56 THE WOMBAT. 



were a number of the birds, in particular the fern-birds, 

 (Sericornis), which were very abundant ; these used to hop 

 about within a yard or two while I was having my meals, as. 

 quiet and tame as the blue wrens. The jackasses were as 

 plentiful as usual, their friendly greeting being often heard. 

 The boobook owl I only heard once. 



A few little mobs of musk parrakeets [Trichoglossus 

 concinnus) appeared once or twice, and once I thought I saw 

 some grass parrakeets, but I could not be sure. The white- 

 throated tree creeper also showed itself once. The Erskine 

 spreads near its mouth into a long lagoon, which ought to be 

 a great resort for waterbirds, but I suppose there are too 

 many people about. The only birds I saw there were one 

 blue crane and one little black cormorant. I was told that 

 black swan and duck were to be seen there now and then, 

 and a bird which, from the description, must have been the 

 bald coot [Porphyria melanotus). On the beach near the 

 mouth I saw the remains of a small petrel, and I saw what I 

 think was the same bird swimming near the jetty on one 

 occasion ; it was very quiet, swimming past the lines of the 

 anglers, and taking a quiet peck at each line as it passed m r 

 which of the petrels it was I do not know, but it was about 

 the size of a dab chick. 



While I was sitting near the tent one evening a mob of 

 young gang gang cockatoos settled in a tree near by. A 

 young male which I shot had its stomach and crop crammed 

 with white wood grubs. I was told that thousands of these 

 birds were to be seen in the ranges. 



While on the road back to Dean's Marsh I observed two 

 men in a shed at the roadside, who were busily occupied 

 threshing with flails. 



It has always seemed to me that it would be a good idea 

 to introduce the lyre bird to the Otway Forest. If a few 

 were released in the dense scrub on some of the creeks, such 

 as the Elliott, they would find abundant shelter and food, 

 and a home very similar to their haunts in Gippsland, and 

 the country at the back being but thinly settled, the birds 

 would be pretty free from molestation. 



The additions to my list of Otway birds during the last 

 twelve months are : — 



(1.) Halicetus leucogaster 



Gmel. White-bellied Sea Eagle 

 (River Aire) 



(2.) Astur nov. holl. Gmel. White Goshawk (Bambra and 



Lome) 

 (3.) Lalage tricolor Sw. White-shouldered Campe- 



phaga (Lome) 



