BIRDS OF TASMANIA. 205 



Male and Female (non-breeding plumage). — Head destitute of 

 long hair-like feathers; rest of plumage practically similar to 

 summer coat. 



Young. — Similar to non-breeding plumage of adults. 



Nest. — Very similar to that of the previous species. 



Eggs.— Clutch four to five usually; elliptical in shape; texture 

 fine; surface glossy; colour greenish-white, obscured by a thin 

 limy coating. Dimensions in mm. of a clutch:— (1) 39 x 28, (2) 

 38 X 27.5, (3) 38.5 x 28, (4) 89 x 27. 



Breeding Season. — October to January. 



Geographical Distribution. — Tasmania, New South Wales, 

 Victoria, South-West and North-West Australia, and South 

 Queensland. 



Observations. — This species is fairly plentiful in different part.s 



-of the island, both on tidal rivers and inland waters. I have 



records of it from a number of widely separated locahties. Like 



other members of the genus, it is very shy, quickly taking flight 



at the slightest semblance of danger. 



*TIPPBT GEEBE 

 (Podioipes cristatus, Linn.) 



Male and Female {breeding plumage). — Forehead and crown 

 black ; feathers on each side of the crown elongate, and forming 

 a long double crest ; feathers on the upper part of the neck elongate, 

 forming a ruff ; lower part of hind-neck deep ashy -brown ; back black- 

 ish-brown; " lesser wing coverts forming a wide white band along 

 the edge of the wing ' ' ; humeral feathers white ; primaries blackish ; 

 lores, space in front of the eye, cheeks, chin, and throat white ; 

 tinged with rufous, becoming rich chestnut on the long feathers- on 

 the hinder part of the head; rest of under surface silvery-white, 

 save the sides and flanks, which are dark ash ; irides crimson ; 

 culmen blackish, base of lower mandible dull carmine, tip pale 

 horn colour; legs and feet yellowish-brown. Dimensions in mm. : 

 — Length, 530; bill, 50; wing, 172; tarsus, 54. 



Male and Fem,ale {non-breeding plumage). — Head, neck, and 

 back dark ashy-brown; sides and flanks similar; rest of plumage 

 similar to breeding plumage. 



Young. — Similar to above, save that the head and neck are 

 striped with dark ash-brown. 



Young in doiun. — " General colour of the upper parts whitish- 

 brown, shading into white on the head and neck; longitudinally 

 striped with deep smoky -brown; rather large patch of the latter 

 colour on each side of the crown, immediately behind the bare red 

 patch on the forehead; base of the fore-neck and rest of the 

 under part white " (B. M. Cat.) 



Nest. — Composed of aquatic herbage, and so constructed that 



