THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 129 



donicus ; White-necked Heron, Ardea pacifica ; Bald Coot, 

 Porphyrio melanonotus ; White Ibis, Threskiornis strictipennis ; 

 Black Cormorant, Phalacrocorax novce hollandice ; Bittern, 

 Botaurus poicilopterus ; Little Bittern, Ardetla minuta. 



The Black Duck, Anas superciliosa, Gmelin. — Among some 

 notes on Queensland birds which lay in the autumn, kindly 

 forwarded to me by Mr. Price Fletcher, I find an interesting 

 note on the Black Duck. He says : — " It is a powerful and 

 weighty bird, and therefore is able to fly with amazing swiftness, 

 and thus defy the attacks of hawks of any kind. The rapidity 

 of this flight was strikingly brought home to me one day when I 

 fired at two birds flying at right angles to me at about fifty yards 

 distance, for, aiming about a yard in front of the leading duck, to 

 my astonishment I dropped the rear one which was full six feet 

 astern of its mate. Being close feathered, a full charge of powder 

 and large shot is necesspry to disable them. The aborigines of 

 the Darling district used to be very expert in catching the Black 

 Duck and its lesser congener, the Teal. I have witnessed them 

 net a full score at one attempt. Their method of procedure is : 

 Knowing that it is the invariable habit of these birds to fly, after 

 being disturbed, either up or down the line of water, they stretch 

 a wide and long net across the stream. Two of the men then 

 conceal themselves on the bank near the net, and one of the 

 tribe will be sent up or down the stream to where it is known a 

 flock of birds are settled. This scout proceeds with caution, so 

 as not to show himself until he gets to the further side of the 

 flock. He then walks towards the birds, which immediately rise 

 and fly along the stream towards the net. A warning cry from 

 the scout has given notice to the two net-watchers, who, standing 

 upright with a peculiar boomerang, used only for this purpose, 

 ready in hand, watch for the advancing flock, and then, just 

 before the birds are abreast of the net, the boomerangs are hurled 

 high above them, and at the same time the cry of a hawk is 

 imitated. This causes the ducks to instantly dive towards the 

 water, and they thus fly head foremost and with their full momen- 

 tum into the net, which is immediately lowered and drawn ashore. 

 The scene that follows when there happens to be a large congre- 

 gation of the blacks and a big take' of birds is one truly typical 

 of savage nature. Before the boomerangs are thrown all appar- 

 ently is peace and quiet, and not a soul to be seen. In a minute 

 after the place is alive with naked savage humanity. Excite- 

 ment reigns supreme. The men naturally feel the hunter's pride of 

 success ; the women are yabbering at the loudest, and picaninies 

 are running with glowing eyes, showing the child's enthusiasm 

 at the fun. Some of the tribe are in the water guarding the net, 

 others swim in through pure excitement ■. but soon this phase has 

 passed, for the ducks are singeing on numerous small fires of the 



