiently- 

 soft to be swallowed. It feeds generally in the mornings and even- 

 ings ; and although the mandibles look so large, it picks up the 

 smallest object with great readiness, and clatters the mandibles with 

 a loud noise when catching flies. It preens its feathers, and removes 

 any dirt or insects from them very neatly with the bill, accompanying 

 the action with a degree of ease and grace pleasing to observe. When 

 a tub of water was placed near it, it placed one leg in it ; and after 

 drinking, filled its bill with water and threw it out again, as if washing 

 out the mandibles. The eye is very large and remarkably brilliant, 

 and yet imparts to the bird a great docility of expression, making it 

 appear — what it is — an amiable bird, familiar with all around it, 

 liking to court admiration, yet on the watch for any act of aggres- 

 sion. It appears pleased to see any stranger, and evinces but little 

 fear. The horses coming into the yard even close to it, or any 

 noise, do not seem to annoy it ; it only moves gently out of the way« 



