N£STS AND EGGS OF AVSTRAUAN BIRDS. ji^y 



ill South as well as West Australia. I observed the beautiful Blue 



Bald Coots in the melaleuca swamps in the neighboiuhood of Geo- 



graphe Bay, but did not succeed in taking eggs. However, during the 



Centennial Exhibition, held at Melbourne, 1S88-9, Jlrs. J. F. Irvine 



exhibited tlu-ee eggs of this bird from West xVustralia, which were those 



oriaiuallv described bv me before the Field Naturalists' Club of 

 o * 



Victoria. 



In the North-west these birds have been found near the jimction of 

 the Fitzroy and Margaret Rivers, where they were seen wading in the 

 shallow swamps, or perched on trees growing in the water. Their 

 habits are identical with those of the common Bald Coot. 



588. — PoRPHYRio MELANONOTLS, Temuiinck. — (563) 

 BALD COOT. 



Figure. — Gould; Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vi., pi. 5g. 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. .\lus., voi. xxiii., p. 205. 



Previous Descriptions of Eggs. — Potts : Trans. New Zealand Inst., 



vol. ii., p. 71 (1870); BuUer : Birds of New Zealand (1S73), 



vol. ii., p. 84 (1SS8) ; Ramsay : Proc. Zool. Soc, p. 343 (1S77) ; 



Campbell : Southern Science Record (1883) ; North : Austn. 



Mus. Cat., app. (1890). 



Geographical Didrihation. — Northern Territory, Queensland, New 

 South Wales, Victoria, South Austraha, and Tasmania; also New 

 Zealand, Norfolk and Lord Howe Islands. 



Xrxt. — A somewhat rough and slightly concave structm-e of rnshes 

 or other aquatic plants, built up a few inches above the water, in reeds, 

 tall gi'ass, or at the base of a clump of tea-tree (Melaleuca ). in a swamp 

 or lagoon. Dimensions, 10 or 12 inches across. 



Eggs. — Clutch, four to six usually, occasionally seven or more ; 

 round oval in shape, or elliptically inclmed ; texttu'e of shell 

 somewhat coarse ; surface slightly glossy ; colour, ashy-brovrai, or stone, 

 sometimes with a dull greenish tone, spotted and blotched, especially 

 about the larger end, -with reddish-brown, purplish-browni, and dull- 

 grev. Dimensions in inches of a proper clutch : (1) 2-01 x 1-42, 

 f2)' 1-96 X 1-45, (3) 1-95 X 1-44, (4) 1-92 x 1-4, (5) 1-9 x 1-42; of a 

 selected pair: (1) 2-06 x 1-48, (2) 2-02 x 1-47. (Plate 19.) 



Observationn. — This fine large water bird is well known, and has an 

 extensive habitat, being found throughout Australia, except West. 

 Swamps, lagoons, and river margins are places most conducive to its 

 habits. It is especially abimdaut in Tasmania and the south-east and 

 eastern parts of the mainland. 



The Bald Coot has an extraordinan' manner of eating its vegetable 

 food. The green stuff is seized between the short hind claw and sole 



