10 White, Birds of Lake Vicforia and Murray River. [ ^"l", 



Coot. A pair of these fine birds, with dark blue breasts, red bills 

 and legs, on the edge of the swamp, were so quiet that they 

 allowed me to focus the camera. The loud laugh of the Great 

 Brown Kingfisher echoed away through the timber. White- 

 plumed Honey-eaters, Blue-faced Honey-eaters, and others were 

 seen. Moor-Hens slipped into the water from the bank as we 

 passed along. Out in a clear patch of water the Australian Coots 

 could be easily distinguished by the almost white shields on 

 their heads. Dainty little Land-Rails went bobbing in and out 

 amongst the vegetation on the edge of the water. We visited 

 the water tower in the town that afternoon, and found the Fairy 

 Martins nesting in thousands under the projecting top of the 

 tower, their strange, retort-shaped nests being attached to the 

 masonry. Unfortunately, the imported House Sparrow was 

 driving many of the Swallows away and taking possession of 

 their nests ; it was aggravating to see a Sparrow thrust its head 

 out of the bottle-shaped nest. 



Next morning we were up with the light, to see that our boats 

 and stores were put on board the steamer. At 7 a.m. the river 

 steamer threw off from the bank and proceeded up-stream. It 

 was a wonderful sight. The mighty river was running swiftly, 

 awash with the banks, and in many places over them. Swiftly 

 it rushed through the old gum-trees ; the latter had not seen such 

 a flood since 1870. All day we steamed along this great waterway. 

 As darkness set in, the powerful electric head-lights of the 

 steamer shone upon the giant trees on either bank and showed up 

 great scars, 12 to 20 feet in length, on some of the trees, marking 

 where the happy blackfellow (in those days) had cut a canoe 

 from the thick bark of the tree. It was in the small hours of the 

 morning that Lake Victoria Station was reached. The steamer 

 pulled into the bank, and we soon launched our boats and tied 

 them up to the bank, while we landed our stores and baggage on 

 shore ; then the quaint old river steamer backed out, and pro- 

 ceeded on her way. Leaving our luggage, we took our blankets, 

 and found our way to the gate of the fence which enclosed the 

 homestead, and walked up a path of a well-kept garden, which 

 we could just make out in the starlight. As soon as we reached 

 the verandah we curled up in our blankets and went to sleep. 

 It can easily be understood how surprised the housekeeper and 

 her husband were to find, at sunrise, three men in possession of 

 the verandah. Explanations were forthcoming, and Mr. Arm- 

 strong's letter of invitation shown. We then learnt that the 

 owner, Mr. J. B. Armstrong, was out at the back station, where 

 shearing operations were proceeding. This visit to Lake Victoria 

 Station savoured much of the Arabian Nights, for we arrived in 

 the darkened hours of the morning, awoke to find we were in a 

 beautiful garden, full of flowers and fruit, servants to wait upon us, 

 and everything we required was supplied, yet not once did we see 

 the owner. For seven or eight days we were waited upon, each 

 day going out by land or water, and coming back in the evening 



