CHENERY S' MORGAN— Birds of Rivers Mnfraij cV Darling 41 



Average measurement of 13 eggs — 1.70 cm. x 1.20 cm. 

 Largest egg — 1.80 cm. x 1.20 cm. Smallest egg— 1.<!0 cm. x 

 1.20 cm. 



The Birds of Rivers Murray and Darling and 

 district of Wentvvorth. 



(By A. Cheuerv, M.K.C.S., L.R.C.P., and A. M. Morgan. 

 M.B., P».Ch. ) . 



PART I. 



One of us (A. C. ) has been resident in Wentworth for some 

 years, while the other (A. M. M.) has made two trips on the 

 Murray, and we have together examined the country between 

 the S.A. border and the River Darling, from Belmore (about 40 

 miles north of the Murray) to Kudgee Lake and Cuthero 

 Station, 100 miles by road up the Darling, as well as the country 

 near the S.A. border on the Victorian side, for about 20 miles 

 south of the River Murray. One of us has also, in company 

 with Capt. S. A. White, examined the river bank and adjacent 

 scrub from Rufus Creek to Renmark. Roughly speaking, 

 four classes of country are met with — 1. The river country, 

 with its billabongs, swamps and lagoons, fringed with giant 

 gums ; 2. The box flats, bordering the outer edges of the gum 

 country; 3. The sandhill country, timbered with mallee. sandal 

 wood, black oak, many other shrubs and bushes, and occa- 

 sional patches of pines ; 4. Saltbush flats, lying between the 

 sandhills. 



Each class of country has its own avifauna, overlapping to 

 a certain extent, but still fairly constant. The outlying lakes 

 such as Yartla (fed from the Darling) and Kudgee (fed by 

 Pine Creek from the Broken Hill district) resemble the river 

 country in their vegetation and fauna. 



Birds observed : — 



Dromiceius novarhollandiar (Y.mu). Still })]entiful 

 away from the beaten trades, and breed freely in good seasons. 

 Laying begins in May, and hatched clutches up to" nine in num 

 ber have been seen. Foxes are very destiuctive to the young, 

 but are unable to break the eggs; however, they roll them awav 

 from the nests, where they may be found with teeth marks on 



