llVIilt \l,K<|lllt. 



bliifk, (In' nut, r iri'li^ nf thr lalhr lirmr.ij liniira iinir f/ir (i// ; .s)i/.',v iif IiPifl, tiffk, ami firi'-iii'ck 

 (/ol (It'll -strii II' I'ttlonr, rirher in li if ii-'.ff tli'' fi/i'ii'/ili/ il' jiinil hlm-k i'/i<'^/, /n-.its/ mr/ .■iii/fn <»/' //i'- boili/, 

 i/riuinMlh/ jHis^iini iiitn ill most ^nu't' ii'li ih' on iJif' ly'it/n'o/ f/ii' tliront aiifi I'h'iii; iiit oliliqio' blilckisJi 

 slrKiik i',fi,'ii,i/s' front tin: Inirnf unti-riof /lortioii of' /In' fi/f to tin' bnxi', of tin' loini- inanilibh' ; abdomen, 

 ihii/lis awl iiiiilrr til il-rnrrrts irlntf', in sinit'' spi^ctiin'ns sliiflithj tiinjril nnth. i/obli'it-straw r.olonr^ 

 espi't'iall 1/ on tin' tliii/liti : njiicnl j'orlion ofbiH black, i/ri'i'iiiili at tin: ti/i : basal portion of the uppi'r 

 mainliblf. nml tri lolu'il inattli' r.rt'inli inj or^'r tin' Jori'ln'inl rril .• basal pnrlion of hiiri'r inaniliblc, 

 ijeUon' ; b'l/s anil fei't i/rffnisli-i/'lloiv, reibhsh on tin' forn pa.rt of tin' tibni \ iris pale ijilloiv. l\>lal 

 lenijlli 9 inches, ivinij '<■ !^, tail 1'7, bill, from yape, l-2f>, tarsus :.'■//. 



AduI.T FKMAT.K — Similar in /iliimai/e to the ailiilt male, but sin/lith/ larijer. W'inij ■'I'fi inches. 



Distribution. — Noith-westei ii Australia, Northeni Territory, Oueenslaiul, Northern New 

 South Wales. 



T(jr^NLIKE the precedin;,' species, which is reinarl<able for its length of wing, the Comb- 

 V / crested Parra, or " Lotus-bird," may be easily recognised from all other species of 



Australian birds by its long and slender toes, well equipping it to pass over the aquatic vegetation 



growing on the surface of the water, 

 chielly in lagoons and swamps, which 

 it usually freijuents. It is widely 

 distributed over the districts of the 

 northern and eastern portions of the 

 Australian Continent, and according 

 to the late Dr. R. B. Sharpe in the 

 " Catalogue of Birds in the British 

 Museum," its range extends to the 

 Celebes and Southern Borneo. 



Mr. E.J. Cairn and the late Mr. 

 T. H. Bowyer-Bower procured speci- 

 mens near Derby, North-western 

 Australia. The late Mr. Alexander 

 Morton obtained examples at Yam 

 Creek and near Port Darwin, while 

 in the latter locality specimens were 

 procured by the late Mr. Edward 

 Spalding ; 1 have also seen eggs taken 

 near the Daly River, in the Northern 

 Territory. It has been recorded by several observers on the east coast of Queensland, Mr. Robt. 

 Grant shot a pair near Cairns, Mr. J. A. Boyd, while resident at the Herbert River, observed it on a 

 lagoon near Ripple Creek, and the late Mr. K. Broadbent procured examples inland from Cardwell; 

 I have received its eggs taken near Rockhampton, and the late Mr. George Masters procured it 

 at Wide Bay, in November, 1867. It is common on the northern coastal rivers of New South 

 Wales, and there are a number of specimens in the Australian Museum Collection obtained from 

 Ulmarra, and other parts of the Clarence River. Mr. George Savidge has frequently taken its 

 eggs near Copmanhurst and Grafton. It was on a sv;amp on the common, seven miles north of 

 the latter city, I first met with this species in November, 1898. .\t that time they were numerous, 

 many of them being in pairs or in small Hocks of five or six running on the aquatic herbage 

 growing on the surface of the water, or over the broad flat leaves of the giant water-lilies in 

 flower towards the centre of the swamp, others being disturbed singly or in pairs near the margin, 

 but at all times extremely wary, fiymg when too closely approached, and uttering a shrill 



65 



COMIi-CRESTED PARRA. 



