112 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
The breeding-season is early in the spring. On 
Avalon and along the Barwon, at Winchelsea, nests 
were found as early as July. In my experience, how- 
ever, the majority of Cranes lay in August. 
There comes to my mind as I write an ideal haunt 
of these birds ; it is an overflowed dam in the centre 
of a paddock of tall redgums, which cluster thickest 
round the water. One, indeed, grows right on the 
edge of the water-hole, and so wide has the overflow 
spread among the sedge on that side that the tree 
appears to be standing in the centre of a small 
swamp. It is an old tree, very gnarled and branch- 
ing, the lowest limbs dipping right to the water. 
On a horizontal fork, 25 feet up, a pair of Blue 
Cranes have built a rough, yet secure, platform of 
sticks and twigs, looking from below somewhat like 
an incomplete Magpies' nest. But we have seen 
the grey form slip off, and heard her cry of alarm ; 
and there on the nest repose five pale-blue eggs, 
than which I know no birds' more beautiful. 
The Blue Crane makes an admirable garden pet, 
and will readily eat scraps of meat and the like. 
PACIFIC HERON OR WHITE-NECKED 
CRANE 
Myola pacifica 
Besides being considerably larger than the Common 
Blue Crane, the White-necked Crane or Pacific 
