Vol. XIII. 



1913 



"1 Stone, Some Sivamp Birds. 85 



number of eggs in a clutch varies, the largest I have known being 

 nine. I have a clutch of seven ; three or four of these eggs bear 

 fine, hair-like lines. This bird is very destructive to the eggs of 

 the Black Swan. Directly the Swan leaves its nest, the Bald- 

 Coot, if in the vicinity, attacks the eggs with bill and claws. The 

 " boom " of the Australian Bittern {Botaitrns poiciloptihis), 

 " Coweer," can often be heard at night in the township, if the wind 

 is favourable. It is ridiculous to maintain that the aborigines 

 believed the Bittern's " boom " to be the cry of the mythical 

 bunyip. The native knew Nature too well to be misled in such 

 a manner. The nest of the Bittern is composed of half-dried 

 water-weeds and rushes, and carried to a height of about 18 inches 

 above water level. In February, 1907, I had the great pleasure 

 of visiting a colony of nesting Grebes [Podiceps australis), 

 " Gorrwong," on Long Lake. The nests, which were composed 

 of water-weeds placed upon floating masses of the same plants, 

 were only a few feet apart, and contained from one egg (of a 

 bluish-white colour) to four or five (])adly stained) eggs. On the 

 approach of danger, if sufficient time offers, all the Grebes cover 

 their eggs with wet water-weeds, which speedily results in the 

 eggs being stained a deep chocolate. I found the Hoary-headed 

 Grebe (Podiceps polioce-phalus), " Gorrower," nesting freely in 

 The Heart morass at Sale, in 1910. There were also hundreds 

 of nests of the Marsh Tern {Hydrochelidon fliiviatilis). " Garwit," 

 containing, in most instances, the maximum number (three) of 

 eggs. I saw scores of nests containing young birds, with perhaps 

 an addled egg in the nest or water close by ; but in no case were 

 there three young chicks. The parents fed the nestlings on small 

 fish. The Marsh Tern nested freely on Lake Boga in igii ; but 

 storms, causing huge waves, destroyed all the nests and eggs. 

 The Australian Shoveller, or Bluewing {Spatula rhvnchotis), 

 " Weetchut,'" I consider to be the most suspicious of the Duck 

 family, and it takes but the slightest out of the common to 

 disturb them. They are always the first of the Ducks to take 

 alarm. 



The Hardhead, or White-eyed Duck {Nyroca australis), 

 " Garrut," and the Blue-billed Duck {Erismatura australis), were 

 often caught in the fishermen's nets when diving for insects and 

 so forth. The Freckled Duck (Stictonetta ncevosa), " Gnall Gnall," 

 is occasionally met with ; but I have never known it to nest in 

 the Lake Boga district. The Pink-eared Duck or Widgeon 

 (M alacorhyncJms memhranactus), " Gewallert," is, at times, very 

 common, and comes suddenly, as do most water-birds, in huge 

 flocks. I have not heard of the species nesting in the Lake 

 Boga district. In tc)o8, on the shores of Lake Toutchewop, 

 ('■ Goutchewop "), a large, straggling lake, there must have been 

 hundreds of thousands of birds. The Cormorants take toll of 

 the shoals of fish. I once saw a Black Cormorant {Phalacrocorax 

 carbo), " Murtmurrel," choked when attempting to swallow a 

 cat-fish (" Buck "). The side spines of the fish were caught in 



