in the interior, although
it was frequently seen on the line both of the Darling and the Murray.

122. NYCTICORAX CALEDONICUS.--Nankeen Bird.

A Night Heron with a nankeen-coloured back and wings, and white breast,
with a black crown to the head from which three long fine white feathers
project. It is altogether a bird frequenting water, building in trees as
the Heron does. It is about the size of a well grown young fowl, but is
not good eating.

123. BOTAURUS AUSTRALIS.--The Bittern.

Is well known with its dark brown mottled plumage and hoarse croaking
note. These birds are very numerous in the reedy flats of the Murray,
whence they call to one another like bull frogs. It is a higher bird than
the above, with a ruff down the neck, which behind is naked. He has a
fine bright eye, and darts with his bill with astonishing rapidity and
force.

124. BOTAURUS FLAVICOLLIS.--Spotted Bittern.

This bird was very numerous at the Depot Creek, remaining during the day
in the trees in the glen. There was, as the reader may recollect, a long
sheet of water at the termination of the Depot Creek distant about thirty
miles. It was the habit of these birds to fly from the glen across the
plains to this lower water, where they remained until dawn, when they
announced their return to us by a croaking note as they approached the
trees. They collected in the glen about the end of April, and left us,
but, I am not certain to what quarter they passed, although I believe it
was to the north-west, the direction taken by all the aquatic birds. This
bird had a black body, and white neck with a light shade of yellow, and
speckled black.

125. PORPHYRIO MELANOTUS, TEMM.--The black-backed Porphyrio.

This bird is very common on the Murray, where birds of the same kinds
have such extensive patches of reeds in which to hide themselves.
Although dark on the back their general plumage is a fine blue, and their
bills and legs are a deep red as well as the fleshy patch on the front of
the crown. It was not seen by us to the westward of the Barrier Range,
nor is it an inhabitant of any of the creeks we passed to the N.W. This
Coote is of tolerable size, but is not fit to eat, its flesh being hard,
and the taste strong.

126. TRIBONYX VENTRALIS, GOULD.--The black-tailed Tribonyx.

This bird, like the Eudromias Australis or Australian Dottrel appeared
suddenly in South Australia in 1840. It came by the successive creeks
from the north, fresh fl