120 Stone, Birds of Lake Boga, Victoria. [,.sf'o"ct 



Rostratula australis. Painted Snipe — Rare. Maximum, four eggs. 



Hydrochelidon hybrida. Marsh Tern, " Garwil." — Very common. 

 In December, 1910, I visited a rookery of Marsh Terns in the morass 

 at Sale, when I was surprised at the numbers. They were there in 

 thousands, and nesting within a few feet of one another The nests 

 were made of water-weeds, and the egg cavity Uned with the stalks 

 only. A set of eggs consisted of three invariably, but in no instance 

 did I notice three young. In every instance one egg proved unfertile. 

 The nestlings' food consisted of young fish from i to 2 inches long 

 A constant flight of Terns, going and returning to their hungry 

 youngsters, continued from daylight until dark. 



Gelochelidon anglica. Gull-billed Tern. — Not common. 



Larus novse-hollandise. Silver Gull, " Barpethen." — Very common. 

 These birds nested on the check-banks at Fish Point in hundreds. 

 The nests contained from one to three during November, 1909. 

 Distance from the ocean, 206 miles. 



Ibis molucca. White Ibis, " Cukcuk." — Very common. Maximum, 

 five eggs. 



Carphibis spinicoUis. Straw-necked Ibis, " Gnargourelle.' — ^Very 

 common. Maximum, five eggs 



Plegadis falcinellus. Glossy Ibis. — Rare. 



Platalea regia. Black-billed Spoonbill, " Naangourelle." — Verv 

 rare. Maximum, two eggs. 



Platibis flavipes. Yellow-billed Spoonbill, " Toop Toop." — -Rare 

 now. Maximum, four eggs. 



Mesophoyx plumifera. Plumed Egret, " Cathupbee Mununderra." 

 — Owing to the cruel craze for " Osprey " plumes, this is a bird with 

 a " past " and but little future. Maximum, four eggs. 



Herodias timoriensis. White Egret. — Once a familiar object, but 

 fast disappearing. 



Notophoyx novae-hollandiae. White-fronted Heron, " Carthinbung." 

 — Common. Maximum, five eggs. 



Notophoyx paciflca. White-necked Heron, " Waan."— Common • 

 Maximum, six eggs. 



Nycticorax caledonicus. Night-Heron, " Yapulyapitch." — Not 

 common. Maximum, four eggs. 



Botaurus poeciloptilus. Bittern, " Coweer." — Not uncommon. 

 There is an idea current that the Australian aborigines attributed the 

 booming of the Bittern to the mythical " bunyip " ; but this is utterly 

 wrong, as the aborigines were past masters in the ways of Australian 

 birds, beasts, and fishes. Maximum, five eggs. 



Phalacrocorax carbo. Black Cormorant, " Murtmurrel." — Common. 



Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. Little Black Cormorant, " Walla- 

 walluk." — Common. Maximum, four eggs. 



Phalacrocorax gouldi. White-breasted Cormorant. — Common. 



Phalacrocorax hypoleucus. Pied Cormorant. — Rare. 



Phalacrocorax melanoleucus. Little Cormorant, " Boourp." — 

 Common. Maximum, five eggs. 



