238 GRUlDyE. 



From Cobborah Station, Cobbora, New South Wales, Mr. Thos. P. Austin wrote as follows 

 under date 30th January, 1913 : — " Now that the Foxes are spreading so fast through Australia, 

 I am afraid it is only a matter of time when they will entirely exterminate both Antigone austra- 

 lasiana and Eiipodotis nnstmlis as far as Victoria and New South Wales are concerned, for what 

 chance have so large and attractive ground breeding birds of rearing their helpless young where 

 the keen-scented F"ox abounds. I know many people are of the opinion that the ' Native 

 Companion,' with its sharp powerful beak, and great fighting powers, is able to protect its 

 eggs and young against the Foxes; I, however, very much doubt it, although I hope I am wrong. 

 The last nest I saw of a ' Native Companion' was on Bullagreen Station, in the Armatree 

 District, which contained a single fresh-looking egg ; when passing a few days later the nest was 

 empty, and the birds liad gone; I could only put it down to the Fox. These birds will build 

 their nest in almost any shallow grassy swamp, preferring a tiny island just sufficient in size to 

 hold the nest, which is rather a large structure composed of tufts of swamp grasses pulled 

 up by the roots, and lined with a thick layer of dry grass, and I have never seen more than 

 two eggs or young to a clutch. In some localities they are to be seen in very large 

 flocks. The most I have observed together was near Ingham, North (Queensland, on a dry 

 grassy swamp ; there was an enormous flock, probably a couple of thousand individuals. 

 I rode through the middle of them twice, when they just walked away a short distance to 

 each side of me; very few made any attempt to lly, and those that did soon settled again; 

 it was a wonderful sight to see so many of these huge birds in their native state, show 

 so little fear, and the noise from so many squawking at once, with their clear trumpet like note, 

 was much more musical than unpleasant, in fact the sight of them, and so many going 

 through their peculiar dancing antics, was so fascinating that I could not help stopping to gaze 

 at them. At times they do considerable damage to crops, by pulling up the wheat as soon 

 as it shows above ground, and at Narromiiie, during the 1907 drought, they were a great 

 nuisance at some of the dams. They would dance about in the water the greater part of the 

 day, stirring up the mud (water was very scarce then) and preventing the sheep coming to 

 drink, but tiie few faults can easily be over-looked when we think of the j^reat benefit they 

 confer in helping to keep down insect pests. When travelling from one district to another, 

 they usually fiy at an enormous height ; upon clear still days I have often heard them far up in 

 the sky, so far up that they appeared to be only mere specks." 



From Orange, New South Wales, Mr. \^^ M. Thomas wrote: — "The ' Brolga ' or Native 

 Companion is gregarious, and may be seen in large numbers on the plains and around marshes, 

 except during the nesting season, thirty to fifty in one flock not being uncommon. In ordinarily 

 good seasons they apparently obtain all the food they require in a few hours in the morning, and 

 spend the rest of the day in play. The food consists of wortiis, frogs, grubs, insects, grass and 

 grain. Since the extension of settlement and cultivation ' IJrolgas ' have learnt to eat young 

 wheat, and have become somewhat destructive. A number of them dancing is a very pretty 

 and unique sight. Watching a group one day, I was so impressed with the regularity of the 

 movements of the several members, of the advancing, the bowing, and the retiring of what 

 appeared to be the separate partners forming the group, that I endeavoured to discoxer if their 

 movements were made on a concerted plan, but found after a few minutes that, if so, it was on 

 a design too intricate for me to follow. In these inovements one cannot but be struck with the 

 grace and rhythmic action of birds possessed with what appear to be ungainly length of legs, 

 neck and beak. 



In New South Wales these birds are found from the far west to the swamps on the table- 

 lands, but very seldom reach the coast. I have never seen any poisoned with rabbit baits, 

 but I liave no doubt many have been, although I have seen some destroyed with wheat laid 

 purposely for them." 



