LNW 
THE GEELONG NATURALIST. 
apparently associating therewith to some extent. I generally note 
this bird in twos, threes or fours. 
14. Geronticus spinicollis (Straw-necked Ibis) is found in 
flocks, of varying size wherever the ground is swampy, or upon the 
lately irrigated fields. Owing to the severe drought now prevailing 
here (only 63 inches of rain during the year 1895) the ground is 
very hard, and this state of things may account for the rather 
unusual visit of many of these birds to Geelong district at the end 
of last winter, as you remember. 
15. Herodias alba. (?) (White Egret.) I noted several white 
egrets on my trip down the Murray from Swan Hill, but was 
unable to positively identify the proper species to my satisfaction. 
The genus Herodias and the species therein comprised want careful 
revision, as I believe the birds vary in size and color to a great, 
extent. I should be pleased to have any notes on the Australian 
members of this genus if you have any. 
16. Branta jubata (Maned Goose.) Locally known as the 
* Wood Duck," is about the commonest of all the birds known as 
Duck in this district. Generally seen in flocks of varying size. 
This bird is very fond of perching upon the branches of trees or on 
logs and snags in the rivers and lagoons. Its feet are furnished 
with sharp and strong claws, thus enabling it to maintain a firm 
grip. Its call consists of a peculiar sound resembling, to a marked 
degree, the “ miaow " of a cat. 
17. Xema jamesonii (Jameson's Silver Gull.)  Tbismust be a 
straggler up the river from the South Australian coast. Both 
yesterday and to-day I positively identified a single individual of 
this bird flying about the banks near the river. You will find in 
the aecounts of the early explorations of these rivers, that the 
explorers met with sea-gulls some hundreds of miles from the 
coast. 
January 20th, 1896. 
ui 
THE AUSTRALIAN FORESTS. 
Bx H. L. Grreve. i 
Read before the Geelong Field Naturalists’ Club. 
BxronE dealing with the vegetation of this country it will be 
necessary for us to have some slight idea of the geological for- 
mation of the whole of the continent of Australia. And what do 
we find? We find a land differing in one striking respect from 
any other known land of like magnitude; for, instead of the country 
being highest in the interior, itis much lower than the lands that 
fringe the ocean. In fact Australia may be said to be one immense 
plain partly surrounded by a belt of hills, few rising more than 
4000 feet above the sea level. 
‘The great central plain appears to have been at some distant 
I: 
