NOTOPHOYX. 25 



The food of this species is varied. Small fish, aquatic insects, and crustaceans generally 

 form the bulk of it; it also eats locusts, crickets and land molluscs, and is credited to be useful 

 in destroying,', among others, the intermediate host of fluke. Stomachs of specimens examined 

 contained also the remains of small frogs and lizards. Of course the nature of its food varies 

 with the situations it fre.]uents. In November, i8q6, I saw this species feeding on the race- 

 course at Narrabri, probably on locusts; later on the birds were observed feeding among the 

 water-weeds near the banks of the Namoi and Gwydir Rivers. The stomach of one examined 

 in August of the same year, shot at Gosford, New South Wales, contained several crabs, a 

 number of nipper prawns, some young pipe lish and a little sand. 



As pointed out by Gould, considerable variation exists in the extent of white on the face 

 and throat, this character being more pronounced in some specimens than others. It may be 

 also added that the crest feathers on the crown of the head and nape are black in adult specimens 

 and dark slate colour on the immature bird, which also has the upper wing-coverts washed 

 with brown and the feathers on the lower portion of the abdomen and the under tail-coverts 

 dull buffy-white. In only one adult male in the Australian Museum Collection do the largest 

 elongated lanceolate plumes extend to the end of the tail-feathers. This specimen, which was 

 obtained by the late Mr. K. H. Bennett, on the Lachlan River, New South Wales, in June, 

 18S3, is furthermore distinguished by having the fourth primary of one wing, including its shaft, 

 pure white. 



Mr. H. G. Barnard wrote as follows from Bnnbi, [luaringa, Queensland :—" The White- 

 fronted Heron (Notophoyx novce-liollaudi.r ) builds a flat stick nest on the horizontal limb of a 

 Swamp Gum, .sometimes over water, at others a considerable distance from it, for I have found 

 their nests fully half a mile from any water. The nest is very frail, and the eggs can be plainly 

 seen from the ground. Both sexes take turn about at the sitting, the number of eggs varying 

 from four to six. It breeds at any time from September to .\pril." 



From Copmanhurst, Clarence River, New South Wales, Mr. George Savidge wrote: — 

 " The White-fronted Heron (Notophoyx inw.r-linllanJi.r ) may be found in all parts of the Clarence 

 River District. I have seen it in the bay and on mud Hats at Yamba, and on the sides of lagoons 

 and swamps higher up the river, also on the borders of the thick bush lands on the upper 

 reaches of the Clarence. The nest is a platform composed of coarse sticks, and lined with 

 thinner sticks and twigs, and is usually placed on some horizontal branch of a tree near water. 

 I have also found nests in the bush lands, a good distance from any water, and upon two 

 occasions in large Eucalyptus trees, which also contained nests of the Black-shouldered Kite. 

 The same building site is resorted to, and the nest built np again if not molested ; the nest and 

 limbs surrounding it are fouled by excreta, and present a white limy appearance from below. 

 The eggs are usually four for a sitting, and are of a beautiful pale bluish-green colour. Its 

 flight is heavy and laboured, and when disturbed suddenly it utters a loud croaking note. 

 It wades knee deep in the water when searching for food, which consists of small fish and 

 different species of aquatic insects. I was much amused and astonished to see how artful they 

 can be, by watching one close to a punt that crosses the Clarence River, below Grafton. This 

 bird was systematically stirring up the mud and weeds with its feet, and picking up the small 

 particles of food disturbed by its action. Tlie young birds are covered with long grey down, 

 and are weird looking creatures." 



I'nder date of i8th November, 1909, Mr. Thos. P. .'\ustin forwards me the following notes 

 from Cobborah Station, Cobbora, New South Wales :— " The White-fronted Heron (Notophoyx 

 noi'cf-holliiiidkT) is the commonest of all the family in this district, and remains here throughout 

 the year, but it is unfortunately never numerous enough to be of much benefit when the plagues 

 of grasshoppers are taking everything before them. When these pests are about the White- 



