NESTS AND EGGS OF AUStRAfJAN BIRDS. \o\y 



rats — by the wliite-bellied species in Gippslaml, .iiicl by the golden-bellied 

 in Riverina. 



Mr. H. E. Hill in his " Bcndigo Bird Notes," relates tlint on tlie 8th 

 August, 189G, two Black Swans while ilying across the town struck the 

 top of the Town Hall, apparently dazzled by the el(Mlric light, and fell 

 dead in the street below. 



Subfamily — Anseran.\tin;e. 



742. — Anskranas semipalm.\ta, Latham. — (r)70) 



PIED GOOSE. 



Figure. — Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. vii., pi. 2. 

 Reference.— Cai. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. xxvii., p. 44. 

 Previous Descriptions of Eg^s. — Campbell : Southern Science Record 

 (1883); North: .\ustn. Mus. Cat., p. 335 (iSSq). 



Geographical Distrihutimi. — Australia in general and Tasmania. 



Jest. — Round, bulky, composed entirely of dead flags and jilaced 

 amongst the growing flags or reeds of a swamp or lagoon. A platform 

 about 48 inches long leads up to the nest. Dimensions over all, 28 to 30 

 inches by about 20 inches from the top to the surface of the water, not 

 inchubng about 12 inches for submerged foundation; egg cavity, 12 

 inches across by 4 inches deep. 



E[/f/.i. — Clutch, five to thirteen, but usually nine to eleven ; ellip- 

 tical in form ; texture of shell coarse ; surface pitted, but glossy ; colour, 

 creamy or yellowish-white, soon soiled with nest stains. Dimensions 

 in inches of half a clutc-h : (1) 3-1 x 222, (2) 3-05 x 2-26, (3) 302 x 2-31, 

 (4) 3-0 X 2-3, (5) 3-0 x 2-2G ; of a pair from a set of six : (1) 3-0 x 2-25, 

 (2) 2-98 X 2-27. 



Ohmrvatimu. — The Semipalmated Goose is so named on account of 

 its feet being half-webbed, but it is more frequently called the Pied 

 Goose, beca.use of its conspicuous black and white pliunage. It is a 

 fine bird. It ranks next in importance to the Black Swan and Cape 

 BaiTen Goose. Like these species, it is peculiar to Australia. 



The Semipalmated Goose is fovuid in places throughout the Continent, 

 but only occasionally in Tasmania. Its greatest numbers are probably 

 in tropical Australia, where, in the wet (summer) season, according to 

 explorers and others, the Geese sometimes fly in countless flocks. They 

 were at one time tolerably abundant in Riverina, making their homes 

 in the rush-covered lagoons and overflow waters of the rivers and billa- 

 bongs. But, as Gould truly remarks — and it is melancholy for naturalists 

 and lovers of nature to contemplate the fact — the advancement of civi- 

 lisation invariably leads to the gradual extirpation of the conspicuous 

 natural productions of the country. So, owing to the settling of 



