PLATIBI.S. 17 



at the number of Spoonbill's nests. Every suitable branch had a nest on it, but in almost every 

 instance the latter contained young ones, whilst the old birds were either perched on the edges of 

 the nests or in adjacent trees. After swimming about a considerable time I found three Spoon- 

 bill's nests with eggs, and noticed several pairs still building, showing that the laying season 

 was not yet past. I only saw two nests of Ai'dca pacifica, both of which contained young. These 

 birds were not so numerous as on my previous visit some years ago, but the Spoonbills (Platalea 

 flavipes) were much more so. Visiting this place on the 26th November, 1889, I had numerous 

 opportunities of observing the old Spoonbills feeding their young. It is done in the reverse 

 way to the generality of birds ; instead of the old one putting her bill into the opened one of the 

 young bird, the latter thrusts its bill between that of the parent, who pumps the food into the 

 young one's mouth. The bill of the young bird is very much bent at the top, possibly to facilitate 

 feeding in this extraordinary way." 



While resident at Hamilton, in the Western District of X'ictoria, Dr. W. Macgilliviay sent 

 me the following account of a breeding haunt of several species of waterfowl: — "On 4th 

 November, igoo, I went with another naturalist, Mr. C. Seymour, to Mr. Brommel's, Hensley 

 Park, about nine miles from Hamilton, to be guided by that gentleman to a dam five miles 

 further, on ^lokanger Station, where Spoonbills were reputed to breed. Our way through some 

 timbered paddocks led us first to a nest with two young birds and a rotten egg of Poinatostoiniis 

 temporalis; later we viewed an eyrie of the Wedge-tailed Ea^le occupied by a nearly fully fledged 

 young bird. The killing of a four feet Copper-head Snake on some crab-holey country helped to 

 keep us in anticipation of the dam, which soon after came into view; it was large, about a 

 quarter of a mile in length and half that in breadth, shallow, and with several large gums growing 

 in it ; it was also very weedy. Numbers of small Black and White Cormorants (Phalaci'iKovax 

 mdanoleucus) were first seen on different trees, also several Spoonbills (Platibis JIavipcs), one or 

 two White Ibis, and a few Pacific Herons. There were also a few Ducks and Grebe on the 

 water. On getting nearer we found that one large spreading Red Gum tree, standing in about 

 three feet of water, contained the greater number of nests of the Shags and Spoonbills. It did 

 not take us long to don old clothes and wade out to it, and found the tree simply covered 

 in nests, from top to the lowest branches and along each limb, every place that could possibly 

 support a nest was occupied. The large stick-made structures of the Spoonbill, forty or fifty in 

 number, were well white-washed by the excreta of the birds, as indeed was the whole tree ; 

 most of them containing well feathered young birds, several of which climbed out to the end 

 of the limb on which their nests were placed, and flew off to perch on another tree, or else drop 

 into the water and slowly swim to the nearest land ; other nests contained partially incubated or 

 fresh eggs, the usual clutch being four, several containing three. The pure white eggs were quite 

 fresh, some, however, were stained with the yolk of an egg which had been broken ; this yolk 

 is a very rich red, the stain not being easily removed ; it has also a strong odour when fresh, 

 and an appalling one when rotten. Several adjoining trees contained numbers of Shag's nests, 

 and others contained each three or four Spoonbill's nests. On one of these trees, all within a 

 yard of one another, were two Spoonbill's nests containing young, one with two fully fledged 

 birds, and a nest of the Pacific Heron with three fresh eggs ; this nest was about half the size 

 of a Spoonbill's, built of sticks, and a very flimsy structure compared with the very solid nest 

 built by the latter. By the time the young Spoonbills are fledged the nest has generally been 

 trodden into a flat platform of sticks, hardly large enough to hold them. There were several 

 other nests of the Pacific Heron, some containing young birds, in that and adjoining trees. 

 Two young Spoonbills which were taken home fed readily, and soon made themselves quite 

 at home." 



The eggs are usually four, but sometimes only three are laid, of a true symmetrical elon.^jate 

 oval in form, although specimens are sometimes found much compressed towards the narrower 



