THE BIRDS OE AUSTRALIA. 
Again it must be recorded that very little is known of the life-history 
of this bird. 
Mr. J. P. Rogers, writing from Melville Island, states : “ Dec 30, 1911. 
This species was very numerous on the edges of the great swamp. On Jessie 
Creek on the 29th Dec. several pairs were seen perched on trees 30 yards back 
from the water. Jan. 10, 1912. Still very common here. I have shot many 
for food, all of which were dissected : apparently they will b'^ breeding very 
shortly, but none of those examined had laid, but in some the eggs in the 
ovaries were as large as haricot beans. This species perches in the trees 
freely and possibly they also breed in the trees at times. Their note is a 
fairly loud whistle.” 
Heartland recorded {Trans. Roy. Soc. South Austr., Vol. XXII., p. 189, 
1898) : “ Several flocks of these little geese were seen on the south side of the 
Fitzroy River. They were very shy, and difficult to approach. When dis- 
turbed they arose quickly, and flew near the surface of the water, making 
a peculiar whistling noise all the time they were on the wing.” 
“Mr. T. A. Gulliver, Townsville (Queensland), with whom this little 
goose was a special favourite, from observations made at Normanton, Gulf 
of Carpentaria, came to the conclusion that the bird breeds in the large 
fresh-water lakes some distance inland, and migrates to the shores of the 
Gulf as soon as the young can fly. About the middle of February, or as 
soon as the water in the lagoons at Normanton gets low, and consequently 
brackish, the little goose makes its exit, and is not seen again until the 
beginning of the next wet season. On their first arrival numbers of them 
are of a dull colour, and proved to be young birds. Before they take 
their departure they are all full plumaged.”* 
Berney’s only note {Einu, Vol. VI., p. 156, 1907) reads : “ Two birds were 
shot out of three that were seen at Maxwelton woolshed on Alec’s Creek, in 
this locality, during November 1906. As the birds were strangers, a wing 
was saved for me, enabling me to include them in my local list.” 
Hill states {Emu, Vol. XII., p. 254, 1913) : “ Found on nearly aU the 
swamps. In February pairs were numerous in submerged open forest country 
near Borroloola, where they evidently intended to nest. A native brought 
me three eggs on 3rd March, which were taken from a nest built in the grass 
near a swamp. Towards the end of March I saw several broods of young 
birds in a water hole near the head of the Wickham River.’ 
Mr. Tom Carter writes me : “ Although I have not personally seen this 
species, I have been told of specimens shot at Lake Ewlymartiys, east of 
* Campbell, Nest and Eggs Australian Birds, p. 1020, 1901. 
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