WHITE IBIS 
105 
and 1902. In 1892 I saw a few on Lake Connewarre 
on April 2nd. In 1902 there were twenty on a swamp 
at Merrijig (Grassdale) Pettavel, on January 3rd ; 
on the 19th of the same month a flock was seen on 
the old Racecourse. On July 13th a flock of twenty 
or more were noted on the lower River. On 
August 17th and November 22nd respectively a few 
were observed about the Lakes, and the last appearance 
was on December 7th, when there were three on the 
old Racecourse swamp, then nearly dry. The White 
Ibis is only found in swampy land. 
STRAW-NECKED IBIS 
Carphibis spinicollis 
Seen from a distance, the Straw-necked Ibis appears 
to be a black and white bird ; really it is dark bronze- 
green above and white below. It is by far the most 
numerous of the three species of Ibis which visit this 
district. In its haunts it differs from the other two 
in this, that it is found just as often feeding on high 
grass-lands as in the neighbourhood of water. It is 
probable that in every year at least a few Ibis visit 
us, but it is in drought years only that large flocks 
arrive. They breed in immense so-called " rookeries " 
in Riverina swamps, the nests being piled up in the 
Milhlenbeckia or lignum bushes ; in this part of 
Victoria they do not nest, though they have breeding- 
places in the Casterton district. 
