134 Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



VIII. — Letters, Announcements, ^c. 



We have received the following letters^ addressed "To the 

 Editor of ' The Ibis : ' "— 



Dobroyde, New Soutli Wales. 



Sir, — After reading the paper on the supposed gular pouch 

 of a male European Bustard (Ibis, 1862, pp. 107-127), I natu- 

 rally felt a desire to investigate the subject with regard to the 

 Australian species {^Otis australiana) , and I now send you the 

 result of my inquiries. 



In 1863 I took a trip for about a hundred miles inland, but, 

 not being in the right locality, I did not meet with any birds 

 myself. Mr. Griffin, of Braidwood, however, who has without 

 doubt slain more Bustards than any one else in the district, in- 

 formed me that he had purposely shot and examined numerous 

 male birds without finding a trace of any pouch or water-bag. It 

 was not until January 1865 that, having taken another journey 

 expressly to ascertain the fact for myself, I had the oppor- 

 tunity of examining a bird. This specimen I procured in the 

 neighbourhood of Goulburn. There was no sign of a pouch ; 

 but as the bird was not so large as many others I had seen in 

 that locality, I did not consider it a fair trial, and set about 

 procuring older and larger examples. In this I was disap- 

 pointed, for I did not get another chance until during my last 

 trip inland. Passing by Lake George, I was delighted to hear 

 that some fine large birds were to be found on its borders. I 

 consequently remained there a week, and on the first day, of 

 course, I went after the Bustards. I found a pair among the 

 tall reedy grass with which the upper portion of the basin is 

 covered. They were very wary ; but I succeeded in getting the 

 largest, a male weighing 12 lb. and standing more than 3 feet 

 high. This bird I carefully examined, but no pouch was to be 

 found. Not being satisfied, however, I resolved to continue my 

 researches still further, and I examined another specimen, one 

 shot by my brother, Mr. James Ramsay, with a revolver; but 

 as the ball had seriously injured the specimen, the result was 

 unsatisfactory. Nor was it until my second visit to the lake, 

 where I was determined to stay till I was quite satisfied, that I 



