70 Mattingley, a Visit to Heronries. fisf'oct 



the Egrets when they are free from the cares of rearing a family 

 very few plumes are obtained. A shot by us into space, 

 albeit, sends the birds in dozens from their nests, and as they fly 

 away, usually to the nearest dry tree, their snow-white plumage 

 is pleasingly silhouetted against the green foliage of the 

 surrounding gum-trees. How pure, how graceful they look in 

 the sunshine as they alight on the dead tree-top and contemplate 

 the intruders in the boat beneath them. At last we find a nest 

 in a tree adaptable to the rope ladder, and after many efforts 

 we fix the ladder in position, and the climber excitedly 

 clambers up, holding on like " grim Death " to the rope as it 

 sways hither and thither, or varies the performance by turning 

 as if on a pivot on account of it being impossible to fix it in the 

 swamp water beneath. It is no easy task climbing 70 feet of 

 swinging ladder ; but the climber hardly notices this fact — his 

 attention is on the nest above and the coveted prize of a sight 

 of a rare clutch of eggs, the first of their kind ever taken, or at 

 all events recorded, in Australia. Puffing, panting, and 

 perspiring at every pore, he now reaches the limb at the top of 

 the ladder, but still he has to go higher. After half a minute 

 spell he scrambles up and up the now smaller main stem 

 until after desperate efforts he reaches the limb on which the 

 nest is situated. Trembling in every muscle with such 

 unwonted exertion, as well as with the enervating effects of 

 excitement, he works his way laboriously along the horizontal 

 bough until he reaches the smaller twigs in which the nest is 

 placed. Ha ! what a picture is before his eyes ! " Eureka ! " 

 Four delicately shaded blue-tinted eggs. Immediately a strong 

 line is sent down for the camera, which is forthwith attached, 

 and then hauled up, and with trembling fingers and much 

 balancing in mid-air the camera is fixed to the bough, and 

 after lengthy manoeuvring and adjusting the nest is focussed 

 and a picture taken, after which operation the camera is again 

 lowered to the boat, and the weary climber descends and sits 

 exhausted in it. It is now time to return to camp, and we 

 make a detour to ascertain the extent of the Nankeen Night- 

 Heron's rookery, which surrounds the colony of the " White 

 Cranes." As it was too lengthy a task to correctly compute the 

 exact number of Night-Herons in this heronry, we approximate!}- 

 estimate the number domiciled there to be several thousands, 

 which was afterwards verified by me on my second trip. Tired 

 and hungry, we at last reach camp, well satisfied with the day's 

 work, and with a determination to thoroughly explore the 

 homes and to study the habits of the Herons. 



Up betimes next day, we sally forth, and after careful search 

 discover several trees that a strong climber could negotiate, and 

 in which are seen the nests of the Night-Herons. Up two of 

 us went, and b}^ aid of climbing irons and rope ladder several 



