32 



The Sheep-Fluke. 



■. ■■. \w.\ ■■V ■ 



Looking for snails. 



of the country, as well as near the coast, are equally tenanted by it, con- 

 sequently it is one of the commonest species in all the countries above 

 mentioned ; and may frequently be seen wading knee-deep in the water of 

 the salt marshes in search of food, which consists of crabs, fish, and marine 

 insects. Its flight is heavy and flapping, like that of the other herons, but it 

 runs more quickly over the ground, and his continually moving about when 



searching for food, and never stands motion- 

 less in the water as the true herons do. 

 These active habits are in fact necessary to 

 enable it to capture insects and crabs, upon 

 which it mainly subsists. 



" Some nests I observed in the montli of 

 October, 1838, on the banks of the Derwent, 

 were placed on the tops of the smaller gum- 

 trees, and most of them contained newly- 

 hatched eggs. Mr. Kermode informed me 

 that it unusually breeds in the neighbour- 

 hood of his estate, which is near the centre 

 of Van Diemen's Land. The nest is of moderate size, and composed of 

 sticks and leaves. The eggs are four in number, of a pale bluish-green, 1| 

 inch long by li inch broad. 



'' The white colouring of the face and throat is much more extensive in some 

 individual than in others ; and the base of the bill, the orbits, and irides are 

 deep-lead colour in some specimens, while in others those parts are pale grey, 

 and the irides pale buff. 



" The stomach is very capacious, and the weight of the adult bird about 

 1 lb. 4 oz. 



" Little or no difference is observable in the sexes, but the female is some- 

 what smaller than her mate. 



" Face and throat white ; crown of the head and back of neck dark slate 

 colour; sides of the neck, all the upper surface and wings, dark grey, tinged 

 with brown on the wings; primaries and tail-feathers dark slate colour; 

 elongated feathers of the back grey, tinged with brown ; elongated feathers 

 of the breast cinnamon-brown ; under surface grey, washed with rufous, 

 which tint becomes gradually paler as it proceeds along the abdomen to the 

 under tail coverts ; down the lower part of the neck a strip of buff, gradually 

 blending above with the white of the throat, and below with the cinnamon 

 tint of the breast ; irides in some lead colour, in others yellow, and in others 

 pale buft"; orbits and base of the bill, in some pale grey, in others deep-lead 

 colour ; base of the lower mandible of a flesh-colour." 



i 



{To he cojitijmed.) 

 [One plate,] 



Sydney : William Applegate GuUick, Government Printer.- 1897. 



