THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA. 
number of birds had assembled was full of shoals producing the long aquatic 
grass which forms the principal part, if it be not their sole food. We sailed 
through the flock, and might have procured a good number had not the 
progress of the sloop obliged us to hasten onward to Shoal Point; one 
incautious bird was caught by his long neck as we sailed past him. 
Later (p. clxiv. and v.) we found Port Dalrymple to be an excellent 
place for refreshment. Out of the flocks of Black Swans, from one-fifth 
to one-tenth of them were unable to fly: and since the same thing has 
been found to obtain in the months of January and May, as well as in 
October, it is probably so at all times of the year. These birds are 
endowed with a considerable portion of sagacity : they cannot dive, but 
have a method of immersing themselves so deep in the water as to render 
their bodies nearly invisible, and thus frequently to avoid detection. In 
chase, their plan was to gain the wind upon our little boat; and they 
usually succeeded when the breeze was strong, and sometimes escaped 
from our shot also.” 
Previously (p. cliii.) there is a quaint note: “Mr. Bass went off in 
the boat to look up it (a river mouth). His attention was, however, 
soon called to another pursuit — a number of Black Swans were swimming 
before him, and judging from former experience in Western Port, that 
several of them were unable to fly, he gave chase with the boat. On 
his return at dusk, he rejoiced us with the sight of four, and with a 
promise that we should not be in want of fresh provisions in this port.” 
Page cliv. : “ Our fresh provisions were still further increased by an addition 
of six swans, caught this evening with the boat.” On p. cxix. : “ It should 
be remembered that Mr. Bass sailed with only six weeks’ provisions ; but 
with the assistance of occasional supplies of petrels, fish, seal’s flesh, and 
a few geese and Black Swans, and by abstinence, he had been enabled 
to prolong his voyage beyond eleven weeks.” 
Such comments commonly repeated show that this bird was of great 
service to the early intrepid investigators as an article of food, though 
present-day explorers would scarcely relish them. 
Captain S. A. White has given me the following note : “ These birds 
are numerous still in places, and since we were the means of totally 
protecting them for several years past they have increased wonderfully. 
They seem to frequent salt lagoons, lakes, and mouths of rivers as much 
if not more than fresh water ; they certainly like the reeds and rushes 
of fresh water lakes to nest in. They construct a large nest of rushes, 
reeds, and flags far above the water, and line it with the down from 
their bellies and lay from 4 to 8 eggs, though I have taken 10 eggs. 
16 
