234 
THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA 
Motes .—Also called Black Curlew. Usually in pairs or flocks, fre¬ 
quenting swamps, margins of lakes and streams, and adjoining grass¬ 
lands. It is a very useful bird and is generally fearless, often visiting 
farms to follow the plough. Food: insects and their larvae. 
Nest . — A platform composed of sticks, lined with reeds and other 
aquatic plants; generally placed in an upright forked branch of a tree. 
Some nests are composed entirely of leafy branches, without extra lining, 
and are rather deep structures. Breeds in the most inaccessible parts of 
large swamps or watercourses. 
Eggs .— Three or four, deep greenish-blue, the surface being slightly 
rough and lustreless. Breeding-season: September to December. 
11. White Ibis Threskiornis molucca Cuvier 
Thresk-i-orri-is —Gk, threskos, sacred; Gk, ornis, bird: molucca —of the 
Molucca Islands. 
Distribution .—Australia (except Western Australia, south of North 
West Cape) ; also occurs in the Molucca Islands to New Guinea; accidental 
to New Zealand. 
Notes .—Also called Black-necked Ibis and Sickle-bird. Usually in 
flocks, frequenting swamps or the margins of streams and lakes which 
adjoin grass-lands. It is a very useful bird, and destroys countless 
numbers of injurious insects and their larvae. Generally it prefers secluded 
situations where it can search for food or build its nest and breed un¬ 
disturbed. In many districts, however, it has become quite tame, and is 
common in paddocks and cultivated areas. 
Nest.—A, platform, made by bending down polygonum, reeds, and 
other aquatic herbage. Breeds in colonies, which are generally situated 
in the centre of a swamp; it is often in the company of the Straw-necked 
Eggs. Two to five, dull white and lustreless. 
September to December. 
Breeding-season: 
12. Straw-necked Ibis Threskiornis spinicollis Jameson 
spi-ni-coll'-is —L., spina, thorn; L., collum, neck. 
Distribution. Australia generally; accidental to Tasmania. 
bird ' V UsnT^!n°n CaI u led Farnicr > Friend, Dryweather-bird. and Letter- 
hkes ! m n fl i k i S ’ 7 qUemmg ' s ' vam PS, the margins of streams and 
AuSX P ?orml T > 15 ° ne ° f the most weful birds we have in 
it deserves f Si H ‘ n‘ S Comn, ° n ’ . a,lc ! orally receives the protection 
t deserves. Being chiefly nomadic in habits it travels over a vast -irei 
dpxi - ss 
necked Ibis l "■ construction and material to that of the White- 
nccked Ibis. Breeds in colonies generally numbering thousands of birds. 
