Vol. XIII 

 1914 



] White, Birds IdentifLed, Lower Murray Excursion. 123 



vol. xii., p. 290, but is made under protest, for I believe in the 

 strict law of priority as set down by the National Code, and in the 

 use of trinomials to describe sub-species. — S. A. W. 



Dromaius novcs-hollandice. Emu. — Although not seen, fresh tracks 

 and feathers were noted on more than one occasion, where the birds 

 watered at the river. 



Geopelia tranquilla. Ground-Dove. — These lovely little birds were 

 often met with, and their deep cooing sounded refreshing on a hot day. 



Phaps chalcoptera. Bronze-winged Pigeon. — These were fairly 

 numerous in places, rising from the ground with a great whirring 

 sound, and often perching on the limb of a mallee tree. 



Ocv phaps lophotes. Crested Pigeon. — The Crested Pigeons were 

 remarkably quiet, and fau'ly plentiful in places. Nests with young 

 were observed, and a photograph was taken. 



Tribonyx ventralis. Black-tailed Native-Hen. — Numbers seen on 

 the river-bank and in the lignum swamps. 



Gallinula tenebrosa Black Moor-Hen. — Several seen on the river-bank. 



Porphyrio melanono.iis. Bald-Coot. — Plentiful in all the reed and 

 flag patches on swamps and back-waters. Found breeding 



Fulica australis. Australian Coot. — Two or three Coots were seen 

 on a large lagoon. They never collect in such numbers on the river 

 as they do lower down on the lakes. 



Podiceps gularis. Black-throated Grebe. — -A tew were seen in the 

 swamps. 



Podiceps australis. Great Grebe. — Seen on the back-waters, and were 

 reported by residents as having nested in numbers at certain places. 



Hydrochelidon fluviaiilis. Marsh Tern. — Great numbers of these 

 pretty Terns were observed fishing on the back-waters and sometimes 

 on the main stream during the first days of our progress We met 

 them in the same localities on ovir return down stream. 



Lobivanellus lobaius. Spur-winged Plover. — Fairly plentiful on the 

 flats near the river. 



Mgialitis nigrifrons. Black-fronted Dottrel. — An odd bird or two 

 met with all along the river. 



Himantopus leucocephalus . White-headed Stilt. — A few Stilts were 

 seen on the wing passing from one swamp to the other. I have never 

 known these birds to nest on the Murray River ; they seem to prefer 

 the samphire fiats of the plains. The absence of these birds on the 

 swamps is due, no doubt, to their being away nesting. 



Gallinago australis. Australian Snipe. — Mr. J. W. Mellor procured 

 a fine specimen of this bird. It was a solitary, and was perched on 

 a log near the water. 



CEdicnemus grallarius. Stone-Curlew. — Fairly plentiful, judged by 

 the numbers heard calling at night. 



Ibis molucca. Australian White Ibis. — A few seen feeding in the 

 swamps near Murray Bridge. The bulk of these birds must have 

 been nesting in the flags lower down the river. 



Carphibis spinicollis. Straw-necked Ibis. — The note for the White 

 Ibis well answers for this bird also. 



Platibis flavipes. Yellow-billed Spoonbill. — A few seen perched on 

 dead trees over swamp. 



