A Cole, Plumage Changes of the Nankeen Night-Heron. \^^"^]a\y 



(d.) Full Plumage, Third Moult. 

 (Age from leaving the nest, j years 6 months.) 

 Forehead, crown, hinder crown, and nape black ; nucha) 

 plumes white, base streaked brown ; eyebrow white ; chin, throat, 

 and lower throat white ; ear coverts white, tinted pale chestnut- 

 red ; hind neck black, a few tinted chestnut-red ; fore neck white, 

 tinted pale chestnut-red ; chest white, tinted pale chestnut-red, 

 the side feathers a rich chestnut-red ; breast, abdomen, thighs, 

 under tail coverts white ; flanks white ; rump chestnut-red ; back, 

 the whoJe of the wing, and tail rich chestnut-red, quills paler ; 

 bare patch in front of eyes pale green ; irides deep orange ; upper 

 mandible black, sides blotched reddish-brown, lower mandible 

 greyish-buff, tipped black ; legs and feet .chrome-yellow ; toe- 

 nails reddish-brown, tipped brown. 



With Camera and Field Glasses in North^West 



Victoria. 



By L. G. Chandler, R.A.O.U., "Malurus," Uixox-street, 

 Mal\^ern. 



Leaving Melbourne by the 6.40 a.m. train on nth .'\ugust, IQ19, 

 I leached Hattah at 4.10 a.m. on the following day. It was a 

 slow, tiresome journey ; but a few hours later, when on a memor- 

 able drive to Kulkyne Station, I forgot previous discomforts in 

 the examination of the varied, interesting scenery and the presence 

 of many birds and flowers new to me. Mr. Balmain, a local 

 fisherman, who kindly drove me a distance of 18 miles, was an 

 interesting companion, and we talked of bush-lore as the horses 

 toiled through the heavy sand. 



For miles the track wound through typical Mallee vegetation, 

 and the oil mallee {Eucalyptus' oleosa), giant mallee (£. incrassata), 

 and hooked m^Hee {E. uncinata) were noticed, together witli 

 acacias and smaller shrubs and plants. The last two eucalypts 

 were heavily in l)lossom, and the morning air was scented with, 

 their perfume. With the exception of a few Yellow-plumed 

 Honey-eaters {Ptilotis ornata) and White-eared Honey-eaters 

 (possibly Ptilotis novcB-norcicB), honey-eating birds were scarce. 

 iS^ear Hattah the familiar notes of a Scrub-Robin {Drymodcs 

 brnnneopygius) were heard -the only occasion on which I 

 had evidence of its presence. Soon a beautiful pair of Ground- 

 Birds {Cinclosoma castanotiim) crossed the track, and this species 

 also became a memory. Like Scrub-Robins, they apparently have 

 not extended their range to the Murray River, or perhaps foxes 

 and domestic cats gone wild liave exterminated them in places. 

 Unless drastic action is takiii to reduce the pest, the cats will 

 cause the complete disappearance of many birds. The value of 

 a cat as a destroyer of rabbits is negligible when compared with 

 the immense harm done to bird-life. Cats, by instinct, are bird- 



