Vol. XIV. 

 191S 



] Cheney, Birds of Wangaratta District, Victoria. 203 



Chlamydochen jubata. Mancd Goose.— This bird was a favourite 

 prey for the sportsman. 



Dendrocygna arcuata. WhistUng-Duck. — In good seasons these 

 Ducks were common. 



Dendrocygna eytoni. Phimed Whistling-Duck.— More sparsely 

 distributed than the preceding species. 



Anas superciliosa. Australian Black Duck.— These were the only 

 Ducks that visited the district during the last drought. 



Nettium castaneum. Australian Chestnut-breasted Teal. — In 

 normal seasons we frequently saw these birds. 



Nettium gibberifrons. Grey Teal.— These birds visit most of the 

 water-holes and swamps, but 1914 was a very unfavourable year in 

 which to observe water- fowl. The season was abnormally dry, and 

 the birds that did appear were ruthlessly shot. 



Phalacrocorax carbo. Black Cormorant. — Often seen sitting motion- 

 less on logs by the river. 



Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. Little Black Cormorant.— Single speci- 

 mens were sometimes observed. 



Phalacrocorax gouldi. White-breasted Cormorant. — Two or three 

 of these birds were to be seen at nearly every pool. They remained 

 sitting quietly on a log until one was close to them, then, very 

 leisurely, they rose. 



Phalacrocorax melanoleucus. Little Pied Cormorant.— This species 

 appeared more frequently on rivers than it did on water-holes. 



Plotus novse-hollandiae. Australian Darter.— On 30th April, 1914, 

 Darters were seen for the first time on the Black Swamp. It was 

 difficult to distinguish the birds when they were in repose, as the 

 plumage harmonized well with the mud and the fallen leaves. 

 Finding a small boat on the swamp, a Darter rested there for several 

 hours each day. 



Circus assimilis. Spotted Harrier —This bird was often seen rising 

 from the paddocks with field mice in its talons. 



Circus gouldi. Allied Harrier.— Very common on the plains. 

 Astur cinereus. Grey Goshawk.— One was seen on the Ovens Flats 

 on 23rd March, 1914, and another was shot, " out of curiosity," at 

 Tarrawingee. 



Astur novae-hoUandise. White Goshawk. — Once seen as we were 

 crossing a field, 9th September, 1914- 



Astur approximans. Australian Goshawk —This species was 

 frequently seen around haystacks, looking for mice and hzards. 

 It was very common, and was certainly responsible for the 

 deaths of many small birds. The Red-backed Parrot, in particular, 

 is attacked by it, specimens frequently being found with the lower 

 beak cut completely off and the tongue pierced by the powerful 

 hind claw of this Goshawk. It is one of the most fearless of the 

 Hawks. We compelled a Goshawk to drop its prey just at the point 

 of capture, and, hiding the small bird under a tree, sat down to 

 await developments. At first the Goshawk tried to frighten us by 

 swooping around, and, failing that, retreated to a distant tree as 

 though giving up all idea of regaining what it had lost. After 



