2,20 BIRDS OF THE J'.RITISH EMPIRE. 



the long legs stretched out behind. It lives rather on rep- 

 tiles, frogs, lizards, etc., than on fish, which, however, it 

 sometimes captures in shallow lagoons during the heat of 

 summer, when the water has evaporated to a great extent 

 in the creeks. 



The ne.st is built among the branches of tall trees. The 

 eggs, generally three in number, are of a pale green colour. 



The sexes are almost indistinguishable during life, but 

 the young differ considerably from their parents. The 

 head is ornamented by a tuft of feathers that droop nearly 

 down to the shoulders when the bird stands upright. 



Fami ly — A rdeidcu. 



Genus — Nycticorax. N. caledonkus. Nankeen Night 



Heron. 



THE IBIS. 



Tlie Straw-Necked Ibis is a peculiar bird confined 

 to Australia, and derives its name from a confused mass of 

 long yellow narrow feathers that hang down from the 

 front of its neck. The head and upper part of the neck 

 aie bare, and of a dingy black colour. The back and wings 

 are bright green, with a metallic gloss, but the neck and 

 lower parts are white. The sexes, when adult, are indis- 

 tinguishable during life. 



It is very deliberate in all its movements, and very shy 

 and wary. It is very local in its distribution, and disappears 

 from a given locality for several years, to be found only in 

 another. Where does it go ? inquires Gould, and can give 

 no answer to his question, beyond a conjeciuie that there 

 may be a fertile oasis in the centre of the island-continent, 

 which is the natural habitit of the bird which only 



