1060 NOTE ON THE BREEDING OP THE GLOSSY IBIS. 



the bird was merely perched there ; but I remarked that the nest 

 appeared recently constructed, and differed entirely from the 

 scores of nests of many species of birds surrounding me. After 

 obtaining a number of spoonbills' and other eggs I was returning 

 to land, and in doing so again passed the same tree, and the ibis 

 again flew off the nest. This aroused my interest, and I at once 

 swam to and ascended the tree, and found that the nest contained 

 one egg of a beautiful greenish-blue colour, somewhat resembling 

 that of Ardea novce-hollandice^ but much brighter ; this egg I took 

 but unfortunately broke it whilst returning to land. The nest 

 was placed in an upright three-pronged fork of a small tree, and 

 was entirely composed of branches of box (Eucalyj^tus) leaves, 

 built up to about a foot in height, slightly hollowed on the top, 

 and without any lining beyond the leaves of which it was composed. 



Thinking it probable that I might find other nests of this bird 

 in this large and secluded swamp or lake, I again visited it on the 

 2nd of the present month (November), and when swimming up to 

 the tree from which I had taken the egg on my previous visit, I 

 saw the ibis to my surprise and gratification again fly off the nest, 

 which on examination contained three beautiful eggs. A further 

 search amongst the thickly growing trees resulted in the discovery 

 of another nest which also contained three eggs, but these were 

 so very much larger than the previous ones that had I not seen 

 the bird on and fly off the nest, I should have considered them as 

 belonging to some other species ; but there is no possible doubt as 

 to their identity, for, owing to incubation having begun, the bird 

 was very reluctant to leave the nest, and let me approach almost 

 to arm's length before she did so. This nest was exactly similar to 

 the preceding one in material and structure, and placed in a similar 

 position. 



