Vol. VII. 

 1907 



1 Austin, Noles 0)i Birds from Talbragay River, N.S. IV. JQ 



Black Duck (Anas superciliosa). — This, one of the finest game birds 

 we have in Australia, is the most common of all the Ducks in this 

 locality ; when no Black Duck is to be found here it is almost certain 

 there is no other species of Duck witliin a great many miles. A fair 

 number of them breed here every year ; their favourite nesting-places 

 are the hollow red gum trees growing by the river. 



Teal {Nettion gibbet if rons), Shoveller {Spatula rhynchoHs), Pink- 

 eared Duck {M alacorhynchus membranaceus) , and Hardhead (Nyroca 

 aiistralis). — These four species of Ducks are only to be seen here in a 

 wet season, when they arrive in very large flocks. I have no record of 

 any of them breeding here, but no doubt some oi them do when the 

 season is favourable. 



Musk-Duck {Biziura lobata). — Only a single bird of this species have 

 I seen throughout this district. This bird was in a very small dam. 

 After watching it diving for a few minutes, I saw it sneak out of the 

 water and go under a tuft of grass, where I caught it. I took it home 

 and put it on a large dam near my house, but it did not remain there 

 more than a few weeks ; it was last seen upon a lagoon about a 

 quarter of a mile away. 



Emu {Dromceus novcB-hollandicB). — A bird which was very plentiful 

 only a few years ago, but I have not seen one within fifteen miles of 

 the river since the 1902 drought. That disastrous year killed the 

 Emus in very great numbers throughout the State. During 1900 one 

 pair of birds became so tame that they came right uj) to the house 

 and took all the quinces off two trees. The following year I saw an 

 old bird with seven young. This fine species was looked upon as a 

 nuisance not so very long ago, and on a great many stations men were 

 employed to destroy them. Now I think the squatters who were once 

 so anxious to eradicate them would be glad to see a few Emus about 

 their propert}-. I am glad to hear from squatters further west that 

 Emus are on the increase again. 



The Food of the Birds. 



Bv Fred. L. Bernev, Richmond, N.O. 



As this is an important subject, I have recently been saving, 

 from time to time, the stomachs of such birds as came into my 

 hands ; and, feeling that I was not personally in a position to do 

 them justice, I forwarded a small collection to Mr. A. S. 

 Le Souef, Zoological Gardens, Sydney, who kindly undertook to 

 examine them. 



In many cases the contents were in too comminuted a state 

 for more than a general decision, such as " beetles and small 

 flies," but where the condition was such as to give hope of 

 actual identification of the insect or what not that the bird had 

 been feeding on. Mr. Le Souef sought the assistance of the 

 authorities of the Australian Museum, who were good enough to 

 go carefully into the matter, with the result that I think the 

 subjoined list is of sufficient importance and interest to publish 

 in The Emu. 



The stomach of the Night-Heron (No. 120) proved to be of 



