460 Zoological Society : — 



When suddenly startled, it will flap its long and powerful wings as 

 if preparing for flight ; and it may be regarded as a bird of flight, 

 the whole bulk of the body being so light in comparison with its 

 powerful organs of flight. This bird is partial to salt-water creeks 

 and lagoons. It is usually seen in such localities on the Hunter, Mac- 

 leay, and Clarence Rivers, which consist, near the entrance and for 

 some miles distant, of salt water with numerous sand-banks, where 

 these birds may be occasionally observed busily engaged in fishing. 

 The beak of this bird is large, broad, conical, and pointed ; the lower 

 mandible is slightly curved upwards ; the colour is black. The head 

 is large, and neck thick ; both the head and neck are of a rich 

 deep glossy green, changing when it reaches the occiput into beau- 

 tiful iridescent colours of violet and purple, which, when viewed 

 under a brilliant sunshine or in a changing light, display the irides- 

 cent tints in a most brilliant manner, shining with a metallic efful- 

 gence equal to that seen in the Peacock. The greater wing-coverts, 

 scapularies, lower part of the back and tail, dark brown mixed with 

 rich bluish green, which changes in the adult to a rich glossy green 

 tinged with a golden lustre. The smaller wing-coverts, lower part 

 of the neck and back, and upper part of the breast white speckled 

 with ashy brown, which becomes white in the adult ; lower part of 

 the breast, thighs, and inner part of the wings white. Eyes brilliant, 

 and dark hazel in colour. The legs are blackish with a dark tinge 

 of red, becoming in the adult of a bright red colour, which, as I have 

 been informed, when the bird flies with the legs stretched out, looks 

 like a long red tail. The legs are usually dirty with excremental 

 matter, imparting to them a white appearance, so that the natural 

 colour is seldom seen, except when they just emerge from the water. 

 It is a large feeder, and these birds must consume, in their native 

 haunts, a great quantity of fishes and reptiles. It measures 3 feet 

 10 inches to the top of the head, and is not yet full-grown ; they are 

 said to attain 4 to 5 feet in height. It is shy in disposition and diffi- 

 cult of approach in its wild state ; this can readily be supposed when 

 it is observed in captivity ; for although very docile and readily tamed, 

 still the keen, watchful eye appears always upon you, with a brilliant 

 and piercing look, which causes a feeling of the impossibility of 

 escaping its penetrating glance. Its feeding-grounds and places of 

 rest being about sand-pits, sand-banks, and exposed morasses near the 

 sea-coasts, it is impossible to approach this wary bird without being 

 seen. The first evening it was at my house, seeking for a roosting 

 place, it walked into the hall, gazed at the gas-lamp which had just 

 been lighted, and then proceeded to walk up-stairs, but not liking 

 the ascent, quietly walked down again and returned into the yard, 

 and afterwards went to roost in the coach-house between the carriages, 

 to which place it now retires regularly every evening soon after 

 dark. It is always observed to face the sun, and moves about the 

 yard, following the course of that luminary ; it may always be found 

 in that part of the yard where the sun is shining, and with the 

 face invariably towards it. When hungry, it follows the cook about 

 (who usually feeds it) ; and if she has neglected its food, looks into 



