l6 White, Birds of Lake Victoria and Murray River. [,sf"july 



Hypotsenidia philippensis australis (//. pliilippensis). Eastern 

 Pectoral Rail. — A good number of these birds were seen, both along 

 the edges of the swamps and out in the lignum bushes. There was 

 no sign of nesting. 



Microtribonyx ventralis white! {Tribonyx ventralis). Eastern Black- 

 tailed Native-Hen. — Great numbers of these birds were seen in 

 several places running along the shores of the swamps, after the 

 manner of domestic fowls. No signs of nesting were seen. 



Gallinula tenebrosa. Black Moor-Hen. — Great numbers were 

 scattered all over the flooded area. The nests, which were composed 

 of lignum shoots, bark, gum twigs, and leaves, were very loosely 

 constructed, and placed in a lignum bush — in most cases just above 

 the water ; in one or two seen they were higher, up to i8 inches. The 

 number of eggs varied from eight to three, and the markings also 

 varied. Some were heavily blotched, while in others the markings 

 were small and sparse. One nest, in a lignum bush, 8 inches above 

 the water, measured lo inches over all, cavity 8 inches, and 3 inches 

 deep. The birds would invariably slip off the nest into the water, 

 swim rapidly for a short distance, and then begin to call in a sharp, 

 discordant note, while picking at the water-weed on either side, and 

 doing everything possible to draw our attention from the nest. 



Porphyrio melanotus. Eastern Bald-Coot. — These birds were seen 

 along the edge of the lagoon or backwater near the town of Renmark. 

 We were quite surprised at the few met with elsewhere. Occasion- 

 ally a pair or an odd bird would be flushed from the floating tops of 

 the lignum bushes. No signs of nesting were observed. 



Fulica atra tasmanica (F. avstralis"). Eastern Coot. — Great numbers 

 were met with all over the flooded country, and they were nesting 

 freely everywhere. The nest was always floating in the water— in 

 fact, in many cases the eggs were lying in it. The nests were com- 

 posed of lignum branches (green and dry), gum-tree sticks and leaves, 

 green, long, succulent water-grass bent round into shape, covered in 

 some instances with the little floating Murray River weed, and were 

 always made fast to a submerged lignum branch. The eggs varied in 

 number from nine to four, all being of the usual finely mottled pattern. 

 A floating nest observed on 5/ 10/ 17 had a foundation of dry lignum 

 sticks ; the nest itself was of green water-weed, pieces of green 

 lignum shoots, green gum leaves, and a piece of bark. Over all it 

 was 12 inches, inside 7^ inches, depth 2-| inches. 



Podiceps cristatus christian! (P. australis). Australian Tippet Grebe. 

 — Only once did we see a pair of these fine birds. Near the Rufus 

 Creek they sailed majestically past us between the lignum bushes, 

 and out of sight. 



Lobibyx novaehollandiae {Lohivanellus lohatus). Spur-winged Plover. 

 — Seen in several localities. 



Zonifer tricolor (Z. pectoralis). Black-breasted Plover. — These 

 birds were much more numerous than the preceding species. 



Elseya melanops {JEgialitis ruficapilla). Red-capped Dottrel. — 

 Many of these familiar little birds were seen along the river, swamps, 

 and lake. 



Burhinus magnirostris {Esacus magnirostris). Eastern Stone- 

 Plover. — They were often heard calling at night. On a low piece of 



