114 BIRDS OF THE DISTRICT OF GEELONG 
has two phases of plumage, a grey phase, which is 
very like the Blue Crane, but without the white 
on the face, and a pure white phase. It would 
appear to be found breeding on ledges of rock on 
parts of the South Australian coast, but I have never 
myself met with it here. 
NANKEEN CRANE OR NIGHT HERON 
Nycticorax caledonicus australasice 
So great is the difference between young and adult 
Nankeen Cranes, that one might easily conclude they 
were separate species. When mature, both sexes 
are cinnamon-brown or " nankeen " above, white 
below ; the head is crowned with black, and from it 
two narrow white plumes fall down the back of the 
neck over the back. In this stage they are quite 
rare in our district ; indeed, the only instance I can 
recall is of a pair which inhabited a cluster of tall 
ancient ironbarks on the side of Mount Berthon at 
Airey's Inlet. These birds were never absent for 
many years, and it is possible that they bred there, 
although it is commonly stated that the Nankeen 
Crane (which lays usually four bluish-green eggs in 
a loose stick-nest in a tree) is an inland-breeding 
species. 
As to birds in the immature dress of buff spotted 
with white, in which, when first seen, they bear 
some likeness to the Bittern, these were formerly to 
