Vol. XI, 1 Hull, Avifauna of Neiv South Wales Islands. 207 



I lay in bed watching the passing l)irds, a stream of Shearwaters, 

 many yards in height and breadth, was making north, and for over 

 half an hour this stream ])ass(.!d by unbroken. It would not be 

 any exaggeration to estimate the numbers in millions. 



As to the Wedge-tailed Shearwater's tastes in the matter of 

 food, I had an interesting experience. While we were out fishing, 

 about a mile from the island, one of these birds came along, and 

 settled on the water about 30 yards away. Mr. Glover threw 

 some bits of boiled crayfish in its direction, and it came scuttling 

 along the surface, and, reaching the spot where the bait had sunk, 

 it dived under, presently rea])})earing with the crayfish in its 

 beak. A few gulps, and that piece disappeared, to be followed 

 by others flung to it by us. Bits of barracouta were next thrown 

 to the bird, and greedily swallowed. Several others then arrived 

 on the scene, and some Gulls joined them. I had just hooked a 

 medium-sized shark, which Mr. Glover despatched with a harpoon. 

 Taking its liver out, he broke it up and flung pieces to the birds. 

 It was most amusing to see two Shearwaters catch hold of one 

 piece, too large for either to negotiate, and go under with it, 

 fighting and struggling, until they again rose to the surface gulping 

 down what they had torn from the portion. I am quite sure 

 that the bird we first attracted swallowed its own weight in various 

 kinds of food that afternoon. It was unable to fly, and sat 

 contentedly cleaning up after the feast. 



I saw a somewhat mummified Pfiffmus assimilis, which had been 

 picked up dead on the island ; and on the way home we saw two 

 small white-breasted Shearwaters flying by. These were doubt- 

 less P. assiniilis. 



Hypotcenidia philippmensis breeds on the island, but we did 

 not see any birds. Mr. Bailey sent me a set of eggs taken in 

 igo8. Cisticola exilis, Anthus australis, Rhipidura tricolor, R. 

 albiscapa, and a Ptilotis were also noted on the island. 



Bird'Life in the Riverina. 



By (Capt.) S. a. White, R.A.O.U., Adelaide. 



Most Australians are aware that a rich tract of country, known 

 as the Riverina, lies between the main branches of the great 

 waterway of Australia. This country was once the home of 

 countless thousands of Emus, Bustards, and other birds and 

 mammals. To-day only a few Emus and kangaroos remain on 

 some of the stations, to the praise of the owners and the managers, 

 who are trying to save them. The part of the Riverina which 

 my wife and I visited on our way back from attending the R.A.O.U. 

 session of igio was then, unfortunately, undergoing a dry spell, 

 and we did not see the aquatic birds at their best. On leaving 

 a little wayside railway station we drove out on to an undulating 

 plain, dotted here and there with clumps of box. Deep wheel- 



