THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
Mr. Tom Carter writes from Broome Hill, Western Australia : “ This 
species is rather more numerous than Podiceps poliocepJialus, here. A pair 
arrives very regularly on each of my stock banks, as soon as the winter rains 
fill them, usually about the middle of July. Eggs are usually found between 
September 15th and October 28th, the largest clutch being five eggs.” 
Mr. J. P. Rogers, writing from North-western Australia, says : “ I found 
a nest on February 22nd, about twenty-five yards from the bank, in about 
two feet of water. It consisted of a large mass of water-grass and weeds, 
floating on the surface ; the whole mass was wet and heated by fermentation. 
The eggs, eight in number, were placed in a hollow bowl raised four inches above 
the surface of the water. Egg cavity measured six inches across. The eggs 
were white in the fresh laid ones ; dirty brown in the others.” 
Mr. North* says : “ While sitting, the female covers herself over with the 
outer portions of the nest, her head and neck alone being visible ; when leaving 
the nest she covers her eggs over, and dives at once, re-appearing about ten 
or fifteen yards away.” 
Mr. E. D. Barnard! observes : “ I found a Black-throated Grebe’s {Podicipes 
navcB-hollandicB) nest attached to a snag in a dam, only about 7 or 8 feet 
from the bank. On wading m I discovered three tiny, fluffy chicks in the 
nest, covered over in the same manner as the bird covers her eggs when an 
intruder approaches. They were too frightened to keep still, hence betrayed 
themselves by jumping off the nest into the water as I drew near. Although 
they were very young (we judged them as being about two days old) they were 
able to dive about 15 feet ; and as the water was very shallow and clear, we 
were able to keep them in sight the whole time.” 
Writing from the Richmond River District in North Queensland, Mr. F. L. 
Berney! remarks : “ Podicipes novoe-hollandice is a constant resident hereabouts ; 
generally seen in couples in quiet pools. They seldom congregate, though one 
day in January, 1906, I saw ten together in a small but deep hole in the bed 
of the river. I have watched an old bird with half-grown youngsters in October, 
and another lot with chicks in down in February. They formed a pretty sight, 
this last little family party, as they floated on the water, the youngsters 
scrambling on the mother’s back and pushing one another off, till the old bird 
ended the proceedings by diving.” 
The bird figured and described is a female collected by Mr. J. P. Rogers, 
near Wyndham, North-western Australia, on January 16th, 1909. 
* Auatr. Mus. Coll., No. 12, p. 348 (1889). 
t Emu, III., p. 236 (1904). 
VI., p. 156 (1907). 
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