A.J. 
Data Campbell's No. of 
Eggs. 
o. 
666 
667 
No. ip 
Book. 
THE JACKSONIAN OOLOGICAL COLLECTION. 
It was not at all uncommon in the latter locality to find three or four in one tree, and one was frequently 
seen perched here and there on the top of a telegraph pole. But all this seems to be changed now, as 
I learn from friends living in various parts of New South Wales and Queensland that a Native Bear is 
very seldom seen, the dire result, no doubt, of the work of trappers and hunters shooting them for the 
market, to provide material for bearskin rugs, etc., and also as a means of livelibood. Before closing 
I might mention that when at Jondaryan, Queensland, in 1888, I came across several very fine speci- 
mens of the piebald variety of this bear. The law in force for the protection of certain animals and 
birds is openly and flagrantly violated, and in most of the large cities of the Commonwealth substantial 
evidence in support of this statement may be found in the quantities of skins exposed for sale, as is also 
the case in the number of those of the Platypus (Ovnithorhynchus anatinus) disposed of, to which might 
further be added the enormous quantities of beautiful tail plumage of our Lyre Birds, which are supposed 
to be safe-guarded by the Birds’ Protection Act of New South Wales. 
BLACK-BILLED SPOONBILL, 
Platalea regia, Gould. 
(This bird is also known as the Royal and Black-faced Spoonbill.) 
Set of 4 eggs, which was one of the first clutches recorded. They were taken froma nest in a 
swamp in the Nicholson River district, North-west Queensland, by E. Drew, on the 25th of April, 
1898. See bottom paragraph in A. J. Campbell’s book, page 947, ve this set. It seems remarkable 
that this species should lay its eggs on the rushes in the swamps, while the Yellow-legged Spoonbill 
makes a nest of sticks, which it places in a tree ; and another strange thing is that it usually breeds in 
company with the White Ibises. The Spoonbill was twice flushed from the nest, which contained the 
above set of four eggs, before they were taken. The structure was simply the reeds bent down into a 
platform a little above water-mark, and the eggs laid thereon. They were slightly incubated. Four 
more of the birds were observed on the same swamp, but although they were watched carefully, no 
other nests were found. White Ibises were breeding at the same place. The eggs are dull or chalky- 
white, and moderately marked with reddish-brown. Specimens A. and B. possess more markings than 
the others, and measure as follows :—Specimen A. = 2°52 x 1°77. Specimen B. = 2.47 x 1°75. 
Beautiful pair of eggs, which are much more elongated than those of the previous set, and possess 
more markings. They were taken on a swamp at Lavadia, near South Grafton, Clarence River, N.S.W., 
by A. Amos and myself, where we found these birds breeding in company with the White Ibises, and 
were successful in taking the eggs of both species. Their nests were alike, being simply the rushes 
trampled down, platform shaped, on which the eggs were laid. The Spoonbill’s eggs varied from 2 to 
4 for a sitting, though in one instance we took five eggs from anest. (See Data No. 667A.) They 
were of various shapes and sizes, several being boldly blotched, resembling some well-marked eggs of 
the Whistling Eagle (/Zaliastur sphenurus), while others again only possessed a few minute dots. They 
were taken on the 4th of November, rg04. Specimen A. measures = 2°83 X 1°72. Specimen B. 
measures = 2°70 x 1°75. Specimen B. possesses numerous markings at the larger end, while in 
Specimen A. they are very small and scattered all over the surface. As is the case with the former set 
of 4 eggs, these two have the surface of the shell minutely pitted all over, in fact all the eggs of the 
Ptalatee order have more or less a pitted shell. These birds were also found breeding on the same 
swamps at Lavadia, during October of 1903. 
This is the only set of five of these rare eggs that I have ever seen. They are most beautifully 
blotched specimens, and were taken by A. Amos and myself from a swamp at Lavadia, near South 
Grafton, Clarence River, N.S.W., on the 4th of November, 1904. They are not nearly so elongated as 
those of the previous set. Specimen A. is beautifully blotched at the larger end with reddish-brown, 
and resembles a well-marked egg of the Whistling Eagle ; it measures = 2°43 x 1°73. Specimens B., 
C., D. and E. are well capped with brown and purplish-grey markings at the larger ends, while marks of 
the same colour are scattered over the remainder of the shell. They measure as follows :—Specimen B. 
= 2°52 x 1'73; Specimen C. = 2°53 x 1°72; Specimen D. = 2'58 x 1°71; Specimen E. = 2°60 
156 
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