()0 \lex\sdkr, Notes from Wes/eyn Australia. [.sf'juiy 



distribution as "Australia"). The Straw-necked Ibis is now 

 commonly met with at least as far south as Perth, but Mr. T. 

 Carter has recorded in The Emu, vol. iii., p. 209, that when in 

 May, 1888, this bird first appeared in the region of the North-West 

 Cape, it was (luite unknown to the natives of that district. 



3. Black- tailed Native-Hen {Tribonyx ventralis). — These birds 

 have recently appeared in numbers in the south-west coastal 

 districts (April and May, 1919), extending at least as far south as 

 the Vasse River at Busselton, where Mr. T. Carter secured speci- 

 mens. Mr. T. P. Draper and I saw about 50 of them one afternoon 

 on the shores of Monger's Lake, close to Perth, and I have heard 

 of them from various other localities. I am informed that the 

 pastoral regions further north are very dry at present, and 

 probably this accounts for the visitation. 



4. Hoary-headed Grebe {Podiceps poliocephalus). — These birds 

 are also very abundant at present (May, 1919) in the neighbour- 

 hood of Perth — not only on the lakes, but also on the salt-water 

 estuary of the Swan River. I have never observed them on the 

 river before, and a number of yachtsmen inform me that their 

 presence there is quite unusual. Contrary to their usual habit, 

 when approached they take refuge in flight rather than by diving. 

 Doubtless their presence is due to the same causes which have 

 driven the Native-Hens to the coast. The Little Cormorant and 

 the Little Black Cormorant would also seem to have been affected, 

 as they are far more numerous on the river than usual. As a rule 

 the Pied Cormorant is much the most common species, but at 

 present the other two species arc much more numerous. 



Introduced Birds in Queensland. 



By a. H. Chisholm, R.A.O.U., Brisbane. 



I HAVE been interested of late in collecting information relating 

 to the arrival of overseas avifauna in Queensland. Some useful 

 notes have resulted. There are records to show that in May of 

 1869 the State Acclimatization Society received a shipment of 

 birds by the ship Flying Cloud, the species comprising the Rook, 

 Starling, Lark, Blackbird, Tlirush, and Sparrow. What became 

 of these immigrants is not so clear, but the indications are that 

 they were all exterminated. Certainly this was the case with the 

 Rook, Lark, Blackbird, and Thrush, and I cannot find anyone 

 who remembers the Starling and Sparrow in Queensland in other 

 than recent years, the belief being that the birds now present 

 worked their way up from the south. Had the StarHng and Sparrow 

 contingent of fifty years ago prospered, they would probably have 

 been on the " black list " much sooner — this despite the declara- 

 tion of the secretary of the society that there was not likely to 

 l)e objection taken to any of the imports. 



