144 DESTRUCTIVE INSECTS OF VICTORIA : 



habits of this bird, Mr. K. Hall mentions having seen a 

 flock of 57. This was on the 16th December, 1896, at 

 Western Port, and he further says that he has observed 

 their capacious stomachs crammed with grass-hoppers. 

 Dr. Cobb speaks of them as fluke eaters while the animal 

 is in its host (Bulimus), a fresh water mollusc. These 

 birds are also great destroyers of yabbies, the lobster- 

 shaped crustacean which does so much damage to our 

 irrigation channels. Mr. Hall further remarks that in 

 Victoria, during recent years, many species of freshwater 

 snails which house the fluke have been discovered. The 

 fluke finally leaves the snail, and goes on to the grass, 

 and with the latter is eaten by the first sheep that comes 

 along. 



Unfortunately, this is one of those birds which are the 

 victims of the " pot-shotter " ; it rises so slowly that any one 

 can shoot it. There is no excuse whatever for the killing 

 of this useful bird, as it is simply a bundle of feathers, the 

 body being very small for the size of the bird. The White- 

 fronted Heron is frequently attacked by the Black- cheeked 

 Falcon, and falls an easy prey to the savage little hawk. 



The White- fronted Heron is found throughout the whole 

 of Australia and Tasmania ; also in New Zealand, 

 Loyalty Islands, and New Caledonia, through Papua to 

 the Molucca Islands and the Celebes Group. 



