BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 117 



does great damage to the grain just when it sprouts, and also when 

 in the ear. It is not so much the amount of grain consumed as 

 the quantity destroyed that is objected to, for a small party of 

 birds will trample down a large patch in the course of a night, 

 and make it look as thougli an elephant had been rolling there. 

 The places trampled down are often circular in shape, as though 

 they had been used as play-grounds. When a small flock or even 

 a pair of birds are feeding in or about a grain field, one bird is 

 always on the watch, and gives a short cry of alarm should danger 

 threaten. As a natural result of its mischievous traits, a relent- 

 less war with poison and gun is waged on this unfortunate fowl. 

 In several instances that have come under my notice the charges 

 brought by farmers have been fully sustained. When not engaged 

 in purloining forbidden grain, the food of this species consists 

 of a certain quantity of aquatic vegetation and a miscellaneous 

 assortment of insects gathered on land and out of the water, 

 admixed among all of which is always more or less gravel, used 

 as an aid to digestion. Owing to the weakness of the muscles 

 of the chest and wings, the Native-Hen is almost, if not quite, 

 incapable of rising about the surface of the ground. On the other 

 hand, the leg and thigh muscles are well developed. As an article 

 of diet this bird is despised by all except Chinamen, who, I am 

 given to understand, use it for making certain dishes of which 

 they are very fond. 



BALD-OOOT 



(Porphyrio melanonotus, Temm.) 



Male. — Face, back of the head, centre of the abdomen, and 

 thighs sooty-black ; back of the neck, breast, and flanks rich indigo 

 blue; upper surface, tail, and wings shining black; outer webs of 

 primaries indigo blue; under tail coverts pure white; iris brown; 

 frontal plate and bill crimson ; legs and feet salmon-pink, joints 

 black. Dimensions m mm.: — Length, 515; bill, 74; wing, 278; 

 tail, 110; tarsus, 92. 



Female.' — Similar to male. 



Young. — "Pretty black creatures,, resembling at a distance 

 Langshan chickens " (Miss J. A. Fletcher). 



Nest. — A somewhat carelessly put together structure of reeds, 

 rushes, or aquatic plants ; placed in a swamp or lagoon among the 

 growth there. 



Eggs-. — Clutch four to seven generally ; oval or elliptical in 

 shape ; texture somewhat coarse ; surface slightly glossy ; colour 

 greyish-brown or gi-eenish-stone, spotted and blotched with reddish- 

 brown (the most frequent colour), purplish-brown, and dull grey. 

 The markings are bolder and more reddish than those on Coots' 

 eggs. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch : — (1) 53 x 36, (2) 56 x 86, 

 (3) 55 X 35, (4) 52 x 34, (5) 54 x 35, (6) 55 x 33. 



