70 NATTJBAL HISTOHY SKETCHES. 



think families, there are lakes in the interior where they 

 swarm. I think they remained in our district throughout 

 the year, although we used only to see them at uncertain 

 periods, and never for long together. As the name 

 denotes, the colour of the magpie-goose is pied, dull 

 black and white : it is about as large as the British 

 brent goose, and the tail is very square. It is a singular 

 bird : the beak is higher in shape, and not so broad, as in 

 the common goose, has a palish red rough cere, and the 

 upper mandible is long, and has a powerful curve or hook. 

 It has a large warty cere, extending over the front of the 

 head, which is in shape like that of a game-cock, cut out 

 helmet-combed. The feet are semi-palmated, and formed 

 for perching ; the claws long and sharp. I rarely saw 

 them either on the ground or on the water, never, cer- 

 tainly, in open water, although I have raised them out of 

 the thick reeds and grass that choke up many of the 

 creeks and lagoons here. They are generally perched 

 high up in the tea-tree scrub, where they will sit for 

 hours; and a curious sight it is to see them sitting 

 upright, with their long necks stretched out on the 

 watch. They have a very loud, hoarse call-note when 

 alarmed, nothing like that of the common wild goose. 

 The greatest curiosity of this singular bird, however, is 

 the windpipe, which has three folds, like that of the 

 European hooper ; but, instead of being folded within the 

 breastbone, it lies on the left hand, outside, bedded in the 

 flesh. They bred sparingly with us, for I have found 

 the nest in a thick tea-tree scrub ; and I fancy the small 



