An Australian Bird Book Part 6

[Page 23]

=24 Spotless Crake= (Leaden, Tabuan), Swamp-Rail, Little Swamp-Hen, Putoto, _P. plumbea_, Philippines to A., N. Heb., N. Cal., Fiji, Samoa, Tonga, N.Z., Chatham Is.

Stat. c. _reed-beds_ 6.3

Upper reddish-brown; under dark slate-gray; throat whitish; eyes pink; f., young sim. Water-animals.

2 2

=25 Black-tailed Native-Hen=, Gallinule (e), _Tribonyx ventralis_, A.

Mig. flocks, occ. r. _lagoons_, _rivers_ 15

Upper brown; under bluish-gray; white marks conspicuous on flanks; upper-bill light-green; lower red at base; legs brick-red; runs, seldom flies; f., sim. Water-animals, seeds.

1 8

=26* Black Moor-Hen= (-Gallinule), _Gallinula tenebrosa_, N.G., A.

=vt. cos. Gallinule.

Stat. c. _lagoons_, _rivers_ 15

Grayish-black; back deep-brown; under tail white at sides; scarlet garter above knee; base bill, plate on forehead blood-red; no white on flanks; jerks tail; f., smaller. Water-animals, plants.

2 16

=27* Bald-Coot=, Purple Gallinule, Black-backed Water (Swamp, Macquarie) Hen, Pukeko, Redbill (e), _Porphyrio melanonotus_, N.G., A., T., Norfolk Is., Lord Howe Is., N.Z. =vt. cos. bird.

Stat. c. _lagoons_, _rivers_ 17.5

Hind-neck, breast, flanks indigo-blue; back, wings, tail black; under tail white; eyes orange-red; bill, legs red; jerks tail; f., smaller. Insects, vegetable food.

1 13

=28 Australian Coot=, Dabchick (e), _Fulica australis_, A., T., =vt. cos. bird.

Stat. c. _lakes_, _bays_ 14

Sooty-black; bill bluish-gray; eyes red; lobed feet; f., sim.

Water-insects, snails.

F. 23. _Heliornithidae_. Finfoot, 5 sp.--1(1)O., 3(3)E., 1(1)Nl.

In the next Order, the Sixth, there are three Australian birds.

They are called Grebes. Bird names often reflect some habit, e.g., Scratchers, Cooers. So Grebes are often called Divers. But the Divers of the ornithologist are Northern Hemisphere birds, placed in the next family (25).

There is a widespread tradition to the effect that Grebes wait for the flash of the cap, and then dive before the bullet can reach them. They are, indeed, remarkably active in the water, but are absurd on land.

Their legs are set so far back that it is almost impossible for them to walk. Their toes are not webbed, but are broadly lobed.

The Great Crested Grebe is identical with the British bird, for it is found all through the Eastern Hemisphere.

This is a remarkable distribution, when we consider that the bird, by reason of its very small wings, is a poor flyer, and is almost helpless on land. Such a wide distribution of a creature possessing poor means of locomotion indicates that the animal must have existed for a long time, so that it has been able to gradually extend its range. Thus we conclude it is an ancient form.

[Page 24]

[Ill.u.s.tration: [29] [30] [31] [32] [33] [34]]

ORDER VI.--PODICIPEDIDIFORMES.

F. 24. PODICIPEDIDAE (3), GREBES, 25 sp.--5(2)A., 8(2)O., 6(0)P., 5(1)E., 6(0)Nc., 11(7)Nl.

2 15

=29 Black-throated Grebe= (Little), Dabchick (e), White-bellied Diver (e), _Podiceps novae-hollandiae_, Java, N.G., A., N. Cal., =vt. Eur. Little Grebe.

Stat. c. _lagoons_ 9.5

Upper blackish-brown; white patch on wing; under silvery-gray; throat, side-face black (summer), brown (winter); beautiful fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

[Page 25a]

=30* h.o.a.ry-headed Grebe=, Dabchick (e), "Tom Pudding," P.

_poliocephalus_, A., T.

Stat. c. _lagoons_, _river_ 9.5

Upper brown; wings white patch; under silvery-gray; head short white hair-like plumes (summer); head brown, throat buff (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

1 3

=31 Great Crested Grebe= (Tippet), Loon, Gaunt, Carr Goose, _P. cristatus_ (_Lophaethyia cristata_, Mathews' Handlist), Eur., N. Asia, j.a.pan, Africa, India to A., T., N.Z.

Stat. r. _lakes_, _rivers_ 24

Upper brown; under glistening-white; crown black; neck-frill chestnut edged black (summer); face, neck whitish (winter); fur-like plumage; lobed toes; f., sim. Small fish, snails, insects.

F. 25. _Colymbidae (Gaviidae)_, True Divers, Loons, 5 sp.--1(0)O., 5(0)P., 2(0)E., 5(0)Nc.

In the next order come those remarkable birds, Penguins. As so much has been said about Penguins by Lieutenant Shackleton's party, they have caught the popular fancy, and people are much interested in them.

Many Australians do not know that three Penguins are found on their own coast. It was one of the sights of the 1910 Summer School at Portsea to sit on the balcony and watch the Penguins chasing their prey in the clear waters in front. Their wings are paddles, being flattened and devoid of quills. The wings are not folded, but are carried hanging awkwardly at the side.

During the interest aroused by Peary's expedition to the North Pole, an ill.u.s.trated weekly paper published a cartoon, which showed the American Eagle sitting on the North Pole and reading a proclamation to an audience of Penguins. One thing is unfortunate about this--Penguins are unknown in the Northern Hemisphere. Indeed, they support the geographer in his contention that, while the Pacific Ocean is very ancient, the Atlantic Ocean has been formed much more recently, for Penguins are found up the Pacific even to the Galapagos Is. on the Equator, but have not spread into the Atlantic Ocean beyond Tristan da Cunha, at the extreme South.