CHENERY 4- MORGAN— liirdx of Rivers Murrarj .\- Darling. 45 



Mathewftia rubicunda (Australian Crane or Native Com 

 panion ) — We heard of this bird as having recently been seen 

 at Lake Yartla and at Lake Kudgee, but did not meet with it^ 

 ourselves. It is now a rare bird in the district. 



Threskiornis niolucca strictipennis (White Ibis i— A few 

 birds are seen every year, and they were fairly plentiful in 1917 



Varphihis spinieoWs ( Stiaw-necked Ibis) — Quite a com- 

 mon bird, and its value recognised by the land owners. "We 

 heard that they bred in 1916, in the polygonum swamps in the 

 Rufus Creek district, but did not meet with it breeding our- 

 selves. 



Spnthcrodid irfjia ( IJlack-billed Spoonbill i. 



Platihi.s fiavipes (Yellow-billed Spoonbill) — Roth fairly 

 common, but the yellow-billed species the more plentiful. These 

 birds have a peculiar side to side movement of their bills when 

 feeding, describing an arc of a circle. They breed in company 

 with other waders in the high gum-trees of the river fi-on- 

 tage. 



Rciofliti.s (ill)(i sf/niiatopJionifi (White Egret) — A regular 

 inhabitant of the district. Quite numerous in 1917; over 



twenty birds could be counted at one time on the edge of the 

 flooded country, as the water gradually flowed further and 

 further over, probably after the insects driven out by the 

 advancing water. There is a nesting place on the Murray, 

 where the birds breed with Pacific, white-fronted, and night 

 herons and spoonbills. 



Xotophoj/x )iovnehollandiae ( White-frouh IHeron)— Very 

 common. They breed in the gum-trees bordering the rivers, 

 and in trees in flooded country, during flood years. They do 

 not breed in companies as a rule. 



Myola pacifica (White-necked Heron) — A common bird; 

 seen more often on shallow lagoons and watercourses than on 

 the rivers. It is a solitary bird; it breeds in the district, 

 generally very high up in the river gums. 



Xi/rticorax caledonicuff aufitralasiae (Nankeen Night 

 Heron) — Plentiful in good seasons, and breed in several locali- 

 ties in the high gums along the Murray. They are fond of 

 sitting out in the river just at dusk, but were never .seen to 

 catch anything. 



Chrtiopi.s II fni fa (Ti]iick Swam — (^'oniinon on all the in- 

 land lakes and large swami)s. They breed only in good seasons. 



