lOlS A'ESTS AS'D EGGS OF AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 



Riverina, and the taking up of the great river frontages, the black and 

 while Semipahnated Goose is rapidly disappearing. Why do land- 

 owners not prcsor-vo their swamps ? Why are birds shot in close season 

 and on Svuidays? Why do oiu- police treat the Game Act as a dead 

 letter? 



Some of the domains of the Pied Goose remain undisturbed in 

 the reed beds of the Mui-ray Lagoons. The naturalist feels an 



ecstasy of delight in wading through such places to examine the haunts 

 of wild fowl, notwithstanding' such localities abound with tiger snakes 

 and leeches and myriads of flies and mosquitoes. (See illustration, 

 " Haunt of Wild Fowl") 



One bright day (14th November, 1892) Mr. J. Gabriel and I, accom- 

 panied by the Messi's. Sach — two young fanners — explored a beautiful 

 lagoon parallel with the MuiTay, full of aquatic vegetation — floating 

 lily leaves, russet-colovu'ed seeding plants, circular patches of " cum- 

 bungie " reeds, &c., with here and there tall flags, and an occasional 

 red gum-tree. 



After a small " rookei-y " of White ibis and a Bittenv's nest, we dis- 

 covered amongst the living flags a large, lovuid, bulky nest, composed 

 entirely of dead flags, containing a full complement of ten eggs of the 

 Semipalmated Goose, the water roimd about being about a foot deep. 

 We took a photogi-aph (pictuie herewith). The nest had a singidar 

 platform or landing at one side about foiu" feet long, extending from the 

 top down to the water. The dimensions over all were 28-30 inches by 

 about 20 inches from the top to the water-line, but not including 

 12 inches for the submerged foundation. The eggs were partially 

 incubating, as were two other sets (of five and six) fomid in other parts 

 of the swamp, which we took for museum purposes. 



Mr. George H. Morton, of Benjeroop, who has made many wading 

 excursions after water-fowl in the swamps contigiious , to his farm on 

 the MvuTay, tells me that eleven eggs are a usual complement for the 

 Semipalmated Goose, and on one occasion he found thirteen. His 

 collection of fresh wild Geese eggs once furnished material for the cakes 

 and custards at a Sunday school ^picnic. 



Many .species of swimming birds — ^i.e.. Ducks and Geese — have re- 

 markable windings in the trachea, or windpipe, but in no bird are they 

 more singular than in the Semipalmated Goose, the total length of the 

 windpipe being 4 feet 8 inches, while the length of the bird's own body 

 from tip of bill to tail is only 2 feet 8 inches. The legs are yellowish, 

 while the eyes and bill are reddish-brown. 



The Semipalmated Goose feeds mostly on grass and herbage. Like 

 the Black Swan and Capo BaiTcn Goose, it is gregarious. Neai- the 

 Murray dining favourable sea-sons, at sundown, when the Native Com- 

 panions are coming in, black and white Geese may lie seen pa.ssing in 

 strings over the fringe of red-gums that mark the river's course, as they 

 proceed to the plains and feeding-])laees for the night. An early rLser 

 may see the flocks in the morning returning, re-crossed by n^giments of 

 Native Cnmp.nninns outgoing on heavy outstretched wings. 



