142 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA: 



The nests of these birds are usually placed in swampy 

 Polygonum (Muchlenbeckia) bush country, and are very 

 thickly placed and visited by these birds in enormous 

 numbers. The eggs in a clutch usually number three or 

 four, and sometimes five. Some splendid photographs of 

 these rookeries have been taken by Messrs. Campbell, 

 Mattingley, Le Souef, and others, and are well worthy 

 of reproduction. 



It is pleasing to know that all species of these useful 

 birds are now permanently protected The Ibis should be 

 encouraged wherever seen, and any violation of the game 

 laws should be at once reported, and rigorously dealt with. 



The Straw-necked Ibis is found in every State in Aus- 

 tralia, also sparsely in Papua. A smaller and very 

 elegant bird, known as the Glossy T\m(Plegadis falcinellus), 

 is also found in Australia. It is of beautiful glossy bronze- 

 green colour, and is found in Papua, Malay an Archipelago 

 to Asia, Europe, Africa, and a portion of North America. 



