.1 VII. 



KI07 



IImicv, Bird-Life Sixty Years A^o. zy 



with Gulls. A little later 1 went there to shoot. There were clouds of 

 Ducks — Gulls were gone — but no Spoonbills. In 1895 the late Mr. 

 James M'Ara Jilitchell, manager of Rockbank, complained of Melbourne 

 people shooting these inoffensive birds, leaving them lying about the 

 swamps. Have seen Spoonbills on dams in Newham Shire. The water 

 was very muddy ; they stalked along, swinging their bills like clock 

 pendulums, in search of insects, &c., beneath the surface. 



White Egret (Herodias timoriensis). — -One met with on Emu Creek, 

 near Bulla, about 1855. 



MusK-DucK {Biziiira lobata). — One seen years ago on Jackson's 

 Creek. In season of travel have noted up to ten at a time in a dam 

 at Woodend North. 



Black Swan (CJienopis atrata). — Somewhat frequently appearing. 



SiLN'ER Gull {Larus nova;-hollandice). — When we have storms in 

 winter from the soiith these Gulls sometimes visit the big dam at 

 Woodend North. This reservoir is 45 miles from Port Phillip. 



Native Comi'.\nion (Antigone anstvalasiana). — At times seen on 

 Melton Plains, but never in any numbers. 



Black Cormorant (Phalacrocorax novire-hollandia:). — This bird is an 

 almost constant visitor, generally when the water is clear. 



Little Black Cormorant (Phalacracorax stictocephalus). — Same as 

 above with respect to its visits. 



Little Cormorant {Phalacrocorax melanoleucus). — This, as regards 

 visits, is the same as the other two. Of the three sorts a party 

 hardly goes beyond three or four, sometimes a brace, but more 

 frequently a single bird. Cormorants swarm with intestinal worms, 

 often of large size. These parasites appear to break into the fish 

 as soon as swallowed. Inferentially they accelerate digestion, there- 

 fore we may conclude that the presence of the parasites accounts for the 

 bird's voracity. Once fully a dozen birds pitched in a dam at 

 Woodend North. They began working all abreast in an extended 

 line, diving simultaneously. When one rose with a carp it tossed it 

 in the air, caught the fish by the head, and bolted it. The other 

 Cormorants often rushed to rob him. They evidently ovci^gorgc, lor 

 under roosting trees I have seen ever so many whole fish tliat they 

 had ejected. 



Darter (Plotus novce-hollandicB). — One only seen on the creek, and 

 shot. Another killed on a Murrumbidgee lagoon. 



Pelican {Pelecanus conspicillatiis).— In 1876 one shot on Jackson's 

 Creek and one at Newham. On extremely rare occasions they have 

 been seen in broad daylight Hying towards the sea-coast. 



Grkbe (Podiceps, sp.')— Cannot say if it is the Hoary-headed or the 

 Black-throated species ; possibly both P. puliocephalus and nova:- 

 hoUandice occur. Never knew it to nest. 



Emu {Dromceiis novce-hollandice) . — When we arrived at Sunbury, in 

 1846, Emus were gone, as far as our area was concerned. Tom 

 Harrison, who had come with the .Messrs. Jackson to Koorakoorakup 

 in 1836, saw an old bird with i i young between the present site 

 of the Sunbury Asylum and Bald Hill. The late Mr. Lewis Clarke, 

 who arrived about 1840, stated he ran down one at Fcnton Hill (now 

 Bolinda). 



