IThe £mu 



dDfficial (Drgan oi thx ^ttatralasian ©rnithologtsts' Enion. 



" Bir«Is of a fczvtber.' 



Vol. v.] 2ND APRIL, 1906. [Part 4. 



Visit to an Ibis Rookery. 



By Dr. E. A. D'Ombrain, Casterton (V.) 

 Having received news of a large colony of Straw-necked and White 

 Ibises {Carphibis spinicollis and Ibis molucca) in the fnll swing 

 of domestic duties, in a large swamp some 28 miles in a westerly 

 direction from Casterton, on Mrs. Mackinnon's station, " Kaladbro," 

 I was at once "bitten" with the keenest desire to pay the 

 swamp a visit. I soon secured a chum who knew the tracks across 

 country — Mr. H. Barton, of this town — who, though not himself a 

 collector, was interested in my story of the sight to be seen. 



Accordingly, on the last Saturday in November, equipped with 

 gun, camera, and old clothes (for use in the swamp), we started in the 

 early afternoon on our journey, intending to reach "Kaladbro" in 

 time — like the sundowners — for the evening meal. 



A pair of sturdy horses, that had their own preconceived ideas of 

 doing a long journey, pulled our trap up the steep hill leading from 

 the town, and thence along the coach route to Mt. Gambler. The 

 afternoon was an ideal one for travelling. A cool, light southerly 

 breeze did battle with the decidedly warm rays of the sun — already 

 commencing to throw long shadows — and the result of the conflict 

 meant temperate weather. Added to this was the fact of there being 

 as yet no dust nor flies to worry us. We continue for about 1 1 miles, 

 passing the picturesque Nine-mile Creek, with its splendid stream of 

 water bubbling and rippling between mossy banks arched over by 

 tea-tree scrub, and concealing many a fine blackfish and spotted 

 trout, with his brown, rounded back, as it flows to empty itself into 

 the River Glenelg, some 2 or 3 miles on our left. 



A feature of the landscape just about here is tlie tall flower-stalks 

 of the yacca grass {Xanthorrhaa), which just at present is covered 

 with the white blossoms, that make the stalks look like so many giant 

 candles standing in the scrub. 



Soon we turn off the road and follow bush tracks, mostly through 

 low-lying sandy and swampy heath country. The swamps, in most 

 cases, are large and shallow, and invariably of a bright green colour, 

 from the swamp weeds and rushes growing therein. The cattle 

 standing knee-deep in the water, feeding off the lush herbage, lend 

 a jMcturc-like effect, their reflection in any more sparsely-covered 

 patch being distinctly mirrored, completing the idea. 



