38 MORSE, Birds of the Moree District. [Yst hS"^ 



that we had at last found the long-sought spot, we made our 

 way homewards with the intention of returning at an early date. 



The following week-end, December 9th, saw us again on the 

 same sj)ot, this time accompanied by Mr. Mawhiney. We 

 worked the swanij) both east and west for about half a mile, but 

 did not reach the end of the nesting area. For this reason, it 

 would be impossible even to guess at the number of Glossies 

 breeding here, but we concluded that we had seen three or four 

 hundred nests. 



The Glossies' nests, viewed from below, are indistinguishable 

 from those of the Plumed Egrets. They are certainly built by 

 the occupants, as we saw many birds carrying material. They 

 are all constructed of the leafy ends of the eumung trees, some 

 placed on old nests, others built in forks or branches of the 

 trees from seven to twenty feet above the water level. They 

 measure from 11 to 1.^ inches in width, with an egg cavity of 

 two inches in depth. Clutches, usually three or four; two nests 

 contained five, and one si.x eggs. 



White, Plumed, and Little Egrets (Egretta alba, intermedia, 

 and cjorzetta) were also breeding here, the former two in great 

 numbers. Of the Little Egret we could find only one small 

 colony of perhaps thirty to fifty birds. These also were in all 

 stages. In some nests the young were fledged, while other birds 

 were only now building. 



Clutches of the White and Plumed were usually three, often 

 four, while those of the Little were usually four or five. 



On December 17th heavy rain fell, and the country was once 

 uKjre flooded, and we were unable to get to the place again till 

 February 17th of this year. Piirds were still apparently as 

 numerous as ever. A few nests still contained eggs, but there 

 was evidence on all sides that breeding had practically ceased. 

 The water was drying ofl"', and many of the occupied trees were 

 now on dry land. 



We were rather alarmed at hearing what we took to be pea 

 rifle shots every now and then, and tliought some marauders or 

 murderers had got among our birds, but we were much relieved 

 to find it was only eggs i)opping in the drying mud. 



'IMiis most interesting spot is probably the largest heronry in 

 New v^f)uth Wales. There are hundreds of thousands of birds 

 breeding here. It is on the e.xtreme portion of four different 

 holdings. The land itself is of very little value for grazing 

 purposes, and j)robably very little or no objection would be raised 

 to its being proclaimed a sanctuary. The total length is not more 

 than three miles, f)f an a\erage width of about a ([uarter of a 

 mile. 



In conclusion, I would like to mention that this is the only 

 ]>lace where I have seen the White Ibis nesting among the trees, 

 many nests being fully 20 feet from the ground. They usually 

 occupy (luite a lowly position. 



