126 THE VICTORIAN NATURALIST. 



are dirty white. During breeding season the male is very con- 

 spicuous by his bright red gular pouch, which he distends upon 

 the throat. Of course it is well-known that these birds live by 

 plundering other birds, principally the Gannets, or " Boobies," of 

 the fish they catch. But it has not been recorded of this Frigate 

 Bird, or any other bird I am aware of, that when disturbed certain 

 individuals will lift their egg in their claws and ascend into the 

 air. On one occasion ati incredulous visitor was scrutinizing 

 from below a bird that had risen, when by fright or accident it 

 released its hold of the egg, which fell and smashed upon the 

 spectator, who was then and there convinced of this peculiar trait 

 in the bird's character, and was only too thankful the egg was not 

 addled. *Frigate Bird {Aiagen aqiiild). Years ago this larger 

 species used to frequent the island, but has now disappeared. 



*Red-tailed Tropic Bird {Phaeton rubricaudd) is an occasional 

 visitor, and once a pair of eggs were taken from under the coral 

 shelves. 



I think we have exhausted our brief " Notes from Maiden 

 Island " if we mention a species of small duck, resembling Aus- 

 tralian Teal in plumage, that periodically — November and Decem- 

 ber — touch there in small numbers. They arrive very bare and 

 poor and evidently much exhausted after a long flight. After a 

 short sojourn of four or six weeks, when they have regained a 

 better condition, they decamp. Where they came from and whence 

 they go are mysteries yet to be solved. 



DESCRIPTION OF AN ORCHID, NEW FOR VICTORIA. 



By Baron Ferd. von Mueller, K.C.M.G., M. & Ph.D., 

 F.R.S. &c. 



Prasophyllum Frenchii. 



Tuber almost spherical ; leaf from the upper part of the stem 

 thinly cylindrical, attenuated upwards and slightly channelled, 

 almost equalling in height the inflorescence or variously of less 

 length, occasionally the new leaf already developed from the 

 base of the stem at the time of flowering and then compressed ; 

 pedicels very short ; bracts semi-ovate or deltoid-orbicular, thus 

 about as broad as long, reaching but slightly beyond the base of 

 the calyx ; upper (through resupination lower) caylx-lobe rhom- 

 boid, or lanceolar-ovate, lower (through resupination upper) two 

 disconnected, all dark-purplish, but at and towards the margin 

 greenish ; paired petals elliptic-lanceolar, somewhat or hardly 



* Australian birds. 



