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(Ca ae & ; Ce Cae € COC CC BUCO CO O@ealre dea COT OO AU OO OE OQ SO CE MC OOOO CGE ( ES € 6 MM rd \ { y : ¢ BAR AR. aA ae + | ~ ~~ an~ a. ~~ a ~ > ra > > a > ~~ ~ =~ a ~ PN Aa ONCYALY | ~ ~~ i "NWN foes 7n~ ~ ——~ a eer en | ~ : => ~ = ® ~ = > . 7 ~ ~“N PNT mam, =~ wo , F ea] : A A ~ = Par ~ al ~ ~ AMRAAAAAS Pa ~~ A aa > S40 CO CER gic @ a cmt (&/ % A | A= Aro YNN ane = > a r "2 Qe ; aN les fs = ana = ace os rf, ry fr up NAR AAA RANA a | Ge an, C “AS OS ae iP a CME CCQ Cae CORY X dag © 4 a & €4R 4 CIELQ|KE __ Va NP = bef i) b ) E aa VPN ow » & I a am Vie a ’ a ~ , WL. ¢ _f « aq ae Se 9 or r ¢ @ @, "7 (TG C« ¢ © € a iw r oe ) Ss AH ac «x (Ga Ga < a 1 i ; FSi. Dy i ibe? 7 eon eg og ine Ja , wa 2 : Pe a. , 2 ae ae y : vo * - ‘ ‘ ‘ ’ . . a Ld THE AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST Issued by The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales WITH NINETEEN PLATES, And Sixty-three Text-figures. Vol. 1—1914-1920. \ oe aes Sydney: Printed and Published for the Society by The Sydney and Melbourne Publishing Co., 7‘d., 11 Wilmot Street, Sydney. SOLD BY THE SOCIETY. CONTENTS OF PART I. (Price, 3/.) Hever of the Couneil for 1913 . 1 ‘he Mallophaga as a porsble clue to Bird Phy logeny, ‘by ‘Launcelot "Harrison, B.Se. Bird Sanctuaries, by fA iy ‘Basset Hull . aut ein 13 A Monograph of the genus Tisiphone, Hubner, by Gus Waterhouse, B.Sc. c5 Binley 1 eI Dis Seen : Pot ee tay A A New Victorian ‘Araneid, by W. I. Rainbow, FES. . Danes tes agen Notes on the Breeding, habits of the Porplesnine Gudgeon, Heelies adspersus, ( ‘astelnau, by Albert Gale .. . 25 A new eee (G ‘aprellid, by Rey. Thomas i R. “Stebbing, M. i F. TF S., RVI, Heed. See eh oy eect Notes on some Australian Syngnathidae, ‘by AroRS “McC ulloch .. 29 Bird Notes from the North-west of New South Wales, by Walter W. Frog- CEini> JU DBISIS oc be ae 33 An Interesting Exhibit, by Ne Ss. ihe: Souef, ‘Director, Zoological Gardens ave 35 CONTENTS OF PART II. (Price, 27.) Report of theiCouneil for UO oe ee cele is eee ne eel List of Members, 1914 .. .. Arty RR ee eral ce Comer MELE Bird Notes, by Walter W. Frogeatt, FP eae SAVER OURO At Gh ich Slo. 1 sid Two Beetles apparently new to Australia, by W. Rainbow, F.E.S..... 46 The Migration of the Jolly-tail or Eel Gudgeon, ae it ste from the sea to fresh-water, by A. R. McCulloch Bye Sid pia a ae Further notes on the genus Tisiphone, Hubner, ae G. ay " Waterhouse, inepslon lol Bem ald atsls Oo BoB OeoS OO G0 sac) oo ac Res ae Siac cot 120) CONTENTS OF PART III. (Price, 2/.) ln@oyoniy ie wast (Ce imvelll ioe MIS) Ge go Go po 90 65 50 05 6H Bo on bp cube OE Some new Araneidae from the County of Cumberland, by W. J. sora ge |g B\SSity eer ac One 58 Notes on Colour-variation of Opossums of the | genus Wrichoswrus, by se Te Souet, Director; Zoolosical Gardens) =.) semen oe Serene 62 CONTENTS OF PART IV. (Price, 3/.) Reporisot, Council eon 1.9) Ge suse: eaten 56 Front Pages. The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. ” Its ‘present position and future aims, by A. EF’. Basset Hull, President .. .. .......... 65 The Economies of Troewus niloticus, by C harles Hedley oe a 69 The Destruction of Bird Life in Australia, by Walter W. Pr: ogeatt, F. i; s. 75 The Lyre Bird: Some Nesting Notes, by John Ramsay and Albert E. Keene $1 Kangaroos in Captivity, by H. L. White... .. tee, illustrations of Australian Coleoptera, by A. Musgrave and E. H. Zeck .. 85 The deposition of the eggs of Monotremes, by Harry Burrell... .. ...... 87 Iehthyological notes, by Allan R. MeC uillogh., eee Sate eee 89 The cheap Black Palm Cockatoo, Microglossus Mens in captivity, by Dr. A. D’Ombrain, M.R.A.O.U. ee She eee . List of Mem- bers, 1914, 41. » List of Mem- bers, 1918, 143. eee = » New Members, - 100, 201, 229. , New Rules, 100. ——, Present __ posi- tion and future aims, 65. Serub Turkey, Breeding of, 251. Simple method of preparing crania, A, 208. Simulidae, New species of, 167. Simulium bancrofti n.sp. (Diptera), 168. Sminthopsis, Notes on, 147. Soldier beetle, swarming of, 205. Some new Araneidae, 58. Spine-tailed Swift, The, 210. Stebbing, T. R. R., New Caprellid, 27. Studies in Phlebotomic Diptera, 167. Swarming of the Soldier beetle, 205. Taronga Zoological Park, 99. Tasmania, Distribution of Anaspides and Ooperipatus iw, 102. Taylor, F. H., New species of Simulidae and Chironomidae, 167. Velephorus pulchellus, swarming of, 205. Visiphone, Monograph of the genus, 15. . Further notes on, 50. abeona morrisi, sub. sp. nov., 18. es TEL y SOS: YD 50. Tree Kangaroos in Queensland, 153. Trichosurus, colour variations, 62. Trichosurus cerns nigrans sub. sp, nov., 64. Trochus niloticus, Economics of, 69. nOv., Uloborus congregabilis n.sp. (Araneidae), 59. Waterhouse, G. A., Monograph of genus Tisiphone, 15. . Further notes — on Visiphone, 50. Wedge-tailed Eagle, The, 252. White, H. L., Kangaroos in captivity, 83. —, Birds in my garden, 103. Zeck, BE. H., Life history of an Emerald Moth, 163. ————, Swarming of the beetle, 205. a , Myrmecophilous Coleoptera, 245. —————, see also Musgrave and Zeck. Soldier | RE Issued by The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales ; 1 4 Edited by ALLAN R. McC ULLOCH, Zoologist,. Australian Museum . Vol. I—Part 1. Sydney, 13th June, 1914 s WH Gye ok ARBNEY 3 > _. Wate & PEARSON, PRINTERS. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales ESTABLISHED 1879 COUNCIL AND OFFICERS, 1914. President: Lt.-Colonel Alfred Spain, V.D., F.LA. Vice-Presidents : Charles Hedley, F.L.S. A. F. Basset Hull. Albert E. Nash. R. H. Todd M.D., F.R.C.S.1. Members: Major John Spencer Brunton. Sydney Jamieson, M.D. Sydney Dodd, D.V.Sc., Dr. V.Sc. T. W. Keele, M.Inst.C.E. W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.E.S. Allan R. McCulloch. H. E. Finckh: W. J. Rainbow, F.E.S. Launcelot Harrison, B.Sc. J. M. Smail, M-Inst.C.E. A. E. Jaques. S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S. Hon. Treasurer: W. J. Green. The Representatives of the Government: The Hon. Frederick Flowers, M.L.C. The Hon. H. C. Hoyle, M.L.A. Aldermen of the City of Sydney: Alderman L. H. Lawrence, Alderman W. J. Walker. Director: A. S. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. Auditors: Messrs. L. S. Drummond and Co. Superintendent : R. K. Spencer. The Report of the Council OF THE Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales For the Year ended December 31st, 1913. ANNUAL MEETING. The Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on February roth, at which the six retiring Members of the Council were re-elected, viz.:—Mr. Finckh, Mr. Hedley, Mr. Hull, Mr. Jaques, Mr. Rainbow, and Colonel Spain. The Hon. Fred. Flowers, M.L.C., and Mr. H. C. Hoyle, M.L.A., were appointed to represent the Governnent, and Aldermen J. H. Laurence and W. J. Walker to represent the City Council. At a Meeting of the Council held subsequently, the following Office-Bearers were elected :— President, Colonel A. Spain; Vice Presidents, Mr. Hedley, Mr. Hull, Mr. Nash, Dr. Todd; Treasurer, Mr. Green. | ee OBITUARY. It is with great regret that the Council record the death of one of their Members in the person of the late Dr. H. V. Critchley Hinder, who took a deep interest in the welfare of the Gardens. The following Minute has been placed on the records of the Society:— “That this Council desires to record its high appreciation of the valuable services rendered to the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales, by the late Dr. Critchley Hinder, the news of whose sad and untimely death has been received with the greatest regret and sorrow.” |) ee aaa IS (SIE | | Major J. Spencer Brunton, a former Membe- of the Council, was elected to the vacancy. Attendance of Members of the Council at Meetings :—Dr. Sydney Dodd, 11; Mr. H. E. Finckh, ir; Mr. W. W. Froggatt, 7 (leave for 3 months) ; Mr. W. J. Green, 12; Mr. Charles Hedley, 11, Mr. L. Harrison, 8; Mr. A. F. Basset Hull, 1x; Mr. A. E. Jaques, 6: Dr. Sydney Jamieson, 7; Mr. T. W. Keele, 9; Mr. Allan McCulloch, 11; Mr. Albert E. Nash, 6 (leave for 3 months) ; Mr. W. J. Rainbow, 10; Colonel A. Spain, 12; Mr. S. T. D. Symons, 4 (leave for 6 months) ; Mr. J. M. Smail, 5; and Dr. R. H. Todd, 5 (leave for 6 months). Dr. R. H. Todd, during a visit to Europe, took the opportunity of visiting many Zoological Institutions, and has furnished much useful information concerning them. 2 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, ATTENDANCES. During the year 295,688 people passed through the Turnstiles; details are as follows :— SHEUITOEDGS CNGKNS SG ae ns Sp oo ba wo LW2ZE(9/0) 5 Children, <.... S3ieene. .2)e ee oa Wieck Days, Adultseets .. Semen. «cn aceZOSOOT % , ChildrenGr ame cc eee 200 Schoolsas= <3) sis, a2 tee cae 1,331 Officers and Men of Australian Navy .. 176 a ‘3 Japanese Navy.. .. 379 : ayawlslarGens.r cys: seuss Sa eee, 15h tere 15 295,688 There has been a considerable reduction in the number of visitors from the country to the Gardens as compared with last year. This was partly owing to the exceedingly wet winter months, and partly to the smallpox visitation, with the practical isolation of Sydney for many months. In March, the Sunday admission charge for Adults was raised from 2d. to 3d. PREMISES. As in the previous year very little building has been done owing to the projected removal to the New Site. An enclosure was constructed to accommodate four Pandas, and a small case for Chameleons was placed outside the Aquarium. The verandah was taken off the Lion enclosures so as to allow the inmates as much of the sun as possible, while the Kangaroo paddocks were backed with brushwood, thus adding to the comfort of the Animals. The large Ponds developed cracks, which had to be cut out and repaired. The glass Snake case in the centre of the Aquarium was removed to the outside of the building, so as to obtain sufficient ventilation for the Reptiles. Owing to the excessive rain during the Winter, the water level in the centre of the Grounds was raised several feet, and the ponds were covered for some months. Some Pepper trees were killed, but this was the only damage which resulted. ANIMALS The most interesting additions to the collection during the year were four Pandas, which were placed in a new set of cages near the Lion house. These Animals are handsomely coloured and of a lively disposition, and are favourites with the Public; the Chameleons also proved an attractive exhibit; their variations of colour and method of feeding being of special interest. The Reticulated Python and several large Carpet Snakes are doing well in the outdoor Reptile enclosure, and an interesting collection of our larger Lizards is shown in the old glass Snake case. A good collection of fresh-water Fishes and other water fauna is being maintained in the Aquarium. The Murray Cod has hitherto proved rather difficult to keep, but our specimen has become established and is doing well, being shie!'ded from the light by a cairn of stones. The fresh-water Sunfishes, which are some of the prettiest and most lively of Australian fresh-water fishes, have proved quite hardy, and have livel through the Winter without special heating. The large flight Aviaries are well stocked with Australian Birds; the Woodswallows, Blue Wrens, Lunulated Honeyeaters, Smith’s Partridge Pigeons, and the Blood-breasted Pigeons have hatched and reared young during the year. THE REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. 3 A pair of Crab Spiders have been placed on exhibition in the Aquarium. They apparently do well in captivity, as the female has woven a nest and is brooding her eggs. Mention might be made that the Elephant “Jessie” has now been in the Gardens for thirty years; she arrived in the year 1883 a little more than half grown. Several interesting Kangaroos were procured from North-west Australia, including the brightly coloured Macropus occidentalis (which is the western form of Red Kangaroo), the rich brown Cervinus Wallaroo, MW. robustus cervinus, and the small Woodward’s Wallaroo, MW. robustus qwoodwardi; the two former have not previously been exhibited in the collection. 317 Specimens were presented to the Society during the year, and the Council wish to express their thanks to the Donors, who thus enriched the collection; especially to Mr. Forth for a very interesting Red Wallaroo from Broome, Western Australia. The following Births took place during the period under review :— 1 Mongoose Lemur 1 Northern Rock Wallaby 1 Highland Calf 1 Antilopine Kangaroo 1 Axis Deer 1 Rat J) J eae : ; Se +} CONTENTS OF PART I. PAGE Report of the Council for 1913 << Mu : vee ba a 5: 1 The Mallophaga as a possible clue to Bird Phylogeny, by Launcelot Harrison, B. Sc. 7 Bird Sanctuaries, by A. F. Basset Hull... tp a a i SS A Monograph of the genus Tisifphone, Hubner, by G. A. Waterhouse, B. Sc., B.E., EAS. SY. Vic. ae one an oe wa ee ee pene Hs A New Victorian Araneiad, by W. J. Rainbow, F.E.S. ake Wee a Eee tt | Notes on the Breeding-habits of the Purple-striped Gudgeon, Krefftius adspersus, Castelnau, by Albert Gale ... = ste tc & es Sep A New Australian Caprellid, by the the Rey. Thomas R. R. Stebbing, M.A., F.R.S., j Sy) URS a 2 AES Reo ee tee aa Ker ine es pes 2 Notes on some Australian Syngnathidx, by A. R. McCulloch ai soe fo DD) Bird Notes from the North-west of New Socth Wales, by Walter W. Froggatt, F.L.S. 33 An Interesting Exhibit, by A. S. Le Soue:, Director, Zoological Gardens... ee tiine a] ing Issued by The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Edited by ALLAN R. McCULLOCH, Zoologist, Australian Museum Vol. 1.—Part 2. qysonian nti, Sydney, 22nd February, 1915 ay Migs National M yseue SYDNEY: 0.9/0 1 ‘W. E, SMITH LIMITED, PRINTERS. ‘COUNCIL AND OFFICERS, 1915. President : od Lt.-Colonel Alfred Spain, VD., TIN a hie Vice: Prassdents . Charles Hedley, F.L.S. A. F. Basset Hull, Albert E. Nash. | -R.H, Todd, MD., F.R.CS.1. Members si Major John Spencer Brunton. Ae pj ae Real Keele, M.Inst.C.E. Sydney Dodd, D.V.Sc., Dr. V.Sc. Pir Allan R. McCulloch. W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.E.S. W. J. Rainbow, F.E.S. — ; ‘ H. E. Finckh. J. M. Smail, M.Inst.C.E. * A. E. Jaques. S. T. D. Symons. M.R.C.V.S. i Sydney Jamieson, M.D. | G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., B.E - ‘Hon. Treasurer : ; W. Jj. Green. The Representatives of the Government : The Hon. Frederick Flowers, M.L. Cc. The Hon. H. se Hoyle, M.L.A. iyi ne Aldermen of the City of Sane i ONY, ; Alderman L. H. Lawrence. _ Mi \ : : Alderman W. J. Walker. Divectoy : A. S. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S. Auditors : - Messrs. L. S. Drummond and Co. Superintendent : Whe -_-R. K. Spencer. The Report of the Couneil OF THE Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 3lst, 1914. Tue Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on February 21st, at the Royal Society’s Hall, at which the following retiring Members of the Council were re-elected :—Major J. S. Brunton, W. W. Froggatt, W. J. Green, L. Harrison, A. E. Nash, and S. T. D. Symons. At a meeting of the Council held subsequently the following Office-bearers were elected :-— President, Colonel A. Spain ; Vice-Presidents, A. F. Basset Hull, Charles Hedley, Dr. R. H. Todd and A. E. Nash; Treasurer, W. J. Green. Mr. L. Harrison resigned from the Council in October, in consequence of taking up,his residence in England. He was elected a corresponding member of the Society. Mr. G. Athol Waterhouse was elected to the vacancy. Attendance of Members of the Council at Meetings during 1914 :—Major J. S. Brunton, 5; Dr. Sydney Dodd,8; ; H.E. Finckh,9; W. W. Froggatt, 4; W. J. Green, 10; L. Harrison, 4; Charles Hedley, 8; A. F. Basset Hull, 10; Dr. Sydney Jamieson, 7; A. E. Jaques, 5; T. W. Keele, 7; Allan 5 R. McCulloch, 10; Albert E. Nash, 2; W. J. Rainbow, 8; J. M. Smail, 3; Colonel A. Spain, 11 ; S. T. D. Symons, 4; Dr. R. H. Todd, 11; G. A. Waterhouse, 2. Mr. Nash and Mr. Harrison were granted leave of absence, and Mr. Waterhouse was only elected in November. ATTENDANCES. A total of 231,660 people visited the Gardens during the year; this shows a falling off of 64,028 as compared with the figures for last year. The primary causes were the increase of the city tram fares on Sundays, continuous wet weather, and, to a lesser extent, the unsettled conditions of the last four months of the year, owing to the war. Details of the attendance are as follow :— SUNDAYS py NCUITLES erect aie tonciay ecole “ese ayeys eros 66,616 eee FF ChalelWSis se ccoscag soc Seaenee Sees aC 29,001 {golan inet; WY CELIND anys CO CUIVESS crwncreansveyaicrale ea ehh e Raspes eevee 93,035 fe oe er Girindmeniaeeerete tir susie ciceneraeneisys 41,266 2 ag SCHOO Sistem eer a Renta leu teriscet tke sis inievi re ie 1,742 { f R 29 : 231,660 Nati. a ANIMALS. The collection has been kept well up to standard, several large animals having been added. These include a splendid pair of American Bison, very generously presented to the Society by Mr. A. B. Spreckles, of San Francisco. The principal purchases were a well-grown pair of Canadian Wapiti and a large Black Bear, while others include Tree Porcupines, Ocelot, Badgers, Peccaries, Rheas, Barking Deer, European Cranes and Macaws, besides many Australian animals, birds and reptiles. 38 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The births include a Bactrian Camel, Indian Antelope, Dorcas Gazelle, Rusa Deer, Timor Deer, Axis Deer and Hog Deer, Zebu, and several Kangaroos and Wallabies. The young Bactrian Camel is an acquisition ; although neglected by its mother it has been successfully reared by hand. In the large aviary several birds successfully reared their young—notably Wonga Pigeons, Squatter Pigeons and Blood-Breasted Pigeons, Golden-Shouldered Parrots and Blue Wrens. It is satisfactory to note that the rare Golden-shouldered Parrot can be bred in captivity. The following animals were born and reared in the Gardens during 1914 :— 1 Arabian Gazelle 1 Agile Wallaby 1 Indian Antelope 1 Grey Kangaroo 1 Timor Deer 1 Rat Kangaroo 1 Axis Deer 5 Blood-Breasted Pigeons 1 Rusa Deer 3 Golden-Shouldered Parrots 2 Hog Deer 1 Wonga Pigeon 3. Angora Goats 2 Squatter Pigeons 1 Bactrian Camel 9 Blue-Tongued Lizards t Bennetts Wallaby 14 Water Tortoises 335 Specimens were presented to the Society, and the Council is much indebted to the donors ; 124 were purchased, 10 deposited, and 94 were received in exchange. 152 animals were sold, 206 sent in exchange, and 15 were placed on deposit at various Government Reserves by the Council. The value of the collection on December 31st was estimated at {4,310 178. 5d. During the year two consignments of Starlings were sent to the Moree district to assist the station owners in combating the Sheep Fly, while several hundred have been ordered for other parts of the State, to be delivered next season. Three pairs of Laughing Jackasses were sent to the east coast of New Zealand for acclim itisation purposes, and several Opossums to Norfolk Island. GENERAL. The incorporation of the Society, which has been under consideration for some time, was again brought before the notice of the Government, who stated that owing to the pressure of business they were unable to deal with it, and advised that the Society be registered. There are now 130 Financial Members of the Society, being an increase of 36 on last year, which is very satisfactory. Members are nevertheless requested to endeavour to induce others to join the Society in order that its aims may be furthered. It may be pointed out that in addition to the right of entry into the Zoological Gardens at Moore Park, Members are now enabled to take small parties over the extensive grounds at Taronga Park. From the intimate association of the Society with the Taronga Zoological Park Trust, it will interest Members to know that good progress has been made in preparing the Park for the reception of a Zoological collection. .).< so. Bank BALANCES— Director's Trust INCCOUNIC I. 51-1 «\ = -1 Add Amount to be Refunded by Ta- ronga Zoological Park Trust...... Cash on hand...... Petty Cash on hand £529 16 8 202 8 oO 127 II oO 1614 8 oy) G7) rene Ilo 14 7 139) elie Ls 5732 17 10 re ide ey Jie Sine — 818 I 27 6 9 I 18 11 — 29 5 8 £6300 18 3 We have examined the Books and Vouchers of the Society for the year ended 31st December, 191s, and certify the above Statement to be in accordance therewith. SYDNEY, 12th January, 1916. (Sgd.) L. S. DRUMMOND & CO., Incorporated Accountants. 58 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. SOME NEW ARANEIDZ FROM THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. By W. J. RAINBOW, Entomologist to the Australian Museum. IGS: aloes Sues Tue present paper contains descriptions of three species new to science from within the county of Cumberland, New South Wales. These represent three distinct families, viz., Uloboride, Theridiidze and Argiopide, and were collected respectively by my colleague, Mr. A. R. McCulloch, and Master Chas. Danvers Power, of Burwood. Fig 1 Uloborus congregabilis, RAINBOW. Male. Fig. 2 Uloborus congregabilis, RAINBOW. Female. Fig. 3 Fig, 4 Phylarchus splendens, RAINBOW. Female. Carepalxis powert, RAINBOW. Female. Family ULOBORID&. This family is a very small one, but it embraces a number of remarkable and interesting species, which for convenience have been divided into four sub-families, three of which occur in Australia. The form described below belongs to the genus Uloborus, Latr., and is included in the sub-family Uloborine. In his great classic, ‘‘ Histoire Naturelle des Ardignées,”’ Simon defines the range of this genus as follows :—‘‘ Europa et Regio mediterranea; Africa; ins. Atlantice ; Madagascar; Asia centr. merid. et orient. | Malaisia ; Papuasia et Oceania ; America sept., centr., merid. et antilliana.”’ ! This is a very wide range, when we consider that only about sixty species are as vet known to science. The genus Uloborus has been divided by the distinguished author just quoted into four groups, and it is to the last of these, Group D, the new species belongs. 1. Simon—Hist. Nat. des Araign., i., 1892, pp. 214-215. SOME NEW ARANEID-Z FROM THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. 59 Genus ULosorvus, Latr. ULOBORUS CONGREGABILIS, sp. nov. (Figs. 1 and 2.) Male. Cephalothorax, 1.4 mm. long, 1.1 mm. broad; abdomen, 1.8 mm. long, 1.1 mm. broad (fig. 1). Cepthalothovax.—Ovate, hairy. Pars cephalica obtuse, arched, yellowish down the middle, sides dark brown; oculay avea broader than long; clypeus, deep. Pars thoracica broad, convex, yellow, but having two sub-lateral curved, longitudinal brown bars ; median fovea deep’; marginal band broad, dark brown. Eyes.—Arranged in two recurved rows of four each; the two median eyes of the front row are the largest of the entire series; they are seated closely together, are very prominent, and are poised upon the summit of a tubercular eminence; the median eyes of the posterior row are separated from each other by a space equal to about twice their individual diameter, while the lateral eyes of this row are each removed from its median neighbour by a space equal to once their individual diameter ; anterior lateral eyes are as large as those of the posterior row. Legs.—The first pair are the longest and stoutest; the femur is dark brown with a yellowish annulation, patella dark brown, tibia dark brown with pale yellow annulation, metatarsus and tarsus yellow ; all the other legs are, with the exception of their tarsi (which are yellow), dark brown with yellow annulations ; each limb is clothed with golden pile, and armed with short, stiff spines ; relative lengths: 1, 4,2, 3. Palpi.—Short, dark brown, clothed with yellow pile; genital bulb large, complicated, and clothed with long golden hairs or bristles. Falces——Robust, dark brown, hairy. Mavxtlle and Labium.—Dark brown ; normal. Sternum.—Elongate, arched, subparallel, dark brown, hairy, attenuated and acuminate posteriorly, and terminating between fourth pair of coxa. Abdomen.—Somewhat cylindrical, highest towards the front, overhanging base of cephalothorax, dark brown with greyish patches ; at its highest point there are two tubercles, and at the rear of these, two others. Spinnerets and cribellum normal. Female. Cephalothorax, 1.9 mm. long, 1.3 mm. broad ; abdomen, from feftolus to posterior angle 2.4mm., from summit of anterior tubercle to spinnerets 4.5 mm., breadth 2.5 mm. (fig. 2). Cephalothorax.—Ovate, hairy. Pars cephalica obtuse, arched, dark brown; oculay avea and clypeus normal. Pars thoracica arched, dark brown ; median fovea deep ; marginal band broad, yellow, Eyes.—As in Male. Legs.—With the exception of tarsi (which are yellow), dark brown, with pale yellow annulations ; first pair much the longest and strongest; each limb clothed with golden hairs, and armed with short stiff spines; calamistrum, normal; relative lengths: 1, 2, 4, 3. Palpt.—Short, dark brown, annulated with yellow, hairy. Falces.—Dark brown, hairy. Mavxille and Labium.— Dark brown. Steynum.—As in Male. Abdomen.—Gibbous, overhanging base of cephalothorax, dark brown, mottled with grey, and having a rather large, whitish reticulated patch at anterior extremity, a large yellowish spot on each side near the middle (in some examples), and a broad concolorous bar running down the posterior angle towards the spinnerets. At the summit there is a large and promi- nent tubercular projection, and this is bifurcated at the apex; near the base of this projection there are two small tubercles connected by a distinct ridge. Epigynum.—This consists of two small tubercles widely separated from each other; at the summit of each tubercle there is a large elliptical pit ; each of these is placed obliquely with its apex directed towards that of its neighbour. Spinnevets and Cri- bellum.—Normal. Hab.—Parramatta, January II, 191s. I am indebted to Mr. McCulloch for an excellent series of this interesting species, examples of which he collected both in the field and in buildings. Considerable variation in colour and scheme of orna- mentation is noticeable in both sexes. At first I was inclined to regard this species as U. variabilis, Keys. From the latter, however, it differs in size, form of abdomen, and the epigynum.? If the student 2. Keyserling—Die Arach. des. Aust. Suppl., 1887, p. 229, pl. xx., figs. 8, 8a, 8b. 60 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. will compare Keyserling’s figures and description with those herein given he will easily detect the differences to which I refer. Individuals of U. congregabilis found in dwellings select dark recesses for their snares, while those that build in the open are usually found in cool, sheltered situations. Whether in buildings or in the open, the species is always found dwelling together in large or small communities, making a web in common, consisting of intricate retitelarian lines and small orbs. The latter have each a white ribbon of hackled silk, known as the stabilimentum, running across the centre. Each female who has deposited her ova has her own ova-sac, at the mouth of which she mounts guard. This ova-sac or “‘ cocoon,” as it is sometimes termed, is of an irregular bag-like shape, closely woven, contains a large number of eggs, and is always suspended among the irregular or retitelarian lines. The orbs are invariably placed horizontally or obliquely. Simon® has described and figured a species of gregarious Uloborus, together with its webs and egg-bags, from Venezuela, whose communal habits are similar to its congener from Parramatta. To his species Simon gave the name of U. vepublicanus. It is interesting to note that those individuals inhabiting buildings are much darker than those living in the field. Family THERIDIID 22. The species hereunder described I associate with Simon’s group, Euryopez, and, for the time being at any rate, with that distinguished author’s genus Phylaychus. Two specimens have been presented to me by Master Charles Danvers Power, and two other examples are in his collection. Hereafter it may be necessary to create for this species a new genus. Generally speaking, the legs of the Theridiide are long, slender and tapering; but in the species at present under study they are short and sturdy, and, as in the genus Euryopis, Menge, the fourth pair are slightly the longest. The majority of species included in this family are sedentary, and construct a retitelarian web for the capture of prey. Euryopis and Phylaychus, on the other hand, do not do so, but belong to what Simon terms “ Théridiides marcheurs.’’ Consequently they are ground-rovers, and are usually found lurking under stones. Genus PHYLARCHUS, Simon. PHYLARCHUS SPLENDENS, Sp. nov. (Fig. 3). Female. Cephalothorax, 1.7 mm. long, 1.4. mm. broad; abdomen, 4.4 mm. long, 2.6 mm. broad, Cephalothovax.—Ovate, dark brown, nearly black. Pars cephalica strongly arched, somewhat obtuse, thoracic groove distinct; oculay avea broader than long; clypeus deep, fringed with hairs. Pars thorvacica broad, strongly arched, normal grooves and median fovea deep, but somewhat difficult to detect owing to the darkness of the carapace. Marginal band broad. Eyes.—Eight, arranged in two rows of four each ; front row more strongly recurved than the rear; lateral pairs contiguous ; posterior row bright and glittering, the median pair exceedingly so ; anterior row black ; front median pair separated from each other by a space equal to fully once their individual diameter, and from the rear median pair by a similar space; the rear median eyes are separated from each other by a space equal to about three-fourths their individual diameter ; lateral eyes, both front and rear, are separated from their median neighbours respectively by a space equal to fully one-and-a-half their individual diameter. Legs.—Concolorous with cephalothorax, strong, rather short, tapering, hairy, and armed with short and moderately strong spines ; relative lengths: 4, 1, 2, 3. Palp?.—Short, similar in colour and armature to legs. Falces.—Concolorous with palpi, short, acuminate, arched, hairy; fangs con- colorous also. Maville——Concolorous also, short, convex, inclining inwards, moderately hairy. Labium.—Concolorous with foregoing, short, broader than long, apex curved. Steynum.—Concolorous with labium, broadly cordate, arched, moderately hairy, terminating obtusely between posterior coxe. Abdomen.—Large, overhanging base of cephalothorax, ovate, strongly arched, hairy, dark brown (almost black) ; superior surface ornamented in front with a recurved, reticulated bright yellow bar, and a broad, concolorous median design which commences well forward and terminates near the spinnerets ; within this median band there is a delicate scheme of tracery. Epigynum.—aA small, strongly arched eminence or tubercle, with two large elliptical pits, one on each side. 3. Simon—An. de la Soc. Ent. Fr., Ix., 1891, p. 12, pls. 3 and 4. SOME NEW ARANEIDAE FROM THE COUNTY OF CUMBERLAND. 61 Ova-sac.—Sub-globose, about the size of a pea, loosely woven, transparent, eggs round and of a pinkish tint. Hab.—Kitty’s Creek, near Gladesville, Sydney. Taken from under stones. Family ARGIOPID®. Subfamily ARGIOPIN®. Genus CAREPALXIS, L. Koch. Another small, but striking, form is the one described below, and which I name in honour of my young friend, Master C. Danvers Power. The genus is a small one, containing as it does only about fourteen species. Carepalris ranges through Australia, Papua, and Central America. In my ‘' Census of Australian Araneide,’’ six species are enumerated, and to these I now add one other. CAREPALXIS POWERI, Sp. nov. (Fig. 4). Female. Cephalothorax 2 mm. long, 1.6mm. broad ; abdomen, 3.6 mm. long, 3 mm. broad. Cephalothorax.—Ovate, shining, bilobed, reddish-brown, moderately hairy. Pars cephalica strongly arched, obtuse, segmental groove profound ; oculay area broader than long; clypeus strongly curved, deep. Pars thoracica strongly arched ; median fovea profound ; marginal band broad. Evyes.—Dis- tributed over three series of 2, 4, 2 respectively; the median group arranged in pairs and forming a trapezium ; each pair of eyes, both median and lateral, close together, the former nearly touching each other, and the latter conjoined ; anterior median pair smaller than their posterior neighbours ; lateral eyes smallest. Legs.—Short, strong, tapering, hairy, armed with short spines, yellow, annulated with reddish-brown ; relative lengths: 1, 4, 2, 3. Palpi.—Moderately long, similar in colour, clothing and armature to legs. Falces.—Yellow, shining, strongly arched, tapering, inner angles fringed with fine hairs. JMJaxi/le.—Dull yellow, short, broad, arched, apices inclined inwards. Labtwm.—Conco- lorous, short, broad, arched, apex curved. Steynwm.—Broad, somewhat shield-shaped, posterior extremity acuminate, and terminating between fourth pair of cox; surface uneven, hairy; two rather large, though not high, tubercles in front, and two smaller ones on each side, and seated opposite the second and third coxz respectively ; the general colour is dark brown, but the tubercles are pale yellow. Abdomen.—Somewhat ovate in outline, overhanging base of cephalothorax, and having towards the summit, but seated laterally, two large mammiliform tubercles; posterior angle deep, retreating ; the general colour is yellow, mottled with dark brown. Epigynum.—Long, slender, straight. Hab.—Narrabeen, near Sydney. 62 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. NOTES ON COLOUR-VARIATIONS OF OPOSSUMS OF THE GENUS TRICHOSURUS. By A. S. LE SOUEF, Director, Zoological Gardens, Sydney. THE great variation in the colour and markings of the opossums of the genus Tvichosurus forwarded to the Zoological Gardens, led me, some years ago, to study them systematically, with a view to determining whether the different forms were confined to definite regions. The following notes are based on the examination of a large series of both specimens and skins, and I have to thank the Curators of the Australian Museum (Sydney), the National Museum (Melbourne), the Adelaide Museum and the West Australian Museum for kind permission to examine skins in their charge. I am also indebted to Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, Scone, for forwarding specimens exhibiting colour variation. Common Opossum, Trichosurus vulpecula, Kerr. The typical form is grey on the upper parts, with a few black-tipped hairs showing through the under-fur and whitish under-parts ; the muzzle, around the eyes, the chin, and the base of the ears are black ; terminal two-thirds of the tail black. The tip of the tail and the posterior distal part of the ears are sometimes white, though both these markings are not necessarily present on the same animal. This form is found in the open forest country throughout Australia, with the exception of the Cape York Peninsula. The variations noticed are as follow :— (a) A more or less rufous colouration ranging from a slight wash on the shoulders to an even brown or bright rufous all over the body, in which case the breast may be of a lighter hue or quite white. (6) A black colouration produced by a heavy growth of long black-tipped hair coming through the under-fur. (c) A fawn colour ranging from even fawn, through yellowish brown to cream. As in all marsupials, albinism is fairly common, and albinos generally have white offspring. Brown specimens are most common in Tasmania, and Mr. Robert Hall states that they are chiefly confined to the moist, heavily timbered districts. Out of 4,000 skins exported from Tasmania in 1914, 20 per cent. were brown. On the mainland a more or less brown colouration is very common, particularly in the drier districts ; it is more pronounced in Queensland, especially in the north-east, where the form described as Tvichosurus johnstonii, Ramsay, was first procured. I have examined the fine series of brown specimens in the Australian Museum, and find great variation, there being intermediate forms from grey-brown to bright rufous with a white breast; it also includes examples with white-tipped tails and ears, as in the grey form. As the teeth do not show any variation, and as brown specimens are found in other parts of Australia, I consider T. johnstonii is just a local colour variation of T. vulpecula, as has already been recognised by Dr. Ramsay. Fawn-coloured animals have been noted from Central Queensland and at Herberton. A black race is found in the heavily-timbered country round the Colley district and Yallingup, West Australia. This colour is caused by a pronounced growth of long silky black hair coming through the grey under-fur, which, on the back, may measure three inches in length; the breast is whitish or pure white. It is interesting to note that the descendants of Tasmanian opossums turned out near Lyttleton, New Zealand, some twenty-five years ago, already show variation from the typical form, in that the black silky hair is much more pronounced ; the animals are thus darker and the fur longer and less dense. es NOTES ON COLOUR-VARIATIONS OF OPOSSUMS OF THE GENUS TRICHOSURUS. 63 Animals from North-West Australia have the hair on the tail scanty towards the tip. Opossums trom Deal and Flinders Island have slightly smaller ears in proportion to their size than those from the mainland, but are otherwise similar to T. vulpecu/a, and show the same colour variations. Variation in- size is also noticeable, the largest examples coming from Tasmania, while the size is gradually reduced as the species ranges northwards. Generally speaking, animals found in fairly heavy forest country are large, while those from dry districts are smaller. In support of this it may be noted that specimens from forest lands on the north coast of New South Wales are similar in size and appearance to those from Tasmania, and further resemble them in having smaller ears in proportion to the body. The following are measurements of specimens from various localities, three being measured in each case :—Tasmania: Body, 46-58cm.; Flinders Island, Bass Strait: Body, 43-45.3cm., tail 28-35 cm.; New South Wales: Body, 48-53.5cm., tail 25.3-28cm. Western Australia: Body, 35-36.5 cm.; North-western Australia: Body, 32-39 cm., tail 24-28 cm.; North-eastern Queensland : Body, 43-47 cm., tail 36-39 cm. MOUNTAIN OR SHORT-EARED Opossum, Trichosurus caninus, Ogilby. This animal has a much more restricted range than T. uu/pecu/a, being confined to the Great Dividing Range, which extends from Victoria to Queensland. The typical form is found in heavy forest country on the ranges, and chiefly on the stringy bark timber. It has dense grey fur with a whitish breast. In the British Museum catalogue of Marsupalia and Monotremata, Mr. Oldfield Thomas states that the colour is dark grey or deep umber brown. This is evidently a mistake, for T. caninus does not show any brown, though skins of the form here described as T. caninus nigrans, after having been in spirits, turn brown. H. Burrell, photo. Trichosurus caninus nigrans, sub-sp. nov. 64 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Brack Opossum, Trichosurus caninus nigrans, sub-sp. nov. In general appearance and size this form is similar to the typical T. caninus; its fur is short, fine, silky, and black, sometimes showing a slight admixture of grey hair, particularly on the breast; the ears are short and evenly rounded ; irides brown. Skull and teeth as in T. caninus. The type is © in the Australian Museum. : This well marked sub-species is found in the heavy coastal scrubs in North-eastern New South Wales and Southern Queensland. ‘i _ CONTENTS OF PART III. ’ . , —— i 1 aie edhe Counc Mor WER Fis Ss be Me eevee ahd. bone edn) «tates | NIE Ral wen Seta et, 4 e New Araneide from the County of Cumberland, by W. J. Rainbow.....0.0.0600000001. 58 on Colour-variations of Opossums of the genus Trichosurus, by A. S. Le Souef 62 rs ¥ ? 4 of New South Wales %, NAS y NR. McCULLOCH, Zoologist, Australian Museum qinsentan Insti, Pop APR 6 1920 Ve x tonal muse’ The Report of the Council OF THE Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales FOR THE YEAR ENDED DECEMBER 3lst, 1916. Tue Annual General Meeting of the Society was held on February 9th at the Royal Society’s Hall, Sydney. The following retiring members of the Council were re-elected :—Mr. H. E. Finckh, Mr. C. Hedley, Mr. A. F. Basset Hull, Mr. A. E. Jaques, Mr. T. W. Keele, and Mr. W. J. Rainbow. At a subsequent meeting of the Council the following office-bearers were elected :—President, Colonel A. Spain; Vice-Presidents, Mr. Charles Hedley, Mr. A. F. Basset Hull, Mr. Albert E. Nash, and Dr. R. H. Todd; Hon. Treasurer, Mr. W. J. Green. Colonel Spain was granted leave of absence in November, owing to his being called away for active service abroad. Mr. W. J. Rainbow was also granted six months’ leave of absence. Mr. W. J. Green found it necessary to resign his position as Hon. Treasurer in July, owing to: ill-health. The Council recorded its high appreciation of his services, rendered to the Society for sO Many years, and extended to him its good wishes and hopes for a speedy recovery from his indis- position. Mr. G. A. Waterhouse was elected Hon. Treasurer. Dr. Sydney Jamieson resigned from the Council in September, after having taken an active part in its operations for many years. Mr. J. H. Campbell was elected to the vacancy. Attendance of members of the Council at meetings during 1916 :—11 meetings held: Major J. S- Brunton, o ; Mr. J. H. Campbell (elected in September), 2 ; Dr. Sydney Dodd, 8; Mr. H.E. Finckh, 8 + Mr. W. W. Froggatt, 5; Mr. W. J. Green, 2; Mr. C. Hedley, 7; Mr. A. F. Basset Hull,g; Dr. Sydney Jamieson (resigned September), 1 ; Mr. A. E. Jaques, 6; Mr. T. W. Keele, 4; Mr. A. R. McCulloch, 8 ; Mr. Albert E. Nash, 4; Mr. W. J. Rainbow, 6; Mr. J. M. Smail, 3; Colonel A. Spain (granted leave of absence), 8; Mr. S. T. D. Symons, 7; Dr. R. H. Todd, 7; Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, 8. Your Council has to report great changes in the affairs of the Society during 1916. During the first half of the year the Zoological Gardens at Moore Park were maintained and managed by the Council as previously. In anticipation of the projected removal of the collection of animals to Taronga Park only such work as was necessary for the efficient upkeep of the Gardens was carried out. The Director, Mr. A. S. Le Souef, spent much of his time at the new site in general supervision of the construction of the cages, etc., while all the energies of the Council were directed towards the furtherance of the new Zoo. ; 66 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. At a Special General Meeting of the Society, held at the conclusion of the Annual Meeting, February 9th, 1916, a resolution was passed altering the rules of the Society as follows :— Rule 7 to read :— Ordinary members shall have the right to be present and to vote at all meetings of the Society ; to propose candidates for admission as members; and, subject to these rules, to have access to the Library and other establishments of the Society and to Taronga Park. On payment of the annual subscription, a member shall receive (in addition to the member's ticket) twenty (20) tickets available for use during the current year, each ticket to admit an adult, or two children, children only to be admitted when accompanied by an adult. Tickets must be signed before leaving a member's possession, unsigned tickets being invalid. A Special General Meeting of the Society was held on 9th February, 1916, to authorise an alter- ation of the rules, as detailed in the Annual Report for 1915, p. 54, to enable the Council to hand over to the Taronga Park Trust various properties of the Society. Arrangements were also made with the City Council with regard to the removal of various buildings erected in the Gardens at Moore Park, in order that some of the newer cages, etc., might be transferred to Taronga Park. The preparations at Taronga Park having reached a stage at which the enclosures were ready to receive the animals, it was decided in June to wind up the business of the Society at Moore Park at the end of that month. The Chief Secretary was therefore written to asking that the Government should take over the control of the Zoological Gardens and its responsibilities as from 1st July, 1916. This being sanctioned, a draft agreement with the Taronga Zoological Park Trust was prepared and forwarded to the Minister for Lands for approval. The terms of this agreement are set out on PP. 54-55 of the Annual Report for 1915. It was hoped that this agreement would have been signed at an early date, but owing to unforeseen legal difficulties arising the matter has had to remain in abeyance. Under these circumstances, such privileges as the Society enjoys with regard to the Taronga Park Zoo are wholly dependent upon the goodwill of the Trustees. On the other hand, there is reason to believe that the interests of the Society are not being overlooked, and plans of a building for our use in the Park grounds have been exhibited to your Council. The Council decided to retain correspondence and papers relating to the Society, minute-books and records, Library books and office furniture, and asked that half the subscriptions of members for the current year, together with an amount representing half the subscriptions received from life members, be placed to its credit by the Trust. It was decided to open an account in the name of the Society in the Government Savings Bank. The July meeting of the Council being its last official meeting as Manager of the Zoological Gardens, it was decided that a circular letter be forwarded to the Council’s employees, thanking them for their loyal services during the Society’s regime. ~The Director read a short account tracing the career of the Zoo from the year 1865, when it consisted of several animals kept by Mr. William Beaumont at Sir Joseph Banks’ Pleasure Grounds at Botany. “The inception of the present Society was due to the late Mr. Walter Bradley and the late Mr. Harry P. Mostyn, who sent out a notice from 170 Pitt Street calling a meeting for March 24, 1879, “For the purpose of forming a Society for the acclimatisation of song-birds and useful game.’ Four hundred members were enrolled and a sum of {£500 collected, to which the Government added a like sum. A number of game and other birds were purchased and liberated in the State, including pheasants, California quail, skylarks, goldfinches, yellow hammers, blackbirds, linnets, bullfinches, horned owls and Chinese quails. The most important move was the importation of 5,000 brown trout ova from New Zealand. These were hatched at Cooerwull and liberated near Bega. THE REPORT OF THE COUNCIL. bi “Tn 1881 a bill drawn up by Mr. F. Gannon for the protection of wild and native game was passed. By permission of the City Council the Society formed a depot at Billy Goat Swamp, Moore Park, the site of the late Gardens, and aviaries and a caretaker’s cottage were built for the care of the wild birds that were being collected for acclimatisation purposes. “Tn 1880 the late Mr. G. F. Want gave permission for the Society to use his office, 40 Hunter Street, and the following Committee was appointed to manage its affairs :—President, Arthur Todd Holroyd ; Committée—Charles Moore, F. Gannon, G. Want, H. Mostyn, Hon. Charles Moore, Yeo. William Beaumont, George Bennett, Dr. Dansey, Walter Hall, Walter Bradley. In 1881 it was decided to lay out the grounds as a Zoological Gardens. This was completed in 1883, and Dr. George Bennett was elected President of the Society. A sum of £352 was collected by subscription for the purchase of two elephants, which arrived in the Gardens at the end of 1883. _It is interesting to note that one of them, Jessy, is still to the fore, having been a delight to tens of thousands of children during her thirty-three years in the Gardens. “The chief energies of the Society were still directed to the acclimatisation of fish, and thousands of trout ova were imported from New Zealand and Tasmania and put into the southern streams, and many English perch distributed into rivers and ponds to the north and west. In looking back to these activities, stress must be laid on the success of the acclimatisation of trout in the State. This business soon became so important that it was taken over by the Fisheries Department, which has ‘continued the work very successfully. “ The Gardens were opened to the public in 1884, and in that year the receipts from the gates were £899. In the following year this had risen to £2,700 6s. 8d. School children had been admitted free, and in that year 36,062 attended. In 1884 Sir John Robertson and Robert Lucas Tooth were Vice-Presidents. In 1887 Sir Henry Parkes was President, and John Keep Treasurer. In 1889 George Edward Rundle was President. In 1903 Mr. Catlett, who was Secretary from the inception, died. He (Mr. Le Souef) succeeded to the position, and Mr. W. A. B. Greaves was appointed Treasurer. “Tn 1906 Sir Thomas Anderson Stuart was President, and Dr. Todd Treasurer. In 1910 Captain ‘Ghest was President, and shortly after Mr. Charles Hedley was elected to the position. In 1912 Colonel Spain was appointed President, and Mr. Green Treasurer. “ In 1902-3, owing to drought and financial depression, the funds of the Society got low, but from this time on, with careful management, the Council had been able to record marked progress—so much so, that in 1910 it was realised that the site at Moore Park had either to be enlarged or another position found to which the whole collection could be removed and housed on up-to-date lines. The City ‘Council having refused any more of Moore Park, various localities were inspected, including Harris Park, Maroubra, Upper Lane Cove, Pearl Bay, Vaucluse, Bondi, and Queen’s Park. The Council finally decided to ask for 50 acres at Ashton Park, which was granted by the Government. Work at this new site was commenced in 1912, and now, in 1916, largely through the efforts of Mr. Fred. Flowers and Mr. H. C. Hoyle, the undertaking is being brought to a conclusion. “ During the last thirty-three years the Government has granted to the Society the sum of £60,158 for the maintenance of the gardens; members have subscribed £4,870, and, approximately, £80,000 have been received from other sources. About 7,500,000 visitors have entered the grounds, a considerable proportion of whom have been admitted either free or at a nominal rate on Sundays. ‘The State school children have always had the free run of the grounds for the purposes of studying the animals and recreation.” (Signed) ROBERT H. TODD, CHAIRMAN. 68 ROYAI. ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The Royal Zoloogical Society of New South Wales. STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS FOR THE HALF-YEAR ENDED 3oTH JUNE, 1916. RECEIPTS. DISBURSEMENTS. 1916—Jan. I— 1916—Jan. I— To BANK BALANCES. By Bank BALANCE. Directors’ Trust Account. . fr m2. 8 Overdraft—General Account £430 17 7 Add Amount to be Re- June 30— funded by Taronga Zoo- By Salaries and Wages...... £1580 9 O logical Park Trust...... Ue he 5 ,, Maintenance of Premises. . 99 8 3 iy ash ,, Purchase and Transport of oy CASHMON ELAN D ie terete iiteste 27, 16) 19 MOE Aaa ood don otic 456 5 38 ,», PETTY CasH ON HAND.... I 18 11 ,. Maintenance of Animals.. 5o2) ine ——— 29 5 8] ,, Advertising.............. 164 16 7 June 30— ,, Office and Printing Ex- To Government Grant....... 1200° 0 O (MAIEES Sones oenzoscres 78 13 10 a) (Gait IRGC Sog0590 dn 06 U530 13) 95 >) Uncidentalss emer teemeer igi es GL ra lephaniteades eee) tlel 146 15 Oo 5, Banks Matenestere tein sie 3) Anes py DUDSGLIP LONG )r cerayeicisidlslasai= 8050 3048 12 1 eS SalelOr AmiimialSwer sists steps 90 17 10 , Bank BALANCES. np SHIEH ISUG6ES Soe noeosods 56 0 7 Directors’ Trust Account IT 13698 yp) MENGMUIS Seder Shere ateltaraiais, oe ae 2, 40 %O Add Amount to be Re- 7 ES bo do pog.o225 0560 0C 14 5 0 funded by Taronga Zoo- 59 SSUMGTIES o,f chciang m cisisow cuuipre if atts to) logical Park Trust.... 4 09 0 5 SHU Gi (GNESI 55 onda odo 0 10 6 —_— Teice 133 —————._ 3222 13 I 7) CASH ON HAND fai. ee 50 18 I », BANK BALANCE. ,» PETTY CASH ON HAND... 42 ir 4 Overdraft—General Account Spi iy —— 92 ones £3578 2 9 £3578 2 9 —————— —————— We have examined the Books and Vouchers of the Society for the half-year ended 30th June, 1916, and certify the above Statement to be in accordance therewith. . (Signed) L. S. DRUMMOND & CO., SYDNEY, 2nd August, 1916. Incorporated Accountants. STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND DISBURSEMENTS FROM THE ist JULY TO THE 31st DECEMBER, 1g16. DR. CR. To! SubSer ptons. cx peekaci nile) seas Meeks £14 14 oO | By Bank Balance— Pre! 15. RNC RA RORPeEMI ORO IC POLO OAS 612 2 Savings Bank of NiS.W, ..-eeeeeeen {2am fot (Ger far “6 g2 (Sgd.) G. A. WATERHOUSE, Hon. Treas. We have examined the Accounts of the Society for the six months ended 31st December, 1916, and certify the above Statement to be in accordance therewith. (Sgd.) L. S. DRUMMOND & CO., SypneEy, 8th February, 1917. Incorporated Accountants. W. E. Smith Ltd., Bridge St., Sydney DAE Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. ITS PRESENT POSITION AND FUTURE AIMS. By A. F. BASSET HULL, President. In pursuance of the powers vested in the Council of the Society by the Members at the Special General Meeting held on roth January, 1916, the Society's collection of animals and birds, together with all cages, buildings and apparatus contained in the Zoological Gardens at Moore Park, were handed over to the Trustees of Taronga Zoological Park. The transfer was formally made by resolution of the Council passed at a meeting held in the office in the Moore Park Gardens—thenceforward to be known as “‘ the old Zoo ’’—on 13th July, 1916. Some birds and animals had already been taken to the ‘‘ new Zoo ”’ at Taronga Park, and the remainder have since been transferred to the more spacious grounds on the northern shore of the Harbour. The Society retained its library and office furniture, and claimed to be entitled to certain moneys representing members’ subscriptions for the unexpired half of 1916, and the balance (£750) of a sum of £1,000 advanced to the Taronga Park Trust in 1912 for preliminary work in connection with the new site. Owing to the fact that the Trustees of Taronga Park were also members of Council of the Society, and the Society’s Director was the Trustees’ Secretary, matters financial were conducted under an informal arrangement which rendered any strict accountancy quite out of the question. The balance-sheet presented at the Society's Annual Meeting showed that an overdraft of £317 remained unpaid, and that there was about {93 cash in-hand. The Trust subsequently paid the overdraft. One-half of the subscriptions paid by members for 1916, together with one-half of life members’ subscriptions, amounted to £135, and the balance of the advance, after adjustment of the overdraft and cash in hand, was £526, a total of £661 claimed by the Society. Uniforeseen difficulties arose in regard to the legal position of the Trustees as to these moneys, and, after some correspondence, a conference was arranged at which an executive committee of the Council discussed the position with the Chairman of the Trust, and it was eventually arranged that the Council should waive all claim to the moneys in question, the Trust increasing the number of members of the Society to whom free entry to Taronga Park is granted, from 250 to 300. The terms of the amended agreement were drawn up and formally assented to, as follows :— (a) The number of members of the Society to whom free admission to the Park and 20 tickets per annum is granted to be increased from 250 to 300. (6) Permission to conduct scientific investigations in the Park subject to supervision to remain as already agreed upon. (c) Pending the erection of permanent suitable premises in the Park for the holding of the Society’s meetings and storage of its records, as a temporary arrangement the Society to have the use, when required, of the large room over the refreshment room, and a con- venient place within which the Society’s library and records can be securely kept, access to same to be permitted only to the Council of the Society and the Trust or its responsible officers. {d) The Council to have the use of its furniture and other effects, now on the premises of the Trust. (e) The Council to relinquish any claim to payment in cash in respect of subscriptions for ordinary or life members up to 31st December, 1916, or the sum of £1,000 advanced by the Society to the Trust, or any balance thereof, 66 THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. In accepting these terms the Council was actuated by an earnest desire to assist in every way possible in the achievement of the object towards which its endeavours had been directed during the past six years, viz., the establishment of Zoological Gardens worthy of the great City of Sydney. While the conditions under which the Government rendered the present magnificent site available for the purpose precluded the Society from retaining its supervision and management, the Council nevertheless felt bound to place the main object in a paramount position, and to exercise the powers vested in them by the Society to that end. The Trustees have asked for the co-operation of the Council and the assistance of those with special knowledge of zoological matters, and such support will be most heartily accorded. That the ultimate result has been to establish a harmonious agreement under which the Society and the Trustees will work together to ensure the building up of the finest Zoological Park in the southern hemisphere must be regarded as in the highest degree satisfactory. The Council then proceeded to carry out a project which had been under consideration for some time—the incorporation of the Society as an association not carrying on business for profit. The Memorandum and Articles of Association were drawn up, and adopted by resolution at a Special General Meeting held on the 30th June, 1917, in the already famous Zoological Gardens at Taronga Park. After confirmation of the resolution at a subsequent meeting held on the 19th July, the Society was duly registered under the Companies Act, 1899. Starting with 120 to its credit, and with a potential income of about £300 per annum from ordinary members’ subscriptions, the Society can now enter upon its new and wider field of usefulness. The limited objects of the old Society have been expanded, and the Memorandum of Association now covers the following extensive range of subjects :— ) To promote and advance the Science of Zoology. ) To protect preserve and study the indigenous and introduced animals of Australia. ) To introduce and acclimatise desirable and suitable animals from abroad. d) To establish equip and maintain or assist in the establishment equipment and main- tenance of biological stations in suitable lacalities within the State of New South Wales for the purpose of investigation observation and record of the life histories of the in- digenous Fauna. (e) To promote hold and/or convene any congress of societies or individuals for the purpose of discussing zoological subjects and of taking such action in relation to Zoology as may be determined upon at any such congress. (f) To care for maintain tréat and observe wild animals in captivity or otherwise. (g) To join with any other Society either within or outside of Australia in promoting the study of Zoology in all its branches. (kh) To provide and maintain such premises libraries museums scientific collections laboratories and other scientific accessories and conveniences as may be deemed necessary or requi- site for the information entertainment demonstration education convenience and use of the members of the Society. (?) To furnish and equip all and every such premises libraries museums laboratories accessories and conveniences. (7) To take over the assets and liabilities of any Society or Corporation having objects wholly or in part similar to the Society and in particular of the unincorporated Society known as the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. (k) To print publish and distribute or cause to be printed published and distributed any magazines pamphlets periodicals books or leaflets which the Society may think desirable for the diffusion of useful knowledge with respect to the animal kingdom and for the promotion and achievement of its objects. (/) Subject to the provisions of the Companics Act, 1899, section 53 to purchase take on lease (including building or improving lease) or in exchange hire or otherwise acquire any real and personal estate which may be necessary or convenient for any of the purposes of the Society. (m) To construct maintain demolish repair renew replace and alter any houses improvements buildings fixtures fittings or works necessary or convenient for the purposes of the Society. — THE ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 67 (n) To take or accept any gift w Bethe subject to any special trust or not for all or any of the objects of the Society. (0) To sell manage lease mortgage dispose of or otherwise deal with all or any part of the property of the Society. (p) To borrow and raise money in such manner as the Society may think fit. (g) To invest any moneys of the Society not immediately required for any of its objects in such manner as may from time to time be determined. (y) To promote establish subsidise and support and to aid in the promotion establishment and support of any branch or affiliated associations and to inaugurate and carry out any scheme or system of affiliation. (s) To promote the passing of or enforcing or to join with any other Society or any body or persons in having passed or enforced any legislation having for its object the pre- servation or protection of the Fauna of New South Wales or elsewhere in Australia or any other object in connection with Zoology. (t) To offer give or contribute towards any scholarship prize medal or award for any research literary contribution article essay or effort connected with Zoology or any kindred or interdependent study. (u) To apply the profits (if any) or other income of the Society for the promoting of the above objects. (v) To do all such other lawful things as are incidental or conducive to the attainment of the above objects. The incorporation of a Society having these objects provides the machinery, and two essentials are required to make the machinery run smoothly and successfully—labour and lubricant—which in this case mean members and money. As regards the first, the Society’s membership roll now contains the names of many of the leading zoologists of New South Wales, and it is confidently anticipated that eventually every resident in this State interested in the study and care of animals will become a member. Although the Society’s funds will not benefit from the subscriptions of ordinary members exceeding the 300 agreed upon, every subscription in excess of that number will add to the income of the Taronga Zoological Park, and will thus aid in furthering one of the Society’s objects. The Society’s funds will be augmented by the full amount of the subscriptions paid by associate members. This class was established with a view to enlisting the interest of country residents, who cannot take advantage of the right of entry to the Park, residents of other States and foreign countries. To the amount received from this source will be added such special donations as members and the general public may think fit to contribute. Similar societies in other parts of the world depend largely upon such benefactions for the carrying out of their objects, and there is no reason why New South Wales should not be able to liberally endow its own Society. To cite some instances, the American Museum of Natural History, New York, has a permanent endowment fund exceeding a quarter of a million sterling contributed by wealthy American citizens, and an annual income of several thousand pounds from members’ subscriptions; the Smithsonian Institution is also largely supported by donations, its permanent fund standing at £205,000, and its income being £22,000 for the year 1915. In addition to this, the Institution disbursed £1 36,000 of Government grants for scientific purposes during that year, including £20,000 on the maintenance and improvement of the splendid Zoological Park at Washington, which embraces an area of 268 acres. As the Society grows and enters upon its more important objects, particularly the publication of useful information and the establishment of biological stations for the study of the different faunal groups of the Australian regions, it also may reasonably look to the Government of the State for assist- ance in these directions. Such objects, carried out in a careful and systematic manner, should be of great value both from a scientific and an economic standpoint, and render appreciable aid to University and research students by providing them with material for study and facilities for its examination. It remains only to impress upon all members the value of personal effort directed towards increasing the Society’s membership and inducing those who are able to do so to contribute, to a Permanent Endowment Fund. Prater V. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vot. I. Trochus niloticus. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vo. |. PLATE VI. Trochus niloticus. THE ECONOMICS OF Z7ROCHUS NILOTICUS. By CHARLES HEDLEY. (Plates v.—vi.) The following was written as a Report from the Special Committee on Marine Biological Economics of Tropical Australia, appointed by the Commonwealth Institute of Science and Industry. NOMENCLATURE. Tus large and handsome shell was mistaken for a product of the River Nile by Aldrovandus, who, in 1606, was the first writer in Europe to describe it. Thus Linnzus in 1767 adopted from him the title of Trochus niloticus. Other scientific names that it has since received are Trochus spinosus Gmelin, 1791; Trochus flammeus Bolten, 1798; Tvrochus zebra Perry, 1811 (Mathews «& Iredale, Victorian Naturalist, xxix., 1912, p. 13); Tyrochus marmoratus Lamarck, 1822; Astralium pagodus Wood, 1879 (Hedley, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, xxxili., 1908, p. 467) ; and Trochus montebelloensis Preston, 1914. In the Philippine Islands it is popularly known as “ Chin leh,’’ and at Cape Bedford, Queensland, the aboriginals call it ‘‘ Dobbi.”’ Trochus niloticus had long been considered (Lamarck, Syst. An. s. vert., 1801, p. 85) as the type of the genus Trochus. But Iredale (Prec. Malac. Soc. x., 1912, p. 225) notes that not being one of the original party, it is inadmissable, and designates T. maculatus as the type. As a sectional name Pyramidea, Swainson, may be appropriated by T. niloticus. DESCRIPTION OF THE SHELL. The remarkable feature of T. niloticus is the grotesque expansion of the last whorl. In the related T. maximus, not yet recorded from the South-west Pacific, the normal angle of the spire is continued as usual to the last. But in 7. niloticus a bulge commences in the penultimate whorl, and increases rapidly, carrying the last whorl out of alignment with the rest. So that the last whorl approaches the horizontal, and the aperture, from being twice as broad as high, becomes three times as broad as high. Finally the insertion of the lip tends to drop below the periphery. As with other large species, the summit is so severely eroded that the upper whorls cannot be counted on any adult individual. By combining measurements of a young, of a half grown, and of a large shell, I arrived, as follows, at an estimate of fourteen whorls for a complete specimen. In the youngest example used, having a maximum diameter of fifteen millimetres, the earliest, or at least one whorl, had already vanished. The presumed second whorl is 1 millimetre in diameter, the third 14; the fourth 2; the fifth 4; the sixth 5; the seventh 74; the eighth 12 mm. Now changing to the medium shell, that whorl which has a diameter of 12 mm. is presumed to be the eighth; accordingly in this individual the seventh whorl is 8 mm.; the eighth 12; the ninth 19; and the tenth 30. Again changing to the largest shell, that whorl which has a diameter of 30 is regarded as the tenth, and thus proceeding, the ninth whorl has here a diameter of 20 ; the tenth 30; the eleventh 42; the twelfth 64; the thirteenth 91; and the last and fourteenth 142 mm. (say 54 inches). The minor diameter of this measured shell (Figs. 1, 2) from Samarai, Papua, is 123 mm., the height 120 mm.; the weight is a pound and a half. No such size has, so far as I am aware, been recorded in literature. Fischer (Monogr. Trochus, 1880, p. 67), gives the breadth as 140 mm., the height as95 mm. The largest specimen which von Martens had examined was only 124 mm. in breadth ; this he contrasted with a dwarf only 61 mm. high and 67 broad (Martens, Ann. Mag. Nat. Hist. (3) xx. 1867, p. 99). Other Samarai shells have.a diameter of 141, 137, 135, and 129 mm., and another from Torres Strait is 133 mm. The correspondent, to whose kindness I owe this material, writes of giants from Samarai of eight inches diameter, which he has seen. Such would probably have an additional half whorl. 70 THE ECONOMICS OF Tyrochus niloticus. Nothing definite is known of the age of 7. mzloticus. According to native tradition in Fiji, the mollusc lives for four years ; the youngest stages are passed in deep water on the reefs, a shell at two inches diameter is thought to be six months old, at three inches one year, and at four inches two years, the rate of increase bécoming slower as growth proceeds. The upper and lower whorls are diversely sculptured. For the first eight whorls, in the pagodus stage (Fig. 5) the periphery carries projecting, imbricating, hollow, arched scales at about 14 to a whorl. A transition stage, that of spinosus (fig. 4) follows, in which, for a whorl or two these scales are gradually modified into obliquely compressed tubercles and then vanish, leaving the peripheral keel quite smooth. In this family, such scales are a usual feature, reaching especial development in Astrea heliotroptum, Guildfordia triumphans, Angaria delphinula and Turbo marmoratus. Even when iost in maturity, these tend, as here, to appear in infancy. They also do so in the case of Turbo stamineus (Kesteven, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., xxvi., 1902, p. 175, Pl. xxxv., f. 2). It is now suggested that these peripheral scales may be a reminiscence of the pore-scales of Haliotis. In respect of these scales T. niloticus is further developed than such co-generic types as T. nodiferus and T. dentatus where the scales persist throughout life. On the upper whorls the area between the peripheral scales and the channel'ed suture is occupied by four or five spaced lyrae, the two upper nodulous, the others flat. On succeeding whorls the lyrae first multiply and then disappear gradually. At eight whorls the baes has about fourteen fine, spiral, lyrae, increasing by intercalation and as broad as their interstices. These continue of the same relative importance to the eleventh whorl, after which they gradually fade till scarcely a trace can be distinguished on adult shells. The axis is a cork-screw shaped columella, the last turn of which is free in the axial funnel, the remainder embedded in the roof of callus above. Below this plait the columella is produced in a longer spiral to a broad, horizontal, knife-like process at the base of the aperture. In young shells the false umbilicus is a narrow, deep, spiral funnel with steep sides, but in senile examples the hollow is filled with a callus pad, nearly flush with the rest of the base. The centre and columella are nacreous, a crescent opposite the aperture is porcellaneous. A similar succession is seen in the inner lip, where the border is porcellaneous and the interior is nacreous. When the shell has been boiled, the fact is shown by superficial, microscopic cracks in the nacre of the axis. The nght and left insertions of the lip leave between them an uncovered space of the previous whorl. Only the last four whorls of the adult shell are inhabited, the earlier ones being filled solid with porcellaneous callus. (Fig. 3). The colour is a white ground painted with zic-zac red flames as broad or broader than their inter- stices and descending forwards across the line of growth, and ranging from light pink to dark purple. On the base these flames sometimes break up into cuneiform marks with the points directed backwards. Within the aperture red is often replaced by olive-green, but this is not, as von Martens supposed, a result of the original colour fading. On the upper whorls are a subsutural row of six or seven purple patches, between which are close, narrow, rose-pink lines’sometimes appearing on the lyrae as articula- tions or arrow heads. In life, the whole shell, except the axial area, is clad in a fibrous epidermis, brittle when dry, frilled into small lamellae set at four to the millimetre. These run down backwards, along the lines of growth but across those of colour. This epidermis does not intrude into the axial funnel. ‘The operculum (fig. 7) is a thin, flat, round, chitinous plate, 32 mm. in diameter, composed of numerous narrow spirals. Below, it is glazed with chitin deposited after the growth of the spirals and showing a line of muscular attachment. In the centre is a minute pivot knob, on which the whole operculum revolves. On the upper surface is a small, corresponding axial pit. These features seem not to have been previously observed. The upper side is in life probably raised in a low cone, for the middle is abraded. For this reason it is impossible to count the whorls which obviously exceed ten. Probably the operculum corresponds whorl for whorl with the shell, thus making fourteen. On the outer spiral is a dark border and a fringe along which a subsequent spiral would be wound. THE ECONOMICS oF Tyochus niloticus. 71 The animal was illustrated by Quoy and Gaimard (Voy. Astrolabe, Pl. 62, fig. 12). It is curious that no epipodial filaments are shown by them. The left cervical epipodium is shown unslit, as it appears in a smoke-dried specimen before me. The radula was figured by Troschel (Das Gebiss der Schnecken, ii., 1879, p. 224, pl. xxi., fig. 11, a-d). On what kind of sea-weed the Trochus feeds, what eggs it lavs and where, as well as most details of its life-history are unknown. Though the sexes are separate, there is no distinction between the shell of a male and of'a female animal. The reproduction of the species was studied in New Caledonia by Mr. Montague (P. D. Montague, Revue Agricole de la Nouvelle Caledonie, No. 45, 1915, pp- 39-43. plate I.). who unfortunately was unable to continue his researches throughout the year. In shells of a diameter of from ro to 12 cm. (4$ inches) he found the ripe sexual glands to extend over almost all the liver, at the summit of the coil, grey in colour in the male and dark green in the female. At the end of Decem- ber the ovaries of several specimens, 9 cm. in diameter, were distended with eggs ready for deposition. A series of specimens ranging from 7 to 8.5 cm., examined in October and May, showed the sexual glands to be small and undeveloped. Mr. Montague concluded, firstly, that the eggs were laid early in the year; secondly that the animals of shells less than 8.5 em. (34 inches) are incapable of reproduction. The latter conclusion is, however, only tentative. GEOGRAPHICAL RANGE. The real home of this molluse is not, as early writers supposed, in any river, but on coral reefs. It ranges from Ceylon (Hanley in Tennent, Ceylon, i., 1859, p. 241) in the west, to Samoa (Schmeltz, Mus. Godeffroy, Cat. iv., 1869, p. 101) in the east, and to the Loo Choo Islands (Pilsbry, Cat. Mar. Moll. Japan, 1895, p. 179) in the north. In Australia it was recorded by Brazier from Torres Strait and by Tenison Woods from Port Douglas (Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W. ii., 1878, p. 42 and v., 1880, p. 116). From the Monte Bello Islands in Western Australia it has apparently been described as Tyvochus montebelloensis (Preston, Proc. Malac. Soc., xi., 1914, p. 16, fig. ). For food it was used by the New Caledonians (Fischer, Journ. de Conch. vii., 1859, p. 331), by the islanders of Torres Strait (Jukes, Voy. Fly, i., 1847, p- 178), and by the natives of Cape Bedford, Queensland (Roth, North Q’land Ethnogr. Bull. iii., 1901, p- 19). The periphery of the shell was cut out, smoothed and worm as a bracelet by the Papuans (Edge- Partington, Ethnographic Album, First series, part 2, 1890, Pl. 289, fig. 5 ; Pl. 290, fig. 7). But among civilised people it was only known to shell fanciers until a few years ago. FISHING. Exhaustion of former supplies of pearl shell and the increasing demand of recent years, has promoted search for new sources of mother-of-pearl. Thus Trochus niloticus, or trocas, as it is sometimes called, having dense firm nacre which proved good material for buttons, came to be exploited by manufacturers. During the past six years an active request for Trochus by button makers has sprung up, advancing from twenty to thirty pounds a ton. The requirements of the manufacturer are that the shell shall be at least an inch and a half in diameter, taken in a living state, not encrusted with algal or coralline growths, nor penetrated by marine borers. According to Mr. Seale’s figures, a row of buttons is cut from the outside of each whorl, two rows from the base and another from the partition wall within. Frequently these buttons show their origin by a trace of pink at the underside. Vessels formerly engaged in gathering pearl shell are now often diverted to this work. The Great Barrier Reef is being fished for Trochus from Torres Strait scuthward to Port Mackay. The export of Trochus from Queensland in 1915 was 544 tons worth {12,000 and in 1916 was 9so .tons worth £23,000. The Philippine Islands export about 320 tons annually. From Western Australia the exports of Trochus were: for 1912, 52 tons; for 1913, 66.tons; for 1914, 19 tons; for 1915, 73 tons; for 1916, 26 tons. There are large fisheries in New Guinea, the Solomon Islands and Fiji, of the product of which I have no particulars. ~1 bo THE Economics OF Tyvochus niloticus. Trochus is taken by hand on the coral reefs between tide marks, but most is gathered by coloured naked divers in about two fathoms and some even as deep as six fathoms. In the deeper water search is made from the boat with a water telescope and in the water the divers use Japanese water goggles. The extreme record of depth is a statement (Watson, Rep. Chall, Zool. xv., 1886, p. 50) that the “Challenger ’’ dredged T. niloticus in 12 fathoms off Levuka, Fiji. Cleaning is done in different ways. The shell brings a better price if the attached growths and lime crusts are pared away. Sometimes the catch is arranged by spreading the shells, still containing the animal, on the beach for the blow flies-to dispose of the flesh. The putrid shells are afterwards washed clean in the sea. If the shells are left too long exposed they suffer by bleaching from sun and rain and the nacre is dulled. A quicker and cleaner method is to boil out the snail, but this has the detrimental effect of slightly cracking the nacre. Sometimes a mixture of both processes is adopted, the shells being first placed in hot or boiling water for twenty minutes, then put aside to decay slightly, till the animal can be extracted with a crooked wire. The best way, that of burying in sand for a short time, does not seem to be practised in the Pacific. But the more careful of the Japanese fishermen save both meat and shell. From ten tons of shell a ton of meat is obtainable, worth in China £20 a ton. After boiling for half an hour, the entire snail is shaken out of the shell, dried and smoked for two days. It is then ready for export. In China this smoked Trochus is esteemed a dainty. It is soaked in cold water till soft, cut into dice, and used as a base of a soup, like beche-de-mer soup. Mr. E. J. Banfield, who supplied me with this information, tried this Trochus soup and reports it as very palatable. Trochus obeliscus, which is called ‘“‘ wabisi’’ at Samarai, is too thin to be of value. But an expert, Mr. W. P. Cottrell, assured me that Angarvia delphinus would be excellent material if available in suffi- cient quantity. REGULATIONS. In Queensland the Government require a license at the rate of £3 per annum for the first ten tons, and ros. for each additional ton, of the vessels engaged. The man in charge is also licensed at £1 a year. At Samarai, a license is charged of £1 per annum for each cutter or lugger and ros. for each dingy or canoe. In the Philippines it is illegal to take Trochus under eight centimetres (say three inches) diameter. (Seale, Philippine Joura. of Science xi., 1916, p. 262). After the reefs of New Caledonia had been ex- hausted by over fishing, a minimum size of 8 cm. and a close season were imposed (Compton, Geograph. Journ. xliv., 1917, p. 91). Because it is understood that the Trochus breeds in the warmer season, fishing is there permitted only from 1st April to 1st November. Neither in Australasia, nor in other British possessions, are any limits set for the size or season, at which Trochus may be taken. The smallest size specified by Japanese buyers is 1} inches. It has been suggested by the Suva Chamber of Commerce that a legal minimum of 2 or 24 inches for the “ chicken ”’ shell would be beneficial to the industry. Some measure of natural protection is afforded by the fact that it is too troublesome and unprofitable to pick out the snails from the smallest shells. If the natives are correct in asserting that the Trochus come up from deep water on the reefs during the south-east monsoon, then it is probable that the species is preserved during its early stages in rough and inaccessible places at the base of the outer reefs. The annual Australian crop is likely soon to deteriorate under the present active fishery. EXPLANATION OF PLATES V-VI. Fig. 1 and 2.—Front and base view, slightly reduced, of a specimen of Tvochus niloticus from Samarai, 54 inches in diameter. Fig. 3.—A shell divided vertically to show the vacated upper chambers, blocked by porcellaneous callus, and to show the pearly frame of the shell, lined and coated with ron nacreous layers, reduced. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. Fig. THE ECONOMICS OF Tyrochus niloticus. 73 4.—-Young specimen an inch in diameter, showing peripheral tubercles ; enlarged. 5.—Type specimen of Astralium pagodus showing an earlier stage in which the tubercles were preceded by projecting scales ; magnified. 6.—A shell from which button discs have been cut, drawn after Mr. Seale’s photograph ; reduced’ 7-—Operculum, to show the numerous spirals, the pivot knob on which the whole rotates and the muscle scar of the under side; reduced. 8.—Sector of same, upper side, enlarged. 9.—A Papuan bracelet cut from the periphery of Tyrochus niloticus; reduced. =) THE DESTRUCTION OF BIRD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. By WALTER W. FROGGATT, F.L.S., Government Entomologist. Durine the last few years a somewhat heated controversy has been carried on in the columns of our newspapers regarding the cause of the destruction of our native birds. A number of writers are under the impression that by the spreading of poison baits for rabbits by means of the poison cart our birds are decreasing in numbers throughout the settled districts. These writers talk about the balance of power in nature being destroyed by the poison cart, and the advent of new plagues and insect pests that were unknown in Australia before the coming of the rabbit. They even go further and state that there were no grasshoppers, cutworm, or fly plagues in existence in the good old days of our fathers. In these notes I propose to point out the fallacy of many of these statements, which are made by people who generalise only upon the conditions prevailing in their own locality, and are thus unable to study the problem from a broad standpoint dealing with all phases of the question. To start at the beginning: there were insect plagues just as severe in the early days of settlement as there are at the present time, long before there could have been any marked reduction in the wild life of Australia. Surgeon Cunningham in his ‘‘ Two Years in New South Wales,” published in 1827, gives a graphic account of the damage caused on the farms in the County of Cumberland by great swarms of caterpillars, and specially mentions blow-flies as a pest, swarming everywhere, blowing every dead animal, and even the blankets on his bed. Martin in his ‘“‘ History of New South Wales,” 1839, writes: “ Flies are a great nuisance in summer; one species in particular, called the blow-fly, taints and putrefies everything it touches. Caterpillars at intervals of several years swarm in incredible numbers, blighting the finest wheatfield in a few hours. Locusts are common in some parts of the colony.”” Eldershaw, in “ Australia as it Really Is,” 1854, says: ‘‘ The locust is also very prolific ; the ravages of this insect upon the herbage and green crops is a serious inconvenience to the settler.” Townsend, in “‘Rambles and Observations in New South Wales,” 1848, speaking of the Ulladulla district, says: “ Caterpillars, evidently bred in the ground, sometimes suddenly make their appearance, and hang in great numbers to each stalk of wheat; if the wheat is well advanced in ear they do not do it much injury, but they are very destructive to the young leaf of clover.” In 1870 and again in 1875 enormous clouds of locusts bred in the Riverina, and, when winged’ swarmed over the whole of Victoria, long before the rabbits started their march from the southlands- Many other records of insect pests could be quoted, but these are sufficient to show that our pioneer settlers knew what insect pests were long before the wholesale destruction of bird life commenced with the advance of civilisation. The destruction of birds began long before the poison cart came into existence. Writers of the very earliest notes on Australian natural history stated that the emu, wild turkey, native companion, and many other birds would soon be things of the past, because they were not to be found in the vicinity of the towns that were coming into existence with the advance of settlers from the coastal districts. Yet it will be a very long time before the emu will be extinct on our western plains and scrubs. The first blow to many forms of bird life was the ringbarking of thousands of acres of our forest lands, and the consequent destruction of the food supplies of most of our arboreal insectivorous birds, which had to move out from the desolated area, where previously every tree supported its insect world. The next was the advent of the common domestic cats, which not only hunted through the parks and gardens, but also spread into the bush lands, where they grew larger and fiercer as they reverted to wild conditions and levied a heavy toll on our feathered friends, 76 THE DESTRUCTION OF BIRD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. Then came the introduction of foreign birds, which increased and multiplied owing to their cosmopolitan habits and omnivorous appetites, and they disputed the reduced food supplies of our indigenous birds. Some years ago sparrow charts were compiled by the Department of Agriculture showing all the localities where these birds were to be found. With the extension of our railways out west, sparrows have extended their range to nearly every township in New South Wales, and are fre- quently noticed about station homesteads a considerable distance beyond the railway terminus, where they thrive and multiply far more rapidly than any of our native species. Though the common sparrow eats insects in the winter months when other food is scarce, it is one of those cosmopolitan omnivorous birds, so domesticated in its habits, that it clings round the towns and hamlets and destroys enormous quantities of grain, food stuff, fruit, and garden plants, the damage being quite out of proportion to the value of its services as an insect destroyer. At the same time it drives many of our more useful native insectivorous birds out of our parks and gardens. Then came the English starling, which at first stayed around the coastal towns until, increasing in numbers, it spread from our parks and gardens into the open fields, and now ranges far and wide into our western country. It has further been artificially spread by misguided persons who, under the idea that it was a valuable destroyer of blow-flics and other insect pests, have introduced it on to their stations. The common starling is another cosmopolitan omnivorous bird that eats seeds, berries, fruits, and insects. It steals food from the fowlyards, hunts our waste lands, orchards, paddocks and gardens, and destroys much fruit, and eats wheat and other grain. As its numbers increase out of proportion to its food supplies in the days to come, it will be a very much more serious pest to the orchardist and farmer. Its admirers claim that it is a very efficient destroyer of blow-flies ; but, after some years of careful observation, and the examination of many bird stomachs, J have failed to obtain any proof that it either captures blow-flies or destroys any maggots. It hunts over the open paddocks, and, with the seeds, eats up much of the insect food of our native birds more useful to the farmer, and occupies their nesting placcs in the hollow trees. One has only to watch the immense clouds of starlings in the New England district to understand what a difference their presence must make to the indigenous birds. Another bad habit that the starling is credited with in England is the eating of birds’ eggs, and it sometimes even invades the dovecotes to devour the eggs. Before the advent of the white man in Australia, the blacks and the dingoes systematically hunted over the whole of the great island continent and the aboriginal custom of burning off grass when thus employed must have caused the death of countless numbers of young birds The blacks also collected immense quantities of eggs for food, and thus were a very important check upon the undue increase of bird life. The aboriginals are gone, but the wild dogs and mongrel dingoes remain, and doubtless ~ in some districts, account for the death of many ground birds. During the last decade, however, the European fox has entered into competition with them, and is one of the most formidable enemies of all birds nesting or sleeping, either upon or near the ground. This animal was originally imported and liberated in Southern Victoria by some sporting squatters, and while it only infested the coastal districts for a number of years, it has now penetrated far and wide into our western lands. At the present rate of progress, probably only a few years will elapse before foxes will be found in every part of Australia. The fox, agile and cunning, will eat anything, from beetles and earthworms to rabbits, and is an expert at catching birds. The noble bustard, or wild turkey, once so numerous on the plains, is one of its victims. This bird only lays one egg which is easily broken, the young nestling is easily caught, and the old bustard, sleeping among the grass, is quickly pounced upon by the night-hunting fox. An old resident of the Riverina recently told me that he often sees an odd bustard feeding round the lignum swamps, but within a few days it vanishes, and a search in the neighbourhood reveals patches of blood-stained feathers among the crabholes where Mr. Fox has dined upon wild turkey. The plovers nesting on the open plains, the wild ducks and teal with their eggs in the long grass, the native companion, with her long-legged nestlings among the crabholes and watercourses, and many other birds with similar habits, all suffer from the depredations of the fox. If the fox was regarded by the landowners as an enemy and vermin, as he really is, there might be some hope of keeping him in check, but in rabbit-infested country many squatters, if they do not protect him, at least are not active enemies, and tolerate him in return for his services in destroying the rabbits. a oe THE DESTRUCTION OF BIRD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. 77 Newspaper writers have made many emphatic assertions that the poisoning of rabbits, and particularly the use of the poison cart, is responsible for the decrease of bird life in Australia, and the consequent increase of insect pests of all kinds, especially the blow-flies. Now, whilst not an advocate of the poison cart as the most effective method of dealing with the rabbit pest, I dispute these state- ments and would place the following facts before my readers. The poison cart is a machine on two wheels containing a coulter that can be raised or lowered by the driver so that it scratches a shallow furrow in the soil. Attached is a receptacle containing the poisoned bait which is dissolved phosphorus mixed with bran or pollard, etc., into a stiff dough. This is cut off and dropped in pellets so that it falls at more or less regular intervals into the furrow. There are only two ways in which birds can be poisoned through the use of this machine. One is by following down the furrow and gobbling up the phosphorus baits, and the other through eating the internal organs of the rabbits poisoned. | What birds eat phosphorus baits? An inquisitive magpie ora laughing jackass might occasionally try them, or a night-hunting curlew, seeing the bait shining, might test one to see if it was alive. But the danger to ordinary bush birds is slight. Then as to the birds that eat the dead rabbits, we find even the crows can do this with impunity when they feed upon the carcase alone, as they generally do where dead rabbits are plentiful. The creatures that suffer most from the poison cart baits are the small night-hunting marsupials, and the monitor lizards or gohannas of the bushman. These carrion-eating lizards have been killed off in hundreds in our western country through eating poisoned rabbits. Now, as these active tree-climbing lizards are the deadly enemies of all tree-nesting birds, crawling into the hollow limbs and eating both the eggs and young nestlings, I consider that the poison cart through killing them has benefited the birds a great deal more than it has harmed them. If, as some writers state, most of the small carnivorous animals in the bush have died through eating poisoned rabbits, it has doubtless altered the balance of nature, but it has swung the pendulum in favour of our birds. The fact that the destruction of the birds that were the greatest check upon the blow-fly pest commenced, and was almost complete, long before the era of the poison cart, seems to have escaped the attention of the general critics. I refer to the carnivorous and carrion-eating birds, for these were instrumental in clearing away the offal and carrion in the old days, and were therefore most valuable in fighting the blow-flies, for they destroyed their breeding grounds and the swarming maggots. Dingoes, wild dogs, and wedge-tailed eagles were the first enemies that the sheep men had to deal with when they entered into fresh country, and in poisoning off these pests, the squatters inci- dentally destroyed nearly all the smaller carnivorous eagles, hawks, and other scavengers. In unstocked land the wedge-tailed eagles were very numerous, and caught and killed young kangaroos, full-grown wallabies, and the smaller marsupials in a most business like manner. Under the new conditions, when sheep entered the land, these birds not only devoured dead carcases but played havoc with the lambs also. I once counted forty dead eagles scattered round a freshly poisoned sheep on a newly-occupied holding in north-west Australia. One of the most numerous useful scavenger birds that used to swarm all over the inland country in old days was the whistling eagle. In the vicinity of the killing yards of any of the out-back stations, one could often count over a hundred of these handsome birds resting on the fences and surrounding trees. While this was one of the most important species, there were many others just as useful, but they have nearly all now vanished owing to the strychnine baits, and in a lesser degree to the guns of sportsmen and farmers, who look upon all hawks as vermin or enemies to the poultry yard. The only numerous carrion birds remaining that have any important bearing on the blow-fly question, besides being active agents in destroying other insect pests like the grasshoppers and the cutworms, are the carrion crows. Notwithstanding all the damage they do in some districts to lambs and sheep, and in spite of the honest if misguided efforts of the officers of the Pasture Protection Boards, who spend thousands of pounds every year in New South Wales in paying bonuses for the heads of crows, these birds seem to be able to hold their own and increase in numbers in all the settled districts. In many places the station owners look upon the crow as a useful bird, and recognise its value as a scavenger, and, though not actually protecting it, they do not molest it. 78 THE DESTRUCTION OF BIRD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. It is claimed that magpies have been almost exterminated by the rabbit poisoning, yet in the New England country these birds have increased enormously. Last year I counted over a hundred Magpies congregated on a small freshly ploughed paddock near Uralla, and driving along the roads one could almost always count a dozen or more scattered over the open grass lands. Even the dainty magpie lark holds its own, and is common in the suburbs cf Sydney, in spite of the domestic cat, and the small boy with the pea rifle. The willie wagtail, blue wren, spine bill honeyeater and the silver eyes are common in our gardens, and with a little encouragement become wonderfully tame. As regards migratory birds, it is very difficult to say if they are decreasing or not, as they usually follow their food supplies; but great flocks of wood swallows always appear with the cutworms and young locusts. The bee birds and the grauculus come south every year, and the honey eaters follow the blossoming of the eucalypts. Even the bustard or wild turkey is not so scarce as commonly imagined. A stock inspector, stationed at Moree, told me that in one morning early last summer he counted 76 wild turkeys feeding upon the plains, within four miles of the town. __In some areas, owing to their wanton destruction by so-called sportsmen and week-end trippers, birds are getting scarce. In agricultural districts, however, where food supplies have increased, through cultivation and the irrigation of the land, or storage of water, bird life is increasing, and, with reasonable protection, will hold its own. It is a great pity that the members of our many Progress Associations at holiday resorts on the Blue Mountains and other places, do not take particular care to protect their local birds and so give an added charm to their beauty spots. In New Zealand, where a great deal of the land has been completely denuded of the indigenous forest to make room for grass and crops, the farmers have been urged to replant clumps of trees to attract the birds back to their old hunting grounds. Some writers have suggested in our newspapers that this method, if adopted in Australia, would counteract the disposal of our birds. This proposal is made because the writers know very little about the actual conditions prevailing over the greater part of Australia. In spite of the extensive clearing and ringbarking on the coastal districts, and the absence of trees on the great plains of the south west, a large area of our land is either open forest or park-like flats, covered with a wonderful variety of shrubs and scrub-trees, which afford shelter for all kinds of birds. Water is, of course, essential to the birds, and wherever it is present, they will be found. The bushman and explorer always watch the flight of the birds in the dry lands, which usually leads them to water. Even in our suburban gardens, if a dish of water is regularly left under the garden taps, it is wonderful how soon all the birds in the neighbourhood find it and come regularly to drink and wash. In north-west Australia I used to travel up the “ police track’ between Derby and Hall’s Creek, where for some fifty miles through the dry sandy pindan scrub the only water obtainable was from shallow wells, with a bucket, windlass and trough rigged up for travellers. Often these troughs were dry, and hundreds of small birds, finches, doves, etc., were seen around the well, trying to get a drink. When one hauled up a bucket full of water and poured it into the trough, the sight of the fearless thirsty birds clustered over the water was enough to warm the heart of any man. : In Central Australia there are regular cycles when for two or three years hardly enough rain falls to moisten the surface of the earth; and all animal life vanishes. The wonderfully adaptive desert dwellers, frogs, lizards, snakes, and insects bury themselves deep down in the cool earth, while the birds fly away and the marsupials migrate beyond the dry belt. Then comes the life-giving rain, inch upon inch falls, the resting seeds in the soaked soil respond, and the land is covered with herbage, grass and flowers. The dormant life of the underworld creeps up to the surface, the water in the ponds and clay-pans teems as if by magic with small crustaceans and water insects. The shrubs burst forth into new foliage and flowers, and birds come winging their way back to new food supplies. Sometimes when Australia suffers from a long-continued drought, thousands of birds and animals perish from want of both food and water; or, during a heat-wave, when for several days the tempera- ture rises to 120” in the shade, accompanied by a hot wind, birds fall dead from its effects if they cannot reach water, while many of the late nestlings are found dead in their nests. On such days birds, such as crows, magpies, jays and magpie larks, may be seen along the track, clinging to the shade of the THE DESTRUCTION OF BIRD LIFE IN AUSTRALIA. 79 trees, with their beaks open. Rabbits, driven from the shelter of the bush on to the open plain die very quickly, while even foxes have been found dead apparently from the effects of the heat wave. The multiplication and expansion of bird life all over Australia is regulated by the conservation of water. As the pioneer settlers move towards the interior, making great excavations, or tanks, in the catchment areas in which to hold the rain of wet years to tide them over the rainless periods, there will be no lack of birds to beautify the landscape with their presence. J AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Voz. I. LyrE Brrp AND NEST. Pirate VIT. Prater VIII. Vor. I. LS, r XALIAN{[ZOOLOC AUSTI i NEST, AND YOUN IRD, 2 > LYRE I THE LYRE BIRD: SOME NESTING NOTES. By JOHN RAMSAY and ALBERT E. KEENE. (Plates viI.—vuI.) (THE Lyre Bird, Menura novaehollandiae, Latham, is the most attractive subject for the pen and camera of Australian bird lovers; numerous articles have been written upon it, and many beautiful photo- graphs have been reproduced in ornithological literature. The pages of the “‘ Emu,” the organ of the Royal Australasian Omithologists’ Union, in particular, contain some striking illustrations of these birds and their nests, the work of Dudley Le Souéf, L. G. Chandler, A. E. Kitson, Sidney W. Jackson, and others. The accompanying plates, supplied by Mr. John Ramsay, a son of the late Dr. Ramsay, formerly Curator of the Australian Museum, and Mr. Albert E. Keene, of Ashfield and Point Clare, near Gosford, will be welcomed, as illustrating the female Lyre Bird in positions hitherto unrecorded by photographers. They are accompanied by notes containing much that is entirely new in relation to the habits of the bird during the period of incubation of the egg.—A. F. Basser Hutt.] A Lyre Bird was heard calling on the range at the back of Point Clare, near Gosford, New South Wales, on 26th June, 1916, so a careful search was instituted, with the result that, when least expected, the female bird was flushed from a nest containing a warm egg. The nest was a typical one of the species, placed on a flat rock at the base of a sapling, and surrounded by a wealth of ferns and scrub, on the steep slope of a dry watercourse. On again inspecting the nest on 1st July, the egg was found to be quite cold, and fears were entertained that the nest had been deserted, but a “‘ hiding-tent”’ was placed in position near the nest and left overnight. At 9.30 a.m. on the 2nd July, the egg was still cold, and there was no sign of the parent bird. About 1.30 p.m. she appeared, looking very anxious and wary. For half-an-hour she made a careful inspection of the tent and surroundings, even peering through the opening at the photographer, Mr. Keene, who, with cramped limbs, hardly dared to breathe for fear of scaring her away again. Satisfied at last she stepped on to the stone below and in front of the nest, paused a moment, and was “‘ snapped.’ At the click of the shutter she darted away, and after waiting half-an-hour in the hope of her return, the photographer left without seeing her again. On the following Sunday (9th July) the egg was examined and found to be quite cold at 9.30 a.m., and the bird was not heard approaching until 11.30 a.m. She appeared to be feeding on the way, never ceasing to scratch as she gradually approached. She was obviously less timid than on the previous occasion, but made a careful inspection of the tent, as before, putting her head within a foot or two of the entrance and peering through the narrow opening. All being still, she walked again to the stone and leaped lightly and easily on to the nest, a distance of at least three feet. Hardly pausing, she entered the nest, turned round, and settled herself on the egg. After leaving her for some little time, the photographer showed himself at the side of the tent, when she slipped out of the nest and ran off, though apparently not greatly frightened. She was heard scratching close by during the next half hour, and then, after the usual inspection, she returned to the nest, and was allowed to remain undisturbed. This procedure was maintained until the 30th July. Ato a.m. each day the egg was found to be cold, and there were no signs of the bird, although the greatest caution was observed in approaching the nest. She would be heard scratching in the vicinity about 11 o’clock, and invariably approached by the same route, from the back and to the right of the nest. (Plate vii.). Each day the tent was thoroughly examined, and she continued to intermittently scratch up to the moment of stepping on the stone, from whence she sprang into the nest, but once settled on the egg, she allowed the photo- grapher to stand in front of the nest without leaving it, and took no- notice of the camera shutter. 82 THE LYRE BIRD: SOME NESTING NOTES. On the 30th July the young bird was found hatched, but the parent was absent from 9 till nearly 1I.30 a.m., after which she visited the nest at intervals of about half-an-hour until the observer left between 2 and 3 p.m. Although she was obviously engaged in feeding the young bird on each visit, and was in full view at a distance of a few feet, no sign of food in her bill could be detected, nor was she seen to clean the nest. On 13th August an interesting note was made. On going to the nest. the young bird, then about a fortnight old, was found standing stiffly erect, in such a manner that its body was above the level of the nest opening, and pressed against the inside of the dome-shaped roof. In this position, even a careful scrutiny would only reveal two dark stick-like legs, and anyone seeing this remarkable attitude could only conclude that it was another example of nature’s protection of the helpless. On the last-mentioned date the young bird was removed from the nest and photographed (Plate viil.) the parent being in such a state of excitement the while that she would venture within a few feet of the observer. During the whole time she kept up a running fire of calls, whistles, and peculiar throaty noises, accompanied by the young bird in a series of squeaks. The combined noises created quite a volume of sound, which increased when the young bird temporarily escaped and had to be chased through the undergrowth. He was recaptured and replaced in the nest, and, contrary to experience with many other species, quietly remained there. The tent and camera were packed up, the birds ceased calling, and five minutes later all was quiet. At no time during the period the nest was under observation was the male Lyre Bird either seen or heard. Twelve months later (22nd July, 1917), Lyre Birds were calling in the same locality. KANGAROOS IN CAPTIVITY. By H. L. WHITE, Belltrees, Scone, New South Wales. “In captivity" may be hardly the correct term to apply to the state of my animals; “ under restraint ’’ is probably more suitable. A fifteen-acre paddock accommodates a flock of about thirty kangaroos and a few wallabies, and, excepting during a couple of winter months or an exceptionally dry summer, they require no artificial feed. But their pasturage now shows signs of over-stocking, and requires a rest. Some thirty years ago I commenced keeping pet kangaroos about the house, allowing them to run at liberty. Their end being usually caused by visiting dogs, I erected a small wire netting enclosure of about an acre. In this I kept a large grey kangaroo and a few wallaroos. The first-named became father celebrated ; he was of immense size and named “ Ben,’’ a wonderful fighter and very bad tempered. Upon several occasions he broke the wire netting by kicking it when teased, and he half- killed a couple of men who ventured into his domain ; he was eventually destroyed. Before “Ben ”’ became savage, it was amusing to watch him approach the gardener when the latter used the hose. “ Ben ”’ would come right up to the netting, and when the man played the hose upon him, would turn round slowly, lifting his arms meanwhile, so that every portion of his body might get a thorough wetting. About ten years ago I enclosed fifteen acres of land adjoining the house garden with a six-foot fence of netting and barbed wire. In this paddock were placed specimens of all the species of kangaroos and wallabies I could conveniently secure, most of them being pets. I have found hunted-down or trapped animals do not usually live; they either pine away or break their necks in the fence. I have had better success in this respect with wallabies than kangaroos. My stock now consists of 15 Wallaroos, Macropus robustus, 10 Grey Kangaroos, M. giganteus, and 5 Red Kangaroos, M. rufus. They all breed freely, wallaroos rather better than the others—in fact my chief trouble is to keep the number of the last named within reasonable limits. When my paddock becomes overstocked, I reduce the numbers by letting some of the animals loose. This would appear an easy matter, butis very far from it. If an attempt is made to drive the kangaroos through the gate, there is trouble at once, very little excitement causing them to dash into the fence, when serious injuries often result. They will not face the opening, but run or jump over both man and horse attempting to stop or turn them. I erected a small yard in one comer of the paddock, which ovens into a shed where water, rocksalt and feed is placed. It is made of 10 feet iron, fastened upright to stout timber, and has a very small gate opening into the outer lands. During a very dry spell the hungry animals will enter the yard as soon as food is put out; then, watching an opportunity the gate is closed behind them by means of a long string pulled from some distance away. Say that a dozen kangaroos are trapped, wild excitement ensues, the larger animals trampling on the smaller, fighting with one another, and attempting to scramble over the fence. In the midst of this I enter armed with a bamboo rod having a noosed rope at the end. The selected animal is roped and immediately dragged out through the small gate, and either popped into a crate for transmission to the Zoo, or let loose. Before the yard is opened into the paddock again several of the smaller kangaroos are killed or crippled by the larger ones, while amongst the last named a broken neck or leg is not a tarity. Even after the animals are set at liberty, trouble does not end. The majority will not leave the vicinity ; some jump back into the paddock, others are killed by dogs, while a very few take to the bush. Upon one occasion I liberated two very large male grey kangaroos by coaxing them into a lane, driving them 1} miles along it, and over a river which they had to swim; they were both back next morning. I let them into the paddock again, re-trapped, and sent them off to Sydney Zoo. 84 KANGAROOS IN CAPTIVITY. Many battles are fought between males of the different species, the wallaroos usually winning, though not altogether by “ playing the game.’’ While the grey and red kangaroos are satisfied in attempting to rip with their hind claws, the wallaroo is an artist with his teeth as well as claws. While striking, the whole weight of a kangaroo is supported by the tail. The kick, which will rip a dog open, and the thud of which can be heard at some distance, does not appear to cause much injury to the combatants. A Kangaroo can raise itself upon its toes, and in fighting, can support the whole weight of its body upon its tail as it strikes with its powerful legs. During the last few months foxes have killed all my smaller wallabies, including the “ Striped Thigh’ and ‘‘ Paddymelon”’; the ‘““swamp”’ or black wallaby appears to escape, being much faster than those previously mentioned. It may not be out of place to mention that of late years, wallabies, kangaroo rats, and opossums have almost disappeared from this locality. Five years ago these animals were present in thousands, shooters and trappers paying large sums for the right of collecting skins. Now, in spite of the close season, the animals mentioned have practically disappeared, owing to the depredations of foxes. Grey kangaroos and wallaroos, however, are holding their own, and are present in fair numbers. The red kangaroo is not indigenous to this district. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vor. I. PLaTE IX. AUSTRALIAN CARABIDARF. ILLUSTRATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA. By A. MUSGRAVE and E. H. ZECK. (Plate IX.) RECOGNISING the necessity of reliable figures for the elucidation of species of Australian Coleoptera, it is the intention of the writers to publish plates from time to time, illustrating unfigured forms. We are led to undertake this work owing to the difficulty we have encountered in identifying material ‘which has fallen into our hands from descriptions alone. Thousands of unfigured species have been described, many of them inadequately, and many in foreign journals whith can only be referred to by those who have access to the libraries of our several scientific institutions. The undertaking offers many difficulties and the present contribution is a very small one. We nevertheless hope that the work here begun will prove useful. The four species here figured were described by Mr. T. G. Sloane in the Proceedings of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, and the specimens on which our illustrations are based have all been examined by him. Family CARABIDAE Tribe ScaRATINI CARENIDIUM LEATI, Sloane. (Plate IX., fig. 1). Carenidium leat, Sloane, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales xxii, 1897, p. 223, and xxx., 1905, Suppl. p. 17. Drawn from one of a series of three specimens collected at Cue, West Australia, by Mr. H. Brown. Measurements of specimen figured—Length 26.8 mm., breadth 6.8 mm. Tribe BrRoscin1. EURYLYCHNUS CYLINDRICUS, Sloane. (Plate IX.; fig. 4). Eurylychnus cylindricus, Sloane, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, xli., 1916, p. 199. The specimen figured is one of ten paratypes collected at Barrington Tops, Mount Royal Range, New South Wales, in December, 1915, by Messrs. H. J. Carterand A. Musgrave. The species is common under logs in the Beech Forests at an altitude of 4,500 to 5,000 feet. Measurements—Length 18.5 mm., breadth 5.6 mm. Tribe HELLUONINI. HELLUAPTERUS NIGER, Sloane. (Plate IX.; fig. 3). Helluapterus niger, Sloane, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, xxxix., 1914, p. 591. Our figure represents a topotype collected by Mr. H. Brown at Cue, West Australia. It is 30mm, long and 12.2 mm. broad. 86 ILLUSTRATIONS OF AUSTRALIAN COLEOPTERA. HELLUARCHUS ROBUSTUS, Sloane. (Plate IX.; fig. 2). Helluarchus vobustus, Sloane, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales xxxix., 1914, p. 593- The figure of this very unique species is prepared from a topotype collected at Ankertell, West Australia. Its measurements are—Length 38 mm., breadth 15 mm. Mr. Sloane points out in the paper quoted that “ The strangely shaped elytra of Helluarchus, which are those of an integripenne and not a truncatipenne, make this one of the most abnormal forms ~ to be found amongst the Carabidae, and place it quite by itself. Its affinity is evidently towards Helluapterus. In general appearance H. robustus resembles the genus Cuneipectus.”’ THE DEPOSITION OF THE EGGS OF MONOTREMES. By HARRY BURRELL. In his book “In the Australian Bush,” p. 162, Semon expresses the belief that the mother Echidna places her egg in the pouch by means of her long muzzle, and not with her clumsy limbs. From personal observation, however, I am inclined to think that such a method is quite unnecessary, if not incorrect. I have examined several adult females ‘‘in season ’’ when the pouch is fully developed, and on three occasions, after persuading the animals to unfold themselves from their Pill-bug-like balls, have found fresh excreta deposited in their pouches. This suggests that the egg may be similarly deposited directly into the pouch, without the assistance of either limbs or beak. The same idea may also throw a gleam of light on the secret method acquired by the pouchless platypus in both the laying and hatching of her eggs. Though it is generally supposed that the eggs are laid in the nest, there is no information as to the process of incubation, so a little theory on this subject may prove of interest. Having examined the tunnels and breeding chambers of Ornithorhynchus, I find that the nesting recess is too small to permit an adult animal to sit bird-like in comfort on the eggs, while it does not seem feasible to suppose she props her tail against the side wall of the cavity, or allow it to hang out and become an obstruction in the subway. The platypus always sleeps coiled up with the tail tucked beneath the abdomen, and in this posture she could easily deposit her eggs on the slightly concave under surface of the tail, which, when clasped to the body, becomes a serviceable substitute for a pouch. If she should require to go in search of food while incubating, it would be quite simple for her to transfer the egg or eggs to the nest, and just as easy to replace them again on her return. Having studied the Platypus in captivity as well as in its natural haunts, I am convinced that most of the principal duties are performed with its active and powerful fore-limbs. When climbing, walking, or tunnelling, the membrane is conveniently folded back into the palm of the hand, and when quietly swimming the hind-legs are trailed inertly behind with the tail. In grooming or scratch- ing itself, this quaint contortionist squats “‘ tripod fashion ” on its haunches, and imitates every antic peculiar to a flea-infested monkey. This evidence is surely sufficient for one to surmise at least the possibility of a Platypus possessing the ability to manipulate her eggs or even the newly-hatched young, if necessary, with her soft, rubber-like hands. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vot. I PLaTE X. 2 ROP HE A. R. McCuttocu, del. SS a ee ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. By ALLAN R. McCULLOCH, Zoologist, Australian Museum. (Contribution from the Australian Museum). (Plate X.) Tue following notes deal with the nomenclature and status of several genera and species of fishes from New South Wales, which have been brought under consideration during the course of a revision of the list of fishes recorded from the waters of this State. By the acquisition of fresh specimens of Pteroplatea australis and Petroscirtes anolius, I have been enabled to prepare figures of these species, while an examination of the holotype of Aspidontus maroubre has enabled me to correct several errors in its original description. Family DasyBATID2&. PTEROPLATEA AUSTRALIS, Ramsay & Ogilby. (Plate x.; fig. 3.) Pteroplatea australis, Ramsay & Ogilby, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, x., 1886, p. 575, and Loc. cit. (2), 1., 1888, p. 1024. Jd., Ogilby, Ann. Qld. Mus., No. 9, 1908, p. 5. Length from the snout to the end of the ventrals 1.8in the width. Tail2.8in thelength. Narrow- est inter-spiracle width 1.2 in the space between the eyes ; width of the spiracle 5.07, and bulge of the eye 4.7 in the same. Mouth as wide as its distance from the end of the snout. Internasal width 1.4 in the preoral length. Disc less than twice as broad as long, its greatest width being at about the middle of its length. Snout acute, not produced. Anterior margins sinuous, the outer angles obtusely pointed, and the posterior margins very slightly convex. Eyes small, elevated above the surrounding surface. Spiracles large, sub-quadrangular; the interspiracle width less than that between the eyes. Nostrils with free, angular lobes posteriorly. Outer angles of the internasal valve produced into obtusely pointed lobes ; the posterior margin sinuous, interrupted on the median line. Teeth small, each with a single cusp. Skin of the back smooth; a short tentacle behind each spiracle. Tail with a short, thick spine inserted a little behind the posterior margins of the ventrals; a low keel is present on the superior and inferior surfaces of the tail. Colour.—Dise greenish grey, variegated with lighter and darker areas, and speckled with small, light grey spots with darker centres. Symmetrically disposed darker patches are present in front of the eyes, exterior to the spiracles, on the sides of the pectorals and near their posterior angles. Tail black above, white below, the white encroaching upon the sides to form two or three incomplete annuli. Lower surfaces white, darker towards the margins of the disc. Described from a specimen 712 mm. wide. Garman! has united this species with P .tentaculata, Miller & Henle, but it apparently differs in the details of its colour-marking, while its dorsal fin is often wanting. The absence of this fin has been used to distinguish 4 étoplatea from Ptevoplatea in which it is present, but the specimens of P. australis in the Australian Museum prove that this character is not constant even within the limits of a species. Loc.—The example upon which this description and figure is based was presented to the Australian Museum by Dr. S. J. Johnston. It was obtained at Tuggerah Lakes, New South Wales. 1. Garman—Mem. Mus. Comp. Zool. Harvard, xxxvi., 1913, p. 411. 90 ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. Family SoLEIDAE. Genus SoLeicutuys, Bleeker. Soleichthys, Bleeker, Act. Soc. Reg. Sci. Ned. Ind. vi., 1859, p. 183 (S. heterorhinos, Blkr.). No definition. This genus is well distinguished from Solea by a combination of smaller characters. The upper anterior nasal tube is greatly developed instead of small, overlapping the eye. The gill-membranes are connected with the rayed portions of the pectorals instead of with their bases. The right pectoral is formed of several partly free rays, the upper of which are much longer than the others ; in Solea the fin is rounded with the rays completely united by membrane. The lower surfaces of the dorsal and anal rays are naked, except in the posterior portions of the fins, while they are scaly in Solea. The eyes are juxtaposed instead of separated, and the lower lip bears a more or less developed fleshy tubercle in Soleichthys. Soleichthys is related to Synaptura, subg. Zebrias, through S. japonicus Bleeker. That species agrees in all its characters with Soleichthys except that the dorsal and anal fins are united with the basal half of the caudal. It differs from Zebrias in having the anterior nasal tube produced, and the lower surfaces of the dorsal and anal rays almost entirely naked. The genus is represented in New South Wales waters by S. microcephalus, Ginther. Family BLENNIIDE. Genus BLennius, Linneus. BLENNIUS TASMANIANUS, I[ichardson. Blennius tasmanianus, Rich., P.Z.S., 1839, p- 99, and Tr.Z.S. iii., 1849, p. 129; Waite, Rec. Austr. Mus. vi. 3, 1906, p. 205, pl. 36, 5. Blennius castaneus, Macleay, P.L.S.N.S.W. vi., 1881, p. 5 (Not B. castaneus, Castelnau, 1861). The only specimen now in the Macleay Museum labelled as B. castaneus is a single example said to have been obtained at Port Stephens, whereas Macleay’s type was secured in Port Jackson. It has sixteen instead of thirteen dorsal rays as described, and is completely bleached. It is identical with B. tasmanianus, and I think it probable that Macleay’s description of B. castaneus is inaccurate, and really refers to the same species. Genus PETROSCIRTES, Ruppell. PETROSCIRTES ANOLIUS, Cuvier & Valenciennes. Oyster Blenny. (Plate x.; fig. 2). Blennechis anolius, C. & V., H.N.Poiss. xi., 1836, p. 288. Peivoscirtes anolis, Gthr., Cat. iii., 1861, p- 238. Blennius unicornis, Castelnau, P.L.S.N.S.W. iii. 4, 1879, p. 384. ? Petroscivtes guttatus, Macleay, P.L.S.N.S.W. vi. 1, 1881, p. 9. Petroscirtes cristiceps, Macleay, Ibid. Petroscivtes wilsont, Macleay, P.L.S.N.S.W. ix. 1, 1884, p. 171. Salarias galeatus, de Vis, P. Roy. Soc. Qld. i., 1884, p. 147, and Jbid ii. 1, 1885, p. 59. Petroskirtes anolius, Ogilby, P. Roy. Soc. Qld., xxiii., 1910, p. 50. ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. 9] Synonymy.—To the synonymy of this species, as given by Ogilby (Loc. cit.), I would add Blennius unicornis Castelnau, the very brief description of which applies well enough to some specimens in the Australian Museum collection. I have examined the types of P. wi/sont and P. cristatus, which are preserved in the Macleay Museum, and find them quite similar, and synonymous with P. anolius. Macleay counted only twenty- six rays in the dorsal, but I, find there are thirty. The two typical examples of P. guttatus, also in the Macleay Museum, differ from the typical anolius form in having only rudimentary cephalic crests, in having no filamentous dorsal rays, and in having the caudal fin rounded. The anterior profile of the head is oblique, so that the snout is pointed, and the colour-marking consists principally of several rows of dark spots on the body. D. xii./18 ; A. 21-22. In all other characters they are quite similar to P. anolius, of which I regard them as the female form. A co-type of Salarias galeatus, de Vis, from St. Helena, Moreton Bay, is preserved in the Aus- tralian Museum. It differs from de Vis’ descriptions in having well developed upper and lower canines, but it is doubtless an authentic example. It does not differ from P. anolius. Variation.—Fourteen specimens, 37-80 mm. long, which I identify as P. anolius, indicate that this species undergoes considerable variation with growth. The elongate rays of the dorsal and caudal fins are only filamentous in larger specimens. Ths development of the cephalic crest varies greatly ; it is absent in small specimens, and rudimentary in what I suppose to be females, but it increases in size in adult males until its height is equal to the length of the post-orbital portion of the head. When the crest is well developed, the anterior cephalic profile is subvertical, but it is more or less oblique in others, so that the snout appears pointed. Old spirit specimens exhibit striking transverse, angular, darker bars on the sides, which become oblique anteriorly, and horizontal posteriorly ; these are much less evident in fresh specimens. The smaller examples bear several rows of dark spots on the sides posteriorly, which may be coalescent into horizontal lines. Figuye.—The specimen figured is 69 mm. long, and was found in an oyster-shell forwarded to the Sydney markets, by Inspector Smithers. It was alive upon its arrival here, and so enabled me to il- lustrate more of its colour-marking than can be observed in preserved specimens. Localities Fourteen specimens are preserved in the collections of the Australian Museum and the Macleay Museum from the following localities :—New South Wales: Jervis Bay, Port Jackson, Hawkesbury River Estuary, and Tweed River Estuary. Queensland: Moreton Bay and Caloundra. PETROSCIRTES ROTUNDICEPS, Macleay. Petroscirtes fasciolatus, Macleay, P.L.S.N.S.W. vi., 1881, p. 8 (not Omobranchus fasciolatus Ehrenberg). ; Petroscivtes votundiceps, Macleay, Ibid, p. 9. Salavias furtivus, de Vis, P. Roy. Soc. Qld., ii., 1886, p. 60. Petroscirtes macleayt, Ogilby, Cat. Fish. N.S.W., 1886, p. 38, substitute name for P. fasciolatus Macl. Petroskirtes furtivus, Ogilby, P. Roy. Soc. Qld., xxili., 1910, p. 48. Synonymy.—The two typical examples of P. votundiceps preserved in the Macleay Museum are structurally similar to those of P. fasciolatus and P. furtivus. They are very bleached, but still show a dark post-orbital spot and same blue lines on the sides which are similar to those of the other Species. D. xii./22; A. 24. P. fasciolatus is represented by twelve examples in the Macleay Museum, while five cotypes of P. furtivus are in the Australian Museum, which enable me to verify the synonymy given by Ogilby. 92 ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. ASPIDONTUS, Quoy & Gatmard. Aspidontus, Quoy & Gaimard, Voy. Astrolabe iii., 1834, p. 719 (A. teniatus); Weber, Siboga Exped. Ivii., 1913, pp- 539, 543- Macrurrhynchus, Ogilby, P.L.S.N.S.W. xxi., 1896, p. 136 (M. maroubre) ; Weber, Ibid., p. 539. Macrurrhynchus is here regarded as synonymous with Aspidontus,*as was originally recognised by Ogilby. Weber (Loc. cit.) considered them distinct on account of some differences in the form and position of the gill-opening : in Aspidontus it is in front of, and as wide as the base of the pectoral ; it is before the upper half of the pectoral-base in Macrurrhynchus, and is equal to about two-thirds its width. The two genera appear similar in all other characters. Aspidontus appears to be distinguishable from Petroscirtes in having the gill-opening partly or entirely before the pectoral base instead of above it; the snout is conical and produced beyond the mouth ; canine teeth present only in the lower jaw. ASPIDONTUS MAROUBRE, Ogilby. (Plate x.; fig. 1). Macrurrhynchus maroubre, Ogilbv, P.L.S.N.S.W., xxi. 2, 1896, p. 137. D. 12 (+2 ?), +31; A. 32; P.12; V.2; C. 11. Length of head, from end of snout to gill- opening, 4.6 in the length from the snout to the base of the caudal rays ; depth of body 6.5 in the same. Eye 3.4 in the head, slightly longer than the snout. Interorbital space wider than the eye, 3.1 in the head. Gill-opening 1.8 in the eye, and 1.5 in the width of the pectoral base. Median pectoral ray 1.7 in the head, inner ventral ray 2.3 in the same. Second dorsal ray 2.1, twenty-fifth dorsal ray 2.3 im the head. Total length, from the snout to the end of the middle caudal rays, 50 mm.; head 9} mm. Body elongate, compressed, deepest above the abdomen. Snout conical, deep, projecting beyond the mouth, which is sub-inferior. Eye large, slightly longer than the snout, but not quite as wide as the interorbital space ; the latter flattened. Posterior angle of the mouth extending almost to below the middle of the eye; anteriorly it forms a transverse opening, defined by the parallel upper and lower jaws and by the mandibular canines ; the upper and lower jaws fail to meet in the type so that there is always a wide aperture anteriorly. Teeth in a single series in each jaw, fixed, flattened ; the upper are subvertical, and much larger than the lower, which are almost horizontal ; upper jaw without, lower jaw with a large, tusk-like, curved canine on each side, which extends forward in advance of the other mandibular teeth. Lips thin, not covering the teeth anteriorly, and forming a broad flap on each side of the upper jaw. Nostrils close together, lateral, the posterior the larger, and in a low tube; they are placed midway between the eye and the end of the snout, almost on the angle between the upper and lateral surfaces of the snout. Some minute pores regularly distributed over the head. Gill- opening reduced to a small foramen before the upper angle of the pectoral-base. All the fins composed of simple rays. Dorsal fin originating almost above the preoperculum, and slightly in advance of the ventrals. It appears to have been composed of forty-five rays, of which the thirteenth and fourteenth are missing; the only trace of them remaining is a break in the continuity of the fin, and two scars where their bases might have been. The second ray is a little longer than those succeeding it, after which the rays increase slightly in length towards the middle of the fin, and then — gradually decrease backwards. Anal similar in form to, but lower than, the dorsal, commencing beneath the fourteenth ray, and terminating evenly with that fin on the caudal peduncle ; last dorsal and anal rays attached to the peduncle by membrane. Pectoral rounded. Ventral with two rays enveloped in thick membrane, the inner the longer. Caudal emarginate. Colour, after preservation in alcohol, brownish above, lighter below, with numerous brown bars on the upper half of the sides. Fins transparent, the dorsal and anal with several dark bars com- posed of minute blackish dots, and with a narrow marginal band’ of the same; median caudal rays similarly dotted. a 9 ICHTHYOLOGICAL NOTES. 93 7 A re-examination of the type and unique example, with better microscopical appliances than were available to Ogilby, shows his description to be inaccurate in several details. These include the structure _ of the dorsal and ventral fins, the position of the nostrils, and the dentition. I have therefore redescribed - it above, with particular attention to the details wherein his description differs from mine. EXPLANATION OF PLATE X. Fig. 1.—Aspidontus maroubre, Ogilby. Type, 50 mm. long, from Maroubra, New South Wales. 4 Fig. 2.—Peivoscirtes anolius, Cuv. & Val. A specimen 69 mm. long, from the Manning River om estuary, New South Wales. _ Fig. 3.—Pleroplatea australis, Rams. & Ogil. A specimen 712 mm. wide, from Tuggerah Lakes, New South Wales. THE GREAT BLACK PALM COCKATOO, M/CROGLOSSUS ATERRIMUS, IN CAPTIVITY. By Dr. E. A. D'OMBRAIN, M.R.A.O U. In July, 1912, Mr. W. R. McLennan sent me two young examples of the Great Black Palm Cockatoo from the Cape York Peninsula. They reached me safely, and were to have been forwarded to Dr. W. Macgillivray, at Broken Hill, but the weather being very cold, and their food requiring much attention, I decided not to send them on so long a train journey. I took them to my residence at Cremorne, Sydney, and housed them in a warm place, keeping them in their box-cage, but nevertheless found one dead on the following morning. Even greater care was taken with the remaining bird. In addition to being kept near an oil stove at night, a hot brick, wrapped in flannel, was placed in the box. This treatment carried it safely through its first and second winters, but was later dispensed with as the bird became acclimatised. Size and Colour.—The total length, from the base of the upper mandible to the tip of the tail, is 22 inches; the tail and the wing each measure 10 inches. The bill of this specimen is 34 inches long, and that of the young one which died measured 3} inches; the late Mr. A. J. North, of the Australian Museum, recorded a length of 4 inches. The longest feathers of the crest measure 84 inches. The general colour is a glossy metallic black, with the exception of the lores and feathers about the base of the mandibles, where the glossy appearance is replaced by a soft, velvety black. The cheeks are quite naked and of a peculiar soft, wrinkled character, and when the bird is in good condition, and warm enough, are of a bright scarlet colour. If not well, or feeling the cold, however, the cheeks become purplish red, which suggests pallor or bad circulation. The feathers of the cheeks are capable of as much movement as those of the crest. They can be thrust directly forward, or laid straight in the usual direction. When cold, or when the bird is quiet or dull, these feathers are used to cover not only the naked cheeks, but also the whole of the lower and part of the upper mandible, which gives the bird a very grotesque appearance, as though wrapped up. Before the first moult, much of the breast and lower abdomen presented a freckled appearance, due to the feathers bearing rows of faint, light dots arranged in parallel lines. It is noteworthy that these markings are persistent in the Funereal Cockatoo. The irides are of a dark brown or hazel hue, which gives the eyes a very mild and gentle expression. The so-called thighs are quite bare, and slaty-blue in colour. The legs, or tarsi, are black. The tongue, like all other soft parts of the gape, is scarlet, except at the tip, or about 6 millimetres of its length, which is quite black. The hinder part of the dorsum of the tongue is provided with a bifurcated prolongation which forms a sort of lid to a depression or cavity immediately below it. In my bird, all the feathers are kept constantly dusted over with white powder, which gives it the appearance of being slaty-grey, and detracts from the beautiful glossy black plumage. This is procured from a gland over the back of the coccyx or end of the spine, and the method of its application is very interesting. The head, with the crest lowered, is thrown right back until it reaches the gland. It is there covered with powder by a lateral rubbing motion, which is repeated a-few times. Then the head is used as a powder-puff over the rest of the body, including the under surfaces of the wing feathers. Mr. McLennan tells me that the birds are found powdered like this in their native state. Most Cockatoos, such as Corellas and the Sulphur-crested species, keep themselves clean by means of this powdering, but none apply it in this manner. 96 THE GREAT BLACK PALM COCKATOO, Microglossus atevyimus IN CAPTIVITY. Food.—Mr. McLennan took these nestlings when they were just feathered, and fed them on soft food, such as boiled rice, later getting them on to boiled barley. With this they were being fed by hand when I received them, but I shortly changed the diet of the one that lived to boiled wheat, filling its crop by hand at each feeding. At this time I also attempted to induce it to eat mixed bird-seed by always leaving some in the tin, and noticed it selected buckwheat from the rest. Each seed was held in the manner usual to the parrots and cockatoos, but the seed-case was split open along its line The Great Black Palm Cockatoo stands very erect upon its perch. The use of its peculiarly constructed mandibles is explained in the accompanying article. of cleavage exactly in halves. All nuts, hempseed—the main article of diet at present—fruit-stones, greenpea pods and the peas therein, are carefully opened along their line of fissure. Mr. McLennan found the birds living on the kernels of a very hard nut, the botanical name of which I have been unable to ascertain. These nuts are so hard that it takes a strong blow with a tomahawk to crack them, and are about the size of a large filbertnut. If the bird is given a walnut, the line of union of the two halves is first discovered and cleaned of any softer fibrous material. Then the chisel-edged lower mandible is inserted carefully, and with great pressure, the halves are separated right along till they come apart. This method is always employed in reaching the contents of seeds, and evidently explains the object of the finely-pointed upper mandible (see figure), and also the chisel edge of the lower mandible. All food is taken in very small particles and transferred by a backward action of the tongue to the cavity before mentioned on the posterior part of the tongue. Here it remains until a sufficient quantity has been collected to fill the cavity, when it is passed on to the crop. I have dealt with the method of feeding in detail because of the singular manner in which the bird, with its huge Macaw-like mandibles, takes its food, the meticulous care being utterly unlike that of any other bird, and in sharp contrast to the usual method, THE GREAT BLACK PALM COCKATOO, Microglossus aterrimus, IN CAPTIVITY. Q7 As the accompanying figure shows, there is a solid, anvil-like mass of upper mandible which is corrugated undermeath, on which the chisel-like edge of the lower mandible works. The mandibles are exceedingly powerful, and can easily open the strands of a wire clothes-line, or make indentations in a threepenny piece. This fact necessitated my having a special woven wire cage made for my bird. Mr. McLennan describes the nesting cavities, which are generally in a vertical hollow branch or trunk of a bloodwood tree, as having an arrangement of split wood, some inches in depth, and placed crosswise at the bottom. This is evidently a sanitary arrangement to prevent the nesting cavity becoming foul from the oil contained in the nut kernels of the bird’s food. If mine is given a piece of wood to bite at, it always splits it along the grain in its whole length, and in pieces about the thickness of a match. This bird proves to be one of the most gentle I have ever seen in captivity. It is quite impossible to make it bite, and when annoyed, it merely uses the fine point of the upper mandible in a scratching manner, accompanied by a little sharp dig or peck. It is full of mischief, and delights in any noise, becoming very excited at the passing of a train. A curious characteristic is that when the bird hears us turn a high-geared carborundum sharpening wheel, it immediately hangs head down from the top of its cage, with all its feathers flung widely out or almost reversed, just as it does in a shower of rain or when the spray of the hose is turned on it. This is evidently due to an association of ideas of rain and the sound of it falling on the earth. This habit may always be displayed to visitors at any time. The bird has a not unpleasing, high-sounding whistle, when excited or when’ playing, in addition to some deep base notes almost like those of a raven. The call most often produced is like the words “ Cheroo, chereea,”’ produced from the larynx with the mandibles wide open. This call is whistled in times of excitement, the “‘ reea’’ part being repeated many times in rapid succession. The feathers of the crest are almost always erect, and some of the longest cross near the tips, as shown in the illustration. The only time at which the crest is laid in repose is either when the bird is feeding or when quiet at rest. The bird stands on both feet on the perch when sleeping, not with one drawn up as with most perching birds, and the bill is tured round and buried in the feathers in the usual manner. The claws are very strong and sharp pointed, and I have to see that they are Suitably clipped before one can take the bird on the finger. The bird is very timid of sudden movements of one’s hands, especially if they are on either side of it. Frontal movements are less noticed, and I fancy this fact indicates that the visual activity is greater on either side than directly in front. Another peculiarity is the position of the tongue when at rest. Its bulbous black tip is held between the chisel-like edge of the lower mandible and the rect- angular surface of the projecting portion of the upper one in much the same manner as the tongue of some animals, such as horses and cats, is held between the front teeth of both jaws. The agility of the bird is remarkable. It can spring or jump with both feet from a verandah rail on to a table, the two being separated by a distance of over two feet. An actual measured jump was 29 inches. When very young the toes were not tumed in in walking, and this continued for some time, to be altered later into the characteristic gait of Cockatoos. The whole of the tarsus is used for walking on, and in such a way that a sort of pad or heel is formed at the proximal end. As the illustra- tion shows, the bird stands very erect. ae i Ms “ ; ; he Py ie ; dower or PART ce DP en nd tof 4gt3-. . Petcare ear a Pareto clue to Bird Phylogeny, by. Launcelot Seti BS Fr. eb Huis preg Wiens ai Se ves : veke isiphone,, Hiibner, by G: A. Gh Ses, B.Se., B.E., BES oe 1§. dian Uechnind BH WE fz Rainbow, PE yf OM dear de MRE Uy POUL CL ela Malle ae hike? phen Pf oe Purple'striped g geon, nN: cadspersus, Castelnau, by BRS FSAI Bo A 0 SU acer pa Bk ated eR ee straliz Caprellid, ms the Rev. Ger Ri Stebbing, A MA. E.RS., F-LS, FZS... 27 id ome ‘Australian Syn yngnathidae, by ‘A. Fa Mcculloch Ci errgd ex teNuh Aira 39° on North-west of New South Wales, by Walter W. Froggatt, oS ea sage by J A. se Le Souef, PORE OR Kh aaa Gardens. . .. WS res ke A nad ae : apie Wh ce Woes _ Frost aes 23 v a Sn AINE Ce ay Lae uae attenuates, from ‘the’ Pm ‘to! fresh-water, \ ip , crtese’ 47 . eter 5 geste of scanlorakt by We J: Rainbow, PES. Ri Ne. Opossums) of the: genus. Trichosurus, by A ALS. Le Sere nee 5 St EE figs, ah hs Kis if, Sarat r es E D idiee Zoouxist “Issued. by i , Pi “the Royal Zoclogial Society, of New South Wales "Edited by _ALLAN Re McCULLOCH, yal di ipa aed Museum | Professor H. G Chapman, MD. Bs Sydney Dodd, VD. Sc, F.R.C.VS.. E. A D’Ombrain, MB.) B. Se Gi) Hedley, EL. S Hon. Seater coah Treasu a PLATE XI. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vot. I. ‘lid uvag “MUVd TVOT9O TOC ‘SHTOD GNOATITD “sip Aq *0;0Y Cal THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. T19 Nest and eggs of the Warty-faced Honey-eater (Meliphaga phrygia) with an egg of the Pallid Cuckoo (Cuculus tnornatus). Cacomantis rufulus (Fantail Cuckoo).—Some years this species does not put in an appearance here at all, while in others it is fairly numerous, generally met with in the more thickly timbered country. Only once have I found it breeding here; an egg was placed in a nest of the Little Field Wren (Chthonicola sagittata). Mesocalius palliolatus (Black-eared Cuckoo).—A bird which, owing to its habits, and also to its similarity in appearance to a female Lalage tricolor, it easily escapes notice. The first proof that I had of it being in the district was its egg being brought to me by a boy, taken with two eggs of the Little Field Wren (Chthonicola sagittata). Since then I have often seen the birds, and shot a few for identification, and I have twice taken an egg, each time in a nest of the Little Field Wren. Chalcococcyx basalis (Narrow-billed Bronze Cuckoo).—Every year a fair number are to be seen in the spring. I have taken their eggs from nests of the following species :—Red-capped Robin (Petroeca goodenovti), Buff-rumped Tit (Acanthiza reguloides), White-browed Babbler (Pomatorhinus superciliosus), and Silvery Blue Wren (Malurus cyanocclamys). With regard to the latter, I took the first set with Mr. A. F. Basset Hull on the rst October, 1917, the Cuckoo’s egg being covered by the lining of the nest. Eleven days later she had built another nest and laid two eggs, and it also contained one of the Cuckoo. On November 2nd, 1917, she had another nest built and two eggs, and again one of the Cuckoo was deposited in the nest. In the two latter cases the Cuckoo’s egg was not covered. All the nests were built within a few yards of each other. Chalcococcyx plagosus (Bronze Cuckoo).—This species arrives in the early spring, and I have only taken their eggs with the following species :—Yellow-rumped Tit (Acanthiza chrysorrhoa), Buft- rumped Tit (A. veguloides), and Red-rumped Tit (A. pyrrhopygia). 120 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. Hivundo neoxena (House Swallow).—A few pairs sometimes remain about my house the whole year, and return to the same nests season after season, often rearing three broods one after the other. Most of their nests are placed on rafters in outbuildings, such as stables. A few years ago one pair started to build in a passage in my house, and although the nest was knocked down day after day they would not give up building, so I kept the doors shut for about a week, but as soon as they were left open again the Swallows returned. I then hung a stuffed Goshawk just beneath the nest; this was too much for the Swallows, so they went under a back verandah, built a nest, and reared their young. Cheramoeca leucosternum (Black and White Swallow)——A few years ago this species was frequently seen at any time of the year, but I have not seen any since 1911. They used to nest here in holes drilled into the banks of the river and dry creeks, laying from three to six eggs. Petrochelidon nigricans (Tree Martin)—A very common species, remaining throughout the year. Often several pairs of birds will be found nesting in the same tree, sometimes in the same branch, and I have found more than one nest within the same hollow. They are very close sitters; I have frequently chopped open the nesting branch and lifted the sitting bird from the nest. They usually lay during September and October, but generally rear a second brood. Four or five eggs are mostly laid for a sitting. Petyochelidon ariel (Fairy Martin).—Arriving in large numbers towards the end of August and early in September, they commence nest building almost immediately, often resorting to the same place year after year. They do not all appear to arrive at the same time. I have frequently found almost fully-fledged young birds, while other nests in the same colony are not half completed. Fresh eggs may be found as late as December, but no doubt this is often owing to birds laying a second time. They lay from three to five eggs for a sitting, a big percentage of which are pure white without any markings, while others are heavily freckled, especially about the larger end. Microeca fascinans (Brown Fly-catcher).—This cheerful little bird remains here in great numbers throughout the year, and is met with almost anywhere, mostly in pairs. Their small nests would generally escape notice if it were not for the solicitous actions of the owners. They mostly lay during September and October, but nests containing eggs are at times found much later, probably second layings. Two eggs are mostly laid for a sitting, but I have twice found clutches of three. Nest and eggs of the Red-capped Robin (Petroeca goodenovit), about natural size, in partly broken piece of bark of a dead Ironbark Tree. ’ 4 q ‘ : THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 121 Petroeca goodenovit (Red-capped Robin).—Always to be found in great numbers in the drier tracts of the district. Commencing in August, they breed here freely, rearing two broods in.a season. The clutch is just as often two as three; I have never seen more than the latter number. They often become the foster parents of the Narrow-billed Bronze Cuckoo. Petroeca bicoloy (Hooded Robin).—Generally dispersed in pairs throughout the more open country; mostly found near the ground perched on dead branches. I have never met with this bird in the heavily timbered country. The female alone builds the nest, and takes upon herself the whole task of incubation. They are very close sitters, often allowing an intruder to approach within a few yards before leaving the nest. Breeding here freely, usually placing their nests low down, I have examined a great many of them containing both eggs and young birds, but have never seen more than two to a clutch. Eggs may be found during the months of September, October and November. Hooded Robin (Petroeca bicolor) on nest in a White Box sapling. Smicroynis brevivostyis (Short-billed Tree Tit).—Numerous in the country where the eucalyptus saplings are growirg ; seldom seen high up in large trees. They breed here freely, placing their nests in the leaves of drooping willow-like branches of eucalyptus trees, generally near the ground, and most of those | have feund have been discovered by the sitting bird flushing as I rode past, They usually lay three eggs. I have taken them at all times between August 25th and December roth, and although I have examined a great many of their nests I have never known a Cuckoo to place its egg in any one of them. Gerygone albigulavis (White-throated Fly-eater)—Some years during the spring and summer months they are very common, while in other years not a bird is to be seen. Their notes and habits are very similar to those of Pseudogerygone culicivora, and their nests can only be distinguished by the colour, the present species using the inner reddish bark of the stringybark trees for an outer 122 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. covering, while the nest of P. culicivora is always constructed of greyish material. They usually lay three eggs for a sitting. and about a dozen nests I have examined containing eggs were all found between October 22nd and November 27th. Pseudogerygone culicivora (Western Fly-eater).—Always met w:th in pairs. Some years dnring the spring and summer months they are rather plentiful, but they do not remain here during the winter. Breeding here freely, their nests are usually placed low down, often within a few feet of the ground, and as I have mentioned in my notes of the preceding species, their nests can always be distinguished from each other by the colour. They are generally decorated with bits of newspaper if available, or whitish egg-bags of spiders, and some nests have exceptionally long tails. Although I have examined a great number of their nests, I have never found one containing an egg of a Cuckoo. They mostly lay three eggs for a sitting, which show considerable variation in the markings. 1, have taken their eggs from September 23rd till as late as December 3rd. Nest of the Western Fly-eater (Pseudogerygone culictvora). Rhipidura albiscapa (White-shafted Fantail) Rather a common species in suitable country, more especially during the spring and summer; generally met with in pairs, often returning to the same locality year after year. They breed here, but owing to the birds being exceptionally close sitters, and also the nest being usually placed in a whitegum sapling, the branches of which are so much the same colour as the nest, it is very difficult to find. I have put my hand within a few inches of a sitting bird before it would leave the nest. They generally lay three eggs for a sitting in the month of October. . Rhipidura tricoloy (Black and White Fantail)—Very common throughout the district, but being a lover of water it is more frequently met with in the vicinity of same, and it appears to have a friendship for the Magpie Lark, often building its nest in the same tree, but much lower down. They also very often take up their abode about dwellings ; one pair have been about my house for many years, breeding in the grape vines growing on the verandah, where I have known them to rear ; 7 . : THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 12 w three broods in a season, building up the old nest time after time. They place their nests in a great variety of situations, but the most extraordinary which has come under my notice was one built on top of an old Swallow’s nest on a rafter in a stable. Myiagra rubecula (Leaden Flycatcher).—A rather rare species here, just an occasional pair turning up some years in the spring. I have seen several pairs building nests, all rather high up in large ironbark trees, but with one exception they all disappeared before the eggs were laid. The only eggs I have taken here were a clutch of three on November 12th, 1915. Nest and eggs of the Leaden Flycatcher (Mytagra rubecula) on a dead branch of an Ironbark Tree. Sisura inquieta (Restless Flycatcher).—A rather common species here at any time of the year, but they appear to be more numerous during the spring and summer months. Although sparingly dispersed throughout the district, they are more often met with near water. They are rather late breeders ; most of the nests I have seen containing eggs have been during the months of October and November, and the clutch is generally four. Pteropodocys phasianella (Ground Cuckoo Shrike).—There are always a few of these fine birds to be met with cn the Estate, generally found feeding upon the ground in flocks of five, comprising a pair of old birds and their last brood of young, which often remain with their parents until another brood are upon the wing to take their place. I have four times found two pairs of these birds breeding together, twice actually laying in the same nest, each nest upon these occasions contained six eggs. In another case there were two nests built within a few feet of one another on the same branch, and young birds in each. The other which came under my notice was only about a hundred yards outside my garden. The cld birds built in exactly the same fork in which they had reared their young the previous year, and the young birds built in an old Magpie Lark’s nest in a neighbouring tree only a few yards away. They usually lay three eggs for a sitting, but I have found a clutch of four, and, as I have mentioned above, twice six, which was undoubtedly the result of two females 124 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. laying in the same nest. I have taken eggs from September 1st up till December 15th, which was a second laying, as I had already taken their eggs the same season. If not much disturbed they will often remain about the same locality for years, even breeding in the same tree season after season. Nest and eggs of the Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike (Covacina robusta) in branch of a Native Apple Tree. Coracina vobusta (Black-faced Cuckoo Shrike).—A very common species throughout the whole district, just as often met with in the open ringbarked country, where only a few shade trees have been left growing, as in the thick ironbark forests. After the breeding season they sometimes become a great nuisance in orchards, but more especially in vineyards, devouring large quantities of grapes. After flight, when perched, they have a peculiar habit of slightly lifting their wings, one after the other, several times, giving an observer the impression that the wings did not fit down comfortably on the body. They breed here very freely, usually laying three eggs for a sitting; I have never seen a larger clutch, and their eggs have a wonderful range of variation, it being difficult to find two sets alike. Of a great number of nests I have examined containing eggs, more than half of them have been during the month of October, but I have taken eggs as early as September 29th and as late as December 15th. Lalage tricoloy (White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater) Never have I known this species to remain here during the winter. They arrive in large numbers some years during the spring, mostly in October, but odd birds may sometimes be seen towards the end of September. Some of the males are inclined to be pugnacious during the nesting season, but this is not the general rule, because I have frequently found several pairs nesting in the same tree in perfect harmony. In fact, this nesting together seems to be a peculiarity with them; where one nest is found there are generally many of them, not always in the same tree, but near by in the same clump of trees. Both birds assist not only in building the nest, but also in the task of incubation. They are late breeders. I have never taken eggs before October 20th, but I haye taken fresh eggs as late as December 20th, THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 12 tn Nest and eggs of the White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater (Lalage tricolor) in a branch of a Yellow Box Tree. Cinclosoma punctatum (Spotted Ground Bird).—Although this species might be more numerous than it appears to be, I am under the impression that it is far from common in any part of this district, but at the same time I have met with it sparingly dispersed in all parts where there is any under- growth. I have only found one nest containing eggs, but have often come across young birds unable to fly. *Hylacola pyrrhopygia (Chestnut-rumped Ground Wren).—I had lived in this district over sixteen years without identifying this species, but on October 7th, 1916, I shot a fine old male and a pair of immature birds which had not been many days ont of the nest. Since then I have seen three more pairs, but so far have not found a nest. Pomatorhinus frivolus (Babbler) —A very common bird on the Estate, and they breed here freely, but owing to their habit of building nests at any time during the year, many of which they never lay in. it is no uncommon thing to see several nests in the same tree and many others in close proximity, and as birds are often flushed from these dummy nests it is difficult to know when they are actually breeding. The peculiar song of this species is not all uttered by one bird, as many people suppose. I have often had the opportunity of watching them closely, and I find that the different notes come from two or more birds. In this district they rarely lay more than three eggs for a sitting; although I have several times taken clutches of five they usually appear to be the result of two females laying in the same nest. They breed early, mostly laying in August, but I have found eggs as late as November 11th. Pomatorhinus superciliosus (White-browed Babbler).—For the first ten years I lived in this district I saw nothing of this species, but of late years a few have taken up their abode just outside the west boundary of the estate, and have built a great number of their nests there in dead wattles. 126 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. During the last two seasons J have taken half-a-dozen clutches of their eggs, all of which have been sets of three. Cinclorhamphus cruralis (Brown Song Lark).—During the spring of 1916 and 1917, two of the best seasons for many years, these birds have been very numerous in the more open parts of the estate. Their nests are very difficult to find. The female takes upon herself the task of incu- bation, and is a very close sitter, so finding the nest is simply a matter of chance—one has almost to tread upon it before the sitting bird will flush. As a rule they breed late, often having fresh eggs in January, but on November 14th 1917, I found two nests, each containing three eggs in a very advanced state of incubation. I have never found more than three eggs for a sitting. Cinclorhamphus vufescens (Rufous Song Lark).—In a favourable spring this species is very numerous on the estate, and although often found together with the Brown Song Lark, the present species has a preference for timbered country, more especially dead timber, where there are plenty of dead fallen branches upon the ground, beneath which they delight in builiding their nests, and they just as often lay three eggs as four for a sitting, mostly during November. Ephthianura albifrons (White-tronted Chat).—A rather rare species here ; small flocks may turn up at any time, but most of them seldom stay long, and very few of them breed here. I have only found half a dozen of their nests, each of which contained three eggs. Ephthianura tricoloy (Yriccloured Chat).—A few of these birds put in an appearance onan_ average about once every five years ; they remain to breed, then disappear. They mostly lay three © eggs for a siting during November, but I once found a nest on October 19th containing two slightly incubated eggs. Acyrocephalus australis (Reed Warbler).—Some years this species does not put in an appearance at all; in other years they arrive during the spring in fair numbers, taking up their abode in any suitable situation. At the present time (1917) a single bird (as far as I can judge) has taken a fancy to my garden. This seems strange, because there is a large dam full of water with plenty of cover around it not a hundred yards away. They breed here rather late, the earliest date on which I have seen eggs being November 14th and the latest January 22nd. Megalurus gramineus (Grass Bird).—I have only seen one pair in this district ; they arrived at my house dam about September ist, 1912, and built a nest in a clump of bulrushes, from: which I took three eggs. They almost immediately commenced another nest, and eventually laid another clutch of three. Chthonicola sagittata (Little Field Wren).._Not by any means a common species anywhere in this district, but a few scattered pairs are to be met with in the more thickly timbered country. I have only found five of their nests, and only one of them was without an egg or young of a Cuckoo. Acanthiza nana (Little Tit.)—Being so small, and usually keeping rather high up in thickly foliaged pine trees, these birds mostly escape notice, but I am sure they are not here in any great numbers. They are rather shy, and strongly object to any interference with their nest; when it is being constructed they will desert it for the least cause. I have found several nests by seeing the birds building, most of which have been torn to pieces upon my next visit to them. I have taken four sets of their eggs, all during the month of October. Acanthiza pyrvhopygia (Red-rumped ‘Tit).—A rather rare species, their range of habitation being very limited. I have found five of their nests containing eggs, in three of which the full clutch was a single egg; the other two contained each two incubated eggs, and I have also found two nests containing a single young bird. Their nests can always be distinguished from that of any other species I know of owing to a number of long streamers of thin blades of soft grass always hanging from just below the entrance, THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 127 Nest of the Red-rumped Tit (Acanthiza pyrrhopygia) in topmost branch of a small Ironbark sapling. Acanthiza chrysovrhoa (Yellow-rumped Tit)—This well-known little bird is rather rare in this district, but there are always a few of them about my garden, where they breed every year, laying from three to four eggs for a sitting. Their nest is a favourite one for the Bronze Cuckoo to place its egg in. They never enter into the thickly timbered country in these parts, keeping to the open forests where there is little undergrowth. Acanthiza veguloides (Buff-rumped Tit).—A very common species in just the very class of country which the Yellow-rumped Tit avoids, They are usually met with in small flocks feeding upon the ground between the scrubby bushes. They place their nests in a great variety of situations, and lay either three or four eggs for a sitting. All I have taken were found during the month of October. Maluvus cyanochlamys (Silvery Blue Wren).—This is the only Malurus found in this district, and during the first ten years of my residence here I did not see a single bird, the first which came under my notice being on January 13th, 1910. They had a nest containing three eggs in a black thistle growing on the edge cf a lagoon, only a few yards outside my woolshed. Since then they have been increasing, and now there are a fair number of them on the estate, but J have never found them them far away from water. One family have been breeding in my garden for the last five years, and at the present {ime have a nest in a clump of sweet peas only a few steps off my verandah, and I can see the nest while writing these notes. The female is sitting upon three eggs. Artamus leucogastey (Whiterumped Wood Swallow).—They do not put in appearance every year, but occasionally a few pairs arrive in the spring, always taking up their abode in the large red gums growing on the banks of the river, where they breed. Their nests are placed sometimes in a partly rotten hollow branch, or where a branch has been broken off, and very often in an old Grallina’s 128 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. nest, lining it with fine dry grass or river oak needles. They usually lay jour eggs for a sitting, mostly during the months of October and November. Nest and eggs of the White-rumped Wood Swallow (4 rtamus leucogaster) in dead branch of a river Red Gum Tree. Artamus swperciliosus (White-browed Wood Swallow).—Some years arriving in thousands in the early part of the spring, while other years not a bird will be seen. They commence breeding almost immediately they arrive, mostly laying two eggs for a sitting, but often three. This year (1917) they arrived in great numbers during the second week in October, and were breeding everywhere, when suddenly something must have gone wrong. because nearly the whole lot rolled their eggs and young out of their nests, and practically all the birds disappeared. This all happened within three days, between November 8th and 11th. Artamus personatus (Masked Wood Swallow).—Arriving with Artamus superciliosus, but never in anything like such great numbers. This year (1917) there were more of them breeding here than I have ever known before, but they treated their eggs and young in the same manner as the White- browed, described above. Artamus tenebrosus (Wood Swallow).—A permanent resident, but never in great numbers ; generally met with in pairs in the ringbarked country, where they breed. They place their nests in a great variety of situations, and usually lay three eggs. I have never found a larger number for a sitting, and I have taken their eggs trom September 29th up till December 15th. Collvrtocichla harmonica (Grey Shrike Thrush).—This bird is met with in all classes of timbered country, but is more numerous in the ironbark ranges. In this district it is extremely shy ; in habit it much resembles the Spotted Bower Bird. It is far more often heard than seen. When building, it is only necessary to ride close past their nest and they will leave it for ever. I have never yet found a nest in course of construction which was not immediately deserted. The situations chosen, for nidification are very various: sometimes in a sapling, others in creyices in a bank of a dry creek. Pr THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 129 but more often on the top of a slightly hollow burnt stump; and I have seen them from three to twenty-five feet from the ground. I have often seen young birds on the wing during September, but have only found nests containing eggs from September 12th up till November 13th, and the clutch is usually three. Grallina picata (Magpie Lark).—A very common species throughout the district, anywhere in the vicinity of water. Asa rule they breed here in great numbers, but for some unaccountable reason during the present year (1917) very few of them bred atall. I did not see half-a-dozen nests occupied. Most of the nests contain eggs during the latter part of September and October, but I have found fresh eggs as late as December ist. Four eggs constitute the usual number for a sitting, but they often lay five, and they place their nests at various heights, some are to be seen quite low down, near the surface of the water, while others are as much as seventy feet above. Gymnorhina tibicen (Black-backed Magpie).—Although this species is far from common any- where in the district, scattered pairs and small flocks are to be met with in the more open forests, and ring-barked country. Once they take up their abode in any particular locality, they usually remain thereabouts for years, sometimes building a new nest in the same tree season after season, but they only rear one brood each year, and the young birds remain with their parents till the approach of the following breeding season. I have examined a great number of their nests, but have never seen one containing eggs earlier than August 22nd, and none later than October 24th. They mostly lay four eggs for a sitting. I have never found a larger clutch, and it is seldom that two clutches from different birds are found exactly alike in colour and markings. Gymnorhina leuconota (White-backed Magpie).—A very rare species in this district, but one bird has been here to my knowledge for the last four years; it is mated with one of the black-backed birds, and they breed about the same place each season. I had one of their young, but when about a year old it was killed by a Gcshawk. To all appearance it was purely a black-backed. Cracticus nigrigulayis (Black-throated Butcher-bird)——When I came here first, about 17 years ago, there were always a few pairs about the estate, and they used to breed in the white box trees near my house, but I have not seen or heard a single bird since 1907. a NO S Nest and eggs of the Butcher Bird (Cvacticus destructor) in a Bull Oak sapling. 130 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. Cracticus destvuctoy (Butcher Bird).—There are always a few pairs to be met with scattered about the district, but mostly in the thicker forests, and once a pair take up their abode about any favoured clump of trees, if not disturbed they will breed there season after season, usually laying four eggs for a sitting. I have never found a larger clutch, but it is often only three, and all the nests I have examined containing eggs were found between September 12th and October 5th. *Falcunculus frontatus (Yellow-bellied Shrike Tit).—I have only seen one pair of these birds here, but a young friend found a pair building a nest this season, in which the birds eventually laid two eggs, and he sent me the nest. Pachycephala vufiventris (Rufous-breasted Thickhead).—This species arrives during the early part of the spring, some years in great numbers, while in others scarcely a bird is to be found. They are mostly met with in the ironbark ranges, generally where there is plenty of undergrowth or saplings, and some years they breed here freely, usually laying three eggs for a sitting. I have never found a nest containing a larger clutch, and have only found eggs between October 9th and November 16th. Eopsaltria australis (Yellow-breasted Shrike Robin).—A very common species on top of the rocky ironbark ranges, but I have never met with it in any other class of country in this district ; it appears to avoid any country where there is water or even moisture. Their habits and notes are very different to the coastal form, and they have the power of ventriloquism. They breed here is great numbers, placing their nests at various heights from the ground. I have seen them from six to rearly sixty feet up, and they have a very long breeding season, probably rearing several broods in succession. They mostly lay two eggs for a sitting, but it is not uncommon to find clutches of three, and I have examined nests containing eggs from August 26th up till November 23rd. Even their eggs show a marked ditference to those found near the coast ; here they are mostly much brighter in colour. A phelocephala leucopsis (White-faced Titmouse).—AIlthough seldom met with in serubby country, it is undoubtedly the most common bird of the district. It is met with in very great numbers in all the open forests, mostly where the trees have been killed, and left standing ; it also frequents gardens and orchards. Usually found in small communities feeding upon the ground, when disturbed they often only fly a short distance away and settle upon the ground again to continue their searching for food, and show very little fear of man. They breed here in great numbers, mostly placing their nests in hollow branches in dead trees, but often in hedges, and under the roofs of out-buildings. They are extremely close sitters ; I have often chopped open their nesting holiows, and lifted a sitting bird from its eggs. They rear two or three broods during a season, uSually laying three eggs for a sitting, but often four ; I have never found a larger clutch. They have a long breeding season ; I have taken fresh eggs from August 17th up till November rst, and have noticed them building much later. Climacteris picumna (Brown Tree-creeper).—Very seldom have I seen this species in the iron- bark ranges, but in the more open forests and ring-barked country it is one of the most common birds of the district, breeding here in great numbers, mostly placing their nests in perpendicular hollow branches in dead trees, at various heights from the ground. I have several times found them in hollow posts in stockyards. They are rather early breeders, many of them laying during August, but I have never found a nest containing eggs later than October 3rd, and the clutch is nearly always three. Climacteris scandens (White-throated Tree-creeper).—Plentiful in the thick ironbark forests on the ranges. It appears to prefer the class of country which the Brown Tree-creeper avoids. Their nests are placed at various heights from the ground ; I have found them from eight to over fifty feet up, and have taken their eggs from August 31st up till October 17th, the clutch being either two or three eggs for a sitting. Dicaeum hirundinaceum (Mistletoe Bird).—Although sparingly met with through all the forests of the district, it is very plentiful in the ironbark and sapling country, which appears to be its true home ; when found in the open forests it is only on a visit. I have known them to come into my garden and feed upon the berries of the box-thorn hedges. They breed here freely, usually laying three eggs, and I have found their nests from four to thirty feet from the ground, and haye examined them containing eggs from September 15th up till November 29th. THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 13! Pardalotus ornatus (Striated Pardalote)——A very common species, more especially where most of the timber has been killed. They are friendly little birds, showing little fear of man. Breeding here in great numbers, either placing their nests in hollows in trees or a hole drilled into a bank of a river or creek. They usually lay four eggs for a sitting during October. Pardalotus punctatus (Spotted Pardalote).—It appears to be rather rare, but owing toits habits, it could easily escape notice, but I have only met with it in the ironbark ranges. When nesting, it drills a mouse-like hole into the flat ground almost anywhere amongst fallen eucalyptus leaves, and is only found by either flushing the bird or seeing it building. Melithreptus brevirostris (Brown-headed Honey-eater).—Some years they arrive in rather large flocks early in the spring, and will be noticed travelling from tree to tree as if they were in a great hurry, but anything strange will at once attract their attention, and they come to very close quarters to make an inspection. Whea nest building they have a peculiar habit of plucking fur and hair from live animals ; while sitting on horseback watching them, I have often had them come and perch upon the horse I was riding and try to pull hair out. Unless noticed in course of building their nests are very difficult to find, the birds being exceptionally close sitters. [I have only found three of their nests, from two of which I took a Pallid Cuckoo's egg. Plectorhamphus lanceolatus (Striped Honey-eater).—Rather a rare species in this district, only met with in scattered pairs, mostly in the more thickly-timbered country. They are exceptionally close sitters. I once found a nest with a bird sitting, over thirty feet from the ground, at the extreme end of a long thin branch, in a large ironbark tree. As I was many miles from home, and had nothing with me to enable me to get the eggs, excepting a tomahawk, | climbed the tree and cut the branch off, thinking I could hold it and allow it to swing down, but it proved to be too heavy, so I had to let it fall. While I was descending the tree, I noticed one of my spaniels go up to the nest, and, much to my surprise, she flushed the sitting bird. The nest contained four fresh eggs, ouly one of which was broken in the fall. When eggs are taken, the birds will often build another nest in the same tree, or a neigh- bouring one. The clutch is usually four. Myzomela nigra (Black Honey-eater).—Until the present spring (1917) I had only seen about half-a-dozen of these birds here, and they put in an appearance during a very severe drought. This year they arrived in fair numbers during October, and started to breed almost immediately. Between October 26th and November rith, I found twelve of their uests, each containing two eggs, and no doubt had I taken the trouble to look for them, could have found many more. No nest was more than two feet from the ground, and some of them only fifteen inches. I noticed that the female alone dces all the nest building, and takes upon herself the entire task of incubation, and I found her to be a very close sitter ; often she wuold allow me to approach within six feet before she would leave the nest. The male is rather shy, but never goes far away from the situation of the nest. Their call note is very similar to that of the Grass Bird, but is much more feeble. Entomophila picta (Painted Honey-eater).—I had not seen this species in the district till the spring of 1914, when I found a pair builidng a nest in a pine tree, from which I took a pair of eggs on September 27th. I saw no more of these birds until the spring of the present year (1917), when about a dozen pairs put in an appearance in the ironbark ranges, and I found them to be amongst the most extraordinary little birds which have ever come under my notice. In some tespects they somewhat resemble the Mistletoe Birds, otherwise they differ from any other species I know of. After spending all my spare time watching them for about six weeks, I had found eight of their nests, from three of which I took a pair of eggs, from one a clutch of three, another contained young when I found it, the other three were deserted, apparently before eggs were laid. The nests are about the most frail structures imaginable, often quite invisible from the ground. In some cases (when the birds are off the nest) the eggs only could be seen without field glasses. One of the strange things about them is, they take from three to four weeks to complete a nest. The lowest I found was placed exactly thirty feet from the ground, and the highest sixty-five feet. All the nests were built at the extreme end and in the leaves of a very long, thin horizontal branch 132 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. in an ironbark tree, in each case in flower. I know of no species building in a tree, the eggs of which are more difficult to secure. I have had to resort to means such as I have never used before. It is remarkable that the eggs or even the young birds remain in the nest during windy weather ; it can only be by the birds sitting upon them. Nest and eggs of the Painted Honey-eater (Entomophila picta) in branch of an Ironbark Tree. Meliphaga phrygia (Warty-faced Honey-eater).—Being a nomadic species, it arrives some years towards the end of the winter; as a rule most of them depart before the end of November. Some years, Or even several years in succession, not a bird will be seen. Only once have I known them to remain here all through the winter. They breed here in great numbers, laying mostly two eggs for a sitting, but occasionally three, and they often become the foster parents of the Pallid Cuckoo. The nests are sometimes placed within a few feet of the ground, but it is no unusual thing to see them forty or fifty feet up. The earliest date on which I have taken their eggs is September 2nd, and the latest November 26th. The eggs vary considerably; I have them from a very pale salmon pink all over, with practically no markings, to a very rich reddish-buff, very darkly spotted on the apex, being darker in colour than any other Honey-eaters’ eggs I have seen. Ptilotis chrysops (Yellow-faced Honey-eater).—A very rare species in the whole district, and what few there are about are more often heard than seen. They live in the thick undergrowth on the ranges. I have only found two of their nests, one on November 16th, which contained an egg of the rightful owner, also an egg of the Pallid Cuckoo; the other, on September 17th, contained two heavily incubated eggs. Piilotis leucotis (White-eared Honey-eater).—Rather a common species on the ranges where there is thick undergrowth. Although a very shy bird, their curiosity often overcomes their fear. If an intruder keeps quite still they will gradually approach to within a few feet and peer at one in a most curious manner, but with the slightest movement they dart away into the scrub. Their THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. I nests are very difficult to find, mostly being placed near the ground in a dense bush. They generally lay two eggs for a sitting, but occasionally three, and I have only taken them during the months of September and October. Nest and eggs of the White-eared Honey-eater (Ptilotis leucotis) in a Blueberry Grass bush. Ptolitis penicillata (White-plumed Honey-eater).—Wherever there are trees growing in the vicinity of water this species is sure to be found. In the redgums growing along the Talbragar River they are very numerous, nesting freely in their drooping branches, also in the river oaks, and several pairs breed in my garden every year. They nearly always lay three eggs for a sitting, and I have examined nests containing eggs from the first week in September till early in January. Myzantha gavvula (Noisy Miner).—A very common species in the open forests on the estate, but not found in the thick ironbark forests on the ranges. When the grapes are ripe they come into my garden to feast upon them, and become very tame, even coming into the house and hopping about without showing the least sign of fear. They breed here in fair numbers, usually placing their nests low down in a small tree or bush, but occasionally they will be seen high up in a very large tree. Generally they lay three eggs for a sitting, but sometimes four. I have never taken a larger clutch, and I have examined nests containing eggs from August 25th till as late as October 31st. Anthochaera cavunculata (Red Wattle Bird).—Some years, towards the end of the winter, more especially if the native apple trees are in bloom, this species arrives in thousands, and the effect of their curious notes uttered by so many birds is most extraordinary. Not many of them remain here to breed, but those that do so mostly commence very early. I have seen young birds out of the nest early in September, and have taken their eggs from August 22nd up till October 19th. The clutch is usually two, only twice have I found three. Entomyza cyanotis (Blue-faced Honey-eater).—A common species on the estate at all times, usually met with in pairs or small flocks of about half a dozen or more, but I have never seen them 134 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. in the thick ironbark forests. They breed here, but I have never known them to entirely build a nest for themselves. Of about twenty I have examined, all have been inside old Babbler’s nests. Enlarging the entrance they roughly reline it with bits of bark and dry grass. I have never found a clutch of more than two eggs, and I have taken them from August 22nd till as late as October 25th. Tropidorhynchus corniculatus (Friar Bird)——A common species everywhere, more especially in the spring, sometimes arriving in great numbers, but they do not all remain here to breed. In certain localities on some of the sandy flats between the ranges, a fair number of them breed every year, placing their nests near the end of a long thin horizontal branch, mostly in ironbark and stringy- bark trees. Very few of them can be climbed out to; to secure their eggs it is usually necessary to scoop them. I have examined about thirty-five of their nests, but have only been able to put my hand in two of them in its natural position. Three eggs is generally the full clutch, but I once took a set of four. They are rather late breeders, the earliest record I have of taking eggs being September 28th, and the latest December 16th. Philemon citretgulavis (Yellow-throated Friar-bird).—A very common species here during the spring and summer months, but they are seldom found far away from water. They breed here freely, mostly building their nests in the redgums, river oaks and native apple trees growing on the banks of the river. I know of no bird the nests of which differ so greatly ; some are rather frail structures, loosely constructed, composed of dry grasses, while others are great bulky structures, neatly made within, but almost entirely composed of wool from sheep. Three eggs is the usual clutch for a sitting; I have only once found a set of four. They are late breeders, mostly laying during November, but I have taken eggs as early as September 30th and as late as January 12th. Anthus australis (Ground Lark).—A very common species on all the open country on the estate. They breed here in great numbers, sometimes placing their nests in an old rusty jam tin. They evidently rear several broods during a season, because I have seen nests containing eggs from August 25th till as late as November 12th. The usual clutch is three, but often four. *Mivafra horsfieldt (Bush Lark).—A rather rare species here, only odd pairs and single birds turning up in good springs. I once caught a young bird which had only just left the nest. Staganopleura guttata (Spotted-sided Finch).—A common species throughout the district, in all classes of country, often seen in gardens, and frequently found building their bulky nests in creepers growing on the sides of verandahs. Wherever a Brown Hawk's nest is found there are sure to be several nests of this Finch in close proximity, mostly in the same tree, and usually two or three attached to the underneath part of the larger nest. JI once counted twenty-two nests in a single tree. They lay from three to six eggs for a sitting, and are not very particular at what time of the year they breed. I have examined nests containing eggs from June 23rd up till January rsth. They use the old nest for roosting purposes long after the young birds can fly. a Taeniopygia castanotis (Chestnut-eared Finch).—Some years enormous flocks of this species put in an appearance, but most of them disappear before they breed—in fact, very few of them breed here at all; those that do, build a nest within a hollow branch of a dead tree. One evening I saw a bird enter a hole in a dead tree, about six feet from the ground; upon giving it a knock with a tomahawk out flew about a dozen of these birds. Aidemosyne modesta (Plum-headed Finch).—A very rare species in this district. I have not seen more than a dozen birds, just an odd pair turning up any year in the spring. At present a pair have taken up their abode about my house. I often see them in my garden; they come on to a lawn only a few steps off my verandah, and pick up feathers blown there from a white cockatoo which is kept in a cage on the verandah, so they are evidently building somewhere close about. I have only found three of their nests containing eggs, and the clutches were four, five and six, all found during the month of November. Two of the nests were placed in black thistles, the other in a tussock on the bank of the river. THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. 13 in Oriolus sagittarius (Oriole) —Not by any means a common species, but there are usually a few of them scattered about the district during the spring, often coming into my garden when the grapes are ripe. Excepting when breeding, they go about singly. I have only found three of their nests, each of which contained three eggs. Corvone australis (Raven).—This well-known species is numerous at all times throughout the district, but.is more frequently met with in the op2n country, although they often resort to the iron- bark ranges to breed, usually choosing a very large tree in which to place their nest, and, if their eggs are destroyed, they will often lay another clutch in the same nest within a few days. The earliest date I have taken their eggs is July 7th, and the latest October r4th—the latter probably being a second laying. Most of them lay during July and August, and the clutch is generally four or five, but it is no unusual thing to find six. During droughts, when sheep are in very low condition, also in the lambing season, these birds do a great amount of damage ; stockowners, as a rule, do all they can to destroy them, which is no easy matter. When poor sheep get down, they are almost immedi- ately attacked by these birds, firstly pecking out an eye, or both, from which treatment I have never known a sheep to recover; whether this is owing to the fact that the raven, being a carrion feeder, causes blood poisoning, remains to be proved. Few people have a good word to say for them, and nobody ever fails to try and shoot a raven if the opportunity arises. But, excepting during droughts and the lambing season, they do little damage, the worst probably being the taking of chickens, young turkeys, and eggs, at which they are experts, and their depredations in the fowl-yard are only too well known to most people living in the country districts where ravens abound. The bird is therefore condemned by most people as a curse to the country, and probably not without reason ; but, on the other hand, it has much in its favour, so I will now mention some of its good traits. The bird being a scavenger cleans up a vast amount of offal and carcases of dead animals, destroying thousands of noxious insects, maggots, and even blow-flies themselves. Dead stock and rabbits, ete., are so de- stroyed that nothing but skin and bene remains, and the maggots are destroyed that would otherwise have entered the ground and escaped to eventually do their damage in turn later on. I consider that the raven is our best natural enemy of the blow-fly, and is also a most effective enemy of grasshoppers in certain stages. While there is no questidn as to the damage dore in some districts to ewes and lambs in bad seasons, at other times of the year it is a friend in disguise ; so, if it would only leave the sheep alone, it would be one of our most useful birds. Strepera gvaculina (Pied Crow Shrike).—Some years during the winter small flocks of this species will arrive, though most of them never stay long, but there are always a few pairs of birds in the district. They breed here, but very sparingly; I have only found four nests containing eggs, and six with young birds. They usually place their nest near the extreme end of a long, thin horizontal branch, high up in a large tree. The eggs I have taken here show very little variation. Styvuthidea cinerea (Apostle Bird).—A very common bird on the estate, but I have never found them entering far into the ranges. They prefer the more open forests where there are clumps of pine trees, in which many of them construct their nests, usually laying four eggs for a sitting, but I have found as many as seven. I have taken their eggs from September sth up till November 5th. I Rave never yet seen a single bird with white eyes, and I have searched flock after flock with field glasses. Corcorax melanorhamphus (Chough).—A very common species throughout the district, but more especially in the more open forests. They breed here in great numbers. During 1908 I made a special study of their eggs. I examined no less than twenty-seven clutches, and they ranged from three to eight, but I found in every case where there were more than five eggs in a nest they were of two distinct types, but where there were five or less I am quite satisfied they were laid by the same female. They start breeding early, most of them laying during August, but I have taken eggs as late as December sth. 136 THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. Nest and eggs of the White-winged Chough (Corcorax melanorhampbhus £8 8 g ! on branch of a dead Yellow Box Tree. SPECIES IDENTIFIED, BUT NOT KNOWN TO BREED IN THIS DISTRICT, MOST OF THEM BEING VISITORS. Ocvphaps lophotes (Crested Pigeon). Gallinula tenebrosa (Black Moor Hen). Porphyvio melanotus (Bald Coot). Fulica australis (Coot). Hydrochelidon hybrida (Marsh Tern). Larus novae-hollandiae (Silver Gull). Lvvthrogonys cinctus (Red-kneed Dotterel). Himantopus leucocephalus (White-headed Stilt). Pisobia ruficollis (Little Stint). Gallinago australis (Snipe). 2 Rostratula australis (Painted Snipe). Eupodotts australis (Bustard). Antigone austrvalasiana (Native Companion). Ibis molucca (White Ibis). Carphibis spinicollis (Straw-necked Ibis). Plegadis falcinellus (Glossy Ibis). Platibis flavipes (Yellow-billed Spoonbill). Herodias timoriensis (White Egret). Chenopbsis atrata (Black Swan). Dendrocvgna eytont (Plumed Whistling Duck). THE BIRDS OF THE COBBORA DISTRICT. Spatula rhynchotis (Blue-winged Duck). Malacorhynchus membranaceus (Pink-eared Duck). Stictonetta naevosa (Freckled Duck). Aythia australis (Hard-head Duck). Biziura lobata (Musk Duck). Phalacrocorax carbo (Black Cormorant). Phalacrocorax sulcirostris (Little Black Cormorant). Phalacrocorax melanoleucus (Little Cormorant). Plotus novae-hollandiae (Darter). Pelecanus conspicillatus (Pelican). Cireus assimilis (Spotted Harrier). Cireus gouldt (Swamp Hawk). Milvus affinis (Kite). Elanus axillaris (Black-shouldered Kite). Falco melanogenys (Black-cheeked Falcon). Falco subniger (Black Falcon). Falco hypoleucus (Grey Falcon). Cacatua roseicapilla (Rose-breasted Cockatoo). - Platycercus elegans (Pennant Parrakeet). Platycercus splendidus (Yellow-mantled Parrakcet). Alcyone azurea (Azure Kingfisher). Chaetura caudacuta (Spine-tailed Swift). _ Cypselus pacificus (White-rumped Swift). Scythrops novae-hollandiae (Channel-bill). Petroeca legget (Scarlet-breasted Robin). Coracina mentalis (Little Cuckoo Shrike). Acanthiza lineata (Striated Tit). Pachycephala pectovalis (White throated Thickhead). Zostevops caerulescens (Silver-eye). Melithreptus atricapillus (Lunulated Honey-eater). Melithreptus affinis (Black-headed Honey-eater). Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris (Spine-billed Honey-eater). Ptilotis melanops (Yellow-tufted Honey-eater). Ptilotis ornata (Yellow-plumed Honey-eater). Myzaniha flavigula (Yellow-throated Miner). Anellobia chrysoptera (Brush Wattle-bird), Acanthogenys vufigulayis (Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater). Corvus bennetti (Bennett's Crow). ™ ke ied sean KS nc + . : aS 7 “2 __ : “i ; * ie aes 7 Penilins Hiibner, hee A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., BE., BES... 2 Aranciad, by W. J. Rainbow, FES...... be Bestar the Purple-striped Gudgeon, Krefftius adspersus, esstauad) by E OE SORE SR Sea REARS A ORO eC Roe RPE LD str eee by the Rev. Thomas R. R. Stebbing, MA. ERS. PLS, FZS... : oe i oe pe thee Syngnathidae,.by A. Ruy McC plloghsy. sain tre Kase hk eke . North-west of New Sonth Wales, by Walter Ww. Froggatt, F.LS bit, by A. S. Le Souef, Director, Zoological Gardens./..........c0seeeeues eile . _ CONTENTS OW PART HA uy) : ‘he Counc Sor ee i A ieee Se rt te rs, a ithe joe or Eel Gude, Galavias attonvatus, from: the sea to fresh-water, » McCulloch... Secreta ts on he aente: Tisi none, Cons : Oe ae er aeot ae ‘0 eal Society of N co ‘South Wales, Tes present position and future aims, by A, Be ean he ) Basset H i President... Pen sos mie rogue ApeedaD er mics of J’ vochus: tation. Charles Hedley... ra DY RTA as oy) 30 Gt ¥ | ey NF af ‘ \ nf 7 +, ‘fe: Bed: : ¥ mea 4 j f { ) mee t dee 7 ; oh ‘ 7 ay ay { } ‘i fy Be \r 7% : j j “m be aN $ snp ‘ - nena AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST aye as aanned by. he’ See: Edited by _ > ALLAN R. McCULLOCH, px # = Zoologist, Australian Museum Vol. 1.—Part 6 Bee x 2898, General. Post resigert Sydney. met eS ayomer: 5 M.A. GMOTH Ia, PRINTERS e See Is ASR senor sy rae tdias tay wy, "ai y : a ae ae ee ; ‘ Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Ty accordance with Article 41 of the Articles of Association, the first annual general meeting of the Society was held at Taronga Zoological Park on Saturday, 27th July, 1918, at 3 p-m. Twenty-one members were present. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. The President (Mr. A. F. Basset Hull) read the following report :— Ladies and Gentlemen,—The last annual meeting of what is now known as the “ old Society ”’ was held at the Royal Society’s House, Sydney, on 27th February, 1917, on which occasion Mr. J. H. Campbell, Dr. H. G. (now Professor) Chapman, Dr. E. A. D’Ombrain, Mr. W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., Colonel Alfred Spain, V.D., and Mr. S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S., were elected to fill the vacancies in the Council occurring under the Constitution ; and at a meeting of the Council held on 5th March, 1917, the following members were elected officers ;—President, Mr. A. F. Basset Hull, R.A.O.U.; Vice-Presidents, Messrs. H. E. Finckh, W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., A. E. Jaques, and S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S. ; Honorary Secretary and Treasurer, Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., B.E., F.E.S.; Honorary Librarian, Mr. H. E. Finckh ; Publication Committee, the President and Honorary Secretary, Messrs. C. Hedley, F.L.S., and A. R. McCulloch (Honorary Editor). On 30th June, 1917, a general meeting was held at Taronga Park to formally adopt a draft Memorandum and Articles of Association for the purpose of securing the registration of the Society under the provisions of the Companies Act, 1899, as a limited liability Company not carrying on business for profit. The draft was duly adopted, a confirmatory meeting was held on 19th July, and the registration of the Society under a new and wider constitution was effected on 17th August, 1917. By virtue of Article 17 of the Articles of Association the officers of the “‘ old Society ’’ remained in office until the end of the new financial year, which terminates on 30th June, instead of 31st December as under the old constitution. Having now completed the first year of our existence as an incorporated body, it is necessary for the purpose of continuity of record to review the whole period since the last annual meeting of the old Society. During this period Messrs. T. W. Keele, A. E. Nash and J. M. Smail resigned from the Council, and the vacancies thus created were filled by the election of Professor S. J, Johnston, Messrs. W. C. Shipway and D. W. C. Shiress, who, under the provisions of Article 23, come before you to-day for re-election. Members of Council attended meetings as follows :—Messrs. Hull and Waterhouse, 12; Mr. Finckh, tr ; Mr. Campbell and Dr. D’Ombrain, 9; Mr. McCulloch, 8; Mr. Hedley and Dr. Dodd, 7 ; Mr. Symons, 6; Messrs. Froggatt and Shipway, 5; Mr. Rainbow, 4; Dr. Johnston, Colonel Spain and Mr. Shiress, 3; Dr. Chapman and Mr. Jaques, 2; Dr. Todd was granted leave of absence. The overshadowing influence of the war has necessarily limited the Society’s operations, and your Council has felt that the time is not yet opportune to make any appeal for the funds which would be required to carry out the wider aims of the Society as set out in the Memorandum of Association. Tt was content to consolidate its position and await that lifting of the war cloud, towards which we direct our hopes and prayers. 140 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. The Balance Sheet which is placed before you to-day reveals a position which may be regarded as satisfactory, inasmuch as our expenditure has been kept well within our income, and a modest beginning has been made in the establishment of a Capital Fund. The membership at the time of registration was fixed, for the formal purposes of the Act, at twenty, but an increase of 250 was subsequently sanctioned and registered, making a total of 270 as the maximum number that may be admitted as members without further registration. The number of actual members, however, is yet far short of the authorised quota, the roll on the 30th June, 1918, containing 7 Honorary, 140 Ordinary, and 7 Associate Members. Your Council invites your co-opera- tion in ar endeavour to increase the number on the roll to such an extent that additional registration will be necessary. In this connection, you may remember that the privileges of free admission to Taronga Park are accorded to a maximum of 300 members and that every member above that number | means an addition of £1 Is. per annum to the income cf the Park Trust. During the period under review, two parts (Nos. 4 and 5) of the “‘ Australian Zoologist have been issued. Your Council feels that the existing war conditions, and the consequent heavy cost of paper and printing, preclude any great increase in the output of publications, but it will endeavour to issue sufficient to provide a means of communication between Council and members, and of recording the results of individual observation and research in zoology. That the Commonwealth Bureau of Science and Industry has re-issued Mr. Hedley’s article on the Economics of Trochus niloticus as one of its Bulletins is a subject of gratification to your Council. The Trustees of Taronga Park have been good enough to afford special facilities to members of this Society resident at Mosman, by opening the gates of the Park to them in the morning before the usual hour. Reference has already been made to the establishment of a Capital Fund, into which it is proposed to pay all unconditional cash donations, subscriptions of life members, fines under the Birds and Animals Protection Acts, and such other funds as the Council may determine. (‘‘ Australian Zoologist,” vol. 1, p- 100.) As a beginning, application has been made for £100 Funded Stock in the Sixth War Loan. A Bill for the Protection of Native Birds and Animals is now before Parliament, and in view of the fact that it is proposed to repeal the existing provisions contained in the Birds Protection Act, 1a0r1, and the Native Animals Protection Act, 1903, under which this Society receives one half of the fines imposed on offenders against those Acts, your Council has made application to the State Govern- ment for a subsidy, and the matter is receiving consideration. THE WANT OF AUSTRALIAN NATURAL HiIsToRY HAND-BOOKS. During his term of office as Governor of this State, Lord Chelmsford, in opening a new wing of the Australian Museum, referred to the want of cheap hand-books to the butterflies, birds, etc., of Australia, and attributed the dearth of Australian boy-collectors to this want. He instanced the numerous and inexpensive hand-books available for the use of the British boy-collector. The absence of such hand-books is not due to the lack of men capable of writing them, but to three reasons, none of which is applicable to Great Britain. In the first place, the market is limited For one young collector (actual or potential) in Australia there are ten in Great Britain. In the second place, the cost of locally printing and publishing properly illustrated works is very much greater than in England, and even if the manuscript were sent to England for printing, the cost of supervision, freight, and other charges would add considerably to the price at which the books could be sold in Australia. In the third place, the number of species in each branch of natural history is very much larger in Australia than in Great Britain. In the case of the butterflies, there are about 86 species recorded ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 141 as visiting the British Isles; many of these are occasional visitors only, and consequently very rare, and owing to the greater proportion of recording collectors and the limited area of the region, it may be regarded as improbable that many additional species will ever be recorded. In Australia we have 332 species recorded, and every year brings us records of new species discovered, not only in the less explored districts, but even in the long settled country. The list of British birds—resident, migratory, and occasional visitors—totals 370 species, and these were dealt with by Dr. Bowdler-Sharpe in four handy octavo volumes, costing 2s. 6d. each. There are 700 distinct species of Australian birds, and the latest list compiled by Gregory M. Mathews, adds nearly 1,000 sub-species or varieties. To deal with the distinct species only would require eight volumes of a size equal to Bowdler-Sharpe’s, and, locally produced, the cost would certainly exceed 5s. per volume. As regards moths, beetles, marine and terrestrial shells, and, in fact, every branch of natural history, the preponderance of species to be described, and the relatively higher cost of production, would make Australian hand-books so much more expensive than those produced in Great Britain for British collectors that the price would, in every instance, be beyond the reach of the average boy. There are a few books, such as Dr. Leach’s “ Australian Birds,’’ and Rainbow’s “ Butterflies,” published at a low price, but there are practically none on any other branch of natural history. Lucas and Le Souef’s “‘ Birds and Animals of Australia’’ are praiseworthy efforts to fill the want. but the price is virtually prohibitive. Waterhouse and Lyell’s “‘ Butterflies of Australia,’’ North's “ Nests and Eggs,’ Cox’s “ Land Shells,’ and many other works might be cited—all very fine publications, indeed, but neither hand-books nor cheap, within the meaning of Lord Chelmsford’s plaint. Here, then, is a solution. This Society numbers amongst its members men capable of writing the required hand-books. It only requires the funds to print and illustrate them, and having no rent and no salaried managers or salesmen to pay, it could afford to place them on the market at or below cost price for the instruction and entertainment of those desiring to learn about the many rare, beautiful or interesting forms comprised in the fauna of Australia. Some day another Sir William Macleay will enter this Society, or a few men as public-spirited as he was will combine to provide funds which, properly invested, will yield an income sufficient to secure the issue, at stated periods, of the wanted “ cheap’ hand-books. The following members were elected to fill vacancies in the Council, in accordance with the provisions of Article 23 :—Professor Stephen J. Johnston, Dr. R. H. Todd, Messrs. A. R. McCulloch, W. C. Shipway, D. W. C. Shiress, and G. A. Waterhouse. At a meeting of the Council held at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, the following officers were elected :—President, A. F. Basset Hull, R.A.O.U.; Vice-Presidents, H. E. Finckh, W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.E.S., C. Hedley, F.L.S., S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S.; Honorary Secretary and Honorary Treasurer, G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., B.E., F.E.S.; Honorary Librarian, H. E. Finckh, 142 - ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE PERIOD 1st JANUARY, 1917, — TO 30TH JUNE, 1918. 2 oe RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. ve Bs (ele rs ip Uthakelss Herc MEPICL G7 dooce) ocos oo ain bio 21 6 °2 | Printing “ Zoologist ” Parts 1V. and Ve. SM ompy Mens HG osboatonadshoasesoqonss 259) 14. 6 |\"Blocks for, Zoologist, ey...) .ls eee 2 Ibsbey Spl bea uO, 5 Sando vas dua op posse 62 9 6 | Printing Memorandum and Articles. ..... 2 ING Fanon ado dado boo oto PEO de d.90-46 45 6 °8:))| egal: Baspensess. Syteiie el eee 2 ale nOtites ZOOLOPISI tt jon tecrraters) -)-tointaicte stats I-10 © |) Printings Memibers> Passes: .....- eee 7a Athi IRE peheSy Goe noadind 6 img Rone to oe 3) (© 0) |General Brinttine yf...) sl 14 1 IDOIEH HO ooo Mon mon pio do ubdnos dou. oooom Tt 1 -O0/) Mathews) Bitdss =. .4.stanecse ene 2 JOS AEA AG: Migr Meno rvuoto hom mad byioIs soe TO O~. 3.40") Box, (GaRiOiuh.|-S0ak ke aca eae eee I ihn Kadecien ners Mee ema OS Oe. COL On oon CO ere §, 6-02) Tent:.of Hall... i255. <1 =i) eee ra Refund! of Pines. = ese 7+ eee 1 War Loan Instalments:; .. 2... 50 | Petty Cash— : IROStalgeS a cray-eeierr rears 18 2a Station ety1 aetey etree 2 JO eX Chan Steerer 0 9 0 Efalle,- 6 jetty cate cassie wits 010 6 SUMCGIES Revere eos oye & {S) Petty Cash im) Hands. esse 2 Balawece in Savings! Banik. 7.00. eee 11g £399 19 10 ; £399 We have examined the Books and Vouchers of the Society for the eighteen months ended 30th June, and certify above Statement of Receipts and Disbursements to be in accordance therewith. > G. A. WATERHOUSE, L. S. DRUMMOND & CO., _Hon. Treasurer. Incorporated Accoun SYDNEY, 19th July, ro18. P List of Members OF THE Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales ON 30th SEPTEMBER, 1918 ORDINARY MEMBERS. ANDREWS, ERNEST CLayton, B.A., Geological Surveyor, Dept. of Mines, Sydney. ARCHER, J. M., Club House, Kirribilli Point, Milson's Point. *AustIN, THomMAs PuiLtirps, Ccbborah Estate, Cobbora. BARLING, Miss S. M., St. Adrians, Raglan St., Mosman. *BENNETT, FREDERICK OWEN, Kurkulla, Wilga Street, Bondi. Benson, NoRMAN N., St. George, Ruby Street, Mosman. Bone, WALTER Henry, 15 Bond Strect, Sydney. BowbeEn, HERBERT, 18 Bridge Strect, Sydney. BRAGG, JAMES S., Lithgow Coal Association, 3 Spring Street, Sydney. BrRAnron, Dr. SPILLER, 265 Elizabeth Street. Sydney. Browne, ARTHUR MaiTLAnp, Department of Mines, Sydney. BrYLEN-Brown, J., 18 Bridge Street, Sydney. BURNELL, SPENCER C., Charting Branch, De- partment of Mines, Sydney. Burns, Sir James, c/o Burns, Philp & Co., Bridge Street, Sydney. BURNSIDE, JAMES H., 90 Beach Road, Darling Point. BuRRELL, Harry, La Mascotte, Doncaster Avenuc, Kensington. BuRRELL, Mrs. Harry, La Mascotte, Doncaster Avenue, Kensington. *CAMBAGE, RICHARD Hinp, “ Wyaglan,’’ Park Road, Burwood. CAMPBELL, JOHN HONEYFORD, Royal Mint, Macquarie Street, Sydney. CAYLEY, NEVILLE W., 183 Pitt Street, Sydney. CHAPMAN, FREDERICK ARTHUR, 10 Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. CHAPMAN, HENRY GEORGE, WEID), IBS, Protessor of Pharmacology, Royal Society, Elizabeth Street, Sydney. CHEESEMAN, Epwarp Tomas, Hotel Sydney. CoLeEs, CLurFoRD, 47 Castlcreagh St., Sydney. ConEN, GEORGE JubAI, 10 Spring Street, Sydney. Cox, Sir Owen, K-B'E., 4 Bridge Street, Syeney. Croker, J. MirierR, Benire, Ruby Street, Mosman. Curewis, C. P., Wharf Road, Mosman. Dancar, R. H., Neotsfield, Whittingham, INAS ENS Denison, HuGu R., 7or Culwulla Chambers, Castlereagh Street, Sydney. Dewnurst, AuGustus, 7 Prince Albert Street, Mosman. Dewnurst, NoRMAN, 85 Fitt Street, Sydney. *Dipes, Sir THOMAS ALLRIGHT, Graythwaite, Wolscley Road, Point Piper. Dickreson, Mrs. Lewis H.,. “ Wanstead,” Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. Doak, Dr. FRANK WiseEMAN, Belmont Road, Mosman. Dopp, Syonry, M.R.C.V.S., D.V.S., Veteri- nary School, University of Sydney. D’OMBRAIN, ERNEST ARTHUR, M.B., B.S., 205 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Donkin, JOHN Biop, c/o Allard, Way & Hardie, 12 O'Connell Street, Sydney. “ Dun, WILLIAM SUTHERLAND, Pala:ontologist, Department of Mines, Sydney. * Life Member, ‘ 144 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. OrpINARY MEMBERS—continued FAIRFAX, JOHN & Sons, Hunter Street, Sydney. *FINCKH, HERMAN EDWARD, “‘ Hermes,” Raglan Street, Mosman. FITZHARDINGE, Miss JULIE GRANTLEY, M.A., Redhill, Beecroft. FLYNN, THEODORE THOMSON, B.Sc., Professor of Biology, University, Hobart. *FOREMAN, JOSEPH, M.R.C.S., 62 Macleay Street, Sydney. ForstER, THOMAS Armidale. FROGGATT, WALTER Witson, F.L.S., F.E-S., Government Entomologist, George Street North, Sydney. RicuMonpb, Abington, *GANNON, FREDERICK, Union Street, Tempe. GARLAND, HENRY WILLIAM, 10 Wolseley Road, Mosman. F *GuHEST, Capt. R. C., 19 Bridge Street, Sydney, and ‘‘ Grasmere,’’ Hezlet St., Chiswick. GLYDE, Joun R., “ Myee,’’ Doll’s Point, Sans Souci. *GorMAN, Henry, Moore Street, Sydney. Gorrick, C. H. 5 Macquarie Place, Sydney. GRAHAM, HENRY, Woods Reef, Barraba. GRANT, MICHAEL STIRLING, Union Club, Bligh Street, Sydney. *GREAVES, W. A. B., “ Braylesford,” Bondi Road, Bondi. GRUTZMACHER, FREDERICK LYLE, Church of England Grammar School, North Sydney. Gutiick, W. A., Government Printer, Phillip Street, Sydney. s HaGEN, JOHN FREDERICK, 66 King Street, Sydney. *HALLORAN, AUBREY, B.A., LL.B., 14 Moore Street, Sydney. Hamiton, A. G., Training College, Blackfriars. HASWELL, WILLIAM A., M.A., D.Sc., F.R.S., Emeritus Professor of Zoology, 33 Wolseley Road, Woollahra Point, Edgecliff. Hatton, CHARLES, c/o Griffiths & Hassell, 77 Castlereagh Street, Sydney; Cross Street, Mosman. HAYNES, ARTHUR JOHN, 45 Muston Street, Mosman. Heatu, Guy H., Coolindah, 34 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. HEDLEY, CHARLES, F.L.S., Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney. HEDLEY, Mrs. HAarriotr GEORGINA, Muston Street, Mosman. *HENNESSY, JOHN F., Norwich Chambers, 58 Hunter Street, Sydney. y Henty, Cuartrs James, Union Club, Bligh Street, Sydney. HEUMANN, GustTAv ADOLF, Ramona, Beecroft. HICKLING, FREDERICK CHARLES, Warborne, Richmond Avenue, Neutral Bay. *HoLpswortH, J. B., Greenwich. Home, J. B., Wharf Road, Clifton Gardens. *HORDERN, Mrs. Nora Exsswortu, Hillview, Turramurra. Hoskins, CHARLES HENRY, Lawson. Hoskins, Emity (Mrs. C, H.), Lawson. Howes, Harorp JAMES, Keith House, 5 Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. Hupson, SIpNEY Moore, 165 Avoca Street, Randwick. Hui, ArTHUR Francis Basset, R.A.O.U., Box 704, G.P.O., Sydney. Hut, Wir1i1am GeEorGE, “ Currawinga,’”’ 15 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. ‘ JAQuEs, ALFRED EpMuND, 12 O’Connell Street, Sydney. Jay, FREDERICK WiLt1Am, “ The Trossachs,”’ Whati Road, Clifton Gardens. JEWELL, C. K., 29 Shadforth Street, Mosman. JOHNSTON, STEPHEN Jason, B.A., D.Sc, Professor of Zoology, Biology Department, University of Sydney. a KATER, Hon. H. E., Headingley, Wellington Street, Woollahra. Kater, Mrs. H. E., Headingley, Wellington Street, Woollahra. Kkitcour, CHARLES, Union Club, Bligh Street, Sydney. knG, KEtso, Union Club, Bligh Street, Sydney; 120 Pitt Street, Sydney. LE QueEsne, Mrs. W. J., ‘ Waipa,”’ St. Elmo Street, Mosman, Le Souer, A. SHERBOURNE, C.M.Z.S., Taronga Park, Mosman. LEPLASTRIER, ARTHUR, Union Street, Mosman. *LEVIEN, ROBERT HENRY, 64 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. LINGEN, JOHN TAyLor, K.C., 167 Phillip Street, Sydney. LittLEyoun, Dr. E. S., ‘‘ Noranside,’’ Malvern Hill, Croydon. * Wife Member. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 145 ORDINARY MEMBERS—continued Lioyp, BENJAMIN R., Street, Mosman. Loupon, Miss EpitH Mary; Grandview Road, Pymble. Louis, M., 663 George Street, Sydney. “ Peradeniya,’ Queen “ Dahinda,” Matrarp, HENRI, 14 Belmont Road, Mosman MANCE, FREDERICK STAPLETON, ‘“ Glenden,” 20 Bellevue Street, North Sydney. MARKS, FREDERICK WILLIAM, 26 Hunter Street, Sydney. *Mitts, JonN YELVERTON, Grosvenor Road, Lindfield. *MINELL, Mrs. Dorotuy Epswortn, Belltrees, Scone. MircHeEtL, HERBERT A., Commonwealth Naval Dockyard, Cockatoo Island. MONTEFIORE, CHARLES MonTreE, c/o Ocean Acci- dent Insurance Corporation, 22 Moore Street, Sydney. Morse, FREDERIC CHARLES, Coocalla, Garah, NISSEN ie McCuttocu, ALLAN RIVERSTONE, Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney. McDonatp, HERBERT LESLIE, 26 Hunter Street, Sydney. Macponatp, Matcorm Francis, Charting Branch, Mines Department, Sydney. McEacuran, J. F., M.R.C.V.S., Meat and Abattoirs Board, Richmond Terrace. McHutcuison, SAMUEL, “ Simrae,’’ Ruby Street, Mosman. McKenzig, H., Timber Merchant, Glebe Island. McKeown, H. W., “ Shalmar,’’ 30 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. MAGaErOD, ja A, BeR:G.o., © Cumbrae,? Mosman. Macrean, R. J., “ Kinver,”” 7 Ruby Street, Mosman. *NasH, ALBERT E., Chester Street, Woollahra. Noyes, Epwarp, 115 Clarence Street, Sydney. Oom, GustaF PETTER Lupwic AuGustT, “ Olstorp,”’ Lane Cove Road, Chatswood. PALMER, FREDERICK J., Cross Street, Mosman. PERIER, A. J., 386 George Street, Sydney. *PHILLIPS, ALBERT EDWARD, 7 Wynyard Lane, Prke, E. D., Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. PirMan, CouLtson SpuRWAy, “ Minora,”’ 12 Thompson Street, Mosman. Pratt, F. W., “ Clarmarea,”’ 5 St. Elmo Street, Mosman. PRIDHAM, CHARLES PRIDEAUX, 19 Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. Prior, S. H., “Dundoo,’” Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. PRITCHARD, NORMAN, 7 Ruby Street, Mosman. Rar, HERBERT E., De Mestre Place, off 308 George Street, Sydney. *RALSTON, ALEXANDER GERARD, K.C., Wigram Chambers, 167 Phillip Street, Sydney. Rainbow, WILLIAM JosEPH, F.L.S., F.E.S., Australian Museum, College Street, Sydney. ReEAp, Dr. CLARENCE, Chatswood. RipLey, WiitiAm, ‘ Balgownie,’’ Middle Head Road, Mosman. ROGERS, HORACE OswaLp, “ Marbethong,” 8 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. Rose, CHARLES D., ‘‘ Windeyknowe,”’ Mosman. RoTHE, WALDEMAR H., “ Harll,’”’ Ocean Street, Woollahra. *Sanps, Ropert, “ Kamilaroi,”’ Carrington Road, Waverley. ScHARFF, Max, Box 216, G.P.O., Sydney. SCHNEIDER, R., Prince Albert Street, Mosman. ScHOLES, Justice, District Court, Sydney. SHARPE, WILLIAM LINSLEY, 46 Carrington Street, Sydney. SHEFFER, S. F., “ Wapello,” Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. SHrPWAyY, WILLIAM CHARLES, “ Cabramatta,” 32 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman, and 113 Pitt Street, Sydney. Surress, DAvip WILLIAM CAMPBELL, c/o Burns, Philp & Co., Bridge Street, Sydney. Stmpson, THOMAS BoustEAp, Union Club, Sydney. SmitH, Ernest A., Macnamara & Smith, 15 Castlereagh Street, Sydney. *Spain, Col. ALFRED, V.D., 16 Spring Street, Sydney. SPRING, HENRY LANGDON, “ Wanstsie,”’ St. Elmo Street, Mosman. SPRING, ROBERT ALEXANDER, ‘“‘ Woodford,” St. Elmo Street, Mosman. Sydney. * Life Member, 146 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ORrINARY MEMBERS —continued STEAD, Davip G., General Manager, State Trawling Industry, Chief Secretary's Build- ing Sydney. STEPHEN, ARTHUR Manly. STEVENSON, Enwarp Henry, 88 Prince Albert Street, Mosman. STEWART, ROBERT, Tyrie Station, Dandeloo. SUMMERHAYES, THOMAS STANLEY, 17 Bradley's Head Road, Mosman. Symons, SYDNEY THOMAS DorpcE, M.R.C.V.S., Stock Office, Bridge Street, Sydney. WinBuRN, Joffre Flats. TARLETON, WILLIAM, Lombard Chambers, 107 Pitt Street, Sydney. TayLor, ApoLpuus J., Citizens’ Chambers, Moore Street, Sydney. : Tuomas, Joun, Chief Mining Surveyor, Mines Department, Sydney. TuHomson, ALEC, 46 Muston Street, Mosman. *Topp, RoBert Henry, B.A:, M.D., Ch.B., Northfield Chambers, 163 Phillip Street, Sydney. TILLYARD, RoBiIn Joun, M.A., D.Sc., ‘ Kur- anda,’ Hornsby. TrouTton, EpmMuND GARDINER. “‘Tremayne,” Carabella Street, Milson’s Point. ViINncENT, THomAs, Dunlop Station, Louth. Waker, Hon. JAMES Tuomas, Box 251, G.P.O., Sydney. WarREN, J. D., 56 Redan Street, Mosman. WaTERHOUSE, G. ATHOL, B.Sc., B.E., Bull's Chambers, 14 Moore Street, Sydney. WATERHOUSE, GUSTAVUS JOHN, Bull’s Chambers 14 Moore Street, Sydney. *WaTKINS, RicuarRD G., 107° Kent Street, Sydney. WasMAN, ALBERT ERNEST WRIGHT DE BERRI, “Mai Tai,’’ Murray Road, Beecroft. *WuiTtE, ALFRED Henry, Belltrees, Scone, N.S.W. *WuitE, HENRY LuKE, Belltrees, Scone, N.S.W. Witson, JAMES TuHomas, M.B., Ch.M., F.R.S., Professor of Anatomy, Medical School, University of Sydney. Witson, RICHARD SHERRATT, Town Hall, Sydney. Aa Witney, JOSEPH JouN, Coloniak Sugar Refining Co., O'Connell Street, Sydney. Wotrcarins, Mrs. E., 38 Prince Albert Street, _Mosman. : Woop, P. A., c/o Walker & Hall, Camden Building, George Street, Sydney. WRIGHT, WILLIAM Martin, “‘ Yosemite,” St. Elmo Street, Mosman. Wyper, WILLIAM WriGiut, 4 Muston Strect, Mosman. Zeck, Emit H., Government Printing Office Liverpoc] Street, Sydney, HONORARY MEMBERS. GALE, ALBERT, Sebastopol Street, Marrickville. GREEN, Captain CHARLES, Mount Stewart, Reid Street, Neutral Bay. Jounston, THomas Harvey, M.A., D.Sc., The University, Brisbane. LE Souer, E. A., Zoological Gardens, S. Perth. Le Souer, W. H. Ductey, C.M.Z.S. Zoological Gardens,Melbourne. MincuIn, A., Zoological Gardens, Adelaide. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. ASHBY, Epwin, Wittunga, Blackwood, South Australia. BaRKLEY, WILLIAM HENRY, Collector of Cus- toms, Sydney. Brownui1t, A. C., Forbes. Dopp, F. P., Kuranda, via Cairns, Queensland. GRIFFIN, FRANCIS WaRE, Department of Lands, Sydney. IKkemp, ARTHUR PERCY, Boonangni, Quirindi. Low, WirriaM, Cowal North, via Forbes. Low, Ropert D., Cowal North, via Forbes. NicuHo.tis, Dr. Brooke, Lister House, Collins Street, Melbourne. SEAWARD, WILLIAM TROTMAN, Miranee, Gundy, uta Scone. SmitH, JAMES MacCatium, M.IL..A., 166 Lincoln Street, Perth, W.A. WILson, SAMUEL, Lake Cowal, via Wyalong. * Life Member. NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS OF THE GENERA PHASCOGALE, SMINTHOPSIS, ACROBATES AND DROMICIA. By A. S. LE SOUEF, Secretary Taronga Zoological Park, and HARRY BURRELL. For some years past we have been endeavouring to procure and photograph living specimens of the smaller marsupials, and to learn something of their life history, as comparatively few have been studied in the live state. It has proved rather hard to procure the animals, since they are not recog- nised as being of any special interest by those who chance upon them, they being generally classed as rats or mice, and killed as vermin. Moreover the clearing and occupation of the country, and the introduced cat and the fox are threatening the extermination of some species. It would further appear that disease also has affected them, since the Native Cats, Dasyurus, and the Marsupial Rats, P/ascogale, seem to have practically Cisappeared over large areas of Eastern Australia about the same time as the Native Bears, Phascolarctus, were almost exterminated by what appeared to be an cye affection, after the drought of 1903. All these animals were extremely numerous twenty years ago, but diligent search now only proves their scarcity—at any rate in most parts of New South Wales. The Native Cat seems to be numerous only in the vicinity of Sydney, while the Native Bears, while still having stronghold in the Victorian National Park at Wilson Promontory, are elsewhere far from common. As different animals may have a predilection for particular trees, we suggest that the species of tree on which an arboreal animal occurs might be noted with advantage. Fig. ta. THE YELLOW-FOOTED PoUCcHED Mouse, Phascogale flavipes. (Figs. ta. 1b. and tc.) This species is fairly common in the County of Cumberland, around Sydney, and we have also received specimens from Robertson, Marsden, Widgiewa, and Koorawatha, in the south-west of the _State. During the breeding season, we have found specimens living in sandstone caves, where they make compact nests of eucalyptus leaves in the weather-worn holes common in these shelters. Ay 148 NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. interesting account of this species, its nest and breeding, has been contributed by Mr. E. R. Waite.t The animals are easy to trap, the white larva of a beetle forming an irresistible bait, and they live well in captivity, feeding on meat, insects and sugar; and they are especially fond of spongecake. Specimens examined by us exhibit considerable variation in both size and colour, though all are apparently referable to the one species. Two females from Robertson, New South Wales, measure 100 mm. without the tail, which is 85 mm. long; the fur is soft and fine, and the tail is thinly haired Fig. 1b. Fig. 1c.—Sandstone cave in which Phasogale flavipe makes its nest. 1. Waite, P.L.S., N.S.W., xxi., 1896, pp. 349-350. NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. 149 throughout; they are dark.mouse-grey above and greyish white below, with feet of the same colour asthe back. Two large males, from the National Park, near Sydney, have longer hair, and are darker in colour ; the head and body measure 120 mm. and the tail 93 mm. Specimens from west of the Blue Mountains are much lighter in colour, being fawn-grey on the upper parts and yellowish-white the proximal half on the under parts and feet; the line between the back and the belly is fulvous of the tail is the same colour as the back, but the distal half is black, with the hair increasing in length towards the tip, where it forms a slight crest. A male measures, head and body, 110 mm., tail 88 mm. THE Far-TAILED PoucHED Mouse, Sminthopsis crassicaudata. This pretty little animal is about the size of an ordinary house-mouse, but in appearance and movements has characteristics of its own. It frequently sits up on its hind legs, like a kangaroo, and, when running, progresses with a jumpy movement somewhat between a run and a hop. Speci- mens are found living on the ground, sheltering under logs, posts, heaps of grass, etc., where they make neat little circular nests, open on top, and about three inches in diameter. They seem to be only in evidence on the surface of the ground in winter, or more probably in the wet season, as a careful Fig. 2a. 150 NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. search in their haunts in dry weather, failed to locate any trace of them, other than their abandoned nests. We surmise that they go into deep cracks which open up in these western plains in the summer. In captivity, they are both insectivorous and carnivorous, and in summer the tail becomes thickened with accumulated fat. The general colour of the upper parts is fawn, while the under parts are white ; there is a rather indistinct dark mark round the eye, and a brown band on the outer side of the ear. A male specimen in Taronga Park measures 88 mm. without the tail, which is 51 mm. long. We have had this species from Widgiewa, Western New South Wales, and Mr. A. C. Bligh has reported it from Condamine Plains, Brookstead, Queensland. Fig. 2?.—Stump showing location of nest of Fig. 2c.—Nest of Pygmy Flying Opossum. Pygmy Flying Opossum. THE PyGmMy Fryinc Opossum, Acrobates pygmaeus. (Figs. 2a. 2b. and 2c. vg 8 This well-known little animal, the smallest and most delicate of our marsupials, is found in Eastern Australia. It seems to be fairly plentiful in timbered country, and we have located it in the heavy forests west of the Dorrigo. There we found its very compact nests formed of eucalyptus leaves, and placed in small holes in the trunks of the Giant White Gums, Eucalyptus vegnans. They were rounded in shape and open at the top, and several were located in excresences of these trees which are known as niggerheads. The first nest found was situated perhaps one hundred feet from the ground, and contained an adult pair, the female with young in the pouch, and two smaller speci- mens. Mr. S. A. Hanscome found a nest of Acyobates at Seaham in a small stump about a foot from the ground, and constructed of grass and leaves; and the photo which he kindly supplied, well (Waly tae) UP acral NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. 151 illustrates the locality and the nest itself. In captivity the Pygmy Flying Opossum will feed on sugar, but it very much prefers white ants, which together with the white exudate of certain insects, called manna, probably forms its food in the native state. The general colour of the upper parts is soft grey, and the under parts white; but skins from Queensland have a brownish or coppery wash over the grey. Although the tail is not prehensile, it is able to grip oa a smooth-surface by the transverse ridges on the under side, which faculty is probably more useful than prehensility would be on the smooth surface of the Eucalypts. Fig. 3. THE Picmy Opossum, Dromicia nana. (Figs. 3 and 4.) This little animal though common in Tasmania, has been rarely recognised in south-eastern Australia. Kreffit recorded two specimens from the vicinity of Sydney in 1863, but Thomas? states of these: ‘‘I have no doubt that both escaped from captivity, as the species haS never otherwise been recorded from the mainland.” We now find them to be numerous in some parts over a wide range. Our first specimen was found by Mrs. E. H. Kater at the Fitzroy Falls, near Moss Vale, in 1914, and many have since been secured for us by Mr. Brand and Mr. Lloyd Cooper from the vicinity of National Park, about 20 miles from Sydney, where the species is quite plentiful. It has also been noticed by the ranger at Kurnell Park, near La Perouse. Mr. Kershaw, Curator. of the National Museum, Melbourne, states that specimens are in the collection under his charge from Mordialloc, near Melbourne, Muckleford, near Castlemaine, and from Western Port. Mr. E. R. Waite records it from Jindabine, N.S.W. We have found the nests of this species in hollow limbs in three species of Eucalyptus trees, E. squamosa, E. pipereta, and E. haemastoma. They were made principally of Eucalyptus leaves, but were always lined with the leaves of the Christmas Bush, Cevatopetalum, which in some cases had evidently been brought from a considerable distance. All the Dromicia from South-eastern Australia we have handled have been small delicate animals when captured, but in captivity they have sometimes become very fat and altered in shape; the slender animal shown in Fig. 3 became in three months the stout individual on the left of Fig. 4. The specimens we have had from National Park show marked variation in colour and 2. Thomas, British Museum Cat. Marsupialia, 1888, p. 146. 152 NOTES ON SOME OF THE SMALLER MARSUPIALS. Fig. 4. form, and they vary a little in size, but they are consistently smaller than the Tasmanian specimens, from which they also differ in having less fawn in their colouration, and in having the under parts more distinctly white. We think that a more detailed comparison of series of specimens from both South-eastern Australia and Tasmania will prove the mainland form as distinct, as was con sidered by Krefft®, who named it D. unicolor. Pigmy Opossums are most defenceless little creatures, since they are not active ; when handled, they seldom attempt to bite, and only make a slight hiss to indicate their objection. In captivity they feed on fruit, nuts, and sugar, and in cold weather go into complete hibernation. Male specimens now alive in Taronga Park have the fur soft and somewhat woolly ; the upper parts are dull grey, with a slight fawn wash, and the under parts are dull white, the division of the two being indistinct. The form is stout, and the tail is thickened at the base. Another male from the same locality has the fur short and fine, not woolly ; the upper parts are dark-brownish-grey, and the under parts are white, with the division between them distinct ; the form is slender and light, and the tail is not thickened. The following are rough measurements of eight living specimens :— MALES. Head and body, 92 mm.; tail, 93 mm. iy is aS g0 mm. ; » 90 mm. » » va 85 Imm.; ,, 85 mm. 19 in as 7A, THT gs O4e DO oA ay a3 7O mm. ; , 80 mm. FEMALES. Head and body, 88 mm.; tail, 99 mm. ” ” a 85 mm.; ,, 90 mm. a Be AD Soummi;° 5, SO mam, 3. Krefft, Proc. Zool. Soc. Lond., 1863, p. 49. = + —— - a oy _ NOTES ON RECORDS OF TREE KANGAROOS IN QUEENSLAND. By T. HARVEY JOHNSTON, M.A., D.Sc., and C. D. GILLIES, M.Sc., University of Queensland, Brisbane. TurouGu the long isolation of the Australian or Notogacic zoo-geographical region, its marsupial fauna has undergone great specialisation, resulting in some strange adaptations. Prominent among these are the Tree-kangaroos of the genus Dendrolagus, which includes five species. Of these three are confined to New Guinea and two, D. lumholtzt, Collett, and D. bennettiants, De Vis, occur in Queensland. The first Queensland species to be actually described was D. /umholtzi, an account of which was given by Collett in 1884, based on material cclected near Herbert Vale, North Queensland, by Dr. Lumholtz. The latter gave an account of the habits of this interesting animal in a paper published soon after that by Collett. These have generally been regarded as being the ae notices of the presence of Tree-kangaroos in Australia. Quite recently, however, Mr. F. W. S. Cumbrae-Stewart, the Registrar of the University of Queensland and President of the Cee ee Historical Society, brought under our notice a much earlier reference to the animal in a report of the Hann Expedition to the York Peninsula in 1872. He has also been kind enough to collect further information from Dr. Thomas Tate, a surviving member of the party, and has placed at our disposal extracts which that gentleman made from his original diary. We take this oportunity of expressing our appreciation of the kindness of Mr. Cumbrae-Stewart. EXTRACT FROM QUEENSLAND VOTES AND PROCEEDINGS FOR 1873, RELATING TO Mr. Hann’s REPORT OF His EXPEDITION IN 1872. “ Saturday, 12th October, (1872).— . . . . . And here I may as well mention what Jerry told me about an animal found in these serie, as related to him by the Cardwell blacks. He says that it is a kangaroo or something like it, and climbs trees, and he was fortunate enough to see one on a day when we were camped among scrubs, in which he was hunting for the eggs of the scrub turkey. According to his statement, he at first took it for a‘ miall’ blackfellow, but found it to be an animal ; itran up a tree and disappeared. He hasnot seen monkeys, but says that it isnot a monkey, neither is it a bear; yet, like the first, it chatters, and, unlike the latter, it is very agile in its movements, as it climbs or swings itself among the branches when disappearing. I went the next day to the scrub with Dr. Tate and Jerry, thinking to see one, but was not fortunate enough in doing so; then Jerry took us to the very tree where he had seen the animal, on the bark of which were two deep scratches, but no other marks by which an animal could assist itself to climb; the marks were totally different from those of an opossum, which leaves marks as if made with a pin’s point, being very fine, and I question whether a bear leaves any marks ; those in question appeared to have been made with toes on the hind feet, but no animal could run up a smooth, straight surface with only its hind feet, without receiving assistance from the forearm, which in this case had left no marks; we saw similar marks on numerous trees, so I imagine the animal to be plentiful. To entertain the idea that any kangaroo known to us, or approaching its formation, could climb a tree, would be ridiculous; the animal was not formed for such work, but that there is an animal in these scrubs not known to us, I believe, because I have never found my blackboy to err in his statements or reports; and, moreover, he spoke to me about this animal many months previous, when going overland to Melbourne with sheep. Some 154 NOTES ON RECORDS OF TREE KANGAROOS IN QUEENSLAND: bones were picked up in a native camp near where Jerry had seen this ‘ bunyup,’ which were collected by Dr. Tate ; possibly these may throw some light on the mysterious animal found in these scrubs ; the bark bearing the two tce-marks was also secured, but this, I fear, will not assist the solution of the mystery very much.” EXTRACTS FROM A LETTER SENT TO MR. CUMBRAE-STEWART BY DR. TATE, NOW RESIDING AT PEAK VALE, NEAR CLERMONT, QUEENSLAND. “It will give me great pleasure to impart what information 1 possess regarding the bones of the Tree-kangaroo found by us at the head of the Bloomfield River. Eatract from my Diavy.—‘ Sept. 30th, 1872. Camp 53.—. . . . Jerry wandered into the bush near the camp, and soon returned with the news that he had come across a strange animal. His description was such that we could scarcely believe him. He said that it was as large as a wallaby, and moved with the same hopping motion of the hind legs. When he first saw it, it was on the ground, but it quickly took refuge in a tree, and thence passing to others was soon out of sight. Jerry is a native of Hinchinbrook Island, and he told us that he had often heard of it from the mainland blacks, who called it Brungari. * Oct. 30th.—Hann and I at daylight ascended the spur with Jerry where he had seen the strange animal. We were not so fortunate as to come across one, but the blackboy showed us the track-marks on several of the trees. We found an almost perfect skeleton, which I brought back to camp, though Hann demurred at my taking such rubbish. “They proved, on examination, to be not those of a wallaby, but to be the remains of an animal quite new to the whole party. The bones were packed as securely as possible, for I regarded them as of special value. Unfortunately, we soon got into a very tight corner, and were unable to advance much, sometimes not more than half a mile a day. The horses became very weak, so Hann had to sacrifice nearly the whole of Norman Taylor’s geological collection, much of the ammunition, etc., and the bones.” “It was not until many years had elapsed that I again came upon the animal. In 1894, when I was in Cardwell, the blacks brought in a live Brongarry and gave it to Senior Constable MacManus, who brought it to me to know what it was. We did all we could to keep it alive, but without success. The constable claimed the skin, but gave me the body. Subsequent examination of the bones led me to the conclusion that they were identical with those we had found on the Bloomfield.” An early reference to the presence of Tree-kangaroos in Queensland is found in the Proceedings of the Zoological Society of London for 1873, which reads as follows :— “A letter was read from Dr. G. Bennett referring to the supposed existence of a species of Tree- kangaroo (Dendrolagus) in Northern Queensland, some such animal being well known to the blacks of Cardwell. Carers In 1885, when commenting on the work of Lumholtz and Collett, Dr. Bennett remarked as follows :—‘* You may recollect that in the ‘ Proceedings’ for 1873 (p.518) I mentioned the supposed existence of a Tree-kangaroc (Dendvolagus) in Northern Queensland, some such animal being apparently well known to the blacks of Cardwell, who report that it is a Kangaroo that climbs trees and leaves deep scratches on the bark. I heard of such an animal from many other sources when in Queensland.” ; NOTES ON RECORDS OF TREE KANGAROOS IN QUEENSLAND. 155 Dendrolagus bennettianus was described by De Vis from the skin of an animal which was caught alive by a resident of the Daintree River. The author was very guarded in his account, and stated that ‘‘ Were I warranted in proposing a name for this supposed species, I would at once yield to a desire to identify it by association with that of one of our oldest and most respected Australian naturalists, Dr. G. Bennett, who has so often insisted on the probability of Dendrolagus being indigenous to Queensland. Should it prove that the skin before us really represents a distinct species, I trust that the name D. bennettianus be the one conferred on it.”’ In 1888, De Vis described another species as D. fulvus in a newspaper, ‘‘ The Brisbane Evening Observer,’’ which he regarded as being distinct, but which Thomas (1888) thought to be probably only a variety of D. lumholtzt. In 1894, Dudley Le Souef gave an account of a visit to the Bloomfield River District, and stated that on his return journey he brought back with him “ six Tree-climbing Kangaroos, Dendrolagus bennettianus. Two unfortunately died a few days after leaving. On arriving in Brisbane, Mr. De Vis informed me that the tree-climbing Kangaroos I had were not Dendyrolagus lumholtzt, but anew variety which he had described and named D. bennettianus, after the late Dr. Bennett.’ The two specimens which died were purchased by the Australian Museum, and the species was described more fully from them by Waite (1894), who also published an interesting account of the habits of the animal from information supplied to him by Messrs. G. and R. Hislop, of the Bloomfield River district. In 1909, Beddard stated :—‘ A recently described species [Proc. Zool. Soc. 1895, p. 131] has been attentively studied in its native haunts by Dr. Lumholtz.’’ The reference quoted is to a paper by Beddard himself *‘ On the Visceral Anatomy and Brain of Dendrolagus bennetti,” and it is obvious that his is a lapsus calami for D. bennettianus, because on p. 136 he says:—‘‘ There are altogether five species, the fifth, D. bennetti, having been lately described from specimens living in the Zoological Society's Gardens.” In this he makes no mention of Waite’s work on D. bennettianus (1894), giving the credit for the description of the species to Sclater (1895), who gave a figure and description of two specimens collected by Le Souef on his trip to North Queensland in 1893, and which were received by the London Zoological Society in exchange from the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society cf Victoria. Im any case the reference is misleading, because Lumholtz studied a different species, D. lumholtzt. We might observe that D. lumhotizi was originally collected on the Upper Herbert River, which is behind Cardwell, in the Rockingham Bay District. It was in this locality that Bennett asserted that a Tree-kangaroo existed. De Vis’ specimen came from the Daintree River, which lies to the north of Port Douglas. The Upper Bloomfield, where Hann and Tate made their discovery, is near Cape Tribulation, and is situated north of the Daintree, and a short distance south of Cooktown, consequently we may safely assume that these explorers were the first to make known the exist- ence of the Tree-kangaroo which was eventually described as Dendrolagus bennettianus, De Vis. BIBLIOGRAPHY. Beddard, F. E.—*‘ On the Visceral Anatomy and Brain of Dendrolagus,’”’ Proc. Zool. Soc. 1895, p. 131. Beddard, F. E.—‘‘ Mammalia,’ Cambridge Natural History, 1909, pp. 136-7. Bennett, G.—Proc. Zool. Soc. 1873, p. 518. Bennett, G.—Proc. Zool, Soc. 1885, pp. 64-5. 156 NOTES ON RECORDS OF TREE KANGAROOS IN QUEENSLAND. Collett, R.—‘‘ On some apparently new Marsupials from Queensland,” Proc. Zool. Soc. 1884, p. 381. — Collett, R.—Zool. Jahrb. ii., 1887, pp. 898-901. (Figs. of skulls of young and adult Dendyolagus — lumholtzt.) = De Vis, C. W.—‘‘ Notice of a Probable New Species of Dendrolagus,’’ Proc. Roy. Soc. Queensland. iii., 1886, p. 11. = De Vis, C. W.—‘ Brisbane Evening Observer,” 1888, re Dendrolagus fulvus, n. sp. al e Le Soeuf, Dudley.—‘‘ A Trip to North Queensland,”’ Victorian Naturalist, xi., 1894, No. I, Pp. 3. Lumholtz, C.— Notes upon some Mammals recently discovered in Queensland,” Proc. Zool. Soc. — 1884, p. 406. Sclater, P. Proc. Zool. Soc., 1894, p. 693. Thomas, O.—Cat. Marsup. and Monot. Brit. Mus. 1888. Waite, E. R.—Observations on “‘ Dendyolagus bennettianus, De Vis,’’ Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S.W., ix 1894, Pp. 571. [ RESCUE OPERATIONS ON THE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER. By H. K. ANDERSON, Inland Fisheries Officer. (By permission of the Under-Secretary.) Communicated by A. R. McCulloch. WHENEVER a flood occurs in the Murrumbidgee River and the waters approach what is known as the critical danger level, practically all the outer channels of the river are filled with water. These channels, variously called creeks, lagoons, billabongs, and ana-branches, traverse the low-lying river flats in all directions, the network of water-courses extending in some localities on one or other side to a width of several miles from the river bank. When the flood recedes, much of the water left in the creeks soaks away, leaving chains of water holes of varying depth. Some of these are almost perma- nent, but the majority dry up within a couple of months after the flood has ceased flowing through them. All these waterholes teem with fish life, but the number of fishes, shrimps, yabbies and insect life they contain can hardly be realised, except by those who have seen a fine-mesh net drawn through such waters and observed for themselves the incredible number of living creatures they contain. Should a flood as described above occur in the months of November and December, during, or just after, the general spawning season of the Murray Cod, Golden Perch and other food fishes, the helpless fry of these kinds are carried along by the waters and scattered broadcast over the river flats. If the waters recede quickly and cease to flow through the outer channels by the middle of January, countless numbers of little Murray Cod, Golden Perch, etc., are trapped in the waterholes described above, and millions of them perish year after year as the waters evaporate or soak away from them. If, on the other hand, the flood waters continue to flow through the creeks and billabongs until the middle of February, or a second flood follows within that time, most of the fry of the edible fishes have by then grown strong enough, and developed sufficiently the instinct of self-preservation to swim out of the shallow creeks into the permanent water of the deep lagoons or the river itself. I is, however, only at very wide intervals that the fish are released in this manner. In the Riverina the winter rains of 1917 continued well into November, and, as a consequence, the Murrumbidgee River at Bringagee was running far over the level of its banks from the middle of September until about the middle of December, while its waters were frequently replenished by freshets from the mountains towards its source. The collection of immature food fishes from overflowed lands and their transplantation in perma- nent waters is probably the most economical method of providing unstocked or depleted waters with a prospective fish food supply, and funds being available for this work, I pitched my camp on the bank of the Murrumbidgee at Bringagee, in which locality the river banks are low, and the area covered by flood water on either side is considerable. Our equipment comprised a motor lorry, single-seated runabout car, two 18-foot pulling boats fitted with outboard engines, horse and sulky, three nets 3” mesh, with a very deep bunt or bag heavily leaded and a frame on four legs, like an ambulance stretcher, with canvas water bag 4 feet by 2 feet by 1 foot deep for carrying live fish in the lorry or boats, two large galvanized wire gauze cages, 6 feet by 3 feet by 2 feet deep for storing the captured fish in the river, and a number of live-fish carriers for carrying consignments by rail. The staff consisted of five men, two boys and myself, 158 RESCUE OPERATIONS ON THE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER. Whenever practicable, travelling was done by water for the reason that the roads were frequently made impassable for the motors by rain. The boats, one loaded with men and the other with nets and gear, were driven as close as possible, and the paraphernalia then carried across to the lagoon or water- hole about to be worked. Most of these waters contain more or less fallen timber, which must, of course be removed before a net can be drawn through. In many cases this can be performed with the aid of rubber high boots without getting wet, but it is frequently necessary to get right into the water and attach a hauling line to the logs which can then, as a rule, be easily removed. Many of the waterholes to be netted are less than 20 feet wide and perhape 18 to 24 inches deep, and it is from such places that the most valuable hauls of fry of edible fishes are obtained. Light poles, about 5 feet long, are attached to each end of the net in order to keep the wings well spread. The ends of the net are now carried round the edge of the water as far as they will reach, then the end poles are carried along perpendicularly with the bottom dragging in the mud close to the edge of the water. This gives the net a full spread and no fish are able to double back. Mean- while the sticks, leaves and rubbish are cleared away at the further end of the waterhole to make a convenient landing place, and the net is slowly drawn right through and up the bank until the end of the bunt is clear of the water. The canvas stretcher has been conveniently placed and filled with water in readiness to receive the fish. Each man is provided with a vessel of some description full of water, in which he collects all the edible fishes within his reach. The fish are then rinsed in a small dip net and transferred to the stretcher. This precaution is necessary, as the net frequently comes out full of silt and mud. From some small waterholes more than 1,000 Murray Cod and Golden Perch, up to about 3 inches in length are collected, also a number of Macquarie Perch, Blackfish, Catfish, with an occasional Silver Perch and some adults of each species. The first haul of the net usually collects most of the miniature fishes—Gudgeons of several kinds, Pigmy Perch, Midget Perch, Smelts, Atherines, Hardyheads, Galaxias, etc. The second haul usually brings forth Murray Cod and Golden Perch, Shrimps, Yabbies, Insect larva, River Blackfish, Purple-striped Gudgeon, and Carp, and, as a rule, is the most productive of edible fishes, for by this time the water is more or less discoloured and the depressions in the bottem of the pond are somewhat levelled off by the weight of the net and its contents passing over them. The little Murray Cod and Golden Perch take advantage of every scrap of shelter. They hide under sticks, leaves, pieces of bark, in depressions made by the hoofs of stock, under roots, ete., and it is practically impossible to net them all out of a pond. The accompanying photographs (Figs. 1 and 2) illustrate a typical waterhole which has been reduced by drought from a depth of nearly 5 feet to 12 inches of water. No. 1—About to be netted, and No. 2—The result of the first haul of the net. This waterhole was perhaps 60 feet long and 20 feet wide with about 12 inches of water over 18 inches of soft silt in the deeper portion, and proved to be literally teeming with life. Before operations could be commenced a great heap of drift timber was taken out of it. The first haul of the net brought out an almost incredible number of living creatures. Upwards of 1,000 fish of edible kinds were counted from the net, and several hundred common Carp were thrown out on the bank. The whole contents of the net were then carefully lifted into a stretcher containing water, carried across to the Murrumbidgee River and liberated there. The whole catch would have easily filled 10 kerosene buckets, and two trips had to be made with the stretcher to convey all the fish to the river. It will be readily understood that only a small percentage of the edible fish brought up in such a haul of the net could be collected for transplantation. The greatest expedition must be used in getting RESCUE OPERATIONS ON THE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER. 160 RESCUE OPERATIONS ON THE MURRUMBIDGEE RIVER. them into water again, otherwise the mortality would be very heavy. Each haul was therefore roughly picked over for about five minutes, and the remaining contents of the net, edible and inedible jana 7 together, carried away quickly to permanent water. The approximate number of edible fishes rescued as above and transplanted in Burrinjuck Reservoir, in May and June, 1918, was 30,000 small fry, also 1,685 mature fishes, viz., Murray Cod, Golden, Silver and Macquarie Perch, River Blackfish and Catfish, and the approximate number d of fishes of the same species rescued and released in permanent waters was 46,000 immature and about 2,000 fish over ro inches in length, also many hundreds of thousands of the miniature kinds described _ above. NOTES ON THE KELP SHELL, CANTHARIDUS IRISODONTES. By ERNEST MAWLE (Communicated by Charles Hedley, F.L.S.) A Shell Necklace. As mementoes of their visit to Tasmania tourists often purchase at Hobart necklaces of sea shells— dainty, glittering trinkets of rainbow colours. The beauty of these shells attracted the admiration of even the aboriginals, and a portrait of a native girl, wearing a necklace of them, has been left by Peron. The savages are said to have brightened their shells by burying them with seaweed. Probably an acid produced by the decaying plants dissolved away the exterior of the shell and exposed the brilliant under surface. These shells have been popularly called “‘ Kelp Shells,” because they inhabit the fronds of sea weed. There are two kinds, a larger shell, Canthavidus eximius, which was used by jewellers as a knob for ladies’ hat pins, and a smaller one, C. wisodontes, the necklace shell, properly so called. C. eximius prefers the giant kelp, Macrocystis, but C. ivisodontes usually avoids that plant and chooses rather to dwell on the various smaller algae, such as Sargasso and Eklonia. It ranges from low water down to five fathoms, but is most plentiful at a depth of eight or ten feet. But a large variety of C. trisodontes has taken to living on the giant kelp. It is distinguished from C. eximius, whose home it shares, by being only half as large and by being smooth instead of spirally grooved. Cantharidus eximius. Cantharidus ivisodontes. The shells of C. ivisodontes are gathered for the market about March, when they are in the best condition. A pole, ten to fourteen feet long, armed with a knife, or with two prongs arranged like a Canterbury hoe, is used to tear up the weed. The bunches thus pulled up are lifted into the boat and sharply shaken over a sheet spread across the bows. The shells drop off the weed onto the sheet, and are afterwards thrown into a basin of fresh water to kill and wash them. An active collector can obtain nine quarts of shells a day. The price paid for them varies from 2s. 6d. to 4s. a quart, according to their size and lustre. Parrot fish search the sea weed and eat immense quantities of C. tyisodontes. In January and February, when they are most abundant. the stomach of every parrot fish is full of their broken shells. 162 NOTES ON THE KELP SHELL, Cantharidus irisodontes. The span of life of C. ivisodontes appears to be about a year. Young shells first become visible on the weed in January ot February, but these have obviously been hatched several weeks previously. Some localities are more forward than others. In March they are half grown, reaching a length of 4 mm. and numbering six whorls. By the end of April in Port Arthur the shell has attained its full size, 11 mm., and has altered considerably in contour, the base having become narrower in proportion to the length. By July and August the shell has been eroded or defaced by various incrustations ; the earlier whorls, from which the animal has withdrawn, have also decayed and crumbled away. The old shells disappear about October. The shells vary greatly in different localities. In some parts of Port Arthur they are solid, yet in other beds scarcely a mile distant, they are so thin as to be not worth picking. Most of those from Fortescue Bay are too thin to be used. Recherche Bay produces a long, narrow and unusually heavy shell, which commands a high price. Shells of the finest lustre come from Black Jack, in the north of the Tasman Peninsula. Shells are cleaned of animal matter by macerating them in water and allowing flies to work on the decaying mass. If insufficiently cleaned, a black speck appears at the tip. The first process in the manufacture of the necklaces is to grade the shells into sizes. The outer coat of the shell resists the penetration of dye. It may be removed by the agency of lime or of acid. In the first case, chloride of lime is moistened with water till reduced to a thin paste. In this the shells are mixed, the mass is well stirred and left to soak for several hours. The shells are then removed, washed clean, and the under surface is found to be exposed in a glossy condition. When acid is employed, that material is economised, and the lustre of the shell improved, by using it hot. To one gallon of boiling water three ounces of muriatic acid are added. The shells are enclosed in a net bag, dipped and well shaken in the solution. Lest the acid should eat too deeply, the bag should be withdrawn from time to time and the contents examined. When the etching of the acid has gone far enough, the bag full of shells is transferred to another vessel and thoroughly washed in soap and water. This water must be tepid, for cold water would injure the nacre by cracking it. The shells are then strung. They are sold in their natural colour, or their appearance may be varied by staining with aniline dyes of assorted shades. The dye is applied hot and in a net bag. A standard necklace is thirty-six inches long, with an average of eight shells to the inch, and a weight of two ounces. When composed of the small shells, known to the trade as “ gems,” a neck- lace may be as light as half-an-ounce. These Hobart necklaces not only supply the Australasian market, but are exported abroad. I ULV AL AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vot. I. PLATE XIII. Eucyclodes metaspila, WALKER. NOTES ON THE LIFE-HISTORY OF AN EMERALD MOTH, ZUCYCLODES METASPILA, Walker. By E. H. ZECK. (Plate XIII.) TuE curiously-shaped larva, illustrated on the accompanying plate, fell from a bush of Angophora ’ cordifolia which was shaken over an open umbrella at Como, New South Wales, in January, 1918. As it lay perfectly motionless where it fell, it closely resembled a broken or partially-eaten fragment of the young foliage. Its light reddish colour, combined with the lighter dorsal markings, harmonised se well with that of the young leaves of its food-plant that it could only be detected with difficulty when replaced upon them. This specimen was kept alive in captivity with some branches of the Angophora, and bred out, while the accompanying drawings of it were prepared as it passed through its various stages. It was about full-grown when first secured, and commenced to spin a cocoon three days after its capture ; it pupated two days later, and finally emerged as an adult moth after a further space of nineteen days. For the identification of the moth I am indebted to Mr. George Lyell. Family GEOMETRID. Subfamily GEOMETRIN2. ~EUCYCLODES METASPILA, Walker. Description of the larva, three days before pupation. (PI. XIII., figs. 1, 2.). Light reddish brown in colour. The dorsal surface with three lighter, longitudinal markings, which become gradually less distinct anteriorly and posteriorly. Two narrow darker lines extend along the length of the median longitudinal band. Upper surface darker than that of the under, and with two lighter longitudinal bands of colour, which gradually become less distinct towards the extremities of the body. The entire larva has a shagreened or granular appearance, with here and there small protuberances. The spiracles have the appearance of small black rings, and are situated as follows: Dorsally and near the posterior lateral margins of the first thoracic segment ; ventrally and near the anterior lateral margins of the first abdominal segment ; dorsally and near the anterior end of the second, third, fourth and fifth abdominal segments; sub-dorsally and near the lateral margins of the sixth, seventh and eighth abdominal segments. Head small and rounded. All the segments, excepting the sixth, seventh and eighth abdominal ones, are almost flat dorsally, being but slightly raised in the centre, and at the lateral edges; these segments are rounded in the centre ventrally, but slope sharply away to the lateral edges, which are quite thin. Each thoracic segment bears a pair of small legs ventrally. The sixth and seventh abdominal segments are much smaller than the others, and are not flattened dorsally. The sixth abdominal bears a pair of pro-legs. The eighth segment bears a pair of claspers. Above these the dorsal surface is produced backward into a fleshy tubercle, which divides at its extremity, the two ends diverging laterally. - Dimensions of the full-grown lavva—Length, from the head to the anal claspers, 29 mm. ; width across the second abdominal segment, at the widest part, 7} mm. ;. at the intersection of the second and, third abdominal segments, 3} mm. 164 NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF AN EMERALD MOTH. On the 29th January, three days after its capture, the larva commenced to spin a loose cocoon amongst the topmost shoots of the young foliage. This cocoon (Pl. XIII., fig. 3) consisted of small pieces of leaf held together by coarse silken strands. After finishing the cocoon, it remained in the larval form for two days before pupating. The pupa attached itself by means of small hooks on the anal segment to a small wad of silk, at the base of the cocoon, and remained in an upright position, the anterior end being uppermost. The pupa (Pl. XIII., figs. 4, 5) is similar in colour to the larva, but has three narrow, darker coloured broken bands along the dorsal surface, instead of three lighter ones as in the larva. The whole of the pupal shell has the same granular appearance as in the larval form. There are a number of small black spots scattered about it, more particularly on the slightly raised wing venation and along the sides of the antenne. At the end of the posterior segment are a number of small hooks which are attached te the wad of silk upon which the pupa stands whilst in the cocoon. Length of the pupa, 16 mm., width 44 mm. ‘ Imago (Pl. XIII., fig. 6).—Upper surface of the moth green in colour. Costal margin of the fore- wings and the fringes of scales around the outer margins of both wings light reddish brown. The costal margin of each fore-wing has small, lighter, transverse markings. The outer edge of the integu- ment of each wing is marked with a more distinct whitish colour, which broadens out at the termination of each vein. Fore wings with two narrow, yellowish, wavy, transverse markings. Hind wing with only one wavy marking, continuing in line with the outer transverse marking on the fore wing. Scattered about the upper surface of both wings are a number of small and somewhat indistinct, yellowish markings. Beneath: wings white, tinged with green. Antenne and palpilight red. Eyes black. Upper surface of the thorax with a light reddish marking in the centre. Anterior end of the abdomen with small light reddish spots in centre of each segment, above which change into white at the posterior end and become broader backwards, so that the last two segments of the abdomen are completely white. Beneath the abdomen is silvery white. Pro-thoracic legs pink, the under surfaces of the femur and tibia white. Meso- and meta-thoracic legs white. The reddish and brown colouration of portions of the adult moth are similar to those present in the larval and pupal stages. The moth emerged on February 19th, nineteen days after pupation. Its width across the ex- panded wings is 35.5 mm., and the length from the head to the tip of the abdomen, 14 mm. The following notes on the rearing of another specimen of this species, were very kindly given me by Mr. C. H. Wickham, of Leura, New South Wales, who has had considerable appearance in the rear- ing and breeding of Australian moths. “A larva, 10 mm. in length, was taken at Newport, on 20th May, feeding on the young leaves of the Red Gum, Eucalyptus. When fully grown it was 29 mm. in length and 3 mm. in width at the intersection of the segments. The colour was at first dark brown, but it changed in June and again in July and August, becoming much redder, with light coloured lines along the dorsal and spiracular surfaces. It changed colour again in September to a buff shade dorsally, and became much darker ventrally. The head was very small and brown. The thoracic legs and one pair of pro-legs were brown. The first to the fifth abdominal segments were expanded outwards dorsally, to points, which gave the larva a dead fern leaf appearance. The projections on the third segment were broadest, and the others decreased anteriorly and posteriorly. On the dorsal surface of the eighth segment was a small, fleshy tubercle, inclined towards the anal end, and on the segments and tubercle were small floury-looking lumps. This larva fed in an exposed position during the day. It pupated in a fairly loose web, with leafy fragments around the cocoon on the surface of the ground, on September 17th. The pupa was 15 mm. in length and 4 mm. in width. The head and thorax were covered with a whitish powder, and the colour was brown with one dorsal and two sub-dorsal darker lines. It had a blunt spine, with side flukes at the anal end. nee from egg on or about Ist May. The adult moth emerged on the 31st October,” NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF AN EMERALD MOTH. 165 Mr. Wickham also states in his notes that ‘‘ the larva changed colour at different stages,’’ and that although he has watched very closely, he has never seen a true Geometrid cast a skin, but has often seen them change to a distinct colour. ‘“‘ The larva does not vomit, and is very difficult to find, except when shaken from bushes.” It will be noticed that in the pupa bred by me (Figs. 4, 5), the tip of the abdomen is only a flattened segment, at the end of which are a number of small curved hooks. Although when viewed from the side it has the appearance of a spine, it does not possess the side flukes which Mr. Wickham mentions as being present in his specimen. Mr. Geo. Lyell informs me that “‘ the male is rather smaller than the female here figured, and has obscure white dots on both wings, with only the faintest traces of the reddish margins and spots.’’ He also states: ‘‘ The strange form of the larva is not a surprise, for three at least of these ‘ Emeralds’ have still stranger forms. Both FE. meandvavia and E. boisduvalavia, which are southern species, have wide flanges to many of the segments; they both feed on the Melaleuca. Beating the boughs above an upturned umbrella is the likeliest way of coming across the larva, and the probability is they are night feeders. As far as I know they all go into the earth to pupate here in Victoria ; but in the warmer climate of New South Wales more of them may pupate above ground. There are probably nearly a hundred species of these ‘ Emeralds’ described from Australia, and many of them are taken around Sydney.” EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIII. Eucyclodes metaspila, Waller. Fig. 1.—Dorsal view of a full-grown larva 29 mm. long. Fig. 2.—The larva in a characteristic resting attitude. Fig. 3.—The loose cocoon in a young shoot of Angophora cordifolia. Natural size. Fig. 4.—Dorsal view of the pupa. Fig. 5——Lateral view of the pupa. Fig. 6.—The adult moth. (Female.) The small figures in each case represent the actual size of the specimens. The figures of the larva and pupa were drawn from the living specimens. STUDIES IN PHLEBOTOMIC DIPTERA, No. 1. NEW SPECIES OF SIMULIDE AND CHIRONOMID. By FRANK H. TAYLOR, F.E:S. (from the Australian Institute of Tropical Medicine, Townsville.) (Figs. 1—3.) Tne sand-flies have, in the case of the Simulide, been greatly neglected in Australia. There have been described, so far, only two species, S. furtosum, Skuse, and S. victort#, Rouband. I am now enabled to add another species, thanks to the courtesy of Dr. T. L. Bancroft, who kindly presented a series of dried specimens and also some preserved in alcohol to the Institute. The Chironomid are somewhat better represented, as seventy-six species, distributed in seventeen genera, have been described to date, mainly by Skuse in 1889. Two new species are described in this paper—one of which was taken by Dr. J. H. L. Cumpston, Director of Quarantine, and kindly presented to the Institute by him. The other was taken by my colleague, Dr. W. J. Young. The type specimens are contained in the Institute collection. Fig. I Fig. 2 Fig. 3 168 STUDIES IN PHLEBOTOMIC DIPTERA, NO. I. Family SIMULID/:. SIMULIUM BANCROFTI, sp. n. (Figs. 1 and 2.) 9. Head black with grey tomentum ; front with a well-defined median groove ; palpi black with black and pale pubescence, first joint pale, apex of second narrower than base, third strongly emarginate on the inner side towards the apex, fourth long, thin, cylindrical; antennz nine-jointed, first two brownish, first shorter than second, latter about the length of the third, third to the apex black, third broadest and about twice the length of fourth; proboscis black, apex with short, stout pubescence ; eyes coppery. Thorax: Black, tomentum grey, pubescence pale; pleure black with grey tomentum. Abdomen ; First segment deep black, two to six deep black with median apical ash-grey spots, small on the second and increasing in size to the sixth, which is ash-coloured, except for a narrow basal and lateral margin of deep black, seventh ash-grey, with a narrow lateral deep black border, - eighth ash coloured, third to fifth also with apices of sides ash-coloured, pubescence black, pale on the pale areas; venter grey with grey pubescence. WHalteres pale creamy. Legs: Dark yellowish-brown, tibia dark brown above, anterior tarsi black, except base of first yellowish-brown, mid and posterior tarsi yellowish-brown, second to fourth with their apices dusky, first posterior tarsi dusky beneath ; pubescence pale; apex of tibia with a stout spine; apex of first posterior tarsi produced into a terminal expansion overlapping the second tarsals beneath. Wings : Clear, pale yellowish at the roots; costa auxiliary and first long veins paler than roots, lemaining veins almost indistinguishable from wing membrane. Length, 2mm.; length of wing, 2 mm. Hab.—Q.: Eidsvold (Dr. T. L. Bancroft). The wings, legs and abdominal ornamentations render this species abundantly distinct from S. furiosum, Skuse, and S. victorigé, Rouband. It resembles S. joly7, Rouband, from New Hebrides, in having an apical terminal expansion on the first posterior tarsi. It affords me much pleasure to dedicate this species to its discoverer. SIMULIUM FURIOSUM, Skuse. Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, xiii., p. 1365, 1888 (1889), pl. xxx., fig. 1. A specimen, on a card, presented to the Institute by Dr. Ferguson, may possibly be this species, . but it is in a very poor state of preservation and is more or less covered with gum, which has obscured details, thus rendering its determination indefinite. Hab.—N,S.W.: Narromine (Dr. Ferguson), STUDIES IN PHLEBOTOMIC DIPTERA, NO. I. 169 Family CHIRONOMID<4E. CULICOIDES TOWNSVILLENSIS, sp. n. (Fig. 3.) 2 Head: Black, with golden pubescence ; antenne blackish-brown, apex of last joint nipple-like, pubescence dark ; palpi dark brown, pubescence pale, first two segments longer than third and fourth together, second segment strongly emarginate on its inner edges, first segment with a distinct notch on the outer edge of the basal third ; eyes black. Thorax : Dull black, with fairly dense lemon coloured pubescence, scutellum similar; pleure black. Halteres with orange coloured knobs. Abdomen: Black, with dark brown pubescence; venter brown. Legs : Femora brown, tibiz and tarsi yellowish-brown, pubescence pale, fairly long on the femora, mid tibiz about two and a half times the length of first tarsi, posterior tibia about twice the length of first tarsi. Wings : Longer than abdomen, clear, covered with brown pubescence ; costa, first and second longitudinal veins brown, the latter reaching the costa considerably in front of the base of the fifth longitudinal fork. Length, 1 mm. (vix); length of wing, 1 mm, Hab.—Q. : Townsville (Dr. W. J. Young). Described from five specimens taken during the morning while biting. It appears to be most nearly related to C. méinusculus (Skuse), but is readily distinguished on venational characters alone. CULICOIDES MULTIMACULATUS, sp. n. 2 Head: Black, pubescence pale; antenne with scape, black, prominent, pedical yellowish, longer than following joint and about twice as wide, next seven joints pale yellowish-brown, remainder brown, the apical longest, stout, and ending in a blunt point; proboscis and palpi dark-brown, the latter with the second joint swollen, pubescence black. Thorax : Black, with brown tomentum, sides with grey tomentum not reaching the shoulders, with a brown spot superimposed in front of the wing roots and two large grey ones in the centre of the thorax ; pubescence pale; scutellum black. Abdomen: Black, with faint grey tomentum, pubescence pale, scanty. Legs: Brown, femora and tibia with a subapical pale ring, pubescence black ; fore tibize about once and a half the length of the first tarsals. Wings : Brown, longer than thorax and abdomen, with fourteen clear spots, the largest situated behind the apex of the first long vein; veins brown; first and second long veins reaching the costa considerably in front of the base of the fifth longitudinal fork ; pubescence black, fairly dense, 170 > . STUDIES IN PHLEBOTOMIC “DIPTERA, Na. T Bio Length, 1.5 mm. (vix); length of wing, 1.75 mm. ~ Hab.—Victoria : Portsea (Dr. li H. L. Cumpston). — ao — This species is more nearly related to C. maymoratus (@inse) than to C. rateciuse two known southern forms with spotted wings. It may, however, be distinguished | more numerous and irregular in size while they appear to be more TpeUlae in size in | C. molestus. It also differs in thoracic ornamentation. a EXPLANATION OF FIGURES. eae a Fig. 1.—Simulium bancrofti, sp. n., head. pap Fig. 2.—Simulium bancrofti, ‘sp. n., posterior leg. Fig. 3.—Culicoides townsvillensis, sp. n. aS ae ; Pirate XIV. AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST, Vot. I. Myxobolus hyl@, sp. nov. A PARASITE, 1/YXOSOLUS HYLAE Sp. Nov.. OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP FROG, AYLA AUREA. By T. HARVEY JOHNSTON, M.A., D.Sc., and M. J. BANCROFT., B.Sc., Walter and Eliza Hall Fellow in Biology, University, Brisbane. (Plate XIV.; text figs. 1-5.) A NUMBER of Golden Swamp Frogs, Hyla aurea, which were received from Sydney during 1915 for dissection purposes in this laboratory, were found to have their genitalia infested by a species of Myxobolus. This material forms the subject matter of the following paper, though in addition to some preparations made at that time, we have also others made many years previously in Sydney. The first to record the occurrence of this parasite was A. W. Fletcher, who presented a paper to the first meeting of the Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science in 1888, an abstract of which was published in its Report. Fletcher used the wide term “ myxosporidium,” but his de- scriptions leave no doubt that he was dealing with the same organism as we are discussing. The parasite was observed in a considerable proportion of the male frogs dissected in the Biological Laboratory of the University of Sydney, and was observed in one species only, Hyla aurea. It was said to have been found also in the urinary bladder under the peritoneum of both males and females, as well as in the testes. Fletcher aptly described the appearance of the infected part as presenting “a large oolitic mass of encysted myxosporidia,’’ and he gave a short account of the spores which he described as closely resembling those of a species occurring encysted on the gills of cyprinoid fish. Several intermediate stages in the development of the spore were observed. The myxosporidium which Professor W. A. Haswell (1890, p. 661) mentioned as being common in Hyla aurea is obviously the same parasite. The only other records of this protozoon were made by one of us (T. H. J., 1909) who referred to Myxobolus sp., a sporozoon infesting and destroying the genital organs of Hyla aurea in Sydney, and by Cleland and Johnston (1910) in their paper on the “ Haematozoa of Australian Batrachians,’’ where mention was made of its occurrence in that frog in the Sydney district. H. awrea does not occur in south-eastern Queensland, but is extremely common in the neighbourhood of Sydney. The parasite is an interesting one, being the first member of the family Myxobolidz to be recorde from an amphibian host. Representatives of each of the other families of Myxosporidia. are knowd as parasites of Amphibia. In addition, a microsporidian, Plistophora danilewskyi, Pfeiffer, has been recorded from the foot-muscles of a European frog, Rana temporaria. We append a list of Myxn sporidia known to infest members of the class Amphibia. Labbé (1899, pp. 87-95) mentions :— q (1) Leptotheca ohlmacheri Gurley, as occurring in the kidney and ureters of Bufo lentiginosus Rana esculenta, and R. temporaria. (2) Cystodiscus immersus Lutz (=Sphaeromyxa immersa), in the gall bladder of Bufo marimus ~ and Leptodactylus ocellatus—both Brazilian batrachians. — ~I A PARASITE OF THE REPRODUCTIVF ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP FROG (3) Chloromyxum caudatum Thélohan, from the gallbladder of Molge cristata. Aurebach (1910, p. 44) refers to the same three species, but omits Rana esculenta as a host for L. ohlmachervi. He adds a fourth, namely :— Chloromyxum protet Joseph (1905, 1906), from the kidney of Proteus anguineus. Miiller, in 1895, referred to the presence of ‘“‘ Myxosporidia’’ in tumours in the skin of Rana temporaria (see Labbé, 1899, p. 113). : f Doflein (1911, pp. 871 and 875) merely mentioned the occurrence of members of Polysporea and, doubtfully, of the Disporea in Amphibia. Mode of Occurrence-—The infected frogs appear sickly and emaciated. In the male the testes and vasa efferentia are attacked, while in the female only the oviducts have been found to harbour the parasite. The disease is much more common among males. In a batch of about thirty H. aurea, every male frog (seven) and two females were parasitised (April, 1915). In cases of heavy infection the whole testis is swollen and studded thickly with white cysts, which may be imbedded in the tissue of the organ or may project freely into the ceelome. The largest cysts are 2-3 mm. in diameter, but all sizes, down to those of microscopic dimensions are to be found. Each cyst when crushed exudes a milky fluid, which proves on microscopic examination to be composed of myriads of tiny spores. Small cysts and loose spores may be found in the efferent ducts, but no spores have yet been detected by us in sections of the kidney tubules. Fletcher found the parasite also in the urinary bladder of both sexes. As no fresh material was available for the present work, and as only the genitalia of the diseased specimens were preserved, we are unable to confirm his observation. Fig. 1.—Transverse section of a heavily infested Fig. 2.—T-S. infected testis. testis. In one male specimen both testes and both kidneys were affected, and the upper parts of the ureters adjacent to the kidneys were swollen and milky in appearance. In another, in addition to the testes, the adjacent kidney and mesentery were attacked. In parasitised females, one or both oviducts were infested. The Spove.—The spore consists of an outer resistant shell or envelope, and an inner protoplasmic body. This envelope is bivalved, the two valves forming a slightly thickened rim where they meet. When lying on its flat surface the spore appears as an Oval or sometimes more or less egg-shaped bod y. A PARASITE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP FROG. 173 There is a considerable variation in size, but the average dimensions are: Breadth 8-10 u, thick- ness about 6“. Reduction in length is the commonest variation, some individuals being approxi- mately circular, with a diameter of 7-8 un. The thickness of the outer shell or envelope is about 1 xh. In some the envelope cell nuclei are visible at the posterior end of the spore. This perhaps represents a developmental stage. At the anterior end are two prominent pear-shaped polar capsules, the average dimensions of which are 4-5 « in length and 2 u in breadth. Each polar capsule contains a fine, spirally-wound polar filament, which is extruded on application of acids or alkalies, and which, when fully extended, measures 90-98 u in length. The posterior portion of the spore is occupied by the protoplasmic body—the future sporozoite or ameebula. Im the protoplasm there lies a relatively large iodinophilous vacuole, about 2 « in diameter. The nucleus is usually double; sometimes there are two distinct nuclei, while rarely only one is detected. Sections of the kidney, testis, and oviduct were cut, varying in thickness from 1 to 7 w. In regard to staining methods, Ehrlich’s and Delafield’s hamatoxylins gave the best all round results, both for sections and smears, the various nuclei showing up well in some preparations. With Giemsa, differen- tiation was not so good. Carbol fuchsin acted as a differential stain for the spore; by overstaining Fig. 3.—Spores of Myxobolus hyla. Fig. 4.—Abnormal spores. and then washing out excess stain in acid alcohol, the host tissue was very faintly tinted while the spores showed up as bright pink. By using borax carmine and thionin the host tissue was stained pink, the spores alone taking the blue dye. The vacuole, polar capsules and threads, as well as the envelope, showed up well on treatment with tincture of iodine. Both Haidenhain’s hematoxylin and picro- carmine gave unsatisfactory results. 174 A PARASITE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP. FROG. In a section of an infested testis a large portion of that organ may be seen to be occupied by cysts. Each cyst is surrounded by a narrow, lightly-staining ring—the ectoplasm. Immediately within this is a denser, more or less granular layer containing developing spores, while within this again the © cyst is closely packed with fully-developed spores. In the very small cysts few or no mature spores are distinguished. In sections stained with carbol fuchsin masses of spores may be noticed lying in the seminiferous tubules along with the sperms. : In a section of an infected oviduct, the cyst was observed to lie between the layers of the wall and to project into the lumen of the duct. It possessed the same structure as described above. Stages in Development.—Cells with a single nucleus were fairly common in smears made from a cyst, and perhaps represented the young pansporoblasts. Cells with 2, 4, 6 and 14 nuclei were seen, and were probably stages in the development of the spores within the pansporoblast. Other larger cells, with prominent irregular nuclei and smaller, more deeply-staining chromatia masses in the cytoplasm, were also met with. Fig. 5—Some developmental stages: a, amcebula ; ecn, envelope cell nucleus ; p c, developing polar capsule; fcc, polar capsule cell. Expervimental—tIn April, 1915, two infected testes were removed from a Golden Swamp Frog, Hyla aurea, and fed to two Green Tree Frogs, H. cerulea. After three weeks, one was killed, but an examination of it failed to reveal the presence of Myxobolus ; the other frog escaped. In November, 1915, cysts from a female H. aurea were fed to another H. cerulea. After four weeks the latter seemed sickly and was killed, but no myxosporidia were detected within it. The parasite is apparently specific in its associations, since it has not been observed in any frog other than H. aurea. Both H. aurea and H. cerulea occur around Sydney; the former abounds in swamps, and is much more common than its larger tree-climbing relative. It has already been pointed out by Cleland and Johnston that the latter harbours a blood parasite, Lankesterella hyle, which has never been detected in the Golden Swamp: Frog. LITERATURE REFERRED TO. 1910. Auerbach, M.—Die Cnidosporidien. IgI0. Cleland, J. B., and Johnston, T. H.—The Hematozoa of Australian Batrachians. Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W. xliv., 1910, pp. 252-261. - 1911. Doflein, F—Lehrbuch der Protozoenkunde. 1888. Fletcher, A. W.—On a Myxosporidium Infesting Australian Frogs. Rep. Austr. Assoc. Ady. Science, i., 1888, p. 337. A PARASITE OF THE REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF THE GOLDEN SWAMP FROG. 175 1890. Haswell, W. A.—A Remarkable Flat Worm in the Golden Frog. Proc. Linn. Sce. N.S.W., v., 1890, pp. 661-6. 1909. Johnston, T. H.—(Exhibit of Myxobolus), Proc. Roy. Soc. N.S.W., xliii., 1909, p. xxix. 1910. Johnston, T. H., and Cleland, J. B. (See Cleland and Johnston.) 1905. Joseph, H.—Chloromyxum™ protet, n. sp., Zool. Anz. xxix, 1905, p. 450. 1906. Joseph, H.—Chloromyxum protet, nu. sp., ein in Niere des Grottenolms parasitierendes Myxo- sporidium. Arch. f. Protistenkunde, vili., 1906, pp. 398-412. 1899. Labbé, A.—Das Tierreich-Sporozoa. 1889. Lutz, A.—Uber ein Myxosporidium aus der Gallenblase brasilianischer Batrachier. Centr. Bakt. Parasitk., v., 1889, pp. 84-88. EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIV. A and B.—T:S infected testes x 30. In A the sporozoon cysts are situated towards the inner border of the gland, some actually projecting into an efferent duct. C.—Portion of section figured in B, showing two cysts with abundant spores, also numerous clusters of spores in the ducts of the testis. x 68 D.—Portion of the large cyst shown in B. Edge of cyst showing (a) mature spores, (b) granular zone, containing developing spores, (c) narrow ectoplasmic zone, (d) tissue of testis. X 200. E.—Part of oblique section of oviduct. Lettering as in D; also (e) layer of large cells belonging to oviduct, (f) epithelium, and (g) lumen of duct. x 400. eo ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. (Edited by A. F. BASSET HULL.) POWER OF FLIGHT OF THE BLACK-THROATED GREBE.—Much uncertainty appears to exist as to whether the Black-throated Grebe (Podiceps novae-hollandi@) is able to fly. Recently I had the gratification of actually witnessing the fight of this species. Across the lagoon that runs past the town of Forbes, N.S.W., a footbridge is built. A group of Grebe, traversing the lagoon, rose with a rapid, though laboured flight, when they came to the bridge, reached an altitude of about fifteen feet, and settled again a few yards beyond the bridge—the total distance flown could not have been more than thirty yards.—E. A. BRoWNHILL, Forbes. {All three species of Grebe are capable of long*and sustained flight. Like the Musk and Blue- billed Ducks, however, they do not exert themselves unnecessarily.—Ep. ] NeEstinG Hasits or ARTAMUS.—Whilst spending a holiday on the Monaro highlands, during the month of February, 1918, I was struck with the difference in the nesting habits of the Wood Swallow ((Artamus sordidus) in that district, as compared with the Forbes district. In the latter, during the spring months, both A. sordidus and the White-browed Wood Swallow (4. superciliosus) nest in prodigious numbers, placing their nests in any position, no matter how exposed. Not so in the Monaro country. In every case I observed the nest was placed in a hollow spout at some height from the ground, and always facing north. Doubtless this position was chosen as a protection against the frequent cold, bleak, southerly winds so prevalent in the district—E,. A. BRownuiL1, Forbes. Late NESTING OF THE WHITE-PLUMED HoNEYEATER.—On May 17th, on the banks of the Lachlan River, I discovered a nest of the White-plumed Honeyeater (Ptilotis penicillata), and natu- rally thought it was an old structure. On investigation, I found that it contained four fully-fledged young birds. This is surely a remarkable instance of late nesting ?—E. A. BROWNHILL, Forbes. [Many of the Honeyeaters, and notably the Bearded and Fulvous-fronted (Melioynis novae-hol- landig and Glyciphila fulvifrons) breed just when it suits them. I have observed fresh eggs in the nests of both the last-named species near Sydney in ten out of the twelve months of the year.—ED.] PELICANS AT LAKE CowaL.—The frequently-asked question, ““ Where does the pelican build its nest,” was answered in the summer of 1916-17, when a breeding colony was formed at Lake Cowal, evoking considerable interest in the minds of bird lovers from near and far. The oldest residents in the Lake Cowal district had not known the pelicans to nest on this lake before. The breeding colony was established on two earth banks surrounded by the lake water, and about sixty chains from the edge. These banks were thrown up when a stock tank was made in the dry bed of the lake. As it partially filled, the banks appeared as two small islands, each approximately sixty feet square. Upon yisiting this breeding colony,I found seyenty young pelicans in various stages of growth, from the 178 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES, chicken just out of the egg to the almost fully-feathered young bird. Several of the latter swam away with the old birds. When disturbed, the young pelicans huddled together in a restless, swaying mass, ejecting from their long bills scores of young fish, chiefly carp. During the year 1917 Lake Cowal waters rose higher, and submerged the breeding place, though by that time the young birds were all sufficiently grown to be safe on the water. The old pelicans established another colony on two other banks in October, 1917, and some eggs were laid, but the lake waters still rising, submerged this breeding place before the eggs were hatched. The old birds then made use of still another couple of tank embankments, about two miles distant, where they built fully seventy nests and reared many young birds. Some of the nests at this spot were washed away by the waves when strong winds prevailed. Rounding up young Pelicans. The nests generally were poorly constructed, mainly from lack of suitable material ; usually only a few small sticks were arranged round the eggs laid on the ground. There were some few nests nicely lined with dead leaves and rushes. On this last-mentioned nesting place the eggs were hatched after 12th January, 1918. The birds at this particular colony got very quiet, and would allow parties ot sightseers on horseback within thirty yards before leaving their nests. Only two eggs were laid in each of about one hundred nests that came under observation. Two nests contained three eggs each. In For Taronga Park. ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 179 some spots the nests were so close together as to touch each other. Two graziers, who were accustomed to counting large numbers of sheep, counted the pelicans on the lake near the nesting colony ; one made the number 604 and the other 596. Some of the birds would fly towards and soar over the heads of any pedestrians or riders coming within sight of their breeding ground. One day, while watching the old birds on their nests after some had flown away, I saw one pelican deliberately toss two eggs into the water. It seemed to me at the time that these two eggs were from its neighbour's nest. Some of them certainly robbed their neighbours’ nests of sticks to build up their own, when the more timid birds had flown away. Some- times there was quite a clashing of long beaks in fight, the nests being so close together. A young cormorant, disturbed from its nest, tried to land on the pelican ground, but, after many ferocious thrusts from the old pelicans, it was glad to take to the water again. I discovered that it was possible to drive and muster the young pelicans on the water, and one day five men on horseback surrounded the young pelicans, drove them nearly two miles on the water, guided over thirty of them on to the land, and through a gate into a rabbit netting fence. Some of the largest of the young birds flew away when nearing the land, but sixteen were captured and sent to Taronga Park.—WILLIAM Low, Cowal North, N.S.W. Macpies KILLING Quair.—Recently while strolling through some paddocks we flushed several quail. One flew straight ahead and dropped near two magpies (Gymnorhina tibicen), one of which attacked the quail, which we rescued, finding it quite disabled, one wing being broken and a deep wound made in its head.—Tuos. Cuas. BuRNELI, Wollun, N.S.W. Wire NEsts FoR Macpies.—The magpies here frequently use tie-wire in the construction of their nests. They find scraps of the material along the fences, where it is used for fastening the rabbit- netting to the wires. Last season—in September, 1917—we had a very heavy fall of snow; large branches were broken from the trees all over the bush, and many unfortunate bird families lost their nests and their lives. Every magpie’s nest discovered by my grandsons was composed, more or less, of wire. One piece—No. 16 gauge—was over 5 feet long. I should think that it required the united efforts of two magpies to coil it. Some of the nests contained shorter pieces of heavier wire, in some instances telephone wire, No. 12 ; but they must surely have found it already sufficiently bent for their purposes.—TuHos. CHAs. BURNELL, Wollun, N.S.W. THE SaGacity OF BroopinG Brrps.—My first experience occurred while collecting at Brook- lana, the Hoop-pine Park of Don Dorrigo plateau, on gth January, 1914. Winding my way along the serpentine banks of the Bo Bo River, a most retired locality adjoining the Never Never, I observed a peculiar-sheped nest, suspended by shreds of dried moss to a single thorny arched spray of Lawyer vine. It was somewhat different in shape te the nests of a species of Gerygone, which hung rather plentifully in the vicinity, and appeared not unlike a semi-compressed Ocarina, with a bearded appendage below ; the entrance spout, however, was placed at right angles to the vertical structure, and therefore com- pletely hid the interior. The birds were invisible, so I ventured to insert my finger through the aperture. The moment I did so the young birds within began to chirp ; then, like a flash, two small birds dashed from cover, flew past my face and disappeared in the dense scrub beyond. With the hope of securing a photograph of the unique nest, and possibly the parents at the entrance, I decided to mark the position and blaze my way out of the tangle. On my return with the camera about two hours later, I found that the bottom of the nest had been broken through, and the young birds were gone. I came to the conclusion that the parent birds had deliberately destroyed the nest during my absence, for the bearded portion appeared to be stretched and dishevelled as if it had been used as a ladder for descent to the ground ; possibly the young birds could perform this feat unaided by their parents. L80 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. At Caermarthen, Upper Manilla, on 16th February, 1918, I found a nest of Grallina picata containing young birds, attached to alower drooping bough of an apple tree (Angophova) overhanging a creek. After photographing the male bird on the nest, I came closer, and fixed the camera within eight feet of the nest. Box brush was used to conceal the tripod, and a few branchlets suspended from the focussing hood partly masked the camera. These birds being very shy, I retired a few paces until they became accustomed to this strange device, but they did not venture near until three Laughing Jackasses (Dacelo gigas) flew into the tree. These birds were partly domesticated, and would take food readily from one’s hand. Probably they were attracted by the alarm call of the Grallinas, and took advantage of my presence, which they apparently appreciated. Presently the Grallinas plucked up sufficient courage to fly to the tree also, each bird keeping one Jackass at bay, thus leaving an opening for the third bird to dart down and secure a chick, which he eventually did without hesitating The Grallina's Nest. on the nest. This unexpected performance brought me into action at once, and my impulsive shout only scared the remaining birds from the tree. Knowing these particular Jackasses so well, I stood exposed at the camera, fully expecting them to return and secure the remaining chick, which I could distinctly see silently swaying its head about with its beak agape the while. Dr. Brooke Nicholls arrived on the scene, and I got him to arrange a few leafy twigs about my head and shoulders, and then manceuvre round the tree to prevent the Grallinas from approaching the nest whiie the Jackass performed his act unmolested, but in spite of all, the Grallinas held their own, and kept the marauders on the move. Our patience was tested for another resultless hour, and eventually the sound of a cow-bell attracted the Jackasses to lunch at the homestead. During their absence I kept to mv post until the Grallinas returned to the tree. The male bird flew over the nest with food, but was too shy to alight and feed the young one. The female, always on the alert to give the alarm, remained on the topmost twig preening her plumes. After lunch, my cousin joined me, and we sat together beneath the apple tree and chatted for about twenty minutes, my cousin facing the nest, which was in a direct line and scarcely fifteen feet away. I watched a clump of gums opposite for the return of the Jack- asses, glancing occasionally at the nest and camera to make sure that all went well. This was the only period during the test that my eyes were not permanently kept on the nest. Now, if a Jackass, Oe ae oe Ll ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. 18] with his heavy flight and oceasional chuckle when landing, could blunder into the boughs above our heads, dart to the nest before our eyes, and fly off again without being detected, it would certainly be remarkable. A Jackass called across the creek; the Grallinas returned to safeguard their nest, while t went to the camera. Dr. Nicholls selected a shaded nook about two hundred yards away, with his binoculars trained upon the scene, prepared to signal the moment to make an exposure. Presently a plunge was made at the nest from above and behind my head, I made an exposure, but to my great surprise recorded the male Grallina, and not the Jackass, extracting the chick from the nest. Though 7 ¥ The male Grallina taking chick from nest. bewildered momentarily, I noticed that the Grallina actually dipped into the nest and out again without a noticeable pause ; in fact, Dr. Nicholls, looking through his glasses, declared it to bea fly past, but the photograph confirmed my observations. The Jackass was still perched on the limb above my head, glancing down into the nest. I changed the exposed plate and waited anxiously for a considerable time, but the bird eventually departed. JI then decided to finish for the day by photographing the young bird in the nest. I had previously arranged to have some old cases carted in readiness for this purpose, so I placed two boxes one above the other in a suitable position, then mounted to the top, but on peeping into the nest, I was surprised to find it tenantless. I now feel positive from my observations that the young Grallina was taken by the male parent, and 1 am sure that the Jackass was equally mystified as to who took it HARRY BURRELL, Kensington. 182 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. NESTING OF PAINTED SNIPE.—On October 13th, 1917, I was in search of Snipe (Gallinago australis) about eight miles from my home, in a swamp formed and fed by artesian water, being the terminus of a bore drain from a bore 20 miles east. Here I accidentally discovered the nest of a Painted Snipe (Rhynchaea australis) with a full clutch of four slightly incubated eggs. On the following Saturday, in the same swamp I found four young Painted Snipe nearly able to fly. This was evidence enough that the first nest was not a solitary example, but subsequent searches revealed nothing more for 1917. On 19th August, 1918, I visited the swamp again for the sole purpose of finding out more of the breeding and nesting habits of the Painted Snipe. I was fortunate enough this time to find four nests with full clutches (four eggs), one of which was just on hatching, two others about half incubated, and one fresh. On August 24th I searched the swamp carefully and found four more nests—two full clutches (fresh) one with two eggs (cold), one nest deserted with one egg. On September 7th I made another search, with a companion, and found one nest containing a full clutch of fresh eggs. Three other nests were found, in which the eggs had been broken. One set of three had large holes made in the side, and the contents extracted, the shell being otherwise un- damaged, and one egg in another nest was in the same condition. The swamp covers an area of about 20 acres, over most of which the water is only a few inches deep, and the grass is not more than a foot in height. The favoured spots for the nests are where the water lies in basins, and in these basins are scattered mounds of earth, the tops of which are a few inches above water level, not over one foot in diameter, and roundish in shape. On the outside edge a ring of soft grass grows, and in the centre, well concealed, the eggs are laid. Incomplete sets or fresh eggs were practically lying in a slight depression on bare mud, but as incubation increased the nests also increased, till in the one with eggs just on the point of hatching there was quite a substantial padding of soft grass collected from the surrounding grassy sides. The nests averaged 54 inches in diameter. In most cases I flushed both birds from the vicinity of the nest, and when they rose they did not drop again till they were 100 to 200 yards away. Altogether I counted 14 birds on one day ; there may have been a few more. This is an unusually large number to find in one swamp. In November or December one can often flush five or six birds close to the same spot, but these are invariably the old pair with the season’s young. I don’t know of any part of central or north-west New South Wales where these beautiful birds are numerous, and the unfortunate thing is that when the Jack Snipe (Gallinago australis) comes in (about August) the Painted Snipe is nesting, both birds frequenting the same locality, and the latter falls to the gun of the sportsman, who, in nine cases out of ten, makes no distinction. In this way many breeding birds are killed each year. : On 21st September, 1918, I again visited the swamp, but could not fiush a single bird; they had all gone. This may be accounted for by the fact that after the birds started nesting here there was a good fresh down the river, to the nearest point of which it would only be about three miles. Thousands of acres of good snipe lands were flooded, and the birds have probably gone to fresh pasturage. Besides Painted Snipe, I one day counted 30 Jack Snipe and saw many other waders, Spurwing Plover, White-necked Stilt, Red-kneed Dotterel (nesting), Black-fronted Dotterel, Sharp-tailed Stint, many Little Crake, and one Greenshank.—F. C. Morse, Coocalla, Garah, N.S.W. {In the debate in the Legislative Assembly on the Birds and Animals Protection Bill, the member for Hawkesbury (Mr. Walker) moved that “‘ every species of snipe’’ be added to the schedule of un- protected birds. He said: Snipe do not breed here, but migrate from Japan and the Islands, as do also Gillbirds. If these birds are included in the schedule, we shall be able to shoot them.” Mr. Walker’s statement was accurate only as regards the “‘ Jack Snipe’’ (Gallinago australis) —Eb.] ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. {83 Nest of Red-kneed Dotterel. Nest of Painted Snipe. 184 ORNITHOLOGICAL NOTES. NUTMEG PIGEON BREEDING In Captiviry.—Mr. H. W. Stein, one ot the keepers at Taronga Zoological Park, has gained the confidence of a Nutmeg Fruit Pigeon, a female under his care having become so trustful that she will readily fiy to his finger and take food from his hand. On 11th December, 1917, she began to collect material for nesting, and endeavoured to build a nest in an almost impossible position until Mr. Stein induced her to occupy a site selected by him. He placed a few eucalyptus twigs in the bark of a stunted shrub growing in the aviary, and the bird immediately took charge, but deliberately threw the twigs to the ground, repeating the performance as fast as the twigs Nutmeg Pigeon on Mr. Stein’s hand. were replaced. Finally a few dead leaves secured from a Grass-tree were placed in position for her. This pliable material evidently satisfied her requirements, for as soon as the platform was erected, she took possession of the structure, and, assisted Mr. Stein to build the nest, taking the grass a blade at the time from his hand and arranging it to her liking. On 13th December she laid one egg, and the process of incubating began at once. The young bird was hatched out on 5th January, 1918, and left the nest (fully fledged) on January 23rd. During this period of 42 days, the mother was hand fed, and was never once observed to leave the nest. The male bird, though always on the alert, was never seen to take part in the proceedings, nor did he at any time appear to object to Mr. Stein’s presence.—HArry BuRRErL, La Mascotte, Doncaster Avenue, Kensington. THE FLIGHT OF A FALCON, By THOMAS P. AUSTIN. In writing this article ] might state that most of my observations have beer in connection with Plack- cheeked Falcons (Falco melanogenys) and to this species I will mostly refer. Bold, fearless birds of magnificent flight, with wonderful powers of endurance on the wing, descending with dreadful rapidity upon their prey. Their true home is the precipitous, rocky cliffs of the coast and adjacent islands, also similar situations inland, but they are also sparingly dispersed throughout the woodlands of the whole continent. It is a glorious sight watching them sailing at a tremendous rate along the cliffs, where they appear to be in their element. They usually dip downwards some little distance before settling, then gracefully glide upwards just before they alight. To what height Falcons can fly we do not know, for no systematic attempt has been made to collect data. One observer, taking a look at the sun through a telescope, saw birds pass at what must have been a height of several miles, and these birds are said to have been kites in quest of prey. It is safe to assume that the Falconide fly higher than any other group ; their mode of life demands it. There is something noble in the appear- ance of a Falcon, which is missing in most of the larger Accipitres, in spite of the fact that the eagle is chosen as a national emblem in both the old world and the new. It is probable the wonderful power of vision possessed by the birds of this group is the finest in the world. The first thing which strikes one upon picking up a shot Black-cheeked Falcon is the great weight for the size of the bird ; yet they are quite capable of carrying off birds slightly exceeding their own weight. Although the Goshawks are dashing birds after their prey (usually only the weaker species), they differ greatly from the Falcons in having slinking habits, waiting hidden in dense retreats to suddenly pounce upon their quarry, whereas the Falcons expose themselves in many ways. The Goshawk seldom openly shows itself if it can help it. Nor does the Goshawk strike a terrific blow, but merely seizes with its claws, and death would result from a nip with the bill. With the falcon this is unnecessary, the victim being usually killed by the terrible shock from the striking power of the claws. It would be somewhat difficult to compare the relative power of the Black-cheeked Falcon with that of the Wedge-tailed Eagle, but I feel convinced that a Falcon in relation to its size is a much more powerful bird, and is admirably adapted to its mode of life. There can be no doubt that a Black-cheeked Falcon is quite capable of killing a Wedge-tailed Eagle by a blow on the head, but it would be extremely unlikely to attack such a formidable opponent, for seldom, if ever, do birds of prey attack a dangerous antagonist ; if they did, such a life and death combat in the air would be worth a long journey to witness. I also think it is highly improbable that a large Falcon will attack another Falcon of a smaller species. There is a saying that “ hawks do not peck out hawks’ eyes”; but the Saker Falcon will attack its kind. Trained in Palestine, chiefly for the pursuit of Gazelles, it was also flown at Kites, and the fol- lowing description by an eye-witness of a contest of the latter description is illuminating :—‘ The Saker, after going a considerable distance from its quarry (a Kite), and thereby acquiring what he wanted—superior height—resumed the chase, returning downwards like a thunderbolt on the Kite. Blow after blow was struck, and the helpless Kite, with his merciless enemy, descended, clutched fast together, their wings expanded, in wheeling circles to the earth, where the Kite, already half dead, was soon dispatched.’’ Falconry is now out of fashion ; it is no longer a popular pastime to train birds to kill other birds. I have read statements of Falcons carrying away birds more than twice their own weight. Gould refers to a statement of Gilbert: ‘‘ that he has seen a Black-cheeked Falcon carry off a Hard-head Duck (A ythia australis), a species at least as heavy again as itself.” Now, if that Falcon were a female, I very much doubt if the duck even exceeded its weight. How many people are there who have ever taken the trouble to weigh a Black-cheeked Falcon ?» I have weighed several females (strange to say I never shot a male), and found the average weight to be 2 Ibs. 3 ozs. I have often seen female Black-cheeked Falcons strike pigeons to the ground, but I have never been an eye-witness to one being taken on the wing and carried away without touching the ground, and when carrying the pigeon off after gathering it from the ground, the Falcons often appear to have some difficulty in doing so. My pigeons are all homers, so are large birds, but I can quite believe a Falcon is capable of seizing one on the wing and carrying it away, and that it would have no difficulty whatever in doing so with the smaller common sorts of pigeons. The sound of a Falcon striking a pigeon is somewhat startling, and it always reminds me of a dog jumping through 186 THE FLIGHT OF A FALCON, a hoop over which paper has been pasted. I have spent so many years in the country, also near the sea coast, and in what I might call close touch with these birds, owing to having kept pigeons, which attract the Falcons, I have had exceptional opportunities of observing them in their natural habitat, and feel that my opinion will carry some weight with those competent to judge. I should like to state that I express such opinion, not out of wanton love of contradiction, but to tell the truth, and thereby remove flagrantly erroneous conceptions from the minds of those interested in such a subject. Some little time ago I read an article on this same subject,* in which the writer stated that a Black-cheeked Falcon had no chance with a pigeon. I cannot imagine on what basis the author made such a state- ment. My considerable experience of these birds has taught me the contrary, and may prove inter- esting. On numerous occasions I have witnessed Falcons after my Homing Pigeons. On March 18th, 1915, I had a perfect view of such a contest, under circumstances which enabled me to take measure- ments in all respects, excepting the height the Falcon attained after each charge, and I could only make a guess at this in comparison with the height of a box tree, which was eighty feet high, and in a direct line with the contest. I saw some of my Pigeons coming home, flying very low at a great speed. Knowing this to be the usually sure sign of the appearance of a Falcon, I stood and watched. Suddenly I saw a Black-cheeked Falcon make a charge at a Pigeon, just as it came beneath the above- mentioned tree. It missed its prey, and with an almost instantaneous, graceful curve, swooped up vertically at a tremendous rate, as if shot out of a gun, to a height which I judged to be about 250 feet ; then turning suddenly with half-closed wings, the neck was drawn in, the feathers compressed, and with wings almost closed, it descended with a lightning-like swoop, only to miss again. This it did three times — while the Pigeon was travelling 125 yards, the measured distance from the box tree to a willow tree, where the Pigeon escaped. Therefore, if my judgment of the height the Falcon attained after each charge was about correct, the Falcon travelled 525 yards while the Pigeon was going 125 yards, and LMA de dididlddddidddddsildiséiliiitésésia assuming that the Pigeon took five seconds to cover the distance, it would be travelling at the rate of 51 miles per hour, so the Falcon must have been doing about 214 miles per hour. In assuming that the Pigeon was travelling at the rate of 51 miles per hour, I would not be at all overestimating its rate of speed. These birds, in trials over long distances, in some cases over hundreds of miles, have been * Australasian, 25th May, 1918. THE FLIGHT OF A FALCON. 187 known to travel at an average rate of 45 miles per hour, and in judging that velocity the time is taken from the moment the bird is liberated until actually caught in its loft for identification. Then, it must be remembered, in these trials there is a lot of lost time, for instance, when the bird is liberated, it flies round for some little time taking its bearings before striking out for home ; then, after arriving, there is often some delay before the Pigeon enters its loft. The accompanying sketch of the contest might be of interest. The firm line represents the flight of the Pigeon, and the dotted line the flight of the Falcon. The skin of this Falcon can be seen at the Melbourne Museum in the collection presented by Mr. H. L. White, of Belltrees, Scone, New South Wales. Very many other similar instances have come under my notice, but I feel sure that the one cited will serve to explode the ridiculous theory mentioned above. The sam2author again referring to the above subject, states: “ [ have sometimes seen Black-cheeked Falcons hunting in pairs; but the only pigeons caught were young or sick birds. The only time I ever saw a strong bird caught was when the Falcon came on it unexpectedly.”’ This» opens up another point. Some writers state that they are of the opinion that when both Falcon and Pigeon are on the same horizontal plane, the Pigeon will beat the Falcon. I have frequently been an eye-witness to such contests, and the Falcon has won every time. Then the question would naturally arise, ‘* For how long can the Falcon keep up this terrific speed ?’’ That is a query which I am afraid must always remain unanswered, Then, again, other writers state that the Falcon is credited with flying when it is really falling, but surely we must give the Falcon credit for being able to fly quicker than it would fall. If the Falcon is descending at a greater rate of speed than it would fall, it must be flying. Young Golden Eagles in England were known to train themselves for flight by carrying up into the air rabbits or hares, dropping them, and recovering them long before they can reach the ground. Finally, I venture to say all my experiences tend to confirm me in the opinion that a Black-cheeked Falcon in pursuit of its prey, no matter at what angle, is the fastest living creature on wings in Australia. THE BIRDS AND ANIMALS PROTECTION ACT, 1918. Tuis Act has received the Royal Assent, but will not be brought into operation until a date to be fixed by proclamation of the Governor. As much depends upon the Regulations which the Act empowers the Governor to make, it may be some time before the proclamation is published, and in the meantime the Birds Protection Act, 19c1, and the Native Animals Protection Act, 1903, remain in force. With all their shortcomings, these Acts are useful, and active administration will do much to prepare the ground for the new measure. The principal features of the new Act are found in the provisions protecting all birds and animals, with the exception of a few scheduled species, and establishing “* districts ’’ or sanctuaries in which no birds or animals of any species may be killed or taken, except under license. The first district is defined, and includes practically the whole county of Cumberland. Other lands of the State may be declared by proclamation to be districts, and the maximum penalty for violation of any such sanctuary is a salutary one, viz., £20. Provision is also made for the issue of licenses to take or kill game birds or animals for sale, and limiting the number of any specified kind which may be taken in any given time. The only serious omissions are the absence of any provision for a gun tax and the appointment of paid rangers. With regard to the latter, the police are constituted rangers, ex officio, and honorary rangers may also be appointed. It1s doubtful whether the latter provision will be sufficient to strengthen the already overworked police force in carrying out the effective administration of the Act. The following are the schedules of unprotected birds and animals, but the Governor may by proclamation add other species to or remove any species from the schedules, either absolutely or for any specified district :— FIRST SCHEDULE, SECOND SCHEDULE. Common Name. Scientific Name. Common Name. Scientific Name, SS PALLOW Fein olelerwiertepecaterelelnie rare Passer domesticus. Lepus cuniculus. SUP IVE retefererevetsleteloteh veieiters Zosterops coerulescens. Lepus europeus. Black Cormorant or Shag..... Phalacrocorax carbo. Canis dingo. White-breasted Cormorant.... Phalacrocorax gouldt. TO Xcaferes -yefersieray sie lale eis iaterets -. Vulpes alopex. Pied Cormorant ........ . Phalazrocorax hypoleucus. Fruit Bat or Flying Fox... . Pteropus poliocephalus. Little Black Cormorant. . .. Phalacrocorax sulcirostris. Tager Cate ic.-:< tote ww clevetrey elec enya Dasvurus maculatus. Little Cormorant... 22)... =-:0- = Phalacrocorax melanoleucus. Native Catiy.ie. «ale cm s)e cessive eraereiete Dasyurus viverrinus. (Go) SRO OCAT OAD ONO ape cK oC Corvus coronotdes. Common Kangaroo Rat............ Potorus tridaciylus. TSENG San dacononcce ag: dade Corone australis. Brush-tailed Kangaroo Rat......... Bettongia penicillata. Friar-bird or Leatherhead,.... Tropidorhynchus corniculatus Gaimard’s Kangaroo Rat.......... Bettongia gaimardi, Yellow-throated Friar-bird.... Philemon citretgularts. Rufous Kangaroo Rat............. Aeprymnus rufescens. Garrulous Honey Eater or Hare Wrallabbyrs cielo nists cetetel iste ete Lagorchestes leporoides Miner or Soldier Bird..... Myzantha garrula. Nail-tailed Wallaby..............- Onychogale frenata. Sulphur-crested or White White-throated Wallaby........... Macropus parma, Cackatoosnmnsaiciien ie Cacatua galerita. Paddymelon............ .. Macropus thetidis. Rose-crested Cockatoo or Galah Cacatua roseicapilla Red-legged Wallaby... .. Macropus wilcoxt. IGE Retna Soden Aoide doko eek Platycercus elegans. Black-striped Wallaby............. Macropus dorsalis, Rose Hill or Rosella Parrot.... Platycercus eximius. SWiommD al Carr eetene ye teiie acetic ete /ataieisiete Phascolomys mitchelli, Blue-bellied Lorikeet or Blue Long-nosed Bandicoot............. Perameles nasuta. Mountain Parrot......... Trichoglossus nove-hollandieé Common Bandicoot............... Perameles obesula. Red-rumped Grass Parakeet .. Psephotus hematonotus, Rabbit Bandicoot................. Thylacomys lagotis. Wedge-tailed Eagle or Eagle LANDA oe ieiatajelns bie ser ete e) eis oly Uroetus audax. Every species of Snipe. Gill-bird, Starling. White-throated Falcon. The last four species named in the first schedule were added as amendments to the Bill in its form as introduced, hence the absence of scientific names, and the added disadvantage of uncertainty as to what is really meant by “‘ Every species of Snipe’ and the ‘‘ White-throated Falcon ’’—a vernacular name not found in any authoritative work on the birds of Australia, THE CROW FAMILY. By WALTER W. FROGGATT, F.L.S. (Government Entomologist). OF the fowls of the air and the birds of the earth the crows are credited with supernatural knowledge and cunning before all others. In both ancient and modern literature their habits are recorded, and in folklore, song and story they are renowned in many lands. Not, however, as birds to be loved or venerated, but rather to be feared and propitiated. Thus a writer giving an account of the survival of some of the old pagan customs in the north of Scotland says: “‘ At the annual rural sacrifice at Bel Tein, the villagers broke their votive cakes into nine pieces; and, after throwing some of them over their shoulders to the different evil spirits, they devoted the last three thus : ‘ I give to thee, O fox, spare thou my lambs ; this I give to thee, O hooded crow ; this to thee, O eagle.’”’ In ancient Egypt the crow was honoured as a bird of more than ordinary understanding. Anacreon says: “ Near Lake Myris there was a monument erected to a crow by King Marrhes, that was thus honoured for its intelligence. It was trained to carry his epistles with great expedition, and when he gave it orders, it immediately understood them, which way he desired its flight, through what country it should pass, and where it should stop.” Under the more ancient name of the raven, it figures in many places in the Bible. Noah sent one out of the ark to seek for dry land ; Elijah was fed by ravens; Solomon says that ravens were carrion feeders, and with the eagles devoured the bodies of the evil doers who were denied burial and were cast out in the valley outside the city walls. The Greeks and Romans looked upon crows as birds of illomen ; they were unlucky. Pliny says: “ These birds all of them keep much prattling, and are full ef chat, which most men take for an unlucky figure and presage of ill fortune, though some there be that think otherwise, ‘and highly esteem them.’ From this statement it is evident that then, as now, there were divided opinions on the crow question, and that this old world bird had some admirers among the Roman citizens, even if it sometimes looked for sick lambs on the hillsides beyond the gates of Rome. We have many instances in modern literature of pet crows or ravens. Dickens has immortalised Gyp, the Raven ; Poe, the mournful raven that perched upon the bust of Pallas; Charles Waterton, in his Natural History Essays, has given an entertaining account of his pet raven, Marco. The writer, before taking up the question of the Raven or Crow in Australia, proposes to give a brief account of the crow family as a whole. This includes the raven, carrion crow, hooded crow, rook, and jackdaw, a number of closely-allied birds, both in structure and habits, and which have been placed by most naturalists in the Family Corvide. Several of these birds have a wide range over the face of the earth, and can adapt themselves to all kinds of climate, from the borderlands of the Arctic regions to the arid plains of the desert. They may be gregarious where food is abundant, or solitary where rations are scarce; they may live far from the haunts of man, or become semi-domesti- cated. They may be hunters as savage as the hawks, feeders upon offal and carrion, or even fighters for scraps with the poultry, or disputing the ownership of the bones in the eastern cities with the street dogs. 190 THE CROW FAMILY All the true crows and ravens were originally placed in the Genus Corvus, which is thus defined : Birds with a stout compressed beak, straight at the base, arched at the point, and straight at the edges. The wings and tail long and graduated ; the feet powerful, with the metatarsus exceeding in length the middle toe. The sexes are similar in colour, usually black, but often more or less glossed with green or purple tints, the exceptions being the hooded crows and jackdaws. Six species are known in Great Britain and Europe, two of which have an extended range. THE COMMON OR CARRION CROW (Corvus corone). This is of a jet black colour, but smaller than the raven ; and is found in similar localities. As its name implies, it feeds upon all kinds of carrion, though, at the same time, it often kills small ground mammals. It is, however, specially disliked by the farmer and gamekeeper because of its partiality to birds’ eggs; and on account of the damage done to game preserves, the gamekeepers shoot them whenever they can catch them. Buckland specially mentions this crow as one of the birds nailed up against the wall, as a warning against other evildoers, in the Gamekeepers’ Museum. Bingley, writing of them in England in 1813, says: “‘ They feed upon putrid flesh of all sorts, as well as worms, insects, and various kinds of grain. Like the ravens, they will sometimes peck out the eyes of young lambs just dropped. They also do much mischief in rabbit warrens by killing and devouring young rabbits ; while chickens and young ducks do not always escape their attacks.” In the reign of Henry VIII., crows increased in such numbers in England, and became such a pest to the farmers, that an Act of Parliament was passed ordering their destruction. “‘ Every hamlet was ordered to destroy a certain number of crows’ nests for ten successive years ; and the inhabitants were called upon to assemble on certain dates to consider the best methods of destroying them.’’ In the early part of the last century the inhabitants of New Jersey and Pennsylvania gave a reward of threepence a head for crows; but the Act was soon repealed, as it threatened to deplete the treasury. In the United States of America this crow is a grain eater and damages crops. TuE Roox (Corvus frugilegus). This bird is often also called the crow to distinguish it from the carrion crow. It is glossy black, with the sides of the head and neck glossy blue. It is gregarious in habit, and at nesting time forms communal nesting places, known as “ rookeries.’’ Here sportsmen often assemble at the end of the season to shoot the young rooks just as they are about to fly; and in England rook pie was considered a great delicacy. This has been discouraged in modern times, as the farmers look upon the rooks as useful birds on account of their insectivorous habits, though they also feed to a certain extent upon seeds. They sometimes congregate in enormous flocks; and there is a record that after a great storm at Westmeath, Ireland, 30,000 dead rooks were counted on the shores of a small lake. At nesting time, rooks are great thieves, stealing the material from each other’s nests—hence the cant word, | “ rooking.”’ TuE HoopEep Crow (Corvus cornix). This bird is smaller than the carrion crow. The colouration of the plumage is very distinct, only the head, throat, wings and tail being black; the body feathers are grey, and in contrast with the black head, give it the popular name of hooded crow. This is the species that is the deadly enemy of the shepherds of the north of England and Scotland ; and it is particularly destructive in winter, when ewes and lambs are lost and helpless in the snow, and other food is hard to find, THE CROW FAMILY. 191 This is the common crow of Northern Europe and through the East, ranging across India. In the open spaces about Constantinople they hunt for food ; in the garden of the British Club at Nicosia, the capital of Cyprus, they fought and built their nests ; and they are common in all the towns in Asia Minor. In India they act as street scavengers, fighting over the scraps and bones, often looking very draggled and unkempt. No one, of course, would ever think of killing one in India; but whenever they find their way into fruit orchards they are a serious pest to the fruit growers, and boys are regularly engaged to drive them away. They are not to be confounded with the smaller Glossy Crows (Corvus splendens), also common in India and Ceylon ; these are the crows that the management cf the Point de Galle Hotel warn their lodgers to beware of ; the notice reads: “ Do not leave any small valuables about on the dressing tables, for the crows may carry them off.’ When the Dutch were masters in Ceylon, these small crows were protected by special laws, because they were supposed to be instru- mental in spreading the seeds of the cinnamon plants. THE RAVEN oR “ CorBIE Crow” (Corvus corax). This is the typical form of the crow family, common in the northern regions of both hemispheres, and it is looked upon by naturalists as the original form of which the oriental and Australian species are only varieties, and with differences caused by change of food and climatic conditions. The raven, in the old wcrld, feeds chiefly upon small animals, such as young rabbits, rats and mice, and it often snaps up young ducks or chickens, steals eggs from the poultry yard and the game preserves, and in winter kills young lambs in the highlands, like its cousin the Hooded Crow. Under ordinary conditions it is a scavenger, cleaning up animal refuse, dead animals and other carrion. A writer, in the early part of the last century, divided the ravens into two groups—the country ravens, with clean plumage, and the London ravens, with draggled tails and stained wings from grubbing in the streets. The raven is the largest of the crow family. It is of a general glossy black colour, with a rich sheen upon the neck and shoulders. In some places it is solitary ; in others gregarious ; and at certain seasons they gather together in immense flocks. Tue AUSTRALIAN RAVEN OR CRow (Corone australis). Though our common crow is really the Australian variety of the European raven, it is to our bushmen the crow ; and it will probably be known as such to the end of our days, in spite of the dictum of the Omithologists’ Unions. > As for the differences of opinion among our bird men as to what are the distinctive characters between the white-eyed crow and the hazel-eyed crow, which they distinguish respectively as the crow and the raven, I take the bushman’s part and call them both crows. It is a well-known fact that in Britain the raven and the hooded crow breed together, and so do our two species ; hence the border line between the two is certainly not easily recognised by the bush naturalist.1 1._The Hazel-eyed Crow (Corvus coronoides) is distinguished from the Raven (Corone australis) not only by the colour of the iris, but by the bases of the feathers on the upper parts, which are snow- white in the Crow and dusky-grey in the Raven. The latter has a bunch of lanceolate feathers, tinged with green, on the throat. There are two varieties of the Crow, a small species inhabiting western New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia, being distinguished as Corvus bennetti. This bird is only 16 inches in length, as compared with the 20-22 inches of his coastal congener. The bushman might easily confuse the two larger birds, as a close examination and handling is necessary to dis- tinguish them by their generic characters, but the little Bennett’s Crow would strike him on sight as something different. The Raven is the common bird in the west and central districts, the Crow being more a coastal bird. I have not hitherto heard of the two breeding together,—Ep, - 192 THE CROW FAMILY. Mr. Ernest Officer, ‘‘ Zara,’’ Wanganella, says: “‘ I am glad to give you my views as regards the value of my friend the crow. First, as a:scavenger. During the summer it is impossible to burn carcases here, so I instruct the sheep men to rip up every carcase they find if it is too far gone to skin. When it is thus treated, the crow soon cleans it all up and thus prevents flies breeding. Of course, they get at a lot that are not treated thus, but it helps them to open up every carcase one finds. Second, as an insect destroyer. We suffer severely at times from grubs or caterpillars, which swarm over vast areas and devour all the herbage, leaving the country absolutely bare behind them. The Ibis and the Crow are the only birds I know that have any real effect upon them, the former in the grub state and the latter after pupation. “‘T have seen the crows at work the whole of the summer digging at the roots of the smaller bushes” where these grubs generally go into the earth to pupate. Round these bushes one can count hundreds of the empty pupa cases, the crows having dug them up and devoured the contents. On one occasion I rode along a line of fence for at least a mile and counted the empty pupa cases scattered round the base of every post, and the number was never under twenty. Of course, they eat grasshoppers, and, more important, still, their eggs in large quantities, which they dig up with their powerful beak. I know perfectly well his bad traits, and have at times prayed in my foolish way for the death of the whole tribe, but, fortunately, the gods were not out to destroy me, and my prayers were not granted. Their worst offence is picking out the eyes of ewes which are cast ; at times this is serious, but if the paddocks are properly looked after, we do not lose many. As to the killing of young lambs, I am sure in most cases the crow has only hastened nature. You know what hasty conclusions people jump to : A crow is eating a lamb, that crow killed my lamb, damn that crow, and let us offer a bonus for his head.” The Australian crow is about the same size as the European raven, with similar shining, glossy, black plumage, black legs and beak, with the eyes either white or hazel. . It has a wide range all over Australia, along the coastal forest lands, in the rugged mountain ranges, or on the great shimmering grassy plains, or among the inland scrub and saltbush ; camp wherever you may, if there is water and a hope of something to eat, you will hear the many variations in the melody of the crows’ call-notes. In the early morning, a long-drawn-out cry comes up from the river gums ere he sets out for his breakfast ;. the shorter, conversational notes when congregated, feeding upon the plains; the more mournful, almost weird, long-drawn-out call from the scrub of the solitary crow in the noonday heat, or the general, happy chatter and gurgle when they gather together in large mobs in the early spring—all these can be translated to you by the observant bushman. When nesting, the crows construct a substantial nest of small sticks and twigs, with a central cup lined with hair, wool, feathers or other soft materials gathered up in the vicinity of the home. Four? dark green blotched eggs are laid, and the resultant young crows, before they get their feathers, cannot be considered very handsome babies. The parent birds usually take some trouble in the selection of a suitable tree and place the nest among the slender branches out of harm’s way. ' The crow is not a popular pet like our magpie; but when kept in captivity becomes very tame and friendly. In the Botanic Gardens the two specimens shut up in the aviary seem to have very restless dispositions, and only talk in their short, croaking call notes. 2 Where food is plentiful, fivé is an ordinary ‘clutch, and six by no means rare.—Ep, THE CROW FAMILY. 193 Some years ago (1896) Dr. Cobb wrote a paper, published in the Agricultural Gazette, New South Wales, entitled ‘“‘ The Common Crow,” the information it contained being based upon the ob- servations he made during a short residence in the Wagga district. He, however, generalised upon the American species of crows, quoting copiously from United States Bulletins and Reports upon their life history and food habits, and with very little actual knowledge of the different conditions of crow life in the pastoral and farming districts of Australia. His arguments are not convincing; and even while advocating the economic value of the crows, and the reason for their protection, he concluded his article with a number of suggestions for destroying or driving them away. Early in the following year, the late Mr. William Farrar, our well-known wheat investigator, at that time farming in the Queanbeyan district, wrote a criticism of Dr. Cobb’s paper, which appeared in the same journal, under the title ‘‘ The Too Common Crow.” He treated them from the farmer's point of view ; they were to him an unmitigated pest ; he could say nothing in favour of the Common Crow. As a body the pastoralists have waged a war of attempted extinction against the crows on the sheep lands of Australia; and the fact cannot be disputed that, taken as a class, the crows are re- sponsible for the destruction of many sick sheep and weak lambs, particularly in a bad season. Sheep and lambs, even if only slightly wounded by the stout beak of the crow, seldom recover, but die apparently from blood poisoning, the filth upon the beak of the carrion-feeding bird producing organisms rendering the slightest wound septic. The fact that in many cases the ewes and lambs that die from the interested attentions of the crows would never get upon their feet again, does not alter the view- point of the sheepowner, and the crows are debited with many murders that they have not committed. Many Pastures Protection Boards have a fund allotted to pay for crows’ heads; and large sums are disembursed annually for crows’ scalps. Many disputes arise among the members of these Boards when trying to fix a uniform rate of payment all over the country. In some districts, on the other hand, where the landowners have more regard for the good work that crows can do, they refuse to sanction a crow bonus.? From the many letters on the crow question that appear in the pastoral and country papers, it can be seen that quite a number of the correspondents are in favour of abandoning the destruction of crows ; while many other lukewarm friends admit that the crows are not all bad. Allowing for the damage they do in attacking sick sheep and helpless lambs, the value of the crows to the men on the land, under natural conditions, is a very big set-off to be considered. The ordinary food of the crows is insects; you have only to watch a number hunting over the paddocks or grass lands to realise what a number of grass-feeding insects it must take to daily feed such a large bird as a crow. When a caterpillar or grasshopper plague appears, and crows are about, they soon gather -upon the infested areas and do yeoman service in reducing these and other insect pests. It is not only, however, as a useful insectivorous bird that the crow should be considered, but as an eater of dead animal matter; for, as a scavenger the crow stands alone. Where the stockowner skins and opens out all the animals that die on his run, and crows are plentiful, they will soon pick the skeletons clean and prevent the fly maggots, even if deposited on the carcase, from developing to adult flies. This isno small thing to be considered in their favour, and means a great saving in burn- ing or destroying carcases, where crows are active. Under normal conditions, the many smaller eagles and hawks, with the crows, kept the bush lands of Australia clean and sweet. The small eagles and hawks have vanished in all the settled districts through the use of poisoned baits for wild dogs and dingos ; but the crow still holds his own, though in reduced numbers. 3—In this connection the several opinions of Messrs. Henry L. White and Thomas P. Austin, contained in their contributions to this journal (Part V.) are interesting. Both writers are graziers, occupying similar country, and their views are diametrically opposed.—Eb. 194 THE CROW FAMILY. A gentleman has been recently writing to the pastoral journals and newspapers advocating the introduction into our western lands of carnivorous scavenger birds from India and Africa, to do away with the blowfly pest. All the objections that the sheepowners can bring against the crows can be urged against the Turkey Buzzards or Vultures of America, and the Indian Adjutant or Marabou Storks. The following notes are taken from a letter by the writer which appeared in the May number of the ‘‘ Pastoral Review,” 1918 :—‘‘ When the writer was in the Hawaiian Islands in 1907, a sheep maggot fly was infesting the flocks on the ranches, and the sheep men suggested to the Federal authorities that they might be allowed to introduce ‘ Turkey Vultures,’ also known as Turkey Buzzards, into these islands from Texas. These carrion birds have an extended range from the Southern United States, through Cuba, Mexico, the West Indies and South America, where they are recognised as the most effective scavenger birds. When consulted, however, the Texan ranchmen strongly advised against their introduction, as they fouled all the watering places of the stock and were known to spread anthrax. : “Later on I had many opportunities of investigating the habits of these birds in Mexico and Cuba. At sunset I often watched hundreds of them winging their way into the town, to roost upon the dome of the Cathedral or the roofs of the public buildings, generally situated in the centre of the town. In the daytime one often saw them like our starlings, in the poultry yards in the villages, quarrelling with the poultry for the scraps. In Jamaica the blacks call them ‘ Jim Crows,’ and wher carrion is scarce they often snap up the chickens. My host at Spanish Town shot one in the act and I examined the remains, which, for smell and uncleanliness, knocked out our Australian crow, who is a gentleman in comparison to a‘ Jim Crow.’ If we introduced such birds into our western plains, and they increased in sufficient numbers to become valuable as scavengers, where would they spend their evenings ? What would the good citizens of Hay or Deniliquin say, for example, if swarms of these buzzards, as large as small turkeys, came flying in every night to roost and quarrel on the roofs of their public buildings.” As regards the Crow, the writer, in a paper in the Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, has given some testimonials in his favour from landowners of experience. Mr. Arthur C. V. Bligh, writing from Condamine Plains, Brookstead, Queensland, on the blowfly question, says: “‘ Any sheep dying that are missed are cultivating a fine crop of flies for future trouble. Being situated on the plains the carcases are hard to destroy, but I find by skinning any sheep (I find in time) the crows clean the flesh from them in a few hours and leave them absolutely safe, as far as blowfly maggots are concerned. These birds, I think are invaluable as insect destroyers, and in cleaninig up this way are a great assist- ance to the stockowner.” Mr. P. Brookfield, the member for Broken Hill, speaking on the Birds Protection Bill, said : “Many people denounce the crow as one of the cruelest and most vicious of birds. It is only a matter of surrounding conditions. In the north of Queensland, where the cattle pest is prevalent, the crow, so far from being a menace, is an assistance to the cattle raiser. I have many times seen a beast covered with ticks le down and allow the crows to alight upon him and pick the ticks off. The tick, like every other parasite, clings to the poor beast with greater tenacity than to the healthy one. When the parasites were cleared off from one side, the beast would rise up and lie on the other side, and allow the crows to clean that side.”’ This is a record of the crow under the new véle of a cattle tick destroyer, which the writer has not previously seen noted. That the crow often becomes a pest bird in a bad season, among weak ewes and lambs in particular, cannot be disputed. That he can also be considered a very valuable assistant to the farmer and stock- owner cannot be questioned. As an insect-eating bird alone he has the qualifications of large size, a very healthy appetite, and the habit of gathering together in large numbers and systematically hunting over the surface of the plains all the year round. at i 7 THE CROW FAMILY. 195 As a scavenger the crow is our most effective ally in cleaning up all kinds of dead animal matter that would otherwise be neglected and become the breeding ground of countless hosts of blowfly maggots. Ii a pest at times on the coast, it is certainly looked upon in the west and north-west by many observant landowners as a bird to be encouraged- The writer considers wholesale condemnation of crows is a grave mistake, and that their indis- criminate destruction should not be allowed, for in most places the crows do more good than harm to the man on the land, and should be protected where they are useful. This could be very easily managed under a comprehensive Birds Protection Act, drafted by the Council of the Wild Life Pro- tection Society, and recently passed by Parliament. When brought into operation this Act will admit of crows or any other birds of mixed values being shot and driven away by proclaiming them noxious birds and black-listing them in any particular district where they are causing damage. When no damage can be placed to their discredit, they should have the same protection as other useful or harmless birds. The photograph shows how clean they can pick the bones of a dead sheep when it has been skinned, and in the Brewarrina district the writer has seen the skins cut and turned inside out laying beside the clean picked bones, so that the crow is certainly the best scavenger bird we have in Australia. Picked clean by a crow. Council for ciuee anes Members, 1914... Sa ng enue by Walter W. Pe Eee ee so apparently new | to “Australia, by W. J. Rainbow, PES ee of the Jolly-tail or Eel Gudgeon, Galaxias atlanuatus, from the sea to Beaehitreiee: abe ews Pee ats Pe er apia ee oe Ch ae eates Pe ee ees geese by the Rey. Thomas R: R. Stebbing, MA., RS. F.LS,, F2S.. 27 “Australian Syngnathidae, by A. R. McCulloch... ......... 3 Me from the North- Naka New South Wales, by Walter W: Frougst, gue ioe 33 ‘pear a bet S. Le Souef, pags Zoological Gardens. Me Pee rE oee Rice Be as @ possible clue to Bird Phylogeny: ‘by Lancelot 8 Harrison, Bisel. Bree yb, heascot PAL Se hy ie abe Neer Ser Mined « vals of pein Seite, ae oes Ge k. Waterhouse, BSc, BE. FES. 15 aa cee pies a oe Day $e eye Pines eels Sie war i cae ee Pa) SCP eS ote engi Mp Ay ie a ona Hubner, by G. A. Waterhouse, BSo., B. By BE Sek aes 50 _ CONTENTS OF PART 3 nh _ CONTENTS OF > PARE ae ts oe Shey econ een FEB ele as UO iti RRNA Te “from the County of Cumberland, by W. Fi Rainbow, HER 58 PB ntie a nse ee 1 i whe ty eae Sed Cree} oe Sitcom ee the ppour Tvichosuvus, by A. S. Le Souef, Director Bide Ge wate ee! OZ _ Front € Pages 3 THE AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST Issued by The Royal Zoological Society of New South;Wales Edited by ALLAN R. McCULLOCH Zoologist, Australian Museum 7" senian NSts,, te APR: 6.920 LV, Voll Part.7 mee Sydney, November 27, 1919 All communications to be addressed to the Hon. Secretary, Box 2399, General Post Office, Sydney SYDNEY: < W. ©: SMITH LTD., PRINTERS ~ Royal Zoological Site fe New South \ _ ESTABLISHED 1879 re ee so rhs 3 _ REGISTERED UNDER ae COMPANIES ACT, 1899 orn Re 3 af a Re, oe ; : } t Ne By COUNCIL tg919-i920. President : ie i Ww. Ww. Froggatt, ELS. FES. ae * Vice. Presidents : H, E, Finckh. NY. ERO ets fh Titlyard, M.A., ‘Dse. S.T.D. Symons, MR.CVS. G, A. Waterhouse, B.Se., BEY Members : eae 1 gy. H. ‘ Calapbell, j Allan R. McCulloch. ign Hida Professor H, G. Chapman, M.D., B. s. _W. J. Rainbow, F.E.S._ E. A. D'Ombrain, M.B., B.S. abe SS CORN, Shipway oi" fT: _ C. Hedley, F.LS. ; BONE a 0 Shiress. when Professor eed I Toidathe: D.Sc., B.A. ; Col. Alfred Spain, ND y FIA ay ‘R. H. Todd, M.D. E.R.C.S.I. Hon. Secretary : A. F, Basset Hull R.A.O.U. He on. Tapasurer i G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc., B. BF. 5. Ss. ~ 7 SuBscRipTIoN : Ordinary Member, {1 1s. per annum, Risa SSte, Associate Member, 73. 6d. a Hi PRIVILEGES ! tt dat Ree Sg aageR? ~ Zoologist.” - ; Associate Members :—Free Copy of “ Australian Zoologist.” Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. TuE second annual general meeting of the Society was held at Taronga Park on Saturday, 26th July, 1g19, at 3 p.m. Twenty-three members were present. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. The President (Mr. A. F. Basset Hull) read the following report :— Ladies and Gentlemen,—Since the first annual general meeting of the incorporated Society, held on 27th July, 1918, the devastating war which then overshadowed all our world has come to an end, and we are now entering upon what we all trust will be a prolonged era of peace, in which our social and scientific endeavours may have the fullest opportunities of expansion. During the past year the Society’s work has necessarily been subordinated to the urgent need of husbanding its resources in view of the heavy war-time expense of printing, paper, and postage. The restrictions in regard to despatch and distribution of extra-Australian mails have also interfered with the circulation of our Journal, which is intended not only for Australian readers, but is sent to most of the scientific institutions throughout the world in exchange for théir publications. Many inquiries have been made from abroad for missing numbers lost by submarinings or held back owing to war-time embargoes. Hence we have contented ourselves with the issue of one number only of the “ Australian Zoologist,’’ leaving a more frequent issue to more propitious times. MEMBERSHIP. At the end of June, 1918, the Society’s roll of members contained the names of 140 ordinary, 7 honorary, and 7 associate members—a total of 154. At 30th June, 1919, the numbers had increased to 221 ordinary, 6 honorary, and 17 associate members—a total of 244, being an increase of 90 members. OBITUARY. The Society has lost by death :— Alexander Horsburg Turnbull, elected in 1915. Mr. Turnbull died at his birthplace, Wellington, New Zealand, on 27th June, 1918. He was an enthusiastic collector of books, his particular aim being to accumulate as complete a collection as possible of works relating to New Zealand, Australia, and the South Sea Islands. He bequeathed his library of about 80,000 volumes, valued at £50,000, to his fellow citizens. Sir Philip Sydney Jones, for many years a member of this Society, died at his residence, Strath- field, New South Wales, on 18th September, 1918. He was born in Sydney in 1836, and graduated as Bachelor of Medicine in 1859, taking his degree at the University of london. He returned to Sydney in 1861, and commenced practice in College Street. He took great interest in the progress of education in New South Wales, and especially the education of medical students. He was a member of the Senate of the University from 1887 until the time of his death. He also tookan active part in many institutions, being one of the original members of the Linnean Society of New South Wales, and a Trustee of the Australian Museum. 198 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES, Arthur Muggridge, of the firm of Pitt, Son & Badgery, Limited, who was elected in 1913, and was an enthusiastic supporter of the Society, and instrumental in securing the election of a large number of new members. % Clarence Arthur Edenborough Simms, an officer of the Department of Mines, Sydney, elected in 1917. : THE COUNCIL. Mr. A. E. Jaques and Dr. Sydney Dodd resigned from the Council at the beginning of the financial year. Mr. Aubrey Halloran, B.A., LL.B., and Mr. R. J. Tillyard, D.Sc., were elected to fill the vacancies. Seven meetings of Council were held during the year, the attendances at which were as follows :-—Messrs. Hull, Waterhouse and Finckh, 7; Mr. Froggatt, 6; Messrs. Hedley and Rainbow, 5; Drs. D’Ombrain and Tillyard, 4; Messrs. Halloran, Shipway and Symons, 3; Professor Johnston, Colonel Spain, Messrs. Campbell, Shiress, and McCulloch, 2. Mr. Hedley was absent from the State for some months, Messrs. Shipway and Shiress were granted leave of absence for three and four months respectively ; Dr. Todd was granted leave of absence fer the year, being engaged in war work, and Professor Chapman's duties prevented his attendance at Council meetings. FINANCES. The balance sheet to 30th June, 1918, covering a period of eighteen months, showed an amount of {121 14s. 11d. to credit, and £50 invested in War Loan Stock, as the nucleus of a Capital Fund. The statement which the Honorary Treasurer will present to-day shows a credit balance of £67 19s. 1d., and the Capital Fund is increased to £150. The income from fines under the Birds and Native Animals Protection Acts was only £18 19s. 6d., as compared with £45 6s. 8d. for the period ended 30th June, 1918. ‘This reduction is owing to the repeal of the Acts of 1901 and 1903, which have been superseded by the Birds and Animals Protection Act, 1918. This Act came into force on 1st January, 1919, and the payment to this Society of a moiety of the fines ceased from that date. As indicated in last year’s report, the Government were asked for a subsidy in consideration of the loss of the income from fines, and also as a recognition of the Society’s educational work, and I am now pleased to be able to announce that a sum of £50 has been placed on the Estimates for that purpose by the Chiet Secretary, Sir George Fuller. AUSTRALIAN ZOGLOGICAL HANDBOOKS. On the occasion of our last annual meeting I referred to the want of inexpensive handbooks to the animals, birds, reptiles and insects of Australia, expressing the hope that some public-spirited men would combine to provide funds which, properly invested, would yield an income sufficient to secure the issue of such handbooks by this Society. Up to the end of the financial year, however, my hope had not been realised. The continuance of the war, with its consequential demands upon the public for contributions to patriotic and charitable funds, and the recurring War Loans, had first to be satisfied. Now that peace once more reigns, I venture to predict that it will not be long before my hope is realised in some measure. Our Honorary Secretary, Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, who shares my aspirations in this respect, has suggested that instead of waiting until the capital fund is large enough to meet the cost of publishing handbooks from its income, a sum of, say, £500, might be raised, out of which the cost of producing one or two handbooks could be defrayed; all returns from sales of these books to be applied in recouping the principal sum until it is large enough to meet the expense of another handbook. This, then, is our first objective—to raise £500—and a commencement has been made, our members Sir James Burns, Mr. C. H. Hoskins and Mr. Kelso King having each donated £10 towards the Publication Fund. [Since the date cf the annual meeting the following additional donations have been received :— Walter and Eliza Hall Trust, £50; Thomas Phillips Austin, Cobborah Estate, £10 1os., and Henry Luke White, Belltrees, Scone, £10 1os.] ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. 199 FURTHER OBJECTIVES. Under the terms of our association with the Taronga Park Trust we are to be afforded facilities for conducting scientific investigations at the Park. To provide the necessary buildings, cages, and receptacles for housing the animals, birds, reptiles and insects to be studied, a considerable sum of money will be required, and as the conditions attaching to scientific study and investigation do not always admit of throwing the objects of study open to public inspection generally, the Trust could not, of course, be expected to bear any large proportion of the expense. For one reason particularly the work of investigation does not lend itself to public spectacular effect in the daytime; that is, because most of the indigenous animals are nocturnal in their habits, and they must be studied after nightfall and in a light reduced to the minimum amount required for accurate observation. The zoological collection contained at present in the Park includes very many rare and interesting Australian species which in daylight are either hidden away in their sleeping boxes, curled up into balls of fur, or, if induced to move at all, are so dull and lethargic as to attract little interest. If these animals could be seen just after sunset in compartments sufficiently large to allow their activities to have full play, a world of wonder and amusement would be opened to the spectators. Perhaps at some future date a building might be erected near the entrance to the Park for the housing and display of the Opossums, Squirrels, Native Cats, Wombats, and Native Bears, in such a manner that both scientific observers and the public could derive pleasure and profit from watching these nocturnal animals under conditions as nearly natural as possible. In the construction of such a building the funds of both this Society and the Trust might be employed to mutual advantage. The building to which I refer would be in an oval or circular shape, formed of a series of strong wire compartments, varying structurally in accordance with the nature of the animals to be placed therein. The compartments for the Opossums and Squirrels should be of comparatively light construction, lofty, and provided with trees or branches, swings, and other fittings, to allow the animals free exercise. The Wombats and Native Cats should be housed in more solid structures, with reinforced concrete foundations and floors, filled in with sufficient earth to enable them to excavate their natural burrows or nests. These compartments would enclose a circular or oval walk, surrounding a central cage, also divided into compartments, in which the very small marsupials could be accommodated. The whole building would be lighted by electricity so arranged as to supply a subdued but well-diffused light. A special entrance would be provided in such a manner as not to admit of access to the remainder of the Park. FINAL OBJECTIVE. Lastly, there is the objective of a Central Hall of Science, to be erected in Sydney for the head- quarters of the Society—to contain a large lecture hall, committee rooms, offices, library, laboratory, and other conveniences, open to the use of not only this Society, but to kindred scientific and literary societies. Such a Hall would be a fitting monument to Peace.and the Progress of Science, and a worthy crown to place upon the labours of this Society. To achieve this end I confidently appeal to the public-spirited men in New South Wales, and estimate the sum required at £20,000. ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. ~ The Honorary Treasurer presented the following Balance Sheet and Statement of Accounts :— Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. CAPITAL ACCOUNT. LIABILITIES. ASSETS: poe eyatale £ sae Appropriations to Capital Account, viz :— War Loan Inscribed Stock (5%)....-... 150 0 0 ows othe june towsin asco eee iter 50 0 0 ‘Woy spore Wl UES. LOU) GRaro BADE Aaos Ss on 100 0 O £150 0 0 #150 90 O STATEMENT OF RECEIPTS AND EXPENDITURE FOR THE YEAR ENDED 30TH JUNE, 19719. RECEIPTS. EXPENDITURE. Oi Serale £; sings Balance from 1918—In Savings Bank.... 119 10 6 | Printing “‘ Australian Zoologist,’’ Part VI. 78 0 0 In Hand, Hon. Treas. 2 4 5 | Blocks for GOl> Sia erocigartere 15 13 8 Subscriptions Use We OUleoinblsa neon anno pasoDamycackaacadss 14) 3,90 Fines TOTO) Oo |\ BOK GAPS OE SY ci euste Caste meee cate I. Onag Sale of “ Australian Zoologist’”’......... 5:40) || Petty \Cash——POsStaseseryete-uert ntti eae TL).-4 0% Authors Reprints: om ttexss ore eevee renee Gees ZUG) 9 (0) Stawoneny ve ae leieis tee i 4-re IDYoy tN lol a emer AIS CR Onc lo Pauper Oca dia tack; i iG) %) Exchangesis .-')-5 mere 0 £8 FEXGHAMPE nto sie: ceelcer ences uvterses tered ms ayeeee i ate ey et Ne) Sundries 2-4)s2e0oe fis eee 0. ag Imteresty Wc le Oa Dental tets are tere verstols (Si) op (ey |i eteiny (ORIn vin TEEN Sy Sacadecc Senne tc: 4° 3ns SEEN Merial eny specie yoivde wenn noes 2 16 10 | Appropriation to Capital Account........ 100 0 0 ‘ Balance in Savings Bank, 30th June, 1919 63° 1 5ane £289 16 3 £289 16 3 G. A. WATERHOUSE, Hon. Treasurer. 4th July, 1919. We have examined the Books and Vouchers of the Society for the twelve months ended 30th June, 1919, and certify the above Statement of Receipts and Disbursements to be in accordance therewith. L. S. DRUMMOND & CO., Incorporated Accountants. SypnEy, 7th July, 1919. The Report and Balance Sheet were adopted. Mr. C. Hedley gave a lecturette, ‘“ About Hands.” Mr. G. A. Waterhouse exhibited two families of a Butterfly, Catopsilia pomona, Fabr. The first 2 family consisted of 18 individuals reared from eggs laid by a female C. pomona; the second family consisted of 55 individuals reared from eggs laid by a female C. cvocale, Cram. This family contained females of both C. pomona and C. crocale. Mr. Neville Cayley exhibited a number of water-colour drawings of Australian birds, prepared for illustrating a work that he and Mr. A. S. Le Souef propose publishing. The following members were elected to fill vacancies in the Council, in accordance with the provisions of Article 23 :—Messrs. H. E. Finckh, A. Halloran, C. Hedley, A. F. Basset Hull, W. J. Rainbow, and Dr. R. J. Tillyard. At a meeting of the Council held at the conclusion of the Annual General Meeting, the following officers were elected :—President, W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.E.S.; Vice-Presidents, H. E. Finckh, S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S., R. J. Tillyard, M.A., D.Sc., and G. A. Waterhouse, B.Sc. B.E.; Honorary Secretary, A. F. Basset Hull, R.A.O.U.; Honorary Treasurer, G. A. Waterhouse ; Honorary Librarian, H. E. Finckh; Honorary Editor, A. R. McCulloch. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. The following new members have been elected since the publication of the list on 30th September 1918 (p. 143) :— ORDINARY MEMBERS. ALDERDICE, CHARLES JOHN, 20 Beaconsfield Road, Mosman. ANDERSON, J. A., Newstead South, Elsmore, N.S.W. ASCHER, CLIVE LoveELL, “ Tarawa,’’ Harbour Street, Mosman, Austin, Harry L., Eli Elwah, Hay, N.S.W. BARKER, JOHN REGINALD, c/o Birt & Co. Ltd., 4 Bridge Street, Sydney. Baum, Harry W., 928 Pitt Street, Sydney. BINNIE, GEORGE, 4D, Quirindi, N.S.W. Brack, PERcy GEorGE T., c/o Burns, Philp & Co. Ltd., Bridge Street, Sydney. Bootu, FRANK Hotroyp, Victoria Arcade, Sydney. BoyLan, WILLIAM JAMES, 528 Kent Street, Sydney. BROADBENT, WILLIAM WILKINS, ‘ Cotswold,”’ Ruby Street, Mosman. Brown, FREDERICK GEORGE, “ Glengyle,’ Beaconsfield Road, Mosman. Bryce, Ernest, “ Daisy Bank,’’ Point Road, Woolwich. , CarPEL, RicHarp, ‘ Gournara,’’ Warialda, N.S.W. CLark, RoLanp C., “ Girraween,’’ Mary Street, Clifton Gardens. CLELAND, Dr. J. Burton, Department of Public Health, Sydney. CoBuHAM, G. M., “‘ Mascotte,’’ Middle Head Road, Mosman. CoLguHouN, PERCY BRERETON, M.L.A., Parlia- ment House, Sydney. : Coorer, FRANK A., 4o Bellevue Street, North Sydney. CRABBE, ROBERT MAYNARD, Thompson Street, Mosman. Craco, Dr. Witttam Henry, 185 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Cross, G. T., 2 Bridge Street, Sydney. DanoGar, L. A., Yallaroi, Warialda, N.S.W. DickEson Lewis’ HaseELt, ‘ Wanstead,’’ Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. Dickson, Davin P., 64 Pitt Street, Sydney. ENNOR, ALFRED EpGar, “‘ Ravenswood,’’ Buena- vista Avenue, Mosman. Fis, A. L., 103 Elizabeth Street, Sydney. FRAZER, D., Woollen Mills, Parramatta. GipB, CHARLES A., 6 Hunter Street, Sydney. Gitt, G. T., 15 Raglan Street, Mosman. GoLvFincu, GILBERT M., Salisbury Road, Rose Bay. Gorpon, Joun Stoan, Glen Alpine, Werris Creek. Goutp, Henry, Simpson Street, Mosman. Grace, A. F., Colonial Sugar Refining Co., O'Connell Street, Sydney. Grant, ApAm F., “Les Charmettes,’’ Want Street, Mosman. Harpy, G. H., 182 Victoria Street, Darlinghurst. HauGuton, JosEPpH GrHoN, Tyree Station, Dandaloo. ( HAYMET, EUGENE MANORANGI, 25 Wellesley Street, Mosman. HEARNE, WILLIAM GoopaLL, “St. Fillans,”’ Buenavista Avenue, Mosman. HiacGs, REGINALD FRANCIS, 22 Carrington Street, Sydney. F HoLianpd, ALBERT ANDREW, 15 Ruby Street, Mosman. i HoLtitoway, HENRY GEORGE, 10 Middle Head Road, Mosman. Homes, Dr. H. GLENNIE, 120 Military Road, Mosman. Hoop, Dr. ALEXANDER JARVIE, “ St. Mungo,”’ 14 Wylde Street, Pott’s Point. HorbDERN, Sir SAMUEL, Kt., Babworth House, Darling Point, Edgecliff, 202 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. JoneEs, RoBERT Epwin, “ Wanstead,” Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman, Kinc, LAURANCE LEONARD, Union and Ruby Streets, Mosman. Kinc, WALTER, Thompson Street, Mosman. MacarTHuwr, E. J. Bayty, Union Club, Sydney. MawuiIneEy, HuGu ARTHUR, The Prairie, Moree, N.S.W. MELLor, WALTER L. ‘‘ Stamford,’’ Forest Road, Penshurst. Mires, WILLIAM Joun, Challis House, Martin Place, Sydney. : Moore, Hon. SAMUEL WILKINSON, “‘ Karoola,”’ Wahroonga. Morris, Dr. WILLIAM REGINALD, “ Craignish,”’ 185 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Murray, Patrick DESMOND FITZGERALD, “ Brackland,’’ Cheltenham Rd., Beecroft. NEILD, Epwin, 15 Raglan Street, Mosman. NEWMAN, Ropert H., Hotel Buenavista, Mosman. Orr, JAMES BLEAKLEY, The Boulevarde, Strathfield. PackKER, LeEwis, “ Melita,’ Milton Avenue, Mosman. PALMER, JOSEPH SMITH, 96 Pitt Street, Sydney. PARKES, CHARLES MOLYNEUX, 38 Bridge Street, Sydney. POLKINGHORNE, HERBERT, ‘‘ Lochwinnoch,”’ Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. PricE, BENJAMIN EtLystan, ‘‘ Wanstead,” Bradley's Head Read, Mosman. Rose, Rev. HrrsBert JouN, The Rectory Strathfield. Ross, Dr. CuisHotm, 155 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Ross, WiritAm F., ‘‘ Fernilost,’’ Ellamotta Street, Mosman. SCAMMELL, GEORGE V., 18 Middle Head Road Mosman. Scott, DonaLp Hype, 58 Pitt Street, Sydney. Suarp, H. W. Ramsay, Box 926 G.P.O., Sydney. SHarp, Dr. W. A. Ramsay, 175 Macquarie Street, Sydney. SHIPpWAY, PHILLIP, 32 EBradley’s Head Road, Mosman. Simpson, GEORGE Morris, “ Stonehenge,” T.P.O. North Line, N:S.W. ? Simpson, JAMEs, 81 Pitt Street, Sydney. Sims, ALBERT, 58 Pitt Street, Sydney. Smitu, R. Dunpas, 30 Bradley’s Head Road, Mosman. StreET, Mr. Justice, Judge’s Chambers Supreme Court, Sydney. ViINcENT, THOMAS, Dunlop Station, Louth, N.S.W. WALKER, GEORGE WASHINGTON, Box 17° King Street Post Office, Sydney. ; Watkins, Dr. SypNEY CoLLincs, Hornsby. WHEELWRIGHT, A. H., “‘ Rosedale,’’ Narara, Crookwell. WuitE, Crecit ALBAN, ‘“‘ Winbourne,” Tom Street, Rose Bay. WILLIAMS, WILLIAM JoHN, 5 Effingham Street Mosman. Wiis, THomas CHARLES, “ Araluen,’’ Bay View Avenue, Mosman. Witson, ROBERT CRIGHTON,* Box 49 G.P.0.. Sydney. ASSOCIATE MEMBERS. BARKER, GEORGE HERBERT, 225 Albert Street, Erisbane, Queensland. Desus, ArtHUR, Marlsbury Road, Norman- hurst. KEANE, JOHN HENRY, Waverley, Church Street, Canterbury, N.S.W. Leacnu, Dr. J. A., “‘ Eyrecourt,’’ Canterbury. Victoria. DE LittLe, Mrs. Ceciria E. A., “‘ Nardoo Mia,” Temora, N.S.W. MARSHALL, Tom C., Brisbane. Tuomas, JAMES Francis, Tenterfield, N.S.W. Queensland Museum, Mr. Kertso Kinc has become a Life Member. ABOUT HANDS. By CHARLES HEDLEY. WF judge a stranger by his clothes or his behaviour, by his language or his face. From these we form our opinion of his character, his education or his position in society. But a shrewd observer does not fail to look also at his hands, since they, too, show much character. We recognise the artistic hand, the practical hand, or the negligent hand. Often a hand shows its trade or habits. How much would Sherlock Holmes deduce from looking at his friend’s hand? A stain here means a cigarette smoker, a callus there means a cobbler. Any actor, to say nothing of a charlatan or a criminal, knows that it is easier to disguise the face, the voice, or the dress than the hands. Often a magistrate will direct the police to examine the hands of an accused to see if he has lately done any hard work, or not. Thus the hands may tell the true story of a man’s habits or_business, where other features might be mis- leading. And it is the same with animals. Finding a strange animal, we examine its face and teeth and fur to ascertain its habits and relationships. But to decide for certain what he is, we must say to our new acquaintance, whether man or beast, “‘ Hold out your hand.’’ And then we learn the truth. Here is a wide paw, with a web of skin from one finger-tip to the next; the Seal’s hand. We know the owner fora swimmer. Here is another hand, also webbed from tip to tip, but far wider and lighter, and with.slender bones no thicker than a bit of string: the Bat’s hand. He isa flyer. Here is a short and muscular hand, with strong, sharp, hooked claws: the Tiger's hand. He is a slayer. And here is a thick hand, with stout, blunt claws: the Badger’s hand. He is a digger. Here is a soft, slender hand, with long and supple fingers: the Monkey’s hand. He is a climber. Lastly, here is a hand from which most of the fingers have been lost, and the nails of those that remain have thickened into hoofs: the Horse’s hand. He is a runner. _ All these are variations of a mammalian hand. But I remind you that long ages before a mammal had appeared on the earth, the Reptiles had produced the swimming hand in the turtle, the slaying hand in the crocodile, the climbing hand in the lizard, and the flying hand in the pterodactyl. In the beginning animals were not four-footed but four-handed, as the frog, the rat and the monkey are to-day. The foot came as a special development of the hand, and just as it gained a better tread, so it lost the power to grasp. First the animal walked flat on the soles of his feet, like a bear does. Then he improved by going on tip-toe, like a dog or a cat, and so gained the ability to run and jump better. Still progressing, he became a specialist in running, and, having turned all his hands into feet, he gradually dropped his superfluous toes one after another till he had only two left to each foot, like an antelope, or but one toe apiece like a horse. Cats and dogs have five fingers, but only four toes. Indeed it was quite a usual event in evolution for an animal to lose some of the original five fingers or toes with which it began. The Spider Monkey, from South America, has lost its thumb, and an African monkey, the Colubus, also found its thumb superfluous, and got rid of it independently. Originally, as has just been said, the horse had five toes, and in the long series of extinct horses found fossil in America, the transition from five toes to three toes, and then to one toe is perfectly shown. Other animals, on the contrary, make for themselves a fifth hand. Thus the ’possum wraps his tail around a bough, and then swings from it easily, as do some South American monkeys. The elephant “ handles ” his food with a long, flexible trunk, which, in fact, is his nose. 204 ABOUT HANDS. The kangaroo and man each independently struck out on a special line of evolution by keeping their hands on their fore limbs while developing feet on their legs. The track of the wallaby is represented by pairs of broad arrows with here and there a brush between, where the tail swept the ground. From this print the wallaby appears to have three toes, but an examination of its foot shows a big toe in the centre and a small toe on the outside, while on ~ the inside corresponding to the outer, are two little toes in a bundle together which act and print like one. The thumb has been lost, so the two little toes wrapped up together, represent the second and third of an original five-toed foot. The reason why these little toes are wrapped up together is because in the long ago the wallaby’s ancestor used to climb trees, as its relation, the native bear, still does. Like the native bear, it used to cling to the branches with five toes, two on one side and three on the other. So in the tree-kangaroo, we have an animal whose immediate ancestors lived on the ground like other kangaroos, but whose remote ancestors lived on trees, and there acquired the “* syndactyl ” foot. Before that again, their ancestors had once lived on the ground. THE AUSTRALIAN MUSEUM.—ITS ORIGIN, GROWTH AND WORK. A LECTURE dealing with the history of this institution was delivered in the Museum Lecture Hall on 1oth June, 1019, by the President of the Board of Trustees, Dr. Thomas Storie Dixson, Ch.M. The lecture was freely illustrated with lantern slides and specimens. He traced the origin of the institu- tion back to 1827, its name being then the Colonial Museum ; although the name Australian Museum occurred as a suggestion in 1828, it was not until 1835 that it came into definite use. The succession of Curators, Dr. George Bennett, Rev. William Branwhite Clarke, W. S. Wall, Dr. S. R. Pittard, J. L. Gerard Krefft, Dr. E. P. Ramsay, and Robert Etheridge, jr., and their special activities were dilated upon, and the gradual building up of the fine collections with the expansion of the galleries for their accommodation concisely related. The lecture has been printed in pamphlet form by the Trustees of the Australian Museum AUSTRALIAN ZOOCLOGIST, Vot. I. PLaTE XV. E. H. Zeck, Photo SOLDIER BEETLES. SWARMING OF THE SOLDIER BEETLE, 7ELEPHORUS PULCHELLUS. By E. H. ZECK. (Plate xv.) Ear_y in February, 1919, thousands of Soldier Beetles, Telephorus pulchellus Macleay, were observed swarming in numerous groups by the roadside above the falls at Katoomba, New South Wales. One side of the road was formed by a low cutting about two feet high, while the other, which sloped quickly away to the gully which runs into the falls, had been banked up with stones and earth. Numerous holes and crevices in the sloping bank of the low cutting were seen to be entirely filled with the beetles, while on the opposite side of the road they were swarming over stones and climbing up into the tussocks of grass. Many others were in flight, while large numbers, which had evidently been wandering across the road, lay crushed upon the ground, having been run over by passing vehicles or walked upon by pedestrians. E..Zeck. Del. Soldier Beetle, Telephorus pulchellus. A Swarm of Soldier Beetles. 206 SWARMING OF THE SOLDIER BEETLE. The accompanying photograph represents one of the stones covered by a mass of the beetles, and gives some idea of the enormous number of specimens that were present. Besides the larger masses, numbers of smaller groups were scattered about, some consisting of many, and others of only a few specimens. From a little distance these groups had the appearance of dark green moss upon the stones. In his “ Australian Insects,’’ p. 168, Mr. W. W. Froggatt says :—‘‘ This beetle sometimes appears in great numbers; I have seen the Melaleuca scrub on the Blue Mountains black with them.’ The species is also referred to by Mr. A. M. Lea in “ Insect and Fungus Pests,” as an enemy of the Codlin Moth as follows :—‘‘ Another species known as Telephorus pulchellus, occasionally eS codlin ens, and many species of the same genus have been recorded as attacking them elsewhere.’ These Soldier Beetles have a very soft integument, and belong to the same family as the Fire-flies and Glow Worms, the Malacodermide. The specimen shown in the accompanying enlarged figure is a typical example, and the following is a brief description of it. Dorsal surface—Head black, covered with minute hairs. Antenne almost black, somewhat lighter at the joints, pubescent. The larger anterior portion of the prothorax black, the remainder bright yellow; lateral margins forming an upturned flange, which is most distinct on the yellow portion. The entire surface is covered with small hairs. Both the head and prothorax are glossy. The elytra, which do not cover the last segments of the abdomen, are metallic bronze green ; in many of the darker specimens they are olive green. They are pitted, and covered with minute hairs. Ex- posed tip of the abdomen bright yellow. Ventral suyface—Head black, prothorax and mesothorax bright yellow. In the centre of the metathorax there is a darker portion extending from the posterior pair of coxee. Abdomen bright yellow. Entire ventral surface covered with minute hairs. Legs black, covered with hairs which, in some lights, give them a reddish appearance. Length of the specimen described and figured, 14 mm. NOTES ON THE PLUMAGE-DISPLAY OF THE BIRDS OF PARADISE IN TARONGA PARK. By A. S. LE SOUEF, Director, Taronga Park. SEVERAL species of Birds of Paradise have been successfully acclimatised in two aviaries in Taronga Park for the past three years. These have proved quite hardy. For the greater part of the day they sit under cover and in the darkest portion of the enclosure, only showing themselves to any extent in the early morning and in the evening about an hour before sundown ; at these times they are most active, flying rapidly round the aviary. Their call notes can be heard at almost any time of the day, especially those of the Red Plumed and the Six-wired Birds. The moulting of the Birds of Paradise seems to be a rather more serious affair than with most other birds. The feathers start to fall in November and are eenetaly, all out by January. The birds at this time are more retiring than usual, and their call notes and ‘ ‘displays’ are not indulged in. When the young feathers are growing during February and March the birds indulge in sunning them- selves all the morning, often sitting in strained and twisted postures in order to let the sunlight play NOTES ON THE PLUMAGE-DISPLAY OF THE BIRDS OF PARADISE IN TARONGA PARK. 207 on some special feathers. The most active in this direction is the.‘ Magnificent Bird of Paradise,”’ which works the breast and nape muscles so that the ornamental tufts are raised and depressed, spread and contracted. As the feathers become fully developed, the birds keep more and more to the shade and avoid sunlight; this is specially noticeable in the case of the Rifle Birds, which rarely leave cover. Count RAGGI’s BirD OF PARADISE. This bird takes a horizontal position on a bough and erects the side plumcs over the back sometimes putting the head round and through the plumes. Its call note is peculiar, one cock bird leading off with three loud short notes, after which the others join in with a second note, which is longer, loud and clear, and repeated several times; the sound resembles ‘ chuck, chuck, chuck— wahoo, wahoo, wahoo.’ This is heard frequently throughout the day when the birds are in full plumage. Rupotr BLuE Birp oF PARADISE. The male Blue Bird hangs head downward on a bough on which the hen is sitting, and extends his side plumes while working the body with a rhythmical movement, and uttering a subdued croaking in unison therewith. The hen has not been observed to take any notice of the charmer. MAGNIFICENT BIRD OF PARADISE. Though only a small species, the plumage-display of the male bird is elaborate and very frequently performed. It consists of two distinct movements in which the appearance of the body is quite altered. The ordinary pose of the bird is rather dumpy, with the head sunk into the trunk and the beak pointing almost straight upward. The first change consists of erecting the yellow crest on the lower neck and depressing the breast and side plumes so that the bird looks long and thin and as if wearing a full bottomed skirt. This posture is suddenly altered by depressing the neck crest and extending the plumes on the cheeks, neck and breast laterally, so that the shape becomes oval ; the mouth is opened and shows the shining green gape. Stx-WIRED BIRD OF PARADISE. This species acts in a somewhat similar way to the Bower Birds. It is fond of playing about on the ground, and selects a position at the base of a shrub where it follows a beaten track, strutting backwards and forwards and sometimes playing with a small stick; it occasionally puffs out the breast plumes laterally and erects the head plumes. This seems to be done more for amusement than to charm the hen. Kinc Birp oF PARADISE. This beautiful species, the gem of the smaller kinds, is rather shy and does not like performing in public; so far the male has only been seen to erect and ruffle the breast plumes and to flutter his scarlet wings. A SIMPLE METHOD OF PREPARING CRANIA. By HEBER A. LONGMAN, Director, Queensland Museum. Owi1ne to the prevalence in Brisbane of the cosmopolitan little Brown Ant, Pheidole megacephala, Fabr., a convenient and expeditious method of preparing osteological specimens is available, especially in the warmer months. These ants have a predilection for animal tissue, and apparently appreciate the old adage that the nearer to the bone the sweeter is the meat. They are present in such numbers that their services can be utilised on quite a large scale when specimens are required. Should it be desired to prepare the skull of a small mammal, or even a complete skeleton, the specimen should first be boiled until the meat is soft enough for the major portion to be readily removed by hand or by forceps and scalpel. The specimen should then be placed on a board under a suitable wire-cover to prevent depredations by wandering cats or rodents, and left on the ground in the vicinity of a nest of ants—there is no difficulty in finding nests in Brisbane suburbs. The ants work best in the dark, when they simply swarm over the bones. The amount of material they remove in twenty-four hours is surprising. This process has the advantage of leaving uninjured delicate or filamentous processes. The interstices and foramina are thoroughly cleaned out and the bones are left perfectly clean. Exposure to sunlight will subsequently dry and bleach them. By this method the skull of a small mammal, a bird, or a fish, can be made available for identification within forty-eight hours, and the obnoxious and lengthy process of maceration is rendered unnecessary. It almost rivals the trypsin process as described in the ‘““ Museum Journal”’ for February, 1919, by Miss Kk. F. Lander. ; The only essential is to boil the specimens in order to prevent the meat from mummifying and becoming too hard, and in the case of large crania, from which a considerable amount of meat has to be removed, another boiling on the second day may be of advantage. A large number of mammalian, reptilian and other crania have been prepared for the Queensland Museum by this simple method. ; AVIARY NOTES ON THE PECTORAL RAIL, HYPOTAENIDIA PHIL/IPPENSI/S, L. By T. C. MARSHALL. On the 28th of December, 1917, whilst out catching King Quail, I had the good fortune to meet with this interesting bird at Harrisville. A large patch of oats was being cut at the time, and the noise of the reaping-machine frightened out a pair of rails, which flew away across the creek. Immediately after their departure I heard the peculiar ‘‘ slate-pencil clack '’ of young birds from several directions, and after a little while succeeded in locating a little chap, which I chased out on to the ploughed ground, and quickly ran it down. In this way I managed to catch five, but though others were heard in the vicinity, I could not see them. They were curious little chaps, not unlike day-old black orpington chicks, except that their legs and bills were much stouter and stronger. I managed to get them all safely to Brisbane, but two died a few days later. In less than a week the remaining three had grown fully twice as large as when first obtained. About the 2oth of January, 1918, a few whitish barred feathers appeared ; the black down had turned to a dirty brown, and appeared as though there were barely enough of it to cover the bird. On the 24th of January the buff band of the adults was plainly visible on all three birds, and feathers were rapidly taking the place of the down. About the end of the month they were perfect birds, strutting about the aviary and giving the peculiar jerk of the tail, while uttering their loud “ clack”’ at regular intervals. AVIARY NOTES ON THE PECTORAL RAIL. 209 Pectoral Rails. They are now fairly tame, and will approach one to take a worm from the hand. But woe betide a’ bird approaching them whilst feeding ; they do not hesitate to attack it with both beak and wings, and at the same time ruffle the feathers of the neck like the hair on the tail of a cat in a fright. Only one inmate of the aviary (a Dragoon Bird, Pitta strepitans) appears to be their master. They will not venture too near him unless his mouth be full of worm, when taking a mean advantage they fearlessly approach and tug the dainty morsel from his mouth. They are not particular as regards food, eating mostly worms and panicum seed, varied with a little bread and milk or apples, and occasionally at night they catch a mouse. } They appear. to be nocturnal to a certain extent, as on a moonlight night they may be seen walking about, feeding and bathing. They are very fond of this last, and may be seen taking a dip several times a day. After a bath they spread the tail and droop the wings as does a turkey-cock, and strut about until quite dry again. I should imagine that Pectoral Rails do most of their flying under cover of night, as my captives have often called down others which have been passing over the town at night. We often see wild birds running round the yard and chatting for a little while with the tame ones, after which they leave us as suddenly as they came. My birds never sleep in the grass around the pond, but always choose the highest perches. My several attempts to breed from them have so far been met with failure. The hen bird will lay two or three eggs, but will then suddenly stop and refuses to sit. THE SPINE-TAILED SWIFT, CHAETURA CAUDACU7A. By H. E. FINCKH. STROLLING round my garden on the morning of the 21st of January, 1919, I noticed a Spine-tailed Swift. Chetura caudacuta, hanging on a low branch of a shrub, and as it made no attempt to fly from my approach I had no difficulty in securing it. So far as I could ascertain it showed no signs of injury, though its eyes appeared to be very dull. Thinking the bird could not rise, I threw it into the air, but though it made an attempt to fly it could only manage a few yards, and then landed on the lawn. I could not hope to be able to keep it alive in one of my aviaries, but thought I would endeavour to feed it till it gained strength and then liberate it, trusting that it might pick up company on its flight to northern regions. So I put the bird into an aviary, one side of which consisted of the stone foundation of my cottage. I offered it as food some meal-worms, the larve of the beetle Tenebrio molitoy, which it accepted readily, taking about a dozen a day. It would climb up to the top of the wire netting from the ground and hang there amongst,the}branches of a climbing Ficus ; it always supported the body with its tail, and remained for hours in this position. After a few days the bird appeared to be gaining strength, so I gave it another chance of flight. It flew some fifty yards, and then came to the ground; so it went again into the aviary. & ad Spine-tailed Swift clinging to a Vertical Stone Wall. THE SPINE-TAILED SWIFT. DAD! On the following morning I found it hanging on the roughly-masoned sandstone wall. 1 hurried for my camera and exposed two plates through the door of the aviary to get the accompanying side-view ; then in all haste I cut a hole in the front wire and obtained the back-view here reproduced. There was no need for such haste, however, as the bird remained in this position without moving for the next two hours, and on several occasions I again found it hanging on the wall. It still took food and water, but nevertheless died after a week’s confinement. The photographs clearly show how the tail is used to support the body when hanging to a wall. The body does not lie flat against the wall, for though the neck and the chest do so, the lower parts are forced away by the drawing up of the tail to obtain support. The eight tail feathers, which are spread, hardly touch the wall except at the very end. The sharply-pointed spines of each do all the supporting, and the two middle feathers are stronger and the spines much heavier than those of the remaining six. I should mention that my friend, Mr. Thos. Steel, F.L.S., kindly preserved this bird for me by first soaking it in a dilute formalin solution and then drying it. This method of preserving natural history specimens is well worth consideration, since in this case the appearance of the bird is exactly as it was when it died.* LIFE HISTORY OF THE FISH, GALAX/AS ATTENUATUS. By W. J. PHILLIPPS, Dominion Museum, Wellington. From time to time much has been written, and a great deal of discussion has taken place regarding the life history of Galavias attenuatus, the Jolly-tail or Eel-gudgeon of Australia, and the Minnow of New Zealand. Even so recently as 1916 Meek (p 147) has not been willing to admit the statements of various authors that the species spawns in the sea. Referring to a paper by McCulloch (1915, pp. 47-49), he states that the results of that author’s investigations are not conclusive; and considers it is evident that the young of about the size figured by McCulloch migrate to the sea, at which time they are denatant. Hutton (1872, p. 60) was the first to note that G. altenuatus spawned in the sea, but others interested in the subject were dubious about accepting his statement, since it relegated the species into a class of its own, differing from all others of the genus by making a catadromus migration. Perhaps the most interesting observations were made by Clarke, 1899, pp. 78-79. He says :— “ Galaxias attenuatus periodically descends to the sea in January, February and March, where it spawns, returning in March, April and May. The young begin to make their appearance in the rivers sometimes as early as the end of June, but they definitely commence to arrive in August, the shoals increasing in size and number in September and October. At the time of the advent of the fry I have frequently, and at several places, seen large shoals of the ‘inanga’ at sea, and have caught specimens in verification, and have constantly observed them washed up by the breakers on to the beaches near the mouths of large rivers, evidently when skirting the coast to enter them.” Regan (1914, p. 41) has given the following interesting reference to this species and its allies :— “ Much has been made of the distribution of the Galaxiide and Haplochitonide, for some time regarded as freshwater fishes found in southern Australia and Tasmania, New Zealand, and the southern part of America. It is now known that Galaxias attenuatus, the only species common to all these regions, *See Aust. Naturalist, vol. iv, pt. 7, p- 99 (1919). 212 LIFE HISTORY OF THE FISH. breeds in the sea. In the “ Scotia’’ report I have shown that these two families are Salmonoids related to the Osmeride, and their marine origin may be regarded as certain. Like the northern Salmonoids, they are establishing themselves in fresh water, and it is interesting to note that Galaxtas occurs at the Cape and even New Caledonia, where, like the Trout of Algeria, it remains as the witness of a glacial epoch.” A study of the life history of G. attenuatus makes it apparent that the species need not have occurred in its present specific form during that period prior to Tertiary times, in which land-connection is considered by some writers to have persisted between New Zealand, Antarctica and Australia ; or even as late as the Miocene, in which the land-connections between New Zealand, Antarctica, and South America are supposed to have broken down. For it appears that the larval G. attenuatus is capable of a transoceanic migration, and has within a comparatively recent date been distributed to its various habitats by Antarctic currents. In New Zealand the larval form enters into the category of edible fishes as White-bait, the Maori term for the species at this stage being Inanga. The ancient Maori was a thorough naturalist, and much that has been unravelled by Europeans during the last fifty years was known to him centuries ago. Best (1903, p. 77) has given the Maori version of the migrations of the Znanga in the Bay of Plenty district, but as the story is told in the quaint mytho-poetical manner peculiar to the Maori, I have extracted only the essential parts in the following note :— On the nights Turu, 16th, and Rakau-nui, 17th, of the ninth month of the Maori year (the middle of February to the middle of March), the Inanga begin to migrate to Wainui (the ocean). There are three migrations, the second taking place during the Autumn, and the third when a star known as Takero is seen, the migration being known by that name. The Jnanga produce their young in salt water, and leave them there to be dashed about by the waves. In the months Matahi (June to July) and Marauroa (July to August), the Hiw? (another name for the parent fish) return to fresh water ; but not yet the young. People see them returning, and observe they are thin and light. Then the nets and pots are set at the weirs, and great numbers are taken. The young ones do not come up the rivers until the fourth month of the Maori year (the middle of September to the middle of October). Evidently the Ngat Tahu (South Island Tribe) also recognised three separate migrations of the Minnow, as I have recently been informed by Mr. Best that this tribe applies the term Matuaiw? to the second migration of the Hiwz. The following account of the return journey of the Minnow in the Clutha River at Otago has been supplied to me by Mr. H. Beattie, who relates the story as he had it from an old native :—‘‘ They return up the river in long columns, leaving the water at its mouth white with spawn. Mata was the name of the very young Jnanka (or Inanga), and they were caught with Kaka (nets) sometimes a chain long. A lagoon near Waikouaiti was called Mata-Inanka because the Maoris caught very small inanga there.’’ I may here add that the tidal reach of the Clutha River is about twelve miles inianad, and that this record of the Minnow spawning at the mouth of the river is refuted by all experienced fishermen who have fished in the tidal estuaries of our larger rivers. The inanga enter a river only at full tide ; immediately the tide commences to ebb they disappear either up stream or back to the ocean. During September, 1918, while visiting Paremata, seventeen miles north of Wellington, I noticed a shoal of semi-transparent fishes entering a small stream from a lagoon which is partly detached from the sea, and making their way up against the current. I followed the shoal for some distance, and later was fortunate in securing a specimen which proved to be an immature example of Galaxias attenuatus. 1 was informed by a resident that a month later much larger shoals run up stream, most of which are eaten by the eels and trout. LIFE HISTORY OF THE FISH. 213 A brief summary of the life history of this species may be given as follows :— It migrates from the streams and rivers to the sea between some date after midsummer until after autumn. Whether three separate migrations can be distinguished or not remains yet to be proved. Clarke makes use of the term “ periodically,’ implying that the migration seawards of all individuals does not neces- sarily take place at the same time. Towards the end of winter the parent fish, which have spawned in the sea, return to fresh water. The young appear off the coasts in the early spring months, but escape observation on account of their transparency. These young enter the rivers and streams around the coast until about the end of November, when a marked decrease in the supply of commercial whitebait becomes apparent. The following is a short bibliography of the most important papers on the species :— Best, Elsdon, 1901. Maori Origins, part 2; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxill, pp. 467-471. Best, Elsdon, 1g03. Food Products of Tuheeland; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxv., pp. 45-111. Clarke, F. E., 1899. Notes on New Zealand Galaxiidae, more especially those of the western slopes, with descripticns of new species, cte.; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxi., pp. 78-91. Gibson, E., 1g03. Notes on the New Zealand Whitebait ; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxv., p. 311. Hector, Sir J., 1903. Notes on the New Zealand Whitebait ; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxv., pp. 312-3109. Hutton, F. W., 1872. Fishes of New Zealand; Wellington, 93 pp. Hutton, F. W., 1896. Notes on some New Zealand Fishes, with description of a new species ; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxviii., pp. 314-318. Johnston, R. M., 1883. General and critical observations on the Fishes of Tasmania; Proc. Roy. Soc. Tasmania, 1882, pp. 51-144. McCulloch, A. R., 1915. The migration of the Jolly-tail or Eel-gudgeon, Galaxias attenuatus, from the sea to fresh water; Austr. Zool. 1. 2, pp. 47-49. McKenzie, A. J., 1903. Notes on the Whitebait of New Zealand ; Tr. N.Z. Inst. xxxv., pp. 309-310. Meek, A., 1916. The Migrations of Fish. 427 pp. Regan, C. Tate, 1906. A Revision of the Fishes of the Family Galaxiidae; P.Z.S. Lond., 1905, li., pp. 363-384. Regan, C. Tate, 1913. Antarctic Fishes of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition; Tr. Roy. Soc. Edinb. xlix. 2, pp. 229-292. Regan, C. Tate, 1914. Fishes in British Antarctic (Terra Nova) Expedition 1910; Zool. i. 1, Pp. 1-54. Regan, C. Tate, 1915. Antarctic Fishes of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedition ; Scientific Results of the Scotia, 1902-1 04, Zcol. iv., pp. 311-374. Sherrin, R. A. A., 1886. Handbook of the Fishes of New Zealand, 307 pp. NOTE ON THE MOUTH-PARTS OF LICE. By LAUNCELOT HARRISON, B.Sc., B.A., Lecturer and Demonstrator in Zoology, University of Sydney. (With a Figure in the text.) In the course of an account of the mouth-parts in the Body-louse, Pediculus humanus L. (Harrison, 1916), I endeavoured to bring these structures into correlation with those of the Mallophaga, a group of orthopterous origin. Such an interpretation is quite contrary to the generally accepted view, which would ally the sucking lice—Siphunculata—with the Hemiptera. The most recent expression of this latter view is that of Enderlein (1904, 1905), who finds no difficulty in homologising the piercing apparatus of the louse with that of the bug. In my paper, quoted above, I have criticised Enderlein’s views, and set out my own, at some length. At this time I was acquainted with only one species of Mallophaga which suggested a condition in any way intermediate between biting and sucking mouth-parts. This was Philandesia townsend, a parasite of the South American rodent, Lagidium peruanum Meyer, described by Kellogg and Makayama (1914). In their diagnosis of the genus (1914, p. 198), the authors write :— ‘““Mouth-parts (Text-fig. i.) of unusual type, the mandibles being long.and slender and the other mouth-parts, together with the hypopharynx and pharyngeal skeleton, forming a sort of grasping tube ” or furrow. I have since received, through the kindness of Mr. G. F. Ferris, of Leland Stanford University, specimens of Philandesia, and am convinced of the importance of this species as an intermediate type, the mouth-parts of which are modified in the direction of sucking. I have not yet, however, had the opportunity of making a detailed examination of the mouth apparatus. A second point of interest in connection with Philandesia lies in the fact that it is a two-clawed Amblyceran parasite of mammals. Outside the family Boopidae, confined to marsupials of the Australian region, only one other such genus is known, namely Trimenopon, Cummings (1913), also from a South American rodent, which I have included (1916 a, p. 31) with Philandesia in a family, Trimenopontdae. A third family, Gyropidae, of Amblycera, is also found upon mammals, and again almost entirely upon American rodents. The peculiar distribution of these three families of mammal parasites, which are more nearly related to one another than to the bird-infesting Amblycera, led me to question whether the American forms might not be derivatives from the American marsupial fauna, from which no Mallophaga have been described. In order to try and settle this point, I examined a number of skins of American mar- supials in the British Museum, and was successful in obtaining from two species of Pevamys, a small rodent-like marsupial, a Mallophagan form closely related to Philandesia and Trimenopon, but generically distinct. As this occurred in fair numbers, there is no reasonable doubt but that it is an actual parasite of the genus Peramys. The only other Mallophagan found during the examination of skins of several species of marsupials, was a single Gyvopus from Metachivus, upon which no conclusions can safely be based. The chief interest of the new form centres in its mouth-parts, which differ from those of Philandesia, but which also show an intermediate condition. The mouth isa transverse slit, the labium, notched in the middle, but not grooved as in Philandesia, completely covering the weakly chitinised mandibles. Se Oe ee ee ee ee ee 7 = SS st Oe ee ee ee NOTES ON THE MOUTII-PARTS OF LICE. Eyl) It is possible that a further examination of American marsupials in the field will produce a variety of interesting forms, which may support the suggestion made here as to the possible origin of Ambly- ceran parasites of American mammals from parasites of the marsupials. More pertinent to the present discussion is the fact that two of these forms, while still possessing mandibulate mouth- -parts, exhibit a condition in which the mandibles have undergone at least a partial loss of function, and have become enclosed within the buccal cavity. I have shown (1916) that mandibles are present in young Body-lice, and that they persist even in the adult stage in some lice of seals. I do not, of course, suggest that Philandesta and its newly-discovered ally are stages in the line of descent of the sucking lice from their mandibulate relatives. But these two biting lice seem to me to afford some evidence of how a transi- tion from the biting to the sucking type may have taken place. Another insect which must be taken into consideration is the elephant-louse Haematomyzus elephantis Piaget. This insect is, in most of its characteristics, a typical sucking louse. Its position has never been called in question, such extreme modifications as it does show on a superficial examina- tion being attributed as adaptations enabling it to live on its particular host. But an examination of the mouth-parts of Haematomyzus (Text-fig.) shows at once that these differ very markedly from those of all other sucking lice. Unfortunately my only material of this louse comprises a male and a female cleared in potash and mounted. I am unable, in consequence, to examine the mouth-parts in section; but certain out- standing features can be clearly made out in the mounts. Fig A. represents the proboscis and forepart of the head of Haematomyzus, magnified roo diameters, the bases only of the antenne being indicated. The only chitinous structure appearing in the lumen of the proboscis is the narrow siphon, or sucking-tube (s?.), which is continuous behind with the pharynx (ph.). There is no trace of any such diverticulum as occurs in all other Siphunculata, with its contained piercing organs which Enderlein homologises with hemipterous mouth-parts. 216 NOTES ON THE MOUTH-PARTS OF LICE. An examination of the distal end of the proboscis under a higher magnification (Fig. B., magnified 600 diameters) explains the reason, as the mouth parts exist, modified and, in part, reduced, about the mouth opening. The latter is bounded dorsally by a curved plate (/b.), slightly bifid at its anterior end, which bears two sensory bristles, with three pairs of strong chitinous denticles, increasing in size — from before backwards, which are set in articular areas, and are described by Piaget (1880. p. 658) as movable. This plate appears to represent labrum p/us clypeus, the boundary between the two not being demarcated. Laterally the mouth is bounded by two heavy chitinous pieces, showing two series of hooks, a dorsal and a ventral, curving outwards and slightly backwards, the piece of either side being movably hinged. It is not possible to state with certainty what these appendages represent, but they may be fused maxilla and mandible, an interpretation suggested by the double series of hooks ; or may consist of mandible or maxilla alone. The ventral boundary is formed by a curved plate (/a) deeply bifid in the middle, each lobe bearing a rudimentary palp (/.p.) exactly like those of Mallophaga. This plate is represented in the figure as projecting beyond the labrum, but, in reality, it is conterminous anteriorly with the latter, projecting a little beyond it laterally. There can be no doubt that this plate represents the labium. It bears upon its ventral surface strong paired denticles which are not indicated in the figure. Haematomyzus, consequently raises some interesting questions in connection with the mouth- parts of lice. First we may ask whether it be a louse at all. I can see no reason for doubt upon this point. Piaget, its discoverer, had none. Enderlein, who has devoted a great deal of attention to the systematics of lice, has expressed no doubt, and he is responsible for creating the family Haematomy- _ zidae to contain it. Fahrenholz, another modern worker on the Siphunculata, who has assuredly examined the form, as he has described a variety (1910, p. 67), has not raised the point of its erroneous inclusion. Haematomyzus would seem, therefore, to be a louse. Why, then, does it differ so remarkably, as regards its mouth-parts, from other Siphunculata ? Haematomyzus pierces with the whole of its proboscis, which is simply the anterior part of the head drawn out into a long tube, bearing terminal mouth-parts ; while in other lice the piercing is done by slender stylets protruded from a pocket beneath the pharynx. Itseems to me that Haematomyzus is a primitive form, as I should expect from its host, derived from an ancestral louse group which must have had a palpigerous labium and other fairly typical mouth-parts. If it be claimed that it is not primitive, but highly adapted to a special host habitat, then it certainly cannot have been modified from any group of insects with hemipterous mouth- parts, for it is impossible to conceive a reversion from the highly specialised condition of the bugs to that of a palp-bearing labium of a type so characteristic in Mallophaga. Specialised and modified as it may be, Haematomyzus seems to me to afford further justification for my reuniting the Siphunculata and Mallophaga within a single order, Anoplura (1916a, p. 25) ; and to constitute a fatal stumbling-block to the idea of Hemipterous homologies. REFERENCES. Cummings (1913), Bull. Ent. Research, iv., pp. 35-45. Enderlein (1904), Zool. Anzeiger, xxviii., pp. 121-147. (1905), Zool. Anzeiger, xxviii., pp. 626-638. Fahrenholz (1910), Jahvesbevicht d. Neidersachs. Zool. Ver. Hannover, pp. 57-75. Harrison (1916), Proc. Camb. Phil. Soc., xviii., pp. 207-226. (1916a), Parasitology, ix., pp. 1-156. Kellogg & Nakayama (1914), Ent. News, xxv., pp. 193-201. Piaget (1880), Les Pédeculines, Essai Monographique, Leyden. CHECK-LIST OF THE FISH AND FISH-LIKE ANIMALS OF NEW SOUTH WALES. By ALLAN R. McCULLOCH, Zoologist, Australian Museum. (By permission of the Trustees of the Australian Museum.) PAR Tels TuouGu there are already several lists of the “ Fishes "’ of New South Wales, they do not enable one to identify the numerous species unless one has access to a well stocked library. The purpose of the present list is to overcome this difficulty, and it is hoped that the accompanying keys and illustrations will indicate the identity of any recorded from the waters of this State. Five hundred and eighty-eight species are at present listed from both the marine and fresh waters of New South Wales, though a number of them are very rare here, and their inclusion is, in some cases, based upon the capture of only one or two specimens. , Hyla aurea, by T. Fectey paheston! M.A., D.Se., and M. J. Bancroft, B.Sc... Ornithological Notes, edited by A. F. Basset hs Mapp syaes eth a plan mn nya AE The Flight of a Falcon, by Thomas'P. Austin ................: Asse eae “The Birds and Animals Protection Act, 1918:.........-.....405 ERA Ea eee! The Crow Family, by Walter W. Froggatt, F.L.S........ A eae Pa AN oe Ee my id > _ CONTENTS OF PART oe rors Royal Zooleteteat Society of New South Wales : ; Fee i WA 5 Ae S ! Report of ‘Annual Meeting.....2 .f........---55 AT wiiobeas Vinee, Fe rage A e Balancer Sheet: Wu 7iio sn sie Waele ore 8 aioe eee Wek Dela Wing toletraiy viet Lathe genes Notes on the Mancina of Lice, by Paviaeclot Hades: B. Sot ByAn uous Check list of the Fish and Fish-like Animals of New South “Wales, ane I., by) J MoOCMMOGH ssc ed ss Ge eige tot ele pues eee ie aration ‘ene ee Ls pie a TAU hate fa see elele $i) THE AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST Issued by The Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales Edited by LAUNCELOT HARRISON, B.Sc., B.A., Lecturer and Demonstrator in Zoology at the University of Sydney. Vol. 1—Part 8. Sydney, July 30, 1920. All communications to be addressed to the Hon. Seeretary Box 2399, General Post Office, Sydney. Sydney: The Sydney and Melbourne Publishing Co., Ltd., Printers. Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. Established 1879. REGISTERED UNDER THE COMPANIES ACT, 1899 (1917). COUNCIL, 1919-1920. President : W. W. Froggatt, F.L.S., F.EH.S. Vice-Presidents : H. EB. Finckh. S. T. D. Symons, M.R.C.V.S G. A. Waterhouse, B.Se, B.E., F.E.S. Members: J. H. Campbell. Professor S. J. Johnston, D.Se., B.A. E. A. D’Ombrain, M.B., B.S. Allan R. MeCulloeh BE. W. Ferguson, M.D., Ch.M. W.. ©. Shipway. A. Halloran, B.A., LL.B. D. W. C. Shiress. L. Harrison, B.Sc., B.A. Col. Alfred Spain, V.D., F.1.A C. Hedley, F.L.S. Hon. Secretary and Treasurer: A. F. Basset Hull, R.A.O.U. Supsorrprion: Ordinary Member, £1 1s. per annum. Associate Member, 7s. 6d. ,, PRIVILEGES : Ordinary Members—Free admission to Taronga Zoological Park; Additional Tickets admitting 20 Adults or 40 Children; Free Copy of “Australian Zoologist.” Associate Members—F ree Copy of “Australian Zoologist.” “THE AUSTRALIAN ZOOLOGIST.” Communications intended for “The Australian Zoologist” should preferably be type-written. Authors should state whether proofs and reprints are desired when submitting MS. Fifty reprints of any article appearing under a separate title will be sup- phed gratis. If more are required, terms may be ascertained on application to the Editor. CONTENTS OF PART VIII. (Price, 4/.) Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales :. .. .. -. ...... -- +--+. 229 Field Notes on the Life History of Monotremes—L, by Harry Burrell .. .. 231 Notes on the Habits and Reproduction of the Great Western Burrowing Idnqoyeelonvaleagorigs \\Ves Ja IDF Mery IDSs IMEIDoshy IMEAaSG 54 so sp no on lll Myrmecophilous Coleoptera, by E. H. Zeck .. . oAneiay putes Seer cae Ee On a New Species of Lophopodella, by Rex W. Bretnall .. .. 3a) ohee ere Notes on the Breeding of the Scrub Turkey, by ‘A. Ss. Le Souef . Mee ore ett The Wedge-tailed Eagle, by Walter W. a F.L.S Ac) wis) Ga Nature Notes .... .. Bag 9D GU Reta Conn ptopoe NMED Title-page, Vol. A ONT. nui thes MORE Ss Guo swat lca de. ao) 1. Contents of Vol. il. Index .. ee Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales. NEW MEMBERS.—tThe following new members have been elected since the publication of the list in Part 7 of this journal :— LIFE MEMBERS: Dixson, Hucu, “Abergeldie,” Susimer Hill. Dixson, Rosperr Craig, J.P., 100 The Strand, Sydney. ORDINARY Bortuwick, ALEXANDER, “Vereena,” Canterbury Grove, Dulwich Hill. Brernaut, R. W., Australian Museum, Sydney. Curtis, Harry P., Office, Sydney. Desus, ArTHUR, Marlsbury Road, Nor- (previously associate Crown Solicitor’s manhurst member). Dixson, Tuomas Storm, M.D., 215 Macquarie Street, Sydney. Ferauson, Dr. Eustace Wiuutr1aM, De- partment of Public Health, Syaney. Gitper, Arcuipaup E. B., “Woodelms,” Cross Street, Mosman. Ginper, Suprrinaron, A. E. B.,.“Wood- elms,” Cross Street, Mosman. Harrison, Launcenor, B.Se., B.A., De- partment of Zoology, The Univer- sity, Sydney. Kerry, Coartes Henry, Challis House, Martin Place, Sydney. KinG, GeorGe CHATFIELD, Street, Sydney. Kune, Percy Wutreitey, David Street, Clifton Gardens. Kincuorn, Roy J., Australian Museum, Sydney. 1338a Pitt Drxson, Witu1am, Gordon Road, Iil- lara. WarrerHousr, Gustavus JoHN, Bull’s Chambers, Moore Street (previous- ly ordinary member). MEMBERS: Mauury, Ciypp, David Street, Clifton Gardens. Mippueron, F. E., 8 Alexander Ay- enue, Mosman. Mircuenyu, Marx, A.M.P. Buildings, 89 Pitt Street, Sydney. Moors, E. M., M.A., F.LA., 57 Raglan Street, Mosman. MusGrave, Antuony, Australian eum, Sydney. Newton, Elusert, Bank of William Street, Sydney. PARADICE, WinttaAm EH. J., “Arden,” Victoria Avenue, Chatswood. Rvuruerrorp, SAamurs, William Street, Granville. Taytor, AuGustus Senwyn, “Berne- fay,’ Margate Street, Kogarah. THompson, Aurrep Wester, “Wid- den,” Bradley’s Head Road, Mos- man. Tinuerr, Joun VARNELL, Crown Offices, Sydney. Turminy, Arcu. C., 143 Phillip Street, Sydney. Van Someren, Mrs. G. A., “Bracon- fel,’ Mosman. Mus- INE Sevics Law HONORARY MEMBER: Lye, GrorGe, Gisborne, Victoria ASSOCIATE MEMBERS: Barrett, CHarues, “Maralena,” Mays- bury Avenue, Elsternwick, Victoria Cousins, W. G., c/o Angus & Robert- son, Ltd., Castlereagh Street, Syd- ney. Epwarps, Henry Vassau, Tathra Road, Bega. Hint, Geraup i*., Institute of Tropical Medicine, Townsville (Q.). Tue Liprartan, Turnbull Library, Wel- lington, New Zealand. Wise, Miss Mary I., Foster Street, Sale, Victoria. 230 ROYAL ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY. The vacaney in the Council caused by the death of Mr. W. J. Rainbow was filled by the election of Mr. Launcelot Harrison, B.Se., B.A., of the Department of Zoology, The University, Sydney. Mr. A. R. MeCulloch, Honorary Editor of this journal since its inception, has relinquished the position owing to pressure of other duties. Mr. Launcelot Har- rison, B.Se., B.A. has been elected in his place. Mr. A. F. Basset Hull has been eleeted President of the Royal Australasian Ornithologists’ Union for the second year in succession. He has also been elected a Corresponding Fellow of the American Ornithologists’ Union. # # * * Sir George Kenrick, ex-Lord Mayor of Birmingham, a keen collector of Butterflies, recently paid a visit to Sydney. He expressed a wish to obtain a collection of Australian Butterflies, and consulted Mr. G. A. Waterhouse, Hon- orary Treasurer of this Society, who, in conjunction with Mr. George Lyell, of Gisborne, Victoria, and Mr. G. M. Goldfinch, of Sydney, agreed to make up a representative collection provided that Sir George Kenrick made a contribution to the Society’s Handbook Pubheation Fund. To this Sir George agreed, and fixed the contribution at £150. Mr. Lyell has been elected an Honorary Member of the Society in recognition of his action, and the thanks of the Society are due to Messrs. Waterhouse and Goldfinch for their share in thus enriching the fund. * * * & Additional donations to the Handbook Publication Fund, received since publi- cation of the list in the last number of this journal, are: £5; G. J. Cohen, Esq., £5, and A. H. Jaques, Esq., £3/19/. The Fund now stands at £264/19/. Hugh Dixson, Esq., Dr. J. Burton Cleland, Microbiologist of the Department of Publie Health, Sydney, and a member of this Society, has been appointed Professor of Path- ology in the University of Adelaide. Dr. R. J. Tillyard, a Member of the Council of this Society, has accepted the appointment of Biologist to the Cawthron Institute, Nelson, New Zealand. He will proceed to England and America, representing New Zealand at the Conter- ence of Entomologists to be held in London in June. It is most gratifying that the scientific attainments of Dr. Tillyard have been so signally recognised by the Dominion, and it is equally a matter for regret that our own State has not been able to offer Dr. Tillyard a position and remuneration commensurate with his undoubted abilities. * * * By the death of Messrs. W. J. Green and W. J. Rainbow, the Society has lost two of its oldest members. Mr. Green was first elected to the Council in 1905, and held the office of Honorary Treasurer until 1916. On his retirement from this office and the Council, he was elected an Honorary Member in recugni- tion of lis valuable services. He died on the 13th March last. Mr. Raiabow was elected to the Council in 1910, and held office up to the date of his death, which took place on 21st November last. * * * co Mr. Charles Hedley has been appointed Acting Curator of the Australian Museum in succession to the late Mr. Robert Etheridge, Jr. 231 FIELD NOTES ON THE LIFE HISTORY OF MONOTREMES.1. By Harry Burrell. (With 6 Figures in the text.) On September 25th, 1919, I went to Manilla, New South Wales, for the pur- pose of collecting the eggs and young of Monotremes. According to “The Oldest Resident,” the district was then experiencing the most severe drought since that of 1862, but as a “Spring” drought is a somewhat unusual condition, I consid- ered that it would be interesting to carry on my investigations despite the ditti- culties, and to record my observations so that they might be compared with those made in more normal times. Tt so happened that my aims coincided with those of Mr. Charles M. Hoy, Collector for the Smithsonian Institution, and as he was able to fit his plans in with mine, I had the advantage of his help and company during three weeks we spent together in the district. THE HCHIDNA, Within five hours of my arrival at Manilla, | was fortunate enough to secure a female Echidna with a young one in her pouch. This was 2 inches long from the end of the muzzle to the end of the tail when fully extended in its natural crawling position, and it was 1 inch wide. Its body was of a cold flesh colour, and its head bright pink. The toes were dull black with light brown nails, while its ege-chipping apparatus and the area around the nostrils were bluish black. its eyes were not open, and the ears also were apparently closed. The top por- tion of the muzzle showed a mass of bright red arteries, and many others were on the throat connecting with the abdomen and running under the arms to the zbdomen. Its back was very smooth, and had a distinct fine line extending from the nape to the tail, but there was neither fur nor quills. Its neck, shoulders, and the sides of the fore-parts were wrinkled or “goose-fleshed,’ and there was a rertect indentation representing the pouch. No trace of the spurs was visible to the naked eye, and its excreta resembled yellow curdled milk. When I first examined the mother’s pouch, this baby was found snugly attached to the parent’s abdomen, its head pointing in the same direction as hers. But after having detached it, I noticed that it always re-entered her pouch with its head pointing towards her tail, and blindly groped its way by grasping hand- fuls of her fur in and around the pouch, while occasionally protruding its tongue, After a while the mother’s fur became moist and tangled, and it curled into loops through which the young forced its way head first until it became so en- meshed that it took some time to remove it from the pouch again without causing either injury or pain to it or its mother. JI did not hear the young Echidna utter any sound during these little experiments, but the mother gave a mild dog- Eke sniff occasionally. 239 BURRELL. The young of both the Echidna and the platypus maintain a sort of per- yetual motion with their fore-arms, first one being thrown out and then the other. The limb is methodically extended to its full reach with the palm widely spread, and then with an inward grasping sweep is brought in to the breast, the palm being simultaneously closed. One young Echidna which I held on its back in the palm of my hand actually scratched itself sufficiently to draw blood by this vigorous action of its arms. These movements were so persistent in the young pecimen described above that I was unable to satisfactorily photograph it alive, end IL had to be content with the accompanying snapshot (Fig. 1). I believe the perpetual movements of the fore-limbs of the young of both the Echidna and cy the platypus assist the flow of milk from the mother’s milk-glands to the outer surface of the skin, while they also enable the young to regain a hold upon their parents after they have been detached. Fie. 1—Young Echidna from pouch. H. Burren, Puoro. The accompanying photograph of a female Echidna (Fig. 2) lying upen its kEack is intended to illustrate what I have suggested im an earher part of this volume (p. 87), as to the possibility of the animal depositing its egg directly into its.pouch, though I have nothing further to add to my first note upon the subject. The Manilla District is usually infested with rabbits, but in consequence of the drought it was temporarily free from these pests at the time of my visit. The rabbit undoubtedly interferes with the haunts of both the Eehidna and the platypus, though these animals undoubtedly suffer still more at the hands of the LIFE HISTORY OF MQNOTREMES, 233 rabbit-trappers. Although the traps are cunningly camouflaged by bemg buried n the soil, they are often discovered by the Echidna, which appears to mistake the disturbed earth around them for the work of some burrowing insect. They are consequently found gripped in the jaws of the trap by the trappers on their morning rounds, and I was informed by one man that he had caught the same Echidna on three separate occasions in the one trap. Fortunately, most of ihe trappers release the animal, its skin being of no commercial value, but though their limbs are seldom broken by the traps (possibly their sluggish movements cause them to struggle less than other animals) I believe a large percentage of the crippled beasts erawl back to their lairs among the boulders, where they die ws a result of blood-poisoning. This belief is supported by the evidence of bieached bones and quitis nnearthed by rabbits at the mouths of Echidna’s natural reoks. It would :ppear that the rabbits readily occupy such strongholds so soon Fic. 2.—Female Echidna. H. Burrety, Puoro. as they find that the former tenant has ceased to raise its spines. The staple fcod of the Echidna consists of Ants, principally the Sugar Ant (Camponotus nigriceps) ; the mound-building meat ant appears to ma to be only secondary in diet. In the exeretum of the Echidna I have found as many as fourteen undigested heads of larvae, probably of a beetle of the Family Searabeidae; and several yieces of gravel, ranging in size from a match-head to the size of a split pea, im the one stool. J have found on removing the young from the Echidna’s pouch, that the pouch was filled with a pale amber coloured fluid; it was so full that when the lips of the pouch were pressed together it oozed out. I estimated the quantity to be from two to three ounces. I thought at the time that the fluid 234 BURRELL. inust have been urine, but I am not sure now that the Hehidna does exude urine; I have never witnessed the action in the many specimens I have handled. LINKS IN THE LIFE HISTORY OF THE PLATYPUS. The observations noted in this paper were made principally during the most severe “Spring” drought recorded in the North-western portion of New South Wales. The deductions submitted may therefore have to be modified should turther investigations be carried out during a bountiful season. Platypus usually select a quiet part of the river for breeding purposes, which need not necessarily be a deep or long pool such as they are usually found ia at other times of the year in search of food and freedom. In the Manilla District, an ideal natural nesting site is a shaded pool with steep sloping banks of suitable soil, preferably black or red, which is reinforced with the roots of River- Oak trees (Casuarina), and margined with reeds. Female platypus appear to shun one another during the breeding season, since only once have I discevered two occupied breeding burrows opening into the same pool. Even in that in- stance, the burrows were separated by a distance of fully a quarter of a mile, and Nz No Ni N2 Fia. 3.—Plan of platypus burrow containing four nests, N1, N2, N8, N4. At X, the burrow passes a foot below its earlier level. they were placed in opposite banks of the river. Higher up the river, where both male and female platypus were comparatively plentiful, we systematically searched beth sides of the river for a distance of eight miles ,but failed to find one in- habited burrow. We waded the whole distance, and searched the banks from below the water level to the tops above, and although we cut out the tunnel of several entrances that we discovered, including those of Water Rats (/ydromys), al) proved to be ancient and dilapidated, and the contained remnants of nesting iaterial appeared as though they had been submerged, being just a musty, sodden mass, embedded in silt or “platypus pug.” Although platypus prefer soft soil to burrow into, I once found a burrow where three inches of river shingle had been removed from the face of the bank at the entrance before the soft soil was reached. This stratum of shingle had eyi- cently once been the temporary bed of the river. A point I have been unable to determine is whether a platypus occupies the same burrow for more than one season. With the exception of one extraorcinary case described below, I have never observed more than one nest in any burrow. T LIFE HISTORY OF MONOTREMES, 230 have at times found what I consider to be litter here and there in the subway, but never actual nests. It would apparently be a simple matter for these animals to seratch out an old nest, and replace it with new material, but this is evidentiv not done. The exception referred to contamed no less than four nests in diferent positions (Fig. 3), three of which were in various stages of dilapidation, while the fourth, though scanty in material, contained twins. Mr. Hoy examined these four nests with me, and agreed that they bore the appearance of haying been built at different periods, probably at yearly intervals. The bank in which this burrow was placed was unusually faulty for the purpose, having a sandy sub- soil. It was on a beautiful stretch of water about three miles below the New Isngland water-falls, where the river is actually bridged in places by rocks, so that when the water is at a low level, as in periods of drought, the river becomes Fia.!4.—A typical platypus haunt on the Manilla River at Manilla. H. Burreny, PHoro. a chain of ponds which prevent the platypus from travelling far. Possibly, therefore. the animal or animals which successively inhabited the four nests had become river-locked, so to speak, and were compelled to make shift in the only available faulty quarters. We dug out three other unoccupied burrows in the same bank, each of which had evidently been abandoned on account of the surface sand collapsmg while the nesting chamber was being excavated. The platypus was perhaps compelled to sift along the bank until it chanced to find the old burrow in the only part which could be used for the purpose, and it made itself content by burrowing on past the vacant nests. Though I have found adult males in those temporary burrows which are used for resting purposes only, I have never observed one in any of the breeding-burrows I have examined; the female has been their only adult inhabitant, while even she is not always at home with 236 BURRELL. her young during the daytime. On two occasions I have unearthed nests which contained the mother and one young one, and once a female at home in a fully- constructed, new nest without eggs or young. But on three occasions when I liave found twins, and once when triplets were discovered, neither the mothers, nor the fathers were on the premises. I have observed that platypus may be seen feeding in the river at almost any time during the day, so I have come to the conclusion that if the mother has more than one young one to supply food for, she is compelled to feed during the daytime to create a sufficient milk supply. I think it probable that the male platypus does not assist in providing the young with food, but that the female, like the mother Hehidna, gets along without his assistance after copulation. Nevertheless, I should mention here that a full-blooded aboriginal voluntarily informed me that he had seen a male platypus carrying nesting material across a river and into a burrow. He said that it had two bundles which were gripped by the spurs, one on either side of the tail. Though this would appear improbable, it is nevertheless possible, because a platypus trails its hind-legs inertly behind with the tail when swimming quietly. Further, there is nothing to prevent a male platypus from climbing a bank with its spurs so loaded, smee they are not rigid like those of a coek, but could be used almost as a thumb, though bent somewhat in the opposite direction. It might therefore be possible for the animal to collect nesting material from the ground by lifting it up with the curved spur, and then clamping it to the thigh. But whatever be the means by which nesting material is carried to the nest, I think it probable that the jaws and horny grinders of the platypus are brought into play. One nest I examined was composed principally of sections of the bases of veeds which had been flattened, and which looked exactly like shredded or fuzzed bark. I examined the reeds growing on the bank near by, and also some pieces which were strewn about, but found that even their dead and decayed por- tions retained their natural rounded shape. I therefore suppose that the flat- ness of the reeds in the nest is caused by the animal’s grinders. Though I have examined over one hundred burrows of Ornithorhynchus during the past ten years, I have not found two quite alike. They vary in their length, direction and shape, their depth and their entrances, the pug-pits and nesting cavities, and the quantity of pug used. The accompanying photograph (Fig. 5) illustrates a model of a burrow whieh is true to seale, while I also submit diagrams of other curious lurrows seleeted from my notes to depict the shapes of different tunnels. The length of the burrows ranges from fourteen to fifty feet. They wend either to the rght or to the left, or both ways, and sometimes actually curve around into a complete loop, one portion winding at least twelve inches below the other. I think the platypus must know when it is approaching its own or any other burrow by some sense of sound, which causes it to divert its course so as to avoid the tunnel by a space of twelve inches or more. One buirow whieh T opened up eireled round on a uniform level and terminated when it came within a foot of itself. I have found another platypus burrow descending to a depth of four feet in o:der to avoid a rabbit burrow, and then rising again to its original level on the other side. I have also examined burrows which extended within twelve inches of some other animal’s burrow, and then either turned back in the opposite direction or to the right or left of the “sounded” obstacle. The entrance to a platypus breeding burrow is arched above and flat helow, and its size varies from four to six inches in width, and three to four inches in height. This is, I think, m accordance with the size and shape of the individual 237 LIFE HISTORY OF MONOTREMES, o- t=) .—Model cf a platypus burrow, showing entrances above and below water, four pu 5 Fig. H. Burrey, PHoto. pits, false nest on right and occupied nest on left. 238 BURRELL. making the excavation, which is apparently the female platypus only, since such small-sized apertures would doubtless prove tight fits for full-grown males. The size and shape of the tunnel is usually in keeping with that of the oceupant in a normal crawling position, but there is some shght variation of the measurements throughout the tunnel. The nest-cavity also varies in size and shape. One which I measured was almost perfectly round, and a stick nine inches long could be just moved about in it in every direction Other cavities | examined were much larger and differently shaped; they were usually oval and always wider than igh, and measured about twelve by eleven inches. The blind ends leading off from the main tunnel, or “Pue Pits” as I call them, are apparently merely cavities from which the female platypus has scratched out the soil with which to pug her burrow; they may also accommodate some of the soil again when she removes it as she passes to and fro along the burrow. There is always a section of pug close to the entrance to the 01 02 F1a. 6,—Platypus burrow fifty feet in total length; N, nest; O1, Oz, entrances. nesting-chamber, and one finds what appears to be a second cavity or blind off-set from the nesting cavity proper. ‘This is evidently only a pug-pit, though it may also provide the mother platypus with room to turn in without unnecessarily dis- turbing her young ones, or to rest in. ‘The other pug-pits may possibly serve to enable the young platypus to pass each other should they meet within the subway, or to allow the mother to turn comfortably within the narrow tunnel. They may even serve as get-aways from enemy invaders, though I have observed that a nesting female does not desert her nest until the final plugged partition near the nest itself is broken through. And since it has taken at least an hour to unearth some of the nests we have investigated, it would seem that the females within them must have had ample time to leave their nests and avail themselves of these cavities had they so desired. I therefore believe my first suggestion ac- counting for the presence of these cavities to be the most reasonable. LIFE HISTORY OF MONOTREMES, 239 “Puff-Pug” is found in the breeding burrows only, so far as I have observed, and not in the shorter resting burrows of the adults. There are usually three lots of pug in a tunnel, which are usually placed where there are turns, but always close to a pug-pit. Some burrows contain only two pugs, while others have four. The pugs may be six to twelve inches thick, though this mea- surement is very indefinite owimg to the variability of the burrows and their fit- tmes. Further, all the nests I have examined haye been imbedded in this png, anil one which I investigated particularly had three inches of pug below it in the nest- cavity. The platypus evidently removes the pugs as she leaves or enters the nests. I have taken a female from a newly-made and complete nest which was pugged in ihree separate places. Similarly other females which were each nursing a young cne 0 their nests were tightly pugged in, while the burrows leading to several nests 19 which I found sects of twins and triplets without their mothers, were lkewise pugged up. The constant removal and working of the soil of which the pugs are buitt makes it so soft and fine that it sometimes becomes quite velvety to the touch, and clings like flour if squeezed in the hand. It is always shghtly damp after being worked up by the platypus, but in the nest containing triplets without their mother, the pug near the nest had dried and shrunken away from the sides of the tunnel so much that T was able to move it in a mass, though it fell to powder in my hands when slightly squeezed. It gave me the impression that the mother must have been quite a considerable period away from the nest. The hair on the tail of the female platypus is inclined to be dishevelled at all times, and there is frequently a bald patch on the upper surface. I have seen several specimens, including two during the 1919 season, in which the hair was worn away from an area about an inch in diameter, situated about one and a-half inches from the tip of the tail. IT suggest that this is due to friction or heat re- sulting from the coiled-up position of the animal when she is sitting on her rump on the damp and decaying vegetation of the nest, when she is either hatching her egos or nursing her young in their earlier stages. Again, it is possible that the females make use of the tail when constructing the pugs which block up their breeding burrows. These pugs might be made either with the animal’s paws or with the head rather than with the tail. In the former case, however, one would expect to find impressions of the knuckles on the face of the pug—the web of the hands being always protected when the platypus is walking, climbing, or burrowing by being tucked away in the palm; but I have failed to fd any such imprints. If, on the other hand, the head is used, it would seem that the sensitive membrane of the bill must come into unpleasant contact with the hard earth forming the bottom of the tunnel, while the eyes an‘ nostrils would be subject to irritation arising from the fine loose pug-earth. The tail may also serve to clear the earth from the tunnel when the platypus is digging the burrow. The female certaimly seratches away the soil with her front paws, and throws it under her body, and it is then perhaps pressed away behind her with a flick of her trowel-lhke tail. It may be that she seratches ahead for some distance, and then brushes or flicks the earth behind her as she backs out of the tunnel. The tail can be readily bent or coiled into such a position as is necessary to carry out this operation, particularly that portion of it which would be required if it be so used. It would appear that the female must utilise the tail in some such manner, since she could seareely turn within the burrow, which is only of about the same dimensions as her own body, and she rarely makes a 240 BURRELL. recess until she has burrowed for a distance of at least several, and sometimes as much as twelve feet. I examined two females during the 1919 season, however, one in milk and the other barren, in which the hair was not unusually worn; but this fact does not dis- prove the suggestion offered above. It would appear that a platypus may be compelled to dig out several burrows before she constructs one which is not faulty; and it may be that she must dig far into a bank before she becomes aware of faulty soil above the nesting chamber, which is usually that part of the buz- row situated nearest the surface of the earth. The burrows vary from fourteen to fifty feet in length, and they may be tunnelled into soft soil, or into that which is dry, caked, and gritty as a result of drought conditions. So that some females may have much more burrowing to do than others, which would account for the differences noted in the amount of hair worn from their tails. Platypus do not oceupy the breeding burrows after the young are capable of fending for them- selves, but move into other burrows which are situated near pools where food is abundant. These are usually in the form of semicireular tunnels, and contain from one to three sleeping recesses; they may run for a distance of seventeen feet back in to the bank. They generally open under ledges formed where the river has washed away the soil from the roots of trees. When the river is low, these openings are above the water, but secondary openings leading to the bur- rows may be found here and there higher up on the bank or even behind the trees, which, I believe, are used by the animals either as exits or air-holes when the river rises above the openings below the ledges. I have never found either pug or nesting material in these temporary burrows. On December 23rd, 1914, I visited the Manilla River at Caermathen, and while searching along the bank for platypus tracks, accidently put my foot through the soft earth into a burrow. As the soil near my legs suddenly heaved I grabbed at the hidden objest moving beneath it, and seeured an adult male platypus which was trying to foree his way past me. I then broke the tannel open towards the hank, and secured a second adult male which was coiled up in a ball and half asleep in a cavity. This tunnel was apparently “Bachelor’s quar- ters.” It may be mentioned here, that on January 25th, 1910, I trapped two adult large male platypus together in a turret trap in the Namoi River, at Manilla. The trap had been set only one and a-half hours between six and eight o'clock in the morning, and T believe the two were travelling together in search of food This fact, together with the discovery of two males in the resting burrow, shows that the males enjoy one another’s company at some periods of the year. 241 NOTES ON THE HABITS AND REPRODUCTION OF THE GREAT WESTERN BURROWING FROG, HELEIOPORUS ALBOPUNCTATUS. By Wintiamw J. Dazin, Dose, P-L.S.; P.Z.8., Professor of Biology in the University of Western Australia. (With a Figure in the text.) During the month of April certain small areas in South Perth came to be the practising grounds for orchestras of frogs, the noise im some cases being sulli- cient to preyent people sleeping at night. A search by the unhappy eitizens for the disturbers of the peace often proved fruitless, and this was all the more strange seeing that the noise was in these cases usually produced quite close to a house. The author was one of the worst sufferers, but traced the origin of the curious croaking at an early date. The noise is peculiar, and hence rather dittcult to describe. It is somewhat between a little coo and a moan, not a sharp ery, or a plonk, but a prolonged and very mournful croon. The croaking was first heard from a low-lying part of the garden which was quite bare of vegetation, owing to the fact that the ground had been dug over and trampled whilst building an extra room to the house. (We have been told that it was originally quite swampy.) The weather was still dry—the fag end of summer—and_ con- sequently it seemed unlikely that the owners of the voices could have arrived trom any other garden. At first only one or two frogs were present, and they com- menced regularly about six o’clock im the afternoon, and stopped somewhere about five o’clock in the morning. Every night following the first appearance the number of croakers increased, until in two or three weeks’ time the noise from the 40 square feet of garden was something appallmg. If one went out at night to investigate with a lan- tern, not a sign of a frog could be observed anywhere. ‘To make matters more annoying, the noise stopped even if one walked as softly as possible to any spot where one could have sworn to the presence of a frog. It was, of course, obyious that the croaking frogs were all below the cxuopiadl and that they had either merely awakened from their summer’s sleep, or had at the same time risen from greater depths in the soil where moisture would have been present throughout the long dry season. The use of a spade soon brought the hidden animals to hght. They were situated about 18 inches to 2 feet Lelow the surface of the light sandy soil. Four were obtained in two square feet. and it was calculated that if the distribution was anything like uniform there must have been 100 frogs in the small 50-ft. square area near the house. The frog turned out to be Heleioporus albopunctatus—the Great Western Burrowing lrog. It is said to be represented in the East by Philoeryphus, and im this connection there are two features to be noted which are curious similarities. On being handled, especially if the back be gently tapped, the frog becomes gradually distended, swelling up until the skin looks as if it would burst. This is effected by pumping air into the lungs, which seem capable of enormous distension. A 242 DAKIN, distended specimen was killed in such a way that most of the air was retained —the lungs were found to reach almost to the posterior end of the body cavity. The other common peculiarity of the frog is that when stroked or tapped in order to produce the swollen state the animal often utters the most extraord’nary cries. They can be described exactly by the words used in reference to Philoery- phus flavoguttatus (the Eastern Burrowmg Frog) in Lueas and Le Souetf’s Ani- mals of Australia:—‘and sometimes on such occasions it cries in the weirdest fashion just like an infant.” The first peculiarity mentioned above seems, as suggested by Fletcher, to be common to very many burrowing frogs. A few weeks after the animals first notified thei existence, a number of small holes about the diameter of a penny were to be seen on the surface of the greund. If these were followed down, each led to a little chamber in which a frog was sitting. Evidently the animals came to the surface at night. They were always about 18 inches below the surface in the day. ‘The excavation never went down vertically from the opening, but took an irregular course, with quite a gentle slope, so that, measured along the burrow, each frog was three feet or more trom the surface aperture. There is something of interest in the peculiar rhythm of the croakers. As a rule not a sound was heard before 4.30 p.m., and the orchestra ceased about 4.30 to 5 a.m. Now this rhythm was set up before the frogs connected their underground caves with the surface. What determined the rhythm, and the hour of starting and ceasing? Day and night could not have been appreciable, and the sun was still shining strongly when the evening chorus began. It seems doubtful whether temperature changes would have provided stimulus sufficient at the time when the frogs started, especially when the depth below ground is noted. Diurnal rhythm is not an uncommon feature in animal and plant life, and, once set up, it is sometimes possible for it to continue without the continuance of the stimulus. Thus the marine Protozoan Noctiluca, when taken into a dark room, will only give forth phosphorescent displays by night, although there is no light whatever in the room during the whole 24 hours. The little Ovalis also per- forms its sleep movements regularly at sundown and sunrise, even if removeu to a dark room. No satisfactory explanations of the above are yet forthcoming. Per- haps the croaking habit of frogs is a feature of a similar kind. In making excavations in order to obtain frogs, the author discovered, much to his surprise, that eggs had been laid underground in places where there was no sign of water. Every two or three feet apart, and at depths of about 18 inches below the surface of the soil were small chambers about 3 inches in diameter. They appeared to have no passages leading to or from them. Each chamber was hlled with a mass of eggs enclosed in, and separated by, a mass of frothy mueus. The most noteworthy feature was the regularity of this method of deposition. No traces of eggs were found im any other places, and there was no more ten- deney apparently to deposit them near a pool of water than at a distance from it. The soil remained for weeks after this first discovery of the eggs in exactly the same condition—t.e., light sandy soil contaiming organic matter and in a imod- erately dry condition. It ran easily through the fingers, and rain percolated through it rapidly, showing no tendeney to collect on the surface. The eggs numbered 50-100 im each mass. They were somewhat large and without pigment. In order to trace the general features of development, small quantities of spawn were placed in little caverns made by the author in soil, the whole being contained in a large dish. To get still nearer the normal conditions, GREAT WESTERN BURROWING PROG, 243 a depression was dug in the ground and the eges placed in a little hollowed-out space about the size of a man’s fist. This was covered over with soil to a depth of about 1 foot, but a sheet of glass formed one side of the nest. The eges could be seen therefore without disturbing them in the slightest. After three or four days embryos were well advanced, and external gills could be observed. There was, however, no sign of hatching. During the following days the external gills were Turther developed, and then replaced in the usual manner by internal ills, The embryos grew steadily, remaining coiled round the yolk sae on the surface of which blood vessels were very distinctly visible. About three to four weeks after the laying of the eggs, a few of the em- bryos were placed in a dish and fresh water added. They hatehed out in a few minutes. These specimens were kept for a month longer, during which time they gradually developed. The other collections of embryos, including those in the garden observation nest, were, however, still unhatched. The volk sac had com- pletely disappeared external gills had vanished, and the operculum had grown completely over the gill slits. The embryos were pigmented and well advanced. Three stages in the development of He/etoporus albopunctatus. The figure on the right represents the stage at which hatching took place. Further development became slow, and practically no further external changes were to be seen at the age of six or seyen weeks—probably two months in some cases, when a tragic occurrence (from the point of view of the Amphibia) put a complete end to the experiments. During the whole period (from the first trial at the end of three weeks until the end of the seventh week) the addition of water to any embryos caused them to hatch at once. In some cases the water was re- moved afterwards and the tadpoles allowed to lie in the moist sand. They lived covered with soil for two or three days. It was not possible owing to other busi- ness to experiment carefully with them, and they dried up. It would be interest- ing to know how long the hatched tadpoles could live in a moist atmosphere with- out actual water, provided that moulds, etc., did not develop. Thus in the early stages of the life history of the West Australian Burrowing Frog we have an example of a large heayily-yolked egg with an embryonic de- velopment which may progress to a rather advanced stage without hatching. So far as is known at present, there is no tendency to go beyond a stage in which legs are not visible externally. Hatching had not taken place at the end of seven weeks, and probably a longer period than this had elapsed in the case of some undisturbed examples. The retention of the larva within the ege membrane is evidently controlled by the presence or absence of water. There is perhaps some reason for mentioning the occurrence that put an end to all the experiments. My house is situated very close to the Swan River. One Sunday a heavy gale arose from the south-west, and at the same time an un- usually high tide oceurred. The combination resulted in a rapid rise in the ziver until waves commenced to break over on the lawn. At about 10 a.m. the bare area where the frogs lived was being flooded. The water was only brackish. At 244 DAKIN, 10.30 a.m. the water was swarming with tadpoles of the same advanced stage as those from my experimental nests. Evidently the water had acted as the awaited stimulus on the multitudes of unhatched tadpoles below the ground. The effect was startling. Unfortunately the water was too salt. At 11.15 most of the tad- poles were already dead, and a little later all had suceumbed. The water sub- sided during the afternoon, but the immersion had killed off all the adults and not a single eroak has been heard from the garden since. My experimental nests shared in the tragedy. Perhaps next year we may take steps to find out the longest possible time the tadpoles can be kept without hatching, and what stage ean be reached by them. Comparison with Eastern Species. So far as I know, the development of our Heleioporus is somewhat different from that of the Great Eastern Burrowing Frog, Philocryphus flavoguttatus, although the embryo of this species is said to aecuire external gills before hatching. There is, however, some resemblance to the conditions described by Fletcher as characteristic of Pseudophryne australis and P. Bibronii, species of Bufonidae, except in so far as deposition of spawn is concerned, In these species, if the oya do not get into water the hatching is postponed until they do. This period, according to Fletcher, may be as much as three or four months. In this case, too, there seemed no indication of the metamorphoses being completed, even when hatching had been very much delayed. Fletcher states that the eggs of Pseudophryne are deposited after rains “in depressions or cavities, preferably under stones, but when these are wanting, under pieces of old tin, ete.” The same author remarks that one pole of the ege is pig- mented black and there are no signs of external gills at any stage. These are obyious differences from the stages in the Western Burrowing Frog, which is now shown for the first time to be capable of a prolonged embryonic sojourn as a tad- pole within the ege membranes. References:—-J. J. Fletcher, Oviposition and Habits of Certain Batrachians. Proc., Linn. Soc. N.S.W., Vol. 4 (1889), pub. 1890. a 245 MYRMECOPHILOUS COLEOPTERA. By BE. H: Zeck. (Plate xix.) Amonest the many interesting and remarkable Families of the Order Coleop- tera, found in association with ants, are the Ptinidae and Colydiudae. Illustrated on the accompanying plate are four species, of different genera, of the Family Ptinidae, and one species of the recently made genus, Huclarkia, of the Family Colydiidae. These figures have in each case been drawn from specimens which were kindly forwarded me by Mr. J. S. Clark, who is an enthusiastic collector amongst ants’ nests in Western Australia. FAMILY PTINIDAE. Genus Diphobia, Ollitf. D. longicornis Lea. Trans. Roy. Soc. South Aust., xlui., 1919, p. 256, pl. axv., fig. 40. Diphobia longicornis Lea. Plate xix., fig. 4. Castaneous. Upper surface with sparse and short semi-erect setae. Lea says of this species:—Readily distinguished from all the other species of the genus by the long terminal joint of the antennae.” The sterna and abdomen are glabrous. The femora are grooved throughout their length, on the under surface, for the reception of the tibiae. Hab.—Western Australia, Swan River, from nests of twig-mound ant, [ri- domyrmex sp. Type collected by J. S. Clark. Length 1.75—2.25 mm. Genus Hnasiba Olliff. EB. tristis Olliff. Proc. Linn. Soc N.S.W., x., 1886, p. 839; Lea, Proc. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., xliu., 1919, p. 254, Pl. xxv., figs 37, 38. Enasiba tristis Ollitt. Plate xix., fig. 2. Colour almost black; on the sub-basal impression of the prothorax there are four small short golden fasciae. Hab.—Western Australia, Swan River. Recently taken by Mr. J. S. Clark in the nests of the twig-mound ant, Iridomyrmex conifera. Length 3.5—4+ mm. Genus Hetrephes Pascoe. E. formicarum Pascoe, Proc. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1866, p. 16; Westw., Trans. Ent. Soc. Lond., 1869, p. 315; Lea, Proc. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., xliii., 1919, p. 256, Pl. xxy., figs. 41, 42. Kreusleri King. (Anapestus), Trans. Ent. Soc. N.S.W., I., 1866, p. 317, t. 16, if dle 246 ZECK. Ectrephes formicarum Pascoe. Plate xix., fir. 1. Colour, yellowish Lea remarks of this species that “The clothing seems to be particularly liable to abrasion as most of the specimens before me are almost cr quite glabrous on the upper surface; on one specimen there were nunierous fairly long hairs on the prothorax and elytra, but on floating it off for examina- tion most of the hairs. were lost. ” Of this species I have two carded specimens before me, received from Mr Clark. One specimen is quite glabrous, but on the other specimen there are num- erous hairs, scattered about the prothorax, arising from the punctures, and along each alternate row of small punctures on the elytra I am able to trace a 10w of bairs. It would seem probable both from Mr. Lea’s observations, and my own, that on an entirely undamaged specimen the hairs would extend over the entire pitted surface of the prothorax, but, not having seen other specimens, I have only figured the seattered hairs. Hab.—Western Australia, Swan River. Taken in abundance by Mr. J 8. Clark in the nests of Iridomyrmex conifera, and one specimen from the nest of Ectatomma metallicum. Length variable, 1.25—2.25 mm. Genus Polyplocotes Westwood. P. carinaticeps Lea. Trans. Roy. Soe. S. Aust., xlii., 1919, p. 254, Pl. xxv., fig 39. Polyplocotes carinaticeps Lea. Plate xix., fig. 3. Castaneous. Elytra, abdomen and tip of antennae somewhat paler than other parts. Glabrous. In the deseription of this species, Lea says, ‘‘Hlytra subovate, base truncate, end very little wider than prothorax, with regular rows of distinet and rather small punctures.” “Legs rather long and thin.” The specimen figured (Fig. 3) is one of two on a card, and has numerous small hairs on the dorsal surface of the prothorax, some extending down towards the excavation. Some few hairs are also noticeable on the elytra near the base. The antennae at first appear to be but eight jointed, but the two apical ones are so close together that it is difficult to see the dividing line. Hab.—Western Australia, Swan River. Taken by Mr. J. S. Clark in the nests of Cremastogaster conifera. Length 1.5 mm. In describing the type, Lea also remarks that—*This species might have been regarded as belonging to a new genus, but if true inquilines were to be treated as ordinary Coleoptera, it would be necessary to propose almost as many genera as there are species.” FAMILY COLYDIIDAR, Genus Huclarkia Lea. FE. costata Lea, Trans. Roy. Soc. S. Aust., xliii., 1919, p. 180, Pl. xxy., fig. 16. Euclarkia costata Lea. Plate xix., fig. 5. These beetles vary in colour from a dingy black to a brown. In his deserip- tion of the genus, Lea says—‘This remarkable genus is clearly allied to Ker- shawia, and in general appearance the species described below quite strongty re- sembles K. rugiceps on a small scale; with antennae remoyed there is no strong Austrrauian Zooitoaist, Vou, 1. Plate xix. EH Zeck. Del. Myrmecophilous Coleoptera, RATE Hie i 247 MYRMECOPHILOUS COLEOPTERA, 2: distinguishing feature.” “Legs short and fairly stout. Only four distinct tarsal jeints are visible. Wings are present.” Lea also says, “The antennae at first glance appear to be but one jointed, but a very small basal joimt (invisible from above) may be seen, and a second one applied hke a thin disk to the base of the third, the latter has its apex slightly concave, and filled with sensitised pubescence.” In the specimen of EF. costata which I have before me, however. all three joimts of the antennae are clearly visible from aboye and are shown thus in fig. 5. Lea concludes his description with the following—‘A very slow-moving’ spe- cies, of which Mr. Clark obtained numerous specimens by sieving. It is one of the most interesting of the many curious species recently taken by him from nests c! the twig-mound ant.” Hab.—Westerm Australia, Swan River. Taken in numbers by Mr. J. S. Clark, from the nests of Iridomyrmex. Length 3—3.75 mm. In Plate xix. I have unfortunately been unable to show the legs of Polyplo- cotes carinaticeps and Euclarkia costata, as I have feared damaging them by re- moving them from their cards. EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIX. Fig. 1. ctrephes formicarum Pascoe. 2. Bnasiba tristis Olliff. » 3. Polyplocotes carinaticeps Lea. +. 4. Diphobia longicornis Lea. » 5. Buclarkia costata Lea. 248 ON A NEW SPECIES OF LOPHOPODELLA (POLYZOA). By Rex W. Bretnatu, Invertebrate Zoologist, The Australian Museum. (With a Figure in the text. ) I. Iyrropuction. The species about to be described was obtained by Mr. A. R. McCulloch, of the Australian Museum, in February 1920, from the Nepean River, New South Wales. The specimens are from the same locality as, and are specifically identi- eal with, those obtained by him for Dr. Goddard in 1909. These latter were placed in an aquarium, where they died, and were in a state of decomposition when seen by Dr. Goddard, only the statoblasts being entire. Of these he says,} “Species of Plumatella occur in New South Wales, which, judging from the nature of the statoblasts, differ from any known species’; and in the next para- graph, “Mr. A. MeCulloch found in the Nepean River, a mass of Polyzoa grow- ing on a submerged stick; and judging from the nature of the statoblasts. We have in this a new form.” More recent work on the Phylactolaematous Polyzoa, notably that of Annan- dale,? has now brought this group into more stable form; his key and diagnosis of the genus Lophopodella is here amended, his nomenclature being retained . 1n the preparation of this paper my thanks are due to Mr. A. R. MeCulloch, of the Australian Museum, for the preparation of the figures; to Messrs. Kinghorn ana Musgrave of the same institution for the collecting of additional material: and to Mr. E. A. Briggs of the University of Sydney for his kindly advice and assist- ance. 2. Mernops or PREPARATION. As I had a large amount of material at my disposal, several methods of pre- servation were tried; but some of these, although successful with Fredericella, tailed when apphed to Lophopodella. The two most successful methods are here detailed, the former giving quite the best results :— 1. The living material was placed in a petri dish, and erystals of Chloral Hydrate were gradually added to the water; when complete anaesthetisation was apparent, and there was no response from the tentacles on being irritated, the specimens were transferred to a fixative recommended by Bles.2 This fixative is :— UG, RCC Se Och. Gan mae ate ee | 2l0) Was Glactall Alceticine? «ic “Sa SAE cee Oe ICC S Formalin 7 ce. 1. Goddard, Proc. Linn. Soc. N.S. Wales, XX1V,. 1909, p.488. 2. Annandale, Fauna of British India, Freshwater Sponges, Hydroids and Polyzoa, 1911. 3. Bles, Zrans. Roy. Soc. Edin. XUI1., 1905, p.792. _. wv NEW SPECIES OF LOPHOPOQOELLA, 249 Subsequently they were transferred to 70% Aleohol, stained with Erlich’s Haematoxylin, and mounted in canada balsam in excavated cells. 2. The specimens were anaesthetised as above and were transferred to a fix- ative of 10 % solution of Copper Sulphate*; then to 70 % alcohol, stained with Erlich’s Haematoxylin, and mounted in Canada balsam in excavated cells. In the second method it was found that over fixation im Copper Sulphate caused the specimens to become more or less opaque, and it was hard to deter- mine a period for effective fixation by this method. Material fixed by these methods will preserve well in 70 % Aleohol or 5 % Formalin. Lophopodella picta Bretnall. A, two polyps; B, a statoblast. 3. Tue Genus Lophopodella. The diagnosis of the genus Lophopodella as given by Annandale both in the key on p. 212 and in the diagnosis on p. 231, may lead to some confusion. In the former it is stated that the “zoaria remain single throughout life’; and in the latter ‘““Polyparia do not form compound colonies.” Both these statements vould seem to suffer contradiction on reference to the text-figures (especially that on p. 172) and the plate; a contradiction that is not lessened by a further explanition on p. 234 that “Although the zoaria do not form compound colonies by secreting 2 common membrane or investment, they are markedly gregarious” Rousselet; founded the genus on the statoblast of his genotype (Lophopus thomasi) ; but he 4. As recommended by Harmer, Cambridge Natural #listory, Worms Rotifers and Polyzoa, 1896, p.522. 5. Rousselet, Journ. Ouekett Mic. Club (2) I1X., 1914-6, p.51. 250 BRETN ALL, refers to the description of the living colony supplied by the collector after whom the species was named, “The zoarium (or coenoecium of Allman) that is the whole colony stock, consists of an oval pateh of stiff, gelatinous hyaline substance (1. 1, 2) about two inches and a half inches long, by one ahd a quarter inches broad, and about an eighth of an inch thick, with branching tubular channels radiating from the centre, which were tenanted by numerous polypides. The polypides pro- truded all around the edge, and on the surface of the gelatinous ectoeyst, lewing however a central oval space quite free of them.” From this data. and from the material at my disposal, I conclude that what Annandale has intended to convey is, that the polypides do not communicate one with the other; and further that their origin is not from the gelatinous base, there- fore a compound colony is not formed. This, indeed, is the case, but since the polyparia do form a colony, his key and diagnosis are amended accordingly. 4. DIAGNosis. Zoarium consists of a circular or oval mass of no great size. Polyparia forming colonies of 5 to 25 united to, but not intereommunicating via, a gelatinous base, on which the colony is capable of movement. Polypides lying semi-recumbent in the mass, and seldom standing upright in a vertical position. Statoblasts of considerable size, compared to the size of the polyparium. and normally bearing at either pole a series of from 5 to 9 chitinous processes, armed with a series of small incurved hooks. 5. Kry Order: Phylactolaemata. Division: Plumatellina. Family: Plumatellidae. Sub-family: Lophopinae. Statoblasts armed normally with hooked processes. A. Processes confined to the extremity of the statoblasts; zoaria a circular or oval mass of no great size; polyparia forming colonies of from 5 to 25 united to. but not intereommunicating via, a gelatinous base : Lophopodella B. Processes entirely surrounding the statoblasts; many zoaria embedded in a common gelatinous base to form large compound colonies .. Peotinaeeia 6. Lophopodella picta® sp. nov. Zoarium. A mass of from 5 to 25 polyparia, appearing to the naked eye like a mass of frog’s spawn, united to a hyaline, gelatinous mass, on whieh the whole is capable of movement. Zooecium. Hyaline and regularly papillose. Polypide. From 50 to 60 tentacles are borne on a bright yellow lopho- phore; the muscles show as a brighter yellow; the stomach is green in colour, and the reetum, charged with exeretum, blue. The extended part of the poly- pide averages .60 mm. in length, and the tentacles .35 in length. Statoblast. The statoblast is elongate oval in shape, measuring’ on an aver- age .50 mm. in length by .35 mm. in breadth. The capsule is large compared to the swim-ring, it averaging .10 mm. in diameter, and the swim-ring .07 mm. Hither pole bears a series of from 4 to 9 chitinous processes of irregular size, the 6. Having reference to the bright colouring of the polypide. BREEDING OF THE SCRUB TURKEY. 251 central being the longest, and averaging .3 mm. in length. These processes are armed with a series of small incurved hooks irregularly disposed, and originating from any side of the process; they ave not disposed in parallel planes. A short area at the base of the process is without hooks. Holotype in the Australian Museum (U. 708). Locality. Nepean River, N.S. Wales, opposite to Glenbrook Creek. 7. Hasrpar, The specimens were all found on the leaves of a weed (Vallisneria spiralis) . The Nepean River is subject to considerable alteration, it being in a state of flood in the rainy season, and low and turbid in the dry season. The lovality, at the time of the year that these specimens were taken, is one receiving the full streneth of the sun for several hours of the day. 8. OBSERVATIONS. The species is extraordinarily hardly, the first batch, which had been carried without water from Penrith to the Museum, quickly reviving on being placed in an aquarium after this journey of over sixteen hours. They are not nervous, the tentacles being retracted only when actually touched with a needle point; and they are quickly everted again when the needle is withdrawn, NOTES ON THE BREEDING OF THE SCRUB TURKEY. By A. S. Le Sovurr. During the present season, 1919-20, seven Scrub Turkeys (Cathetwrus lath- ami) were hatched in the ayiaries at Taronga Park. Several birds were in the enclosure, but in July one male took command, and drove the others away, and started to rake over the ground for debris; several cartloads of leaves and garden rubbish were supplied which he industriously collected into a large heap in one corner of the enclosure, and by September a good heat lad developed. In this month, too, the wattles of the male developed and became very bright in cclour. The hen bird was not allowed to take any part in the preparation of the mound, in faet, she was seldom allowed in the aviary at all. Being unpinioned, she could escape, and spent most of her time m an adjoming shrubbery. The actual egg- laying was not detected. Seven young birds were hatched from the mound. and came out on the following dates:—December 2nd, 6th, 15th, 17th, 31st, January 6th, 9th. The first bird hatched flew out of the enclosure, over a fence 8 feet high, when only out of the mound a few hours. It weighed four ounces when one day old. When hatched, the birds were covered with downy feathers, but the primary wing feathers were well developed. They grew very rapidly, and were quickly covered with adult plumage. In two months’ time they are practically indis- tinguishable from the parent birds, except that they are ahout half the size. The grey mottling on the breast may perhaps be a little brighter on the chick. During the whole of the incubation period the male bird was constant in his attentions to the mound, opening it up in wet weather and heaping it up again afterwards, but from the day that the last chick was hatched he ceased to take any further interest in it. For a month previous to this his neck wattle had been getting less in size, and by the middle of January he was scarcely distinguishable from the female. THE WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE. By Wauter W. Frocearr, F.L.8. Government Entomologist. Very few Australians, even those who know something about our remarkable bird fauna, are aware that the Wedge-tailed Eagle (Uroaetus audax) 1s the largest eagle in the world. King of the Air, in size and daring, it 1s not an uncommon thing to shoot one over seven feet six inches from tip to tip of the outspread wings, and there are several more or less reliable records of measurements up to eight feet six. The only larger bird of prey is the great Condor of the South American Andes, which. often measures nine feet across the wings ‘This bud is simply a carrion eater; and though it sometimes attacks young lambs and kids on the mountain side, its feet are too small to carry off an animal of any size. The popular name “Eagle-hawk” dies hard; and it will be a long time before we can persuade the newspaper-writer and bush-naturalist to substitute “Wedge-tailed Eagle” for the absurd and misleading “EHagle-hawk.” The group properly known as “Eagle-Hawks,” with short wings and slender legs, is confined to South America, Mexico, and the East Indies and does not exteud into Australasia. The only rival to our great eagle is the Golden Eagle, Aquila chrysaetus once common in the forests and mountains of Great Britain, with an extended range over the whole of Europe, Northern Asia to the Himalayas, and Northern Afriea. The Canadian Eagle, at one time looked upon as a distinet species, is now con- sidered to be only a varietal form, so that the range is extended over the greater part of North America from Alaska to California. This was the eagle that was known in the mythology of Greece and Rome as the messenger of Jove. Caius Marius, in his second Consulship, decreed that the legions of Rome only should have the eagle for their emblem. Napoleon adopted it, and the Imperial Eagles of France overran Europe and the East. It was probably a Golden Eagle, according to Pliny, which caused the death of the poet Aeschylus by dropping a tortoise on his head, when he went out on the open plains to escape from the fate of “death falling from the sky” foretold by the Soothsayers. A great deal of romance has been written about the Golden Eagle, and its daring, and powers of carrying off its prey have been very much exaggerated. Though circumstantial accounts have been given of the Golden Eagle earzying off children five, and even eight, years old, both in Europe and America, modern naturalists state that a three-weeks’ old lamb is about as heavy a load as the Golden Eagle can lft off the ground. Its natural food is carrion, and small game, such as rabbits and birds, when earrion is not obtainable. The citizens of the United States never had such bad taste as to eail “the Greatest Bird on Earth,” the American Eagle, a Hawk; yet it is not even a true uunting eagle. Their National Emblem is the White-headed Sea Eagle, also known as the “Bald Eagle,” Haliaetus leucocephalus. It has the whole of the WEDGE-TAILED EAGLE, 253 head and neck pure white, and ranges over the whole of North America south to Mexico, and robs other birds of their prey. Benjamin Franklin says, “I wish the Bald Eagle had not been chosen as the representative of our country. He is a bird of bad moral character; he does not get lis living honestly. You may have seen him, perched upon some dead tree, where, too lazy to fish for him- self, he watches the labours of the fishing hawk; and when that diligent bird has at length taken a fish and is bearing it to his nest for the support of his mate und young ones, the Bald Eagle pursues and takes it from him. Besides, he is a rank coward; the little King bird, no bigger than a sparrow, attacks him boldly. and drives him out of the district. He is therefore by no means a proper emblem for the brave and honest Cincinnati of America.” In Australia we have a smaller fishing eagle, aliaetus leucogaster, closely allied to the American Eagle, but he is an honest and diligent bird that attends to business and does his own fishing. The Wedge-tailed Eagle has a wide range over Tasmania and the whole of Australia, as common in the coastal forests, as on the great waste lands of the interior, until the advance of civilization destroyed its natural food, and it had to turn its attention to the squatters’ lambs, and was poisoned and shot in retaliation. The Wedge-tailed Eagle is a keen hunter under natural conditions, and is no more a carrion eater than other eagles, and even then likes its meat fresh. The writer well remembers his first encounter with an eagle in North-western Vic- toria; he had just killed and skinned a sheep that had broken its leg on the creek bank, and was moving away when he heard a commotion among the waiting crows, and looked round in time to see a great eagle flop down to the ground and waddle up to the carease. As far back as 1864+ Gould wrote that this Eagle was said to kill lambs in Tasmania, and a bitter war was waged against it by the sheep-owners. He also records about the same date that on the Liverpool Plains he saw from thirty to forty at work stripping the flesh off a dead bullock. Im the “Wanderings of a Bush Naturalist,” the author calls him the “King of Birds” in Australia, and says that they were so plentiful in Southern Victoria, where he was engaged kangaroo shooting, that he killed over a dozen in the winter. The number of eagles in the unoceupied land where native game is plentiful, and sheep have only just been introduced, can be estimated from the fact that when the overseer on an inland station in North-west Kamberley poisoned a freshly-skinned sheep, the writer, on visiting the spot a week later, counted torty dead eagles in the vicinity of the carcase. Before the advent of man our eagles had few enemies, and played a very im- portant part in keeping down the undue increase of the marsupials, big and little, that in spite of the natives swarmed in the scrubs. In those days, woe betide any imeautious wallaby, or even large kangaroo, that ventured out of cover in the daytime when a hungry eagle was looking for a dinner for himself and family. Ernest Giles, in his ‘Australia Twice Traversed,” gives a graphic account of such an encounter: “The greatest enemy besides the black man and the dingo, is the large eaglehawk, which, though flying at an enormous height, is always on the watch, but it is only when the wallaby lets itself out on the open stony ridges that the enemy can swoop down upon it. The eagle trusses it with his tations, smashes its head to quiet it, and finally, if a female, it flies away with the victim for food for its young.” Our eagle is certamly a predatory bird, but he hunts for food to live, and only kills when he is hungry, or wants food for his clamouring nestlings. Like 254 FROGGATT, the crow, the eagle is looked upon with no friendly eye by the sheep-owner, and in many districts he is outlawed by the Pastures Protection Boards, and a bounty is given for his head. The bushman does not as a general rule destroy animal life for sport, or wantonly, but the moment he finds that anything is eating his grass or injuring his stock, he is up in arms, and without much inquiry it 1s doomed. Granted that the Wedge-tailed Eagles do a good deal of damage among the lambs on the coastal districts at certaim times in the year, it may also be noted that this is caused by a number coming coastwards, evidently driven in from the interior through the failure of their natural food supphes, and these should, of course, be brought to task when they start on the lambs. This is, however, no reason why all the solitary pairs, seattered through our forest lands, poiecing regular districts, all the year round, should be molested. The birds have regular beats, as can be seen from the size of their nests, placed in the fork of some giant gum tree, often containing a drayload of sticks, added to every breeding’ season. The writer examined the contents of such a nest in the Uralla distriet, which con- tained a pair of half-grown nestlings, and the remains of the food supplies were as follows:—Parts of three hares, one opossum, two rabbits, and skins of two fox cubs ‘about a foot long. There was no evidence of a lamb dinner, yet there were many ewes and lambs running in adjacent paddocks. The writer contends that though certam eagles acquire the habit of killing lambs, just as in Indian villages certain tigers acquire the habit of man-eating, or crows learn to steal eggs, it is not the local ones that harry the flocks. A care- ful study of the habits of owr eagles would soon show that the resident individuals are active and efficient destroyers of ground game, and not enemies of the flocks. The writer would urge that this magnificent bird should not be ruthlessly exter- minated, but should be given a fair share of protection by every good Australian, where it is doing no serious harm, but strictly attending to business. The Wadge- tailed Eagle is without question one of the largest and most majestic kings of the air; a bold, brave predatory hunter, and a fair fighter when living under natural conditions, and is quite worthy to be the national emblem of Australia. A few well-meaning, but misguided, naturalists have recommended the imtro- duction into Australia of carrion buzzards, eagles, and vultures from India, Africa, or America, to eat up the carrion and thus get rid of the sheep maggot fhes. At the same time many of our Pastures Protection Boards are offering a bonus for the heads of crows and eagles; birds quite as efficient as scavengers. and not half as dangerous to stock as the proposed imported birds. Let us bring common-sense methods into our work in connection with the preservation of native birds, and not be led away by extremists on either side. The man who says that an eagle should not be destroyed when it acquires the habit of killing lambs is doing harm to the protection of birds just as much as the short-sighted jandowner who would shoot or poison every eagle, just because it is an eagle. While the man who advocates the introduction of a carnivorous carrion bird trom a foreign land is, if he is successful, adding another doubtful friend, which may become a serious pest in the land of its adoption. NATURE NOTES. ALBINO TREE-CREEPER—In October last year an interesting albino was brevght to me for identification. It was shot close to Forbes. The plumage was of the purest white, the eyes being black, and the bill, legs, and feet a-pale brownish- grey. 1 despatched it to the Australian Museum, where it was determined as the Red-browed Tree-creeper, Climacteris erythrops—A. C. Brownutu, Forbes. * * = * Nest on A GAS-BbRACKET.—Mr. S. W. Moore sends an interesting account, to- gether with a photograph, which is unfortunately not suitable for reproduction, of the nest of a Black-and-white Fantail, Rhipidura tricolor, which was built on a gas bracket on the baleony of the Central Australian Hotel, at Bourke. Despite the fact that the balcony is much used by hotel residents, and that the nest be- came so loose that the proprietor tied it on with string, a brood of three was sue- cessfully reared. * * i it Pauuip Cuckoo Frepinc YounG.—Mr. 8. C. Burnennt sends a note from Turramurra that a Pallid Cuckoo, Cuculus pallidus, was observed on the 25th October last, feeding a young one of its own species. The adult bird repeatedly visited a virginia creeper growing oyer a porch, obtained a grub of the common Vine Moth. and flew back with it to a telegraph wire, upon which the young one was perched, where it passed the grub to the waiting young one. (My own ob- servations have long since convinced me that the Pallid Cuckoo collects its young, sometimes before they are fully able to fend for themselves, and takes them north with it—Eb.) * ® * ¥ Pevicans y. Ducks.—While touring through the Lower Lachlan River dis trict recently, my attention was called to the fact that pelicans devour yeung wild ducks. A brood of about 14 young black ducks, with their mother, was stranded in a small waterhole in the Lachlan River, miles from any other water, the 1iver being at this part practically dry. Five or six pelicans were swimming aboui on the pond (little more than a puddle), collecting the fish it contained. One of the pelicans deliberately seized a duckling and swallowed it—my in- formant (whose veracity is beyond doubt) was astounded, and watched the pro- ceedings. All the pelicans then joimed in the chase, and the ducklings quekly disappeared, while their parent fluttered up the bank. The largest pelican succumbed to a rifle bullet, his well-merited punishment for killing ducks in close season, and his gullet was found to contain five b)ack- ducklings . I have had no personal experience of the destruction of ducks by pelizans, but have on two occasions seen a pelican, when disturbed, disgorge a water rat, while in November 1919, at Benerembah, on the Murrumbidgee, I took from the gullet of a pelican a golden perch which measured 21 inches in length.—H. K ANpDERSON, Manly % % * * Witp Ducks iy Rivertya—Throughout Riverina in normal seasons, wild ducks of various species may be seen with their brood of ducklings in almost every lagoon, waterhole, swamp, &e. 256 NATURE NOTES. In the course of my journeyings by land and water along the Murrumbidgee River during October and November in good years, I have travelled for miles, and noticed, within vision the whole time, families consisting of the parents and their brood varying from 2 to 18, black, wood, teal, zebra, and other varietics of wild ducks. On one occasion (1918) near Bringagee, a pair of black ducks made their nest within 50 yards of my permanent camp (5 tents), brought out 15 ducklings, and lived, during the remainder of my stay—about three wecks— feeding in the flood waters round the camp, and even landing at the water’s edge within 20 feet of my tent. This season, 1919-20, there are very few young ducks to be seen in Riveriia— 1 have travelled over 2000 miles of this part of N.S.W. during October, Novem- ber, 1919, and January and February, 1920, and only saw one brood of ducklings, 5 in number, on Colligen Creek near Deniliquin.—H. K. AnpErson Manly. Frartess Honryearer—One Sunday in June, while walking through some bush between Gordon and Middle Harbour, I noticed a White-eared Honeyeater (Ptilotis leucotis) almost at my feet. Thinking that I had flushed the bird from a nest, I looked about for this structure, but could see no sign of if. On again turning my attention to the bird, I realised, from the way it was eyeing my trousers, that it had designs on me. When I stood still, it flew at my knees, and picked at the surface of the tweed. The latter was rather closely woven, and the bird did not succeed in extracting any fibres, and darted back to the bush from which it had come, a couple of feet away. I gently pulled up a trouser leg, and exposed a very shaggy woollen sock, upon which it immediately focussed its at- tention. With scarcely any hesitation it flew on to the top of my boot, and pecked away for several minutes, until it had gathered a good mouthful of wool, when it flew off to where it was lining its nest, some two hundred yards away. I seated myself on a log some ten feet off, to await its return. In a few minutes it re- turned to the same bush from which it had commenced operations, and seemed puzzled not to find me there. It soon saw me, however, and flew across, but was apparently not quite reassured, and returned to the original bush once more. It soon returned, and flew to the sleeve of my rough sports coat, working its way thence to my shoulder, upon which it stood for some time, busily tugging out fibres one at a time. These birds have in the past sadly worried my small dog during the nesting season, but they have not previously attempted to pluck me.—L. Harrison, Gordon. Ca, Wy vs ns » ae vy) 2D? 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