MYCTERIA AUSTRALIS, cau.

Australian Mycteria.

Mycteria Austrahs, Lath. Ind. Orn. Supp., p. lxiv.—Shaw in Linn. Trans., vol. v. p. 34.—Vieill. 2nde édit. du
Nouv. Dict. d’Hist. Nat., tom. xvi. p. 440.—Ib. Ency. Méth., tom. iii. p. 1035.—List of Birds in Brit.
Mus. Coll., part iii. p. 89.—Less. Traité d’Orn., p. 583.—Ib. Man. d’Orn., tom. ii. p. 249.—Swains.
Class. of Birds, vol. ii. p. 355.

New Holland Jabiru, Lath. Gen. Syn. Supp., vol. ii. p. 294. pl. 188.—Shaw, Nat. Misc., pl. 601.—Lath. Gen. Hist.,
vol. ix. p. 16.—Steph. Cont. of Shaw’s Gen. Zool., vol. xi. p. 627. |

Cicona leucoptera, Wagl. Syst. Av. Ciconia, sp. 6.

Australis, Temm.

 

Barri-enna, Aborigines of New South Wales.

 

I regret much that the economy of this fine bird is not at all known to me; I did not meet with it in
a state of nature, but I learnt that it possesses a wide range over the continent of Australia; and that it is
more abundant on the northern and eastern shores than elsewhere : when the country was first colonized it
was found as near to Sydney as Botany Bay, and even now is sometimes seen on the small islands in the
mouth of the river Hunter; as we proceed eastward to Moreton Bay it becomes more common, and in the
neighbourhood of the Clarence and MacLeay it may be almost daily seen: both Mr. Gilbert and Mr. McGil-
livray met with it at Port Essington, but did not procure specimens; the former also encountered it in
the lagoons of the interior, while in company with Dr. Leichardt. No bird is more shy in disposition or
more difficult of approach, its feeding-ground and resting-place being always in the most exposed situation,
such as spits of land running out into the sea, large morasses, &c., where it can survey all around.

Its food is said to be very varied, consisting of every kind of animal life inhabiting marshy situations, but
more particularly fish and reptiles.

Head and neck rich deep glossy green, changing into purple and violet at the occiput ; greater wing-
coverts both above and beneath, scapularies, lower part of the back and tail rich glossy green, tinged with a
golden lustre ; the remainder of the plumage pure white; bill black ; irides dark hazel ; legs fine red.

The figure of this noble bird, which stands nearly four feet high, is necessarily very much reduced, and

is scarcely one-fourth of the natural size.