Qj. Howe, Observations on the Genus Hylacola. [,^j "q^.(_ 



a zone. The eggs of Hylacola appear to have an affinity to those 

 of Sericornis, and also to those of Calamanthns. The nest, too, 

 belongs to the same class as those of the two latter kinds. As 

 a field naturalist, therefore, I should be inclined to place the three 

 genera very near together rather than admit other intrusive genera 

 in the present classification obviously less related." 



Australian Ibises. 



By W. H. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., Hon. Sec. R.A.O.U. 



The Glossy Ibis {Plegadis falcinellus) is a comparatively rare bird 

 in Australia, except possibly in certain localities, when compared 

 with the White {Ibis mohicca) and Straw-necked Ibis {Carphibis 

 spinicollis). Glossy Ibises nest in single pairs in trees, usually 

 overhanging water, and not in rookeries like the other species. 



The Australian White Ibis is closely allied to the Egyptian 

 Sacred Ibis, and is just as useful as that bird is in destroying 

 locusts and other troublesome insects ; that is evidently why the 

 Egyptians made this bird sacred, and mummified it, over 3,000 

 years ago. In a wet season, when there has been sufficient water 

 to fill the swamps with surface drainage, these birds congregate 

 in thousands to construct their nests ; but should the season prove 

 dry, which it frequently does, they will not nest, apparently 

 knowing that there would be no food or water when the young 

 birds hatched out. Also, should they start nesting, and the 

 water in the swamp dry up before the young birds hatch out, the 

 parent birds will frequently desert the nests and eggs and leave 

 a feast for the Crows. On one rookery alone in Riverina, New 

 South Wales, over one hundred thousand Straw-necked Ibises were 

 computed to be nesting. The normal clutch is three eggs, 

 although occasionally two or four may be laid. The nests are 

 built of twigs on the trodden-down lignum or other bushes which 

 grow in the swamp, and the nests are frequently lined with fresh 

 eucalyptus leaves, probably to drive the insect pests away from 

 the sitting birds and young. The birds come to the swamp where 

 they -have decided to nest in various-sized companies, sometimes 

 only a single pair or possibly 30 pairs, and they choose a bush 

 that will take all the nests of the company ; therefore, the single 

 pair chooses a very small bush. The first-comers naturally choose 

 the centre of the swamp to nest in ; therefore you will frequently 

 find young birds in the middle almost ready to fly, and fresh eggs 

 at the outskirts, and all stages in order in between. 



When disturbed by human beings the young of two adjoining 

 companies will often scramble into the water and swim over to 

 one another ; I presume they return to their right quarters when 

 danger is past. It is a little difficult for us to tell how the parents 

 can distinguish their own young, say, in a group of 60 young 

 birds all mixed up together. To us they all appear alike. 



