324 BALLIDA. 



Genus TRIBONYX, Du Bus. 



TRIBONYX MOETIERI, Du Bus. 



(T. ffouldii, Sclater.) 



Mortier's Tribonyx. 



Gould, Randhk. Bds. Ami., Vol. ii., sp. 565, p. 324. J7T !/ 



This bird is fouud on the southern portions of the continent of 

 Australia, but Tasmania is its great stronghold. Like T. ventralis 

 it resorts to the margins of rivers and lakes to breed ; and the 

 nest is formed of reeds and other aquatic herbage. Eggs seven 

 in number for a sitting, oval in form, of a light stone colour minutely 

 freckled and sparingly blotched and spotted with rounded markings 

 of different shades of chestnut-brown, a few of which appear as if 

 beneath the surface of the shell ; others have irregularly-shaped 

 markings and hair-like lines, particularly towards the larger end. 

 Dimensions of two eggs in the Australian Museum Collection, 

 length (A) 2-18 x 148 inches ; (B) 2-23 x 1-5 inches.* 



A set in the Dobroyde Collection measure as follows : — length 

 (A) 2-2 X 1-57 inches; (B) 2-2 x 1-47 inches; (C) 2-19 x 1-47^ 

 inches; (D) 2-12 x 1-53 inches; (E) 2'27 x 148 inches ; (F) 2-28( 

 X 1-5 inches; (G) 2-25 x 1-54 inches. i 



This bird breeds during September and the four following months, j 

 Hah. Victoria and South Australia, Tasmania. {Rammy.) '5 



TRIBONYX VENTRALIS, Gould. 



Black-tailed Tribonyx. 



Oould, Handhk. Bds. Aust., Vol. ii., sp. 566, p. 325. XE2Z! ^. 



" Mr. Gould has I think described the eggs of some other water- 

 fowl, probably those of G. tenebrosa, under this name ; they are 

 certainly not those of the present bird, which are very distinct, 

 the nest is like that of a Gallinula and similarly placed. They 

 breed in October and the two following months, also in January 

 and February. When the back country is flooded these birds 

 litterally overrun it and breed at almost any time of the year, the 



