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THE SOUTH AUSTRALIAN NATURALIST September, 1952 
SPOTTED CRAKE ( Porzana 
fluminea): — Several seen on most 
visits. Crakes are usually very 
timid and rarely show them- 
selves, but these birds wandered 
about the mudflats when the 
writer was only twenty or so feet 
from them. The under-surface 
of the short, frequently flicked 
tail is white, which feature dis- 
tinguishes the Spotted Crakes 
from the other species. 
BLACK-TAILED NATIVE HEN 
( T ri b onyx ve n t ra Us): —A singJ e 
bird was seen on several oc- 
casions. A considerable influx of 
this species occurred on the 
Adelaide Plains in May, 1951, 
but soon disappeared again. This 
bird was apparently a lone 
straggler. The upright tail, and 
general carriage of the Native 
Hen gives it a distinct bantam- 
like appearance. 
DUSKY MOORHEN (Gallinula 
tenebrosa):— Several seen on 
most visits. 
EASTERN SWAM PHEN (Por- 
phyrio melanotus):— A 1 w ays 
seen. As many as eleven were 
seen on several occasions return- 
ing from foraging in the sur- 
rounding paddocks. 
HOARY-HEADED GREBE (. Podi - 
ceps poliocephalus ):— One seen 
once only. 
LITTLE BLACK CORMORANT 
(Phalacrocorax sulcirostris ) : —A 
few birds seen upstream from 
the Henley Beach Road. 
little pied cormorant 
( Microcarbe rnelancleucus): — 
Odd birds seen on several oc- 
casions; often at roost in one of 
the Eucalypts. 
DARTER (A ntiinga novae-hollan- 
diae ):— Two seen flying over the 
River Torrens proper on 15-3-52. 
An influx of this species also 
occurred onto the Adelaide 
Plains in the latter part of 1951. 
SILVER GULL ( Larus novae-* 
hollandiac)\—A small flock seen 
once only. Present in large num- 
bers at the mouth of the channel 
where they come to drink. 
RED-KNEED DOTTEREL (Ery- 
throgonys cinctus):— Several seen 
on most visits. 
SPUR-WINGED PLOVER (. Lobi - 
byx novae-hollandiae ) : —A flock 
of six seen on several occasions. 
BLACK-FRONTED DOTTEREL 
(C ha ra dri us me la n o ps ) : —Always 
present in small numbers. On 
one occasion a flock of over 50 
was seen on a large area of mud 
upstream from Henley Beach 
Road. 
WHITE-HEADED STILT (Him- 
antopus leucocephalus ) : —A flock 
of five (two adults and three 
immatures) were seen on most 
visits. They soon advertised their 
presence by their yapping call 
whenever they sighted a human 
intruder on their domain. 
WOOD SANDPIPER (Tnnga 
glare old):— First located in the 
drains along Tapleys Hill Road 
on 20-2-52. This species was re- 
corded on all early visits of the 
series to the River Torrens Out- 
let Channel, the last record being 
on 5-4-52. A flock of about a 
dozen was seen on several oc- 
casions. This migrant wader is 
very rarely recorded in South 
Australia. Of similar size to the 
common Sharp-tailed Sandpiper, 
it has a white rump, barred tail 
