292 Barrett, Wilson's Promontory and its Wild Life. [^^ 



Emu 



on a knoll, for an hour I watched the birds through my field- 

 glasses. It was a rare experience for one who counts a bird in 

 the bush of more value than a score in the cabinet. That shining 

 company of wild birds displayed no fear of me ; perchance they 

 were unaware of an intruder, for some flew over and around me, 

 and others sang from the shrub by the knoll that formed my seat. 

 I seemed to be in a great aviary rather than on a hill slope 

 within sound of the sea. This is an impression, deeply etched 

 in memory, of bird-life in Victoria's National Park ; it is the 

 best of many. 



Appended is a list of birds that have been recorded from 

 Wilson's Promontory, with some notes, chiefly on species observed 

 during my recent visit to the Park : — 



Emu {Dromaius novcs-hojlandics). — Introduced. Now about 60 

 birds. Broods are reared each year, but, so far, a nest has not been 

 discovered. In the course of an afternoon's ramble I -saw about a 

 score of Emus, including a female with five young birds, which were 

 about six weeks old. Some of the birds were remarkably tame, 

 others forbade a near approach. All were in perfect plumage. Two 

 young birds, reared in the Park some years ago, were so tame that 

 they would take food from the ranger's hand long after they had 

 been liberated from the " home paddock. "- 



Stubble-Quail (Cofitrnix pectoralis). — Fairly common. 



Brown Quail {Synoicus australis). — Fairly numerous. 



Brush Bronze-winged Pigeon (Phaps elegans). — Said to be abundant 

 at times. ' 



Black Moor-Hen (Gallinula tenebrosa). 



Bald-Coot {Porphyria melanonotus). 



Australian Coot (Fulica australis). 



Great Grebe (Podiceps australis). 



Little Penguin (Eudyptnla minor). 



Allied Petrel (PuffiHus assiniilis). 



Cape Petrel {Dap/ion capensis). 



White-capped Albatross {Diomedea cauta). 



Silver Gull (Lavus novce-hollandice). — Observed on nearly all the 

 beaches ; numerous in some bays. 



Pacific Gull (Gabianus pacificus). — A common species. 



Pied Oyster-catcher {Ha-matopus longirostris). — Pairs seen on all the 

 beaches. Nests along the dunes. 



Black Oyster-catcher (Hcrmatopus fnliginosus). — Less abundant 

 than H. longirostris. 



Spur-winged Plover (Lobivanelhis lobatus). — Frequently heard calling 

 at night, near the Darby River. 



Black-fronted Dottrel {/Egialitis 'nigrifrons). — .\bundant on the 

 shore in all the bays. 



Australian Curlew (Nnmenius cyanopiis). — Seen only on the beach 

 in Shallow Inlet ; fairly nunierous. 



Australian Snipe {Gallinago australis). 



Southern Stone-Curlew (CEdicnemus grallarius). 



White Ibis {Ibis molucca). — Introduced. On Darby River. 



Straw-necked Ibis (Carphibis spinicollis). — Introduced. Darby River. 



White-fronted Heron (Notophoyx nova-hollandice). — In pairs about 

 the swamps. Large flocks along the coast, flying over or perched on 

 rocky headlands. A Magpie, whose mate was nesting in a tree on 



