An introduction to the birds of Australia / by John Gould.

  • John Gould
Date:
1848
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: An introduction to the birds of Australia / by John Gould. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The Royal College of Surgeons of England. The original may be consulted at The Royal College of Surgeons of England.

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    of this genus, the members of which are but few in number, and the specific differences of which are not well understood or easily decyphered. 626. Plotus Novae-Hollandiae, Gould . . . Vol. VII. PI. 75. Genus Sula. Four fine species of this genus appertain to the Australian fauna, since they not only frequent the seas adjacent to the shores of that country, but all of them resort to its rocks and islands for the pur- pose of breeding. The genus comprises several other species which inhabit nearly every part of the globe. 627. Sula Australis, Goidd Vol. VII. PI. 76. Inhabits the southern coast of Australia and Van Diemen’s Land, and is a beautiful representative of the Sula Bassana and S. mela- nura of Europe. 628. Sula personata, Gould Vol. VII. PI. 77. Common on the east coast. 629. Sula fusca, Briss Vol. VII. PI. 78. “ This species of Booby,” says Mr. M‘Gillivray, “ is generally distributed on the north-east and north coasts of New Holland ; but I found it breeding only upon Bramble Key, although I once, on Raine’s Islet, found a solitary egg. The nest is slovenly made of dried herbage, a foot in diameter, with scarcely any cavity, and con- tains two eggs, of which in every instance one was clean and the other very dirty. The eggs, which are white, vary considerably in size. The largest measured 2^ inches by 1^; the smallest 2^' by lj|, and one of average size, 2f by If inches. Both sexes incubate, and the birds while sitting on their eggs allowed of a very near approach, and before flying off disgorged the contents of their stomachs, chiefly a species of Clupea or herring. I need scarcely add that their bite is very severe. During our visits to Darnley Island I observed several tame Boobies among the native villages, generally perched on the canoes hauled up on the beach. These birds were allowed their full liberty, and after fishing in the weirs upon the reefs until they had procured a sufficiency of food, returned to the huts.” Inhabits the north coast. 630. Sula piscator, Linn Vol. VII. PI. 79. Inhabits the north coast. Family COLYMBID.E. Genus Podiceps. There is no country of any extent wherein Grebes are not to be found ; and as their wing-powers are very limited they are mostly stationary. I have elsewhere remarked how beautifully the European Grebes
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