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FOR THE PEOPLE

FOR EDVCATION

FOR SCIENCE

LIBRARY

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THE AMERICAN MUSEUM

OF

NATURAL HISTORY

The Emu

A Quarterly Magazine to popularise the Study and Protection
of Native Birds.

OFFICIAL ORGAN OF THE AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION.

Hon. Editors

A. J. CAMPBELL, Col. M.B.O.U.

) C. F. BELCHER, M.A., LL.B.

VOL. V. -1903-6.

WALKER, MAY & CO., PRINTERS, 25 MACKILLOl' STRI-.EI-

London Agent :
R. II. I'ORTI.k, 7 I'KiNCEs Strekt, Cavendish Sqi'ark, W.

1906.

of^Jc^^if-S>c/iieS^

CONTENTS OF VOL. W— 1905-0.

About Members, 50.

Aims of Ornithology, The, 92.

Albino Forms for National Museum, 51.

Attacked by Eagles, 166.

Australian Birds in England, 41.

Australian Quails Breeding in England,

173- . ,

Australasian Ornithologists Union, 54,
lOi, 104, 105; Annual Report.
106; President's Address, iio;
Financial Statement, 1 12 ; Camp-
out on Kangaroo Island, 129.
Australian Magpies to Ceylon, Intro-
duction of. 231.
Autumn Notes, 38.
Autumn Ramble, An, 52.
Big Gun Firing and Bird Destruction. 1S4.
Bird Kindness, 42.
Bird- [.ore, 44, 170.
Bird Notes from Olinda Vale, 45.
Bird Observations, Some, 189.
Bird Observers' Club, 51, 103, 182.
Bird Protection, 182; in U.S.A., 166;

in America, 217-
Bird Sanctuary, A Queensland, 204.
Birds and their Names and Dwelling-
places, 163.
Birds New for Australia, 155.
Birds Observed and Skins Examined in

1905, 161.
Birds of Italy, 51.
Birds of the Richmond District, N.Q.,

Notes on the, 15, 72.
Birds of N.W. Australia, 167.
Birds Striking the Light, 52.
Birds Teaching Young to Sing, 41.
Black-headed Honey-eater, The, 12.
Blue Wren (Malurus), The Moult of the,

152.
Blue Wrens, Early Moult of, 30.
Bronze-wing, Notes on, 83.
Cairns (N.Q.) Notes, 2io.
Clarke Island (Bass Straits) Notes, 34,

208.
Coachwhip-Bird, The, 192.
Coloured Figure Fund, 183.
_ Correspondence, 48, 223.
Cuckoo Notes, 20.
' Cuckoo, Why Does the Young Eject its
Foster-Brethren ? 30.
Cuckoo, Young, Fed by Two Pairs of

Honey-eaters, 209.
Cuckoos, 93, 170.

Qickoos and Migration in Birds, Prin-
ciples Governing, 145.
Cuckoos, Field Notes on, 35.
Cuculus inter tnedius, 232.
Dichotomous Key to Birds of Australia,

104, 183. Also Supplement.
Domestic Wild-Cats v. Native Birds,
201.

Egg-blower, New, 88.

Ewing Tit, Eggs of the, 83.

Falcons, 204.

Fantail Cuckoo, Re, 86.

Far Southern Seas, 90.

Finch, The Vellow-rumped, 166.

Finches, Gouldian, 215.

Finches, Red-headed and Black-headed

Gouldian, 215.
F'orgotten Feathers, 163, 211.
Four Curious Nesting-places, 157.
j Foxes, 230.

I From Magazines, 41, 89. 166, 215.
\ Fruit-eating Birds, 68, 91, 218.
I Fruit-Pigeon, New, 155, 195.
Gannet. The, 159.
Genera Avium, 215.
; Generic Name-changes, 173.
j Godwit, The Barred-rumped, 167.
I Gough Island, 168.
Grass- Finch, A New, 169.
Grass-Owls, 104.

Grass-Parrakeet, The Bourke, 167.
Great Auk, The, 89.
Gulls Nesting Inland, 203.
Gymnorhiiia leuconota. Notes on, 205.
Hard Pressed, 41.
High Prices, 230.
Honey-eater, Nests and Eggs of Varied,

44.
Honey-eater, The White-plumed, as a

Bee-killer, 83.
Hutton Memorial Research Fund, 233.
Ibis Rookery, Visit to a, 185.
Incubation, The Period of, 45.
Inquiry Column, 55.
Insectivorous Birds, 7.
Island Outing, An, 168.
Italy, Australian Birds in, 46.
Kagu Chick, A, 32.
Kangaroo Island, Birds of, 207, 224.
Kangaroo Island, Report on the Birds
of : a Comparison with Mainland
Forms, 139.
King Parrot, 215.
Kiwis, 169.

Kurrajong (<^.) Notes, 36, 84.
Laughing Jackasses, 190.
Limicoline Birds, Notes on Some, 23.
Linnean Society of New South Wales,

232.
Longreach (Q.) Notes, 158.
Lyre-Birds, Domestic, 32.
Mechanical Advantages of the Shape of

Swans for Feeding, 206.
Melilhreptiis alhigtilaris, 232.
Migration, The Principles of, 225.
Mistletoes, Do Other Birds Besides the

Dicajum Distribute ? 223.
Musk-Ducks, Frolicsome, 204.
Musk Lorikeet, 216.

Contents of Vol. ['. — 1905-6.

Members of Australasian O.U., 235.

National Bird Protection, 217.

Native Names of Birds, 48.

Native Bird Protection Association, 183.

Nature Calendar, A, 42.

Nesting of Australian Finches in England,
218.

New South Wales Bird Laws, 177.

New Zealand Birds, 218.

Ninox V. Podargus, 29.

Nomenclature, 27 ; Priority in, 173.

Notes and Notices, 51, 104, 183, 230.

Obituary Notice (Captain Ihitton), 178;
Mr. Price Fletcher, 226.

Oological Notes and Further Descrip-
tion of New Fruit-Pigeon, 195.

Oreoscopus ( Sericorms ) ^ttluralis, 47.

Ornithologists, Celebrated, 41.

Ornithology and Civilization, 175.

Over the Blacks' Spur, 215.

Owls' Eggs, Irregular Incubation of, 1 71.

Parrakeet Hybrid, A, 215.

Parrakeet, The Alexandra, 89.

Parrot, A Remarkable, 51.

Painted Finch in Northern Queensland.
The, 82.

Penguins, Save the, 90.

Petrel, The Origin of the Name, 206.

Fhaps chalfoptera and Ocyphaps lophotes.
Additional Notes on the Nesting

?'^' '59-
Philippine Islands, Birds of, 219.
Pied Mutton- Birds, 30.
Poowong (Q.) Notes, 31.
Probable New Bird for Australia, 203.
Psalm of Dawn, A, 199.
Ptilotis penicillata 2mA. ■a.n Enemy, 190.
Ptilotis plianttla, 232.
Publications Received, 56, 184, 234.
Rabbit Pest in Australia, 51.

Regent-Bird, The, 220.

Regurgitutive Feeding, 42.

Reviews — "The Three Naumanns," 49 ;
" Col. Legge's Address," 94 ;
" American Birds," 99 ; " Cata-
logue of Birds' Eggs," 223.

Robins, Movements of, 216.

Robins, Yellow, as Snake-finders, 217.

Rockhanipton Notes, 31, 85.

Satin Bower- Bird's Bower, Singular Site
for a, 43.

Sea-Gulls as Insect Destroyers, 83.

Scrub-Tit {Acanthornis magna). The. 156.

School in Wild Life, The, 37.

Siberia, 168.

Skua, Richardson, 89.

South Australian Ornithologists' As-
sociation, 26, 102, 181.

South African Ornithologists' Union,
Journal of ., 171, 216.

Southern Stone-Plover, 191.

Sparrows at Sea, 189.

Species and Sub-species, 172.

Stray Feathers, 29, 82, 157, 203.

Strepera Falls, 231.

Sub-genera, 216.

Sub-species, 42.

Tasmanian Hawk Notes, 84.

Tasmanian Strays, 32.

Trip to the West, A, 78.

Tuggerah Lakes, N.S.W., A Visit to
the, I.

Victoria Lyre-Bird (Menura victoria).
Notes on the, 57.

Visit to a Ibis Rookery, 185.

Warbling Grass-Parrakeets, 204.

Where Swallows Build, 205.

Wood Sandpiper, The, 155.

W'ood- Swallows, 189.

Zosterops Nesting in Captivity, 215.

ILLUSTRATIONS IN VOL. V.

Young Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo Oustint^ Youni

Young Fan-tailed Cuckoo in Nest of Brown Tit

^'()ung lironze-Cuckoo being fed by Brown Tit

Kagu {RJiinochctiis jiihatiis) Chick . .

Home of the Lyre-Bird : On the Far Upper Yarra

Nests of Lyre- Birds in Trees

Lyre-Bird (female)

Egg of Lyre-Bird (natural size)

Young (in down) of Lyre-Bird

Nest (on ground) of Lyre-Bird

Lyre-IJird (male) . .

The late Capt. F. W. Hutton, F.R.S.

Nest of C.rey Thrush built in a Demijohn Wicker

Young of Black-winged Crow-Shrike

Iilack-winged Crow-Shrikes

Colony of S'oung Ibises

Coachwhip-Bird and Young

Nest of Coachwhip-Bird

Blue Wren

plate i

plate ii

plate iii

plate iv

plate V

plate vi

plate vii

plate viii

plate viii

plate ix

plate X

plate xi

plate xii

plate xii

plate xiii

plate xiv

plate XV

plate xvi

Offinal ©rgan of the ^ustralaeian ©rnithologists' Enion.

" Bir«Is of a feather.'

Vol. v.] 1ST JULY, 1905. [Part i.

A Visit to the Tuggerah Lakes (N.S.W.)

By J. W. Mellor, A.O.U., Adelaide.

As an extension to the fourth Congress of the Australasian Orni-
thologists' Union, held in Sydney during November and December,
a party of the visiting members made an excursion to the Tuggerah
Lakes, situated about 60 miles north of Sydney. This made a
pleasant and profitable sequel to the trip to the N.S.W. National
Park, an account of which appeared in the last issue of The Emu
(vol. iv., p. 157).

The party caught the early Newcastle train, which proceeds via
Hawkesbury, where some charming water and landscape scenery
is to be observed as the train wends its way along narrow, low
embankments, with water on either side — ideal spots for waterfowl
and waders. Our destination was reached at noon. We made
our headquarters at Mr. Legge's house of accommodation — a very
suitable position, with thick bush country near, and moderately
timbered land with settlers' clearings here and there, and only
a few miles from some of the sub-tropical virgin scrub, intermixed
with palms, various fruit-bearing trees and berry-bearing bushes.
The Legge family made excellent hosts, and forwarded the objects
of our party in every way. Mr. Legge's three younger sons, who
are thoroughly observant, and inclined towards natural history,
rendered valuable assistance in locating the various birds, and
so saved us much valuable time. They are also expert boatmen,
and so, immediately after refreshing the "inner man," two of the
party sailed with Mr. H. W. Legge in his small boat on a Ifying
trip across the big lake, which is comparatively shallow and salt,
being a large inlet, land-locked, with a very narrow and shallow
entrance from the sea. Waterfowl were plentiful, especially the
Black Swan {Chenopis atrata), which were congregated in thousands
on the weedy shallows, where an abundance of food is procurable.
Several species of Cormorants were seen, including the Black
{Phalacrocorax carbo). Pied (P. hypoleucus), and the Little Cor-
morant (P. melanoleucus). The Silver Gull {Larus novcB-hollandia')
graced the scene with its silvery plumage, while the Black Duck
{Anas siiperciliosa) and the Grey Teal {Nettion gibherijrons) were
fairly j)lentiful. Up a sluggish and brackish river that empties
itself into the lake the Darter {Plolus novcB-hollandicc) was seen ;

2 Mellor, a Visit to the Tuggerah Lakes {N.S.W.) \_^^^ 'j^,|y

while here and there along the banks Blue Kingfishers {Alcyone
aztirca) would dart along like flashes of light in the rays of the
sun, or the more stately Sacred Kingfisher {Halcyon sanctus) could
be seen ])erched on a dry tree near the water. The Forest King-
fisher {H. macleayi) was only observed in the timbered country,
where it bores its nest-holes in the large white-ant heaps high up
on the trees. Breeding was being carried on by these birds. Far
aloft the Wedge-tailed Eagle {Aqiiila audax) soared in circles out
of harm's way, and further on a pair of White-bellied Sea-Eagles
{Haliaclits leucogaster) was seen. On our return to headquarters
one of the party bagged a Roller or Dollar-Bird {Eurystomus
aiistralis), which made a fine skin for museum purposes.

Next day it was decided to make for the secluded gullies in the
back country, where the dense scrub still exists, with the various
soft-wooded and other trees towering 200 feet high, and where
beside the cabbage palm's fan-like leaves the bungalow or spear
palms raise their heads over 100 feet in the humid atmosphere —
a veritable paradise for bird-Hfe. The ornithologist could profitably
spend a month there, in lieu of a couple of days. To these fascinat-
ing regions we set sail with two days' provisions, securely packed
by Mrs. Legge, sen., and her daughter. With Mr. H. W. Legge
again at the helm we sped on our way for a couple of hours, landing
a short distance up a rivulet which took its source in the back hills.
After a couple of miles of walking and climbing, we arrived at our
camp, which wc christened " Lyre-Bird Retreat." It consisted of
two " humpies" roughly built by the Messrs. Legge on selections
taken up for sleeper-cutting. We soon made ourselves at home, and
after refreshing ourselves with some of the provender brought
from the boat, we set about investigating the scrub, which grew
at the very door— or would have done had there been a door, but
our " house " was primitive, inasmuch as no doors or windows
graced the structure ; in fact, a fireplace was in course of erection,
but it not being required, the builder had ceased its construction
and visitors were allowed to enter " Lyre-Bird Retreat " by way
of this chimney.

Here is the home of the Lyre-Bird {Meniira siiperba), as the
name of our camp indicates, and we were able to see it on our
scrambles through the dense undergrowth, but, it being naturally
a timid bird, and our time short, we could not e?;tend our observa-
tions as closely as we should have wished. The Cat-Bird
{Aeliiroediis viridis) was seen amongst the leafy bowers, and a
specimen obtained. Along the watercourse, and in 'the dense
shade, the bulky nests of the Yellow-throated Scrub-Wren
(Sericornis citrcogulans) were observed, looking like bunches of
flood debris suspended from the overhanging trees. The smaller
nest, of like construction, of the Large-billed Scrub-W^ren (S.
muguiroslns) was found with young, and the \\'hite-browcd Scrub-
Wren (5. frontalis) also identified.

Amongst the Tits, those seen were the Little {Acaii/hiza nana),
the Brown (.1. pnsilla), the Strijjed {A. lincata), and the Yellow-

Vol. V.
1905

J Mellor, J Visit to titc T It ggtr ail Lakes {N.S.W.)

rumped {A. chrysoyrhoa). In the rocky gulches above the scrub
the Rock-Warbler {Origma ruhricata) was seen hopping from boulder
to boulder in quick succession, but this species was not plentiful.
In the tall turpentine trees and gigantic eucalypts, which were in
flower, the comparatively strong voice of the Blood-Bird {Myzomela
sanguinolenta) could be heard. The little birds were sucking the
honey from the flowers 200 feet above, and it was only with the
greatest difficulty that we could catch a glimpse of their forms.
By dint of time and })atience we succeeded in securing a couple of
specimens. A Honey-eater that was common in various situations
was the Yellow-eared species {Piilotis Icwini), whose note when once
heard can be detected at a distance. The Bell-Miner {M anorhina
rnelanophrys) was extremely local, but could be followed up by its
bell-like note.

As evening drew on the notes of the feathered denizens of the
scrub slowly ceased, and only dusky little Yellow-breasted Robins
{Eopsa/iria aiistralis) stayed to catch the small moths and insects
to feed a late brood of young. These birds were extremely tame
and inquisitive, and would almost perch on one's head ; but even
these at last disappeared, and we groped our way in the dark through
thick tangles of wild raspberry and other prickly bushes, among
mighty trees and magnificent palms, with here and there the
twinkling stars peeping through breaks in the dense foliage. After
some difficulty in tra\ elling we came in sight of the glimmer of the
fire, which our friend Mr. Legge had kindled on his earlier return
to camp, and it was not long ere we were safe within the slab walls
of the " Retreat," doing justice to scones and billy tea, with the
nocturne of the Boobook Owl {Ninox hoohook) sounding in
our ears.

We were up ]:)etimes in the morning, when a great variety of
sounds caught our ears, as each bird tried to outdo the other in
heralding the break of day. No waiting for breakfast, but up and
out we got at once to catch a glimpse of the songsters and their
doings. Birds were extremely shy, but not so the scrub leeches,
which were very bloodthirsty, and kept one on the move. Several
Bronze- wing Pigeons [Phaps chalcofJera) swept past on their way
to feed, while the Little Green Pigeon {Chalcophaps chrysochlora)
fed in the scrub above. The Raven {Corone anstralis) was, as
usual, an early bird, as was the Satin Bower-Bird {Ptilonorhynchus
violaceus), whose clear notes could be heard repeating its cry of
" Water, water, water." Two or three hours soon ])assed, and we
found it time to retrace our steps for breakfast. This meal over, a
general advance was made to explore farther afield. Far up the
heights the Pied Crow-Shrike {Strepera graculina) uttered its harsh
and sharp note. On lower levels we saw the Rose-breasted Robin
{Petrcrca rosea), while the White-shafted Fantail {Rhipidura albi-
scapa) whisked about and twittered in fear lest we might touch her
nest of young hard by. Th^ Rufous Fantail {R. nifijrons) was seen
on several occasions, but was shy. Ever and anon a Black-faced
Flycatcher {Monarcha melanopsis) would dart through the leafy

4 Mellor, a Visit to the Tiiggerah Lakes {N .S.\Y .) [,sf "juiy

avenues and perch for a moment and off again, while the usual
alarm cry of the Rufous-breasted Thickhead {Pachycephala rufi-
ventris) would resound again and again in the dense wood at the
occasional report of our firearms. The curious note of the Coach-
whip-Bird {Psophodes crepitans) rang out at intervals with startling
effect, but as the afternoon was advancing, and we had to get away
in good time, there was nothing for it but to leave " Lyre-Bird
Retreat " and trudge away to our boat, and with a strong breeze
that got up quite " a sea " on the lake we sped merrily forward,
ever and anon receiving a little spray. On our way we came across
a specimen of the Little Mangrove Bittern {Butoroides stagnatilis),
which we were fortunate in adding to our small collection. We ar-
rived in due course at our main camp, Mr. Legge's Tnglewood Farm.

Saturday being our last day, we resolved to rise early and study
the birds around Inglcwood Farm more closely, and, by getting out
before breakfast, were able to watch the birds in the crisp frosty
air. Two species of Wrens — the Blue Wren {Maliirus cyaneiis)
and the Variegated Wren [M. lamberti) — were observed in the open
fern country. The Magpie-Lark [Grallina picata) was busy near
some swampy ground, while the Black-backed Magpie {Gymnorhina
tibicen) was frequenting the open country. Several Finches, notably
the Red-browed [Mgintha temporalis) and the Spotted-sided
{Staganopleura guttata), were about in the bushes ; the former was
nesting, and a clutch of eggs was noted well advanced in incubation.
The Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus melanops) made its
appearance, and on our way back to breakfast, a hen bird of the
large Caterpillar-eater {Edoliisoma tenuirostre) was seen to fly to
a tree, and upon careful watching its nest was found, high up in a
forest oak, far aloft, but yet not out of the way of an agile climbing
member, who soon was rewarded with an e.^g — a full clutch for this
bird.

A morning spent near the lake's edge gave oj)portunity of seeing
a few shore birds, and several Sharp- tailed Stints {Hcteropygia
acuminata) were secured. The Curlew {Numcnins cyanopns) could
be seen wading in the shallows, while a White-fronted Heron
{Notophoyx novcc-Jiollandice) was perched on a neighbouring dry
tree. A few Spur-winged Plovers {Lobivanelliis lobatus) gave their
warning cry, which every sportsman well knows, often to his cost.
Some Silver Gulls {Larus novcB-hollandice) were floating on the
wing just above the salt water. Over the open flats between the
lake and the timbered country a Spotted Harrier {Circtis assimilis)
soared in search of prey, and the innocent httle Nankeen Kestrel
(Tinnunculus cenchroides) hovered in the air over a mouse or other
titbit ere it descended to carry it off. Here too the Swallow
(Hirundo neoxena) swept the surface of the pools and chased the
gnats, that were i)lentiful. A pair of White-shouldered Caterpillar-
eaters (Lalage tricolor) hung about a spot where the timber was
thin, apjK'aring as though they were breeding.

In the afternoon another direction was taken, to a piece of virgin
scrub where the sleeper-cutter's axe had laid low many forest giants.
Our trip here was almost expressly to try and get a glimpse of the

Vol. V
1905

] Mellor, a Visit to the Trigger ah Lakes {N .S.W .^

Regent-Bird {Serictiliis melinus), and, after spending some time in
vain clambering through thick undergrowth and tangle, we were
just giving up to return when quite a covey was observed in a
very tall tree. In "a minute or two the birds had dispersed, being
very shy, but alter a little circumvention we were able to get nearer
and observe them ; we were, however, unable to get a specimen,
owing to the exceedingly high trees that they persisted in occupying.
As our time was limited, we were reluctantly compelled to retrace
our stejjs, to the accompaniment 01 the hearty laugh, as of derision,
of some Laughing Jackasses {Dacelo gigas).

Near our central abode, Inglewood Farm, we had a rich spot for
all open timbered country birds. The Little Lorikeets {Glossop-
sittaciis pusilliis) were plentiful in the tops of the eucalypts, where
they were extracting the honey from the flowers, while the Rosellas
■{Platycercus eximius) were in the open land among the old dry
trees. In the flowering patches the Brush Wattle-Birds {Acantho-
chcFja mellivora) and the Red Wattle-Birds [A. carunculata) had
abundance of food. The White-throated Tree-creeper {Climaderis
leucophcea) was exceptionally tame, and exhibited its usual habit
of hopping up the tree trunks for some distance, then flying down
to the base of another tree and repeating the performance. Time
and space will not permit of recording the many interesting notes
taken and the observations made in the 3^ short days we were able
to stay in the locality. Reluctantl}^ we packed up our traps and
specimens, &c., on Saturday night, and said an revoir, but not
good-bye, as we hope to renew our acquaintance with our good
friends, Mr. and Mrs. Legge and family, at some future date.

The total number of birds identified during the trip was 80 species.
The list is as follows, the numbers being in accordance with Gould's
" Handbook " :—

I. Wedge-tailed Eagle {Aquila audax).

3. White-bellied Sea-Eagle {Haliaetus leiicogaster).
13. Kestrel (Tinnunculiis cenchroides).
27. Spotted Harrier {Circus assimilis).
36. Boobook Owl (Ninox boobook).

52. White-rumped Swift (Cypselus paciftcus).

53. Welcome Swallow {Hirundo neoxena).

59. Roller (Eiirystomus australis).

60. Laughing Jackass (Dacelo gigas).
63. Sacred Kingfisher (Halcyon sanctus).
66. Forest Kingfisher (Halcyon macleayi).
69. Blue Kingfisher (Alcyone azurea).

yT,. Dusky Wood-Swallow (Artamus sordidus).
88. Pied Crow-Shrike (Strepera graculina).
92. Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibiccvi).
99. Butcher-Bird (Cracticus destructor).

102. Magpie-Lark (Grallina picata).

103. Black-facell Cuckoo-Shrike (Graucalus melanops).
109. Great Caterpillar-cater (Edoliisoma tenuirostre).
ri2. White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater (Lalage tricolor).
113. White-throated Thickhead (Pachycephala giitturalis).
116. Rufous-breasted Thickhead (Pachycephala rufiventris).
123. Grey Shrike-Thrush (Collyriocincla harmonica).

6 Mellor, a Visil to the Tuggcrah Lakes (iV.SJf .) [^^^ "j^]y

129. Yellow-bellied Shrike-Tit (Falcunculus frontatus).

134. White-shafted Fantail {Rhipidura albiscapa).

136. Rufous-fronted Fantail {Rhipidura rufifrons).

144. Leaden Flycatcher (Myiagra rubecula).

149. Brown Flycatcher {Microeca fascinans).

152. Black-faced Flycatcher (Monarcha melanopsis).

164. Rose-breasted Robin (Peirceca rosea).

175. Yellow-breasted Robin {Eopsaltria aitstralis).

179. Lyre-Bird (Alenura superba).

182. Coachwhip-Bird {Psophodes crepitans).

185. Blue Wren {Malnrus cyaneus).

191A. Variegated Wren (Malurus lamberti).

213. Yellow-throated Scrub-Wren {Sericornis ciireogularis).

216. White-browed Scrub-Wren {Sericornis frontalis).

219. Large-billed Scrub- Wren {Sericornis magnirostris).

220. Brown Tit {Acanthiza pusilla).

226. Yellow-breasted Tit {Acanthiza nana).

227. Striped Tit {Acanthiza lineata).

229. Yellow-rumped Tit {Acanthiza chrysorrhoa).

231. White-fronted Bush-Chat {Ephthianura albifrons).

236. Rock- Warbler {Origma rubricata).

240. Ground-Lark {Anthus australis).

253. Red-browed Finch {Mgintha temporalis).

257. Spotted-sided Finch {Stagano pleura guttata).

276. Satin Bower-Bird {Ptilonorhynchus violaceus).

277. Cat-Bird {Aelv.rcedus viridis).
282. Regent-Bird {Sericulus melinus).
290. Raven {Cor one australis).

306. Yellow-eared Honey-eater {Ptilotis lewini).

331. Red Wattle-Bird {Acanthochcsra carunculata).

332. Brush Wattle-Bird {Acanthochcera mellivora).
339. Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris).
341. Blood-Bird {Myzomela sanguinolenta).

357. Bell-Miner {Manorhina melanophrys).

360. Silver-eye {Zosterops coerulescens).

371. White-throated Tree-creeper {Climacteris leucophcsa).

422. Rosella {Platycerciis eximius).

450. Little Lorikeet {Glossopsittacus pusillus).

459. Little Green Pigeon {Chalcophaps chrysochlora).

462. Bronze-winged Pigeon {Phaps chalcoptera).

472. Peaceful Dove {Geophaps tranquilla).

480. Painted Quail {Turnix varia).

500. Spur-winged Plover {Lobivanellus lobatus).

522. Sharp-tailed Stint {Heteropygia acuminata).

535. Curlew {Numenius cyanopus).

548. White-fronted Heron {Notophoyx novc^-hollandics).

550. Plumed Egret {Mesophoyx plumifera).

560. Little Mangrove-Bittern {Butoroides stagnatilis).

570. I>and Rail {Hypotcvnidia philippinensis).

577. Black Swan {Chenopis atrata).

585. Black Duck {Anas superciliosa).

5 86a. Grey Teal {Nettion gibberifrons).

597. Silver Gull {Lams novce-hollandics).

652. Black Cormorant {Phalacrocorax carbo).

653. Pied Cormorant {Phalacrocorax hypoleucus).
655. Little Cormorant {Phalacrocorax melanoleucus).
657. Darter {Plotus novce-hollandice).

al. V. ]
1905 J

Campbell, Insectivorous Birds.

Insectivorous Birds.

{Extracts from a non-competitive paper written by A. G. Campbell,
Melbourne, for the .Nature Study Exhibition, Gcelong, Easter, 1905).

The Economy of Birds.

All nature is interdependent, and remarkably well able to balance
itself. When a form is past usefulness it disappears, and leaves
the field to the active, the quick-witted, the keen in life's pursuit,
who endeavour to forward the best interests of the species.

Birds are one of the most striking groups in creation, and their
very existence proves their utility. Brought into the world not for
sport merely, or for beauty, the practicality of their use is beyond
all question.

One form of life lives upon a lower type, this upon some other,
and so a check is kept. All increase and decrease with the food
supply, while those most preyed upon are usually most prolific.
The fight with circumstances always makes a race strong and
improves it, because in the struggle for existence the weak, those
insufficiently equipped, and the old are the first to perish. By this
process of the " survival of the fittest " the race improves.

Birds have a definite purpose for existence in that they keep
down plants, insects, molluscs, reptiles, and small animals, and keep
down each other. We in Australia have not far to look for
examples of introduced life increasing beyond bounds. Evidences
are too abundant. In the rabbit and Cape weed it has been proved
how forms might become a burden when brought away from
natural restriction.

Conversely, as much forethought should be shown in encouraging
insect-eating birds about the fields and forests as there is
required before introducing new life. If birds are driven away
entirely, as the country is cleared, it is little wonder that native
insects increase. Remove the natural restriction from anything
and the lower form becomes predominant. It may even enlarge
its tastes and feed upon plants, native, or possibly introduced,
which were before untouched, thus increasing in destructiveness
as well as in numbers.

Birds, according to their food supply, may be classed thus : —

A. Seed and fruit eating.

B. Insectivorous.

C. Omnivorous.

D. Carnivorous.

To the country generally the most important sections are the
second and third— viz., B. and C. To a certain extent seed and
fruit eating birds are of no small imj)ortance in spreading grass
seed and the seed of forest trees, yet the insectivorous section of
our avifauna has a more direct bearing upon the country's welfare,
inasmuch as they keep a check upon hordes of ravenous insects
with no small propensity for destroying the produce of the land.

Omnivorous birds include many that are considered i)ests to
orchardists, farmers, and others, because at times they attack

8 Campbell, Insectivorous Birds. S^^ "j"iy

fruit and grain crops. During other seasons, however, they make
ample compensation by keeping down small reptiles, injurious
insects, and weeds.

The carnivorous section, including all the much- abused Hawks,
are undoubtedly of great importance, for they check not only small
grass-eating birds (Quail and Finches) but small animals and
reptiles, as well as some of the larger insects. If they do take
occasional chickens from the poultry-yard, may they not be well
forgiven ?

Turn for awhile to the other aspect of bird-life, and examine the
forms that the insectivorous birds are designed to hold in check.
Here there is found a complicated matter. The insect inhabitants
of the land, especially the portions most opened, are not in the
main the original species. Add to this the alarming fact that
surviving native species have frequently been driven to seek food
on introduced plants because of the clearing away of their own
natural forests, and we have a state of affairs that calls for careful
thought and treatment.

The insects the producer has now to face can be grouped under
four heads —

A. Insects brought on introduced plants (indigenous to the
plants in their respective native countries) — instance, the codlin
moth. When a form is brought to a new area, free from its parasites,
it increases alarmingly, unless some other parasite rises up to carry
on the work of keeping it in check.

B. Insects native to a plant, but which enlarge their tastes when
taken abroad. Many scale-insects might be cited under this head.
Though the food of many of these is restricted to a particular
genera, or even species, of plant, there are others which spread
from one class of food to another.

C. Insects native or aboriginal to a country attacking introduced
plants. When the land was cleared and planted with fruit trees
native root-borers were tempted, when food supply gave out, to try
the nearest living tree. In a short time they altered their habits
to suit their new surroundings. Many Australian insects have so
taken up with introduced plants that they now seem part and
parcel of them. Besides root-borers, the native wattles and gum
trees have given trunk-borers to the peach, cherry, plum, and elm
trees, as well as the cottony cushion scale and the black scale to
citrus trees, while the little sweet-rooted creeper (Glycine) has given
a most destructive caterpillar to the European vine and the
American Virginia creeper. In the case of the cushion scale, this
was only a preliminary to its spread among the citrus groves of
California and Florida, where it was only after many years that
the happy thought of introducing some of its parasite ladybird
beetles from Australia put a stop to its devastations.

Lastly, I). Native omnivorous insects. The original vegetation
having been cleared from the land, native omnivorous insects like
the grasshojiper, locust, c-(teri)illar, and chafer naturally turned
for their food supply to introduced plants, and it is to this class

ol. V."]

1 90s J

Campbell, Insectivorous Birds.

of insect that the more open farming areas of the western and
northern districts, as well as Riverina, owe much trouble. The
natural agency of the insectivorous birds is still at our disposal
in dealing wdth these pests.

Native insectivorous birds are fortunately adaptable to new
food ; they feed upon the introduced insects as readily as upon
the native. Introduced birds, which spread so rapidly, are equally
at home, so Nature's forces have to a certain extent been
balancing themselves.

But all insectivorous birds are not alike. They have not, and
could not have, completely interchangeable tastes ; hence it
becomes necessary to know their natural divisions, according to
the type of food they devour, so that, in encouraging one form, we
may be sure we are matching it against the particular class of insect
we wish to combat.

The majority of birds will be found to have special aptitude
for certain types of insects, not only in particular places but at
definite times. There are birds for the gully, birds for the open,
birds for small insects and birds for large ones, as well as birds
for light and birds for heavy work. Just as there are insects in
every position — in the mountains, in the forests, on the open plain,
on the swamp, on the sea shore, some living below ground or under
stones, some in the water, or the mud, or the sand, some under
bark or in trees, some among the leaves and twigs, and others flying
in the air — so there are birds to follow them all to their hiding
places and their sporting grounds.

In this connection one must consider —

I. Birds that take their insect prey exclusively on the wing.
These are perhaps the most dainty section. In the deep gullies
of the mountains and in forest tracts some kinds of Robins and
all the Flycatchers are found ; in the more open country the common
Swallows, Tree-Swallows, and Fairy Martins occur. All are small,
lithe, and active, furnished with large mouths and strong wings for
the special work to which they are called. They deal with the
myriad forms of winged insects of the smallest type that sport
themselves, previous to laying the eggs for the coming generation,
in places of their several fancies. This furnishes the main reason
why the Swallow family is so common and in such numbers. To
these birds entirely is left the charge of the nondescript hordes of
small insects found in common places. In the mountain fastnesses,
where the Swallows do not go, but where small insects still exist,
this duty falls to the Flycatchers and two or three species of
Robins. Here we must include, too, all the Wood-Swallows, birds
of gregarious habit, feeding extensively on the wing, but also taking
insects from the ground. They are often seen greedily pursuing
the armies of small grasshoppers, which, when they reach the
winged locust stage, would move further afield and .devastate the
country.

II. Another important division contains the majority of insect-
ivorous birds, or all those that prey upon insects in all other places.

lO Campbell, Insectivorous Birds. fist "luly

It must not be thought, however, that this division is quite as
exclusive as the first. A great many species, especially of the
Honey-eater tribe, take insects on the wing as well as many winged
forms found resting about trees.

It is interesting to follow the further sections of this grand
division : —

1. Birds feeding upon the ground are both large and small,
and may be arranged in groups according to their natural
surroundings. Principal among them are Ground-Thrushes and
Scrub-Wrens for thick mountainous country ; Ravens, Magpies,
Scrub-Wrens, Blue Wrens, Tomtits, Field- Wrens in the average
southern forests ; but replaced by Ground-Birds, Chough, Struthidea,
Babblers, and Whiteface in the more exposed northern areas.
Field-Larks, Ground-Larks, Skylarks are found in the open field,
Jackasses and Magpie-Larks near water ; Plover and Ibis inhabit the
plains, and Herons, Snipe, and other wading birds make the
swamp and littoral their dwelling-place.

All these take their main food supply from the ground, turning
over, may be, leaves, sticks, stones, and prying into every nook in
search of provender. The smaller birds are content mainly with
eggs and young of insects or very small insects, while some of the
larger prospect to some distance in the ground for hidden dainties.
Special reference must be made to the heavier scratching birds,
like the Lyre-Bird and Mallee-Fowl, which in their respective
habitats turn the ground up considerably in their search for the
larger root-eating larvae.

For birds feeding in or near water almost a special section is
needed. Those of most direct interest are those whose food con-
sists, besides insects, of molluscs, certain of which are known to
be hosts of fluke and other animal diseases. The Magpie-Lark,
the Jackass and Sacred Kingfisher, the Spur-winged Plover, and
many waders always feed in moist places.

2. Birds feeding on trees as well as on the ground include many
extremely useful ones, among which are Black Magpies, Cockatoos,
Parrakeets, Babblers, the Grey Thrush, many Honey-eaters, and
Cuckoos.

Cockatoos and Parrakeets, though normally built for fruit-
cracking and seed-eating, are now known to devour on the ground
great quantities of insect eggs. Some species of Cockatoo have
been found rooting out the bunches of locust eggs, which are
deposited in " warrens " in hard ground. Some of the Parrakeets,
especially the ubiquitous Rosella, have a. sweet tongue for the
rotund scale-insects on the gum trees and wattles.

3. Birds that feed in the tree-tops or among foliage have yet a
different function of keeping the leaves (the lungs of the plants)
free from eggs and larvae of leaf-eating insects. These birds are
mostly small, and comprise Tits, Diamond-Birds, White-eye, and
many of the smaller Honey-eaters, especiahy those of the genus
Melithreptus, Orioles, Friar-Birds, and ^^'attlc-Birds.

Not only the number of species and individuals, but the relative

^°'- ^'l Campbell, Insectivorous Birds. I I

1905 J ' . . ■* *

sizes of the birds, it must be remembered, point to the preponderance
of large over small insects, or small over large. This aspect is
most noticeable in this section. The Orioles are perhaps the only
birds exceeding n inches in length, with a few Wattle-Birds in the
forests and FriarT^irds along river frontages, that feed in the
tree-tops, and, as they are not by any means as plentiful as the
small fry, it is evident that there are not many large insects in
those positions to be followed up.

As illustrating another point, it should be noticed that such
large birds as the Jackass, the Boobook, and small Hawks have
been seen feeding upon the great bunches of chafer beetles which
are often, in sumnier, suspended from the tree- tops. But section 3
proper is intended to represent mainly those small birds which,
with inquisitive persistence, pry among the wind-tossed tree-
tops.

4. Birds specially useful to forest trees bring into notice
a subject almost untouched in this young country — forestry. All
must have been struck with the alarming number of native
timber-destroyers that exist. Whole genera of beetles and moths
quite common in Australia are timber-borers, and without the
natural help of certain of the bird inhabitants a forest would
soon be sadly decimated. The Black Cockatoos rank as the
most powerful operators by removing the offending insects in the
branches. These Cockatoos also feed largely upon hard native
fruits.

But more serviceable would be those birds that picked off the
borers' eggs or the young insects before they have entered deeply
into the wood, and so deal with timber-destroyers at an early
stage. The birds specially fitted for this work are the Tree-creepers
(allied to the W^ooclpeckers of the old world) and the Tree-runners.
The former ascend the tree with a sidelong movement, prying
into the bark and crevices, bringing forth insects with their long
curved bills, and even creeping into larger holes and hollows in
search of food. On flying to another tree they invariably begin
near the bottom and ascend again the trunk and branches. To
the Tree-runners, a smaller genus of birds, is left mostly the care
of the upper part of the tree, into which the Tree-creepers do not
often go, and on the smaller branches they search up and down
for offenders.

The Black and Grey Magpies may be placed next in importance,
for with their powerful bills they strip away the outer layers of
bark, reaching parts that the smaller birds cannot deal with.
Then there are several other birds — the Podargus (erroneously
called the Mopoke) and the Nightjars — which attack the insects
at quite a different time — during the perfect or winged stage — and
as most of the moths and beetle-borers are nocturnal these birds
are also nocturnal. In their important work of keeping down the
flying and egg-laying insects in the forest they are doubtless assisted
by the small species of Owls, as well as bats.

Lastly must be mentioned the Lorikeets. Though feeding

I 2 Campbell, Insectivorous Birds. \_^^^ "j^ly

extensively on the nectar of gum flowers, and incidentally upon
the insects they find there also, they do excellent work in thinning
out the hordes of scale-insects, so common on the foliage and small
twigs, being attracted by the sweet manna or honeydew secretion
of the insect.

Birds, in truth, are factors in keeping the earth habitable and
the soil productive enough for man and beast. To destroy them or
drive them away from cultivated fields because a toll is taken of
grain or fruit is a most short-sighted and self-destroying policy. Is
it not man's duty to use his powers to readjust matters and give
the birds again the important place on the land that their unique
function demands ? By an all-wise Creator birds have been fore-
ordained to assist human intelligence towards its own highest
ideals. Why spurn the gift ?

• The protection of breeding grounds and the absolute protection
of the insectivorous birds themselves are not the only necessary
steps to a better condition. First of all, educate the people into
a knowledge of the true meaning of things, place a proper spirit of
reverence in the young, and all these matters then will take care
of themselves.

To a very great extent introduced birds will play an important
part in checking insects. Many native birds of smaller size have
so long been driven away that it is almost an impossibility to
bring them back to the fields and meadows. Even such a strong
species as the Magpie has been decimated, and is not by any means
in effective numbers.

Native trees, when left for shade or ornament near the city, soon
die. Some say the smoky or poisonous atmosphere is the cause,
but the real reason will be found more complex. Native birds
hke Tree-creepers, Sittellas, Cockatoos, and Parrakeets, with a
hundred and one other forest mates, have long since ceased to patrol
the trees and keep in check borers, scales, and many other timber-
destroying insects. It is little wonder, then, that the vegetation
succumbs to the repeated attacks of insects, which are soon in
numbers sufficient to sap its very life blood and leave the gaunt
frames, stripped of all beauty, a standing object-lesson of the
power of an unguarded evil.

The Black-headed Honey-eater (Melithreptus
melanocephalus).
By a. E. Brent.
{Read before the Tasmanian Field Naturalists' Club.)
This species is one of the smallest of the Honey-eaters, and is un-
known on the Australian mainland, though very common inTasmania,
more especially in the mountain ranges of the south. It is partly
insectivorous, and in winter is to be seen feeding on small insects
(caterpillars, &c.), which it obtains from under the dry bark and
leaves on the branches of trees. It may sometimes be seen working

Vol. V.
1905

J Brent, The Black-headed Honey-eater. I X

its way along on the underneath side of a branch, back down, and
pecking away the dry bark most vigorously in search of insects,
but when the spring 9.nd summer return, and the eucalyptus trees
begin to bloom, you will find it enjoying the nectar from the
blossoms once more. In spring the birds flock together in mobs
in the honey trees, but during the summer they live in pairs.

It is not so bulky as a Sparrow, though rather longer, and
measures 5| inches from tip of bill to end of tail, and about 9 inches
across the expanded wings. It is whitish on the lower surface,
black on the head and part of the neck, greenish-yellow on the
back, and with the wings and tail of a slaty grey ; the eyes are
pinkish. The legs are pale brown in the young birds, but become
darker with age.

Colours are not distinguishable between the sexes, except that
the male is a little brighter. But in flying the female always goes
first, the male following her in all her movements, and when she
settles on a branch he settles close up to her.

The nest is usually placed on a horizontal branch, so hidden in a
hanging bunch of leaves as to be almost invisible, but is occasion-
ally built in upright branches. Peppermint and white gum are
the trees usually selected ; more rarely the stringybark. The tree
chosen is nearly always near a creek or waterhole, and the birds
go repeatedly to the water during the day and evening. The
position of the nest varies much, being sometimes low, and occasion-
ally very high. It is what is called a hanging one, and the birds
start at the to}) with a few fibres of wool, which are securely fastened
to the stems of the small leaves and branches, weaving them together
till the rim, or upper part of the nest, is made. From then onwards
most of the material goes inside, except for the finishing touches
on the outside. For this they use fine pieces of green moss woven
in with the wool. This gives it a greenish appearance, which
blends with its surroundings, and makes it very hard to detect by
the naked eye (some collectors use binoculars in searching for nests).
Sometimes fur is used in small quantities for lining, but the majority
of the lining used is wool, where this can be obtained, but when it
cannot be got thistle-down is often used, and the nests are strength-
ened with cobwebs and fibre.

As to the habits of this species, during most of the year the birds
make a sharp, whistling noise, but in the nesting period the call is
quite different, and anyone accustomed to the birds can tell at once
by the call whether they have a nest or not.

The birds, both male and female, after pairing, are most indus-
trious, and in a few days start to build the nest, and within a week
they will not only have built this, but will have stocked it with eggs.
If robbed, they will make another nest, and the fresh eggs will be
laid within a week if the old nest is torn about, and this they will
do at least three times. The eggs with each fresh clutch become
paler and with less numerous spots.

The liirds build in November, and the eggs laid are three in
number. They are of a bright flesh colour, with a few small

I A Brent, T//c Black-h ended Honey-eater. [,st''july

scattered spots of a darker colour, of which a few are con-
densed into a ring near the crown. From the time they are
laid till they are hatched is about i6 days, and certainly less than
three weeks. The young birds of the first brood can be seen flying
during Christmas week. In ordinary seasons there are at least
three broods in a year.

A pair noted this season building, both set to work with a will,
the male bird calhng out and flying from one nest to the other in a
highly-excited state, but at intervals would fly away with the
female, and return with material, flying direct to his selected spot,
and making a great fuss the while ; but the female kept building
on, and treated him with contempt. I stayed for quite two hours,
and by that time both nests were quite visible from the ground.
On passing that way next day I saw, to my surprise, that the nest
of the male was completely gone. He had evidently failed to
convince his better half that his choice was the better one, so, like
a dutiful husband, had given in, and added the material of his nest
to hers. His nest, however, would have been the better, as it was
quite inaccessible, whilst hers was low down and easy to get at.

After the eggs are laid the female seldom leaves the nest, in
windy weather never ; if she did the eggs might be thrown out,
as the nests are then nearly upside down. So, if it be necessary to
chop the tree down to get at the nest, a windy day should be
selected, as the bird, even when the tree is falling, will stick to her
eggs, provided the tree falls clear of others. The male is most
attentive to his mate in bringing food, which, at the nesting season
of the y.ear, consists mostly of honey and manna.* The young are
also fed on the same food by both birds. The male, when his mate
is sitting, is never more than a few minutes away from her, and by
constantly watching him at this time the nest is easily found. In
fine weather, when the female wants to leave the nest, she gives a
peculiar call, and the male at once takes her place.

This species of Honey-eater is much favoured b}' the Pallid
Cuckoo for foster-parents for its young. When placing its egg in
one of their nests it very rarely fails to throw out one of the other
eggs, or to do away with it in some way or other (how is not yet
known), and its own egg takes its place in the nest.

On several occasions this Cuckoo has been so anxious to deposit
its eggs in Black-headed Honey-eaters' nests that it did not wait
till the structure was completed. Hence the egg was built in with
the material, and could never have been hatched.

The 3'oung Cuckoo has the best of it. He grows much faster,
and takes most of the food, for he will eat twice as much as the
rest of the family put together, so he keeps his foster-parents
employed all the time. As soon as able, he works his shoulder
under the other occupants of the nest, and throws them out,j
after which he lives in comfort, and grows rapidly, and the nest,

* Manna is a form of sugary sulxstance secreted by an homopterous insect, probably
a species of scale, which lives upon the leaves of Eucalyptus viininalis. — Eds.
t Does Mr. Brent state this of his own knowledge, or is it an hypothesis ? — Eds.

Vol. V.
1905

J Brent, The Black-headed Honcy-ealer. \.Z.

being of elastic materials, increases in size with his own growth.
No one without seeing it could ever imagine a Pallid Cuckoo living
in the nest of this Honey-eater, and were it not for the elasticity
of the material used in its construction it would ho. an impossi-
bility.
This Honey-cater is among the protected birds in Tasmania.

Field Notes on Birds of the Richmond District^
North Queensland.

By Fredc. L. Berne y.

Part I.

Roughly speaking, this district, which lies within a radius of 70
miles of the township of Richmond, is situated 250 miles south of
the Gulf of Carpentaria and a like distance from the east coast.
Through the middle of it passes the Flinders River, which, like
all the western waterways, only runs during the wet season.

Its southern half consists of open, practically treeless, downs,
well watered by bore streams (artesian), along which beds of
bulrushes {Typha angiistifolia)* have formed, making excellent shelter
for many semi-aquatic birds. The northern portion may be again
divided into half downs and open timbered country, and half
rough, low basalt ranges, more or less covered with gidea (acacia)
and boree scrub. Along the river grow tall white-barked gums,
while coolibahs (both eucalypts) take their place on the creeks.

Spotted Harrier (Circus assiniilis). — Not uncommon. On the
wing their movements are slow and measured, as they beat round
the edge of a swamp or along the edge of a bulrush-covered bore
stream. Again, stretching their wings high above their back, often
at nearly a right angle to one another, the extremity of the primaries
turned upwards, they sail for a couple of hundred yards on rigid pinions,
and using the line of the vertebral column as an axis they roll from
side to side like a ship at sea. They seldom rise to any height — just
sufficient to clear natural obstacles — and when flying they carry their
legs extended straight out under the tail, shifting them, still extended,
to a right angle with the body to regulate the balance upon any sudden
turn becoming necessary, on the sighting of a desired lizard or grass-
hopper. They are handsome-plumaged birds, spotted above, while
the under surface of the wings looks like mother-of-pearl. Though the
bulrush beds are their favourite " haunt, they also hunt the open
downs.

H.\RRiER (Circus gouldi). — ]\Iucli less frcquendy seen than its spotted
relative, and ahvaj-s about bulrush beds.

* The seed of Typha angustifolia is one of the smallest known, and being
provided with a pappus or tuft of hairs can be carried far and wide upon the wind,
but only where it meets the requisite conditions of permanent swampy water is it
likely to germinate and grow. It is truly remarkable how the plant appears. Some
of the great desert tracts of Central Australia have been destitute of vegetation for
untold time, yet if an artesian bore is struck, with its attendant stream, so surely do
the " bulrushes" immediately spring up along its course. — Eds.

1 5 Berney, Birds of the Richmond District, N .0. [^^^ "j"iy

Goshawk {Astiir approximans). — The Goshawk is not uncommon ;
it is a short-winged and round-winged bird, the latter being caused by
the first two primaries, of which the first is much the shorter, being
considerably less in length than the next three, which are much of
one length. I never see it soaring or manoeuvring in the open sky ;
it trusts rather, when on the hunt, to rapid movements in open timber,
darting here and there between the trees and sweeping round bushes
on the chance of taking its prey unawares. If once its intended victim
cets properly going I doubt if it ever pursues. Between times it sits
motionless in the foliage of a tree, watching and hstening hke a game-
keeper at the corner of a copse. The measurements of two that came
into my hands (both females) are : —

Length. Wing to carpal joint. Wing to ancona! joint.

(i) ig\ in. ii\ in. i4|- in.

(2) I9y^„ in. ii|- in 14! in.

One bird was shot in September (while it was devouring a domestic

hen much heavier than itself) and the other in May. The eggs in

the ovaries of the former were the size of No. 8 shot, and in the other

the size of pins' heads.

Wedge-tailed Eagle {Uroai-tus audax). — Plentiful enough here;
whether on the open downs or the timbered basalt country, but their
numbers vary one time with another, without showing any regularity
in their coming and going. As an instance of what a sheepman would
call a bad time, I may mention the experience of Hughenden Station,
previously recorded {Emu, vol. iii., p. 187), where 1,060 were poisoned
in eight months. On the other hand, there are times when it would
be hard to find a representative of this grand bird.

On the open country, where timber worthy of being called trees is
absent, they often place their nests in low bushes. I have many times
been able to ride up alongside the nest and ascertain the contents
without dismounting. Eagles commence laying at the end of May,
and the dates of my two latest clutches of eggs are 3rd and 14th August.
The eggs vary greatly, the two forming a clutch often being of different
types as regards colour and markings. I found a fine pair of eggs,
quite white, in July, 1904, and took them out of the nest without
getting off my horse ; they were an exceedingly large pair, measuring
— (i) 3-19 ^ 2.59, (2) 3.06 X 2.5 inches.

It seems curious that, so far as my experience goes, only one of
the pair of young birds in a nest reaches maturity. I have seen many
pairs in the down, but I have no record of ever having seen more than
one feathered youngster at the nest. On mentioning the matter to
two of my neighbours, they stated their experience was similar.

As regards Eagles taking their time at nest-building, I can confirm
Mr. Chas. Barnard's experience.* After apparentlv finishing a nest,
they sometimes leave it for two or three weeks, and then, returning,
add more green leaves to the lining and lay straight away.

I have been keeping the measurement of the spread of the wings of
these birds, and the average of ten individuals is 6 ft. 5 in., ranging
from 6 feet to 7 feet ; this was rather disappointing to me, as I had
expected bigger results, and I still think I have seen birds that would
go some inches over 7 feet.

White-bellied Sea-Eagle (Haliacttcs leucogaster). — My only experi-
ence of these noble birds was during the summer of 1902-3. One

* " Nests and Eggs " (Campbell), \>. 14.

Vol. V.

1905

j Berney, Birds of the Richmond District, N.Q. I 7

showed up 2Tst November, and my next record is the middle of Decem-
ber, when a pair took up their quarters near my camp and remained
with us through the summer. I saw the last of them on 2nd April.
They must have been; considerably out of their latitude out here ;
their presence, I expect, was due to the very severe drought from which
we were suffering at the time. Waterholes in the Flinders that had
the reputation of being permanent were going dry, with the result that
large numbers of fish were dying — fish of 20 and 30 lbs. weight — and,
drifting to the shore, became stranded there, and I think food for the
Sea-Eagles, though of this latter I am not certain, as I never saw the
birds at the fish. Their cry resembles the nasal quack of a Wood-Duck
(Cfie)ionetla jubata). I never saw them away from the waterholes.

Whistling Eagle {Haliastur sphenurus). — These are always here —
a common bird with us. They eat either offal or live prey, generally
the former, for, not being very quick on the wing, they are unable
to obtain the latter unless circumstances are very favourable. If not
smart, they are at least dexterous on the wing. On one occasion I
had an opportunity of seeing one of them swoop at a family of young
domestic Ducks (a few days old), and take two of them, one in each
talon. I could hardly credit my own eyes, but an hour later, hearing
a disturbance among the poultry, I was out just in time to see the
Eagle carry off two more, in spite of the Ducks' foster-mother — a
valiant old hen. Unfortunately I had no gun handy at the time.

They fall very ready victims to baits put out for Eagles (Wedge-
tailed) and dingoes, which is a pity, as they do a lot of good clearing
up offal and killing grasshoppers. My earliest record regarding their
nesting is 13th May (1904), when I found a nest with one chick in a
mixed covering of down and feather, the former preponderating ; my
latest date is 28th August (1903), when I found two nests, each with
two eggs.

The conspicuously spotted plumage of the immature bird is much
more handsome than that of the adult.

I should say Whistling Eagles pair for life.

A female in spotted plumage, but apparently full grown, gave the
following ineasurements : — Length 22^^, wing i6|, tail lO:^, tarsus 2f,
culmen I^\, cere f inches ; spread of wings, 4 ft. 5 in. Eggs in ovaries
very small. Bird poisoned, August, 1904.

Kite {Milviis afjinis). — Next to the Crow, this is the most common
bird in the district. I seem to have but few notes concerning them,
on account, I expect, of their very commonness. My diary records
eggs and youngsters during February and March.

Milvus affinis is the most useful scavenger we have about a home-
stead or camp, cleaning up and carrying away all offal (and it is in
the carrying away that it beats the Crow) or scraps, which would
otherwise attract flies, and cause sickness. At favourable feeding
grounds, such as slaughtcryards, they assemble in great numbers.
They are useful, too, as grasshopper destroyers.

Black-breasted Buzzard (Gypoictinia melanosterna). — The Buzzard
is only seen occasionall}', generally singly, but at times in pairs, and
then almost invariably flying high in large circles. With one exception
I liave never seen them at rest. When seen on the wing a good guide
to ihcir identification is the conspicuous pure white patch in the centre
of the outstretched wing, which is formed by the bases of the first
six primaries.

I 8 Berxev, Birds of the Richmond District, X .Q. [,sf "July

They arc not credited, as a rule, with being carrion-eaters, but I
poisoned one at a dead kid that I had put as a bait for Eagles. It is
the only specimen that I have been able to handle, and from it took the
following measurements : — Total length 22|, wing i8, tail 8|, tarsus 3,
culmen i4- inches ; spread of middle and hind toe, 4I inches ; spread of
wings, 5 ft. i:j- in. The general plumage was black-brown and dull
chestnut-red, put on in a very patchy and mottled manner. Shortly
after this I was attracted to a knot of birds that I took to be Eagles
at a dead lamb, but which on nearer approach I was surprised to find
were Black-breasted Buzzards, no less than six of them, feeding on a
nest of half a dozen Emu-eggs, all broken and all fresh. In the nest
— a cushion of dry grass — was a round stone, the size of a domestic
hen's egg, that I am sure was never put there or left there by the Emu.
Now by what means was the news of the discovery of that Emu's nest
spread to gather up half a dozen of what is with us certainly a rare
bird ? I would not have thought there were that number of the Buzzards
witfiin a hundred miles of the place. I remember one being shot at
Homestead, on the Campaspe River (N.Q.), where it had swooped at
a flock of Whistlers {Dendrocycna eytoni) that were preening themselves
on the bank of a lagoon, and carried one off to a neighbouring coolibah,
from which it was shot. Buzzard and Duck coming to ground together.
The gunner was congratulating himself on obtaining two birds with
one stone^ or, rather, shot, when the Duck cleared off, seemingly none
the worse for its rough experience.

Crested Hawk {Baza subcristata). — On 30th June, 1902, I was
fortunate enough to get a good look with my glasses at close quarters
at one of these curious Hawks. It showed no sign of fear of me, and
as it clung to an almost upright limb, peering round at me, first on
one side and then on the other, its actions and pose were most Parrot-
like. I have not seen it before or since.

Grey Falcon {Falco hypoleuctts').- -Never saw these on the open
country of Wyangarie, but since coming over on to the scrubby basalt
ranges of Spring Valley I have noticed them more than once, and
obtained one for identification on the ist June, 1905. It proved to be
a young male just changing from immaturity to maturity, the white
feathers still showing among the grey. It had breakfasted off a Dove
(G. tranquilla), and was just commencing a meal on a Betcherrygah
(Warbling Grass Parrakeet) when I interrupted proceedings.

Black Falcon {Falco subniger). — To be seen fairly frequently on
the open downs hawking Quail, &c., on which occasions it will follow a
horseman or a mob of driven sheep long distances for the small birds
that may be flushed ; some very good falconry may then be witnessed.
Seldom more than two or three are seen at once, but in one instance
I saw eight after an unfortunate Pipit. The Falcons are terribly swift on
the wing. One of the wonders of bird-flight seems to me to be the
extraordinary pace a small Falcon can obtain in a short distance when
making its swoop at its quarry.

Little Falcon {Falco lunulatiis). — This species is only to be seen very
occasionally. It is the most daring, I think, of the family, and the
most feared by its victims. What grand birds they would make for
the falconer !

Striped Brown Hawk {Hieracidea berigora). — Is one of the com-
monest Hawks we have, and at- the same time the most foolishly con-
fiding. Perched on the upper limb of a dead tree, it will allow at close

Vol. V.
1905

] Berney, Birds of the Ricluiioml District, N .Q. 1 9

inspection to be made by anyone walking round just below, and
screwing its head round as it follows your movements. General food
appears to be grasshoppers, centipedes, lizards, et hoc genus omne. I
never saw them tackle a live bird, though on one occasion I did see one
after a Native-Hen (Trihonyx ventralis) on a claypan fiat where there
was no shelter for the Tribonyx. If it wanted to catch the latter it
was making a very poor show, but if, on the other hand, it was only
having a " lark," then it was frightening the life out of the fowl.

Of this and the succeeding species it is hard to say which is the more
numerous here. I am inclined to say the present bird (berigora) is,
although supposed to be the more Western form.

A nest that I inspected 12th November, 1902, contained a single
chick. They are at times very much more numerous than at others,
but this, I think, is due to the sort of season we are having, to the
scarcity or abundance of certain food.

Brown Hawk {Hieracidea orienialis). — The remarks made in con-
nection with the preceding species as regards food and habits are
applicable to this except that I do not think the dark bird is so confiding,
and, as I have already stated, I am inclined to think that this is the
less numerous of the two.

Nankeen Kestrel {Cerchneis cenchroides). — May be seen any day.
That the Kestrel is easily satisfied in selecting a nesting site is well
known, and the following notes only serve to confirm the fact : —

I St January, 1898. — A brood of well-feathered young in the hollow
limb of a coolibah.

13 th September, 1899. — Three eggs in the deserted nest of a Wedge-
tailed Eagle (Uroaclus aiidax).

17th September, 1904. — Two nests, once Crows', I expect ; three
eggs in each.

4th October, 1899. — Nest in hollow limb of a coolibah.

15th November, 1898. — Three chicks in the deserted nest of a Kite
{Milvus).

BooBOOK Owl (Ninox boohook). — The Boobook is to be heard calling
at night now and again. The cry resembles " buc buc " as often as
" boobook."

Winking Owl (Ninox connivens). — A dead Owl of this species that
I picked up in October, 1899, was kindly identified for me by Mr.
C. W. de Vis, of the Queensland Museum.

Grass-Owl (Strix Candida). — A small portion rescued from a Wedge-
tailed Eagle in October, 1903, and which Mr. A. J. Campbell was good
enough to identify for me, is niy only certain evidence of this Owl,
but on two or three occasions, sometimes in daylight, I have seen a
similar bird, which from the locality — open grass downs — it is pretty
safe to say was referable to this species rather than to S. delicatula.

Crow (Corvus coronoides). — The Crows fiock in winter and nest in
summer. I have seen a nest of fully fledged young on 29th November.
My notes of eggs or young extend thence up to 24th March, on which
day I examined a nest containing three squabs and two eggs, the
latter just hatching.

They choose strange situations for nesting at times. I have seen
them build up on the derrick of a windmill. At another time a nest
with five eggs was found on the crown of a low polygonum bush in
a dry swamp — this would not be more than 3 or 4 feet above the

20

Berney, Birds of the Richmotid District, N .Q. [^^^ "j",,.

ground ; and at another they selected a pump stand at a dam, the top
of the stand being 8 or 9 feet above water, and the pump in use every
other day, which necessitated the Crows' collection of dry herbage
being cleared off. However, they stuck to it, and, rain coming, the
pump went out of use and the birds reared a family of three.

Raven {Corone aiistralis). — The Raven appears far from common
out this way.

Magpie-Lark {Grallina picata).— Common. Nesting from end of
October to March ; on the 24th of the latter month I found two nests,
each with three fully fledged youngsters. I have seen no sign of
migratory movement among these birds until July, 1904, when we
had a great influx of them.

Ground Cuckoo-Shrike {Pteropodocys phasianella). — This species is
with us all the year round, but the numbers are certainly less during
the winter months. They have a soft, liquid note, and are generally
to be seen in small parties of three or four up to six and eight. I have
found a nest with three young on 8th October, and on nth and isth
November I saw nests with the birds sitting.

Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus melanops). — This bird is
with us all through the year. I have seen a nest with young on the
19th November, another with old bird sitting on 5th February, and
a third nest on 25 th March with three well-fledged young.

Little Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus mentalis). — Very seldom seen.
They were here in the river timber in June, 1902, and again in August,
1904. When about, their cry, " Kiseek, kiseek," is easily heard, and
cannot possibly be mistaken. The stomach of one I obtained on
the Campaspe River contained grasshoppers and beetles.

White-winged Chough {Corcorax melanorhamphus). — The Chough
just appeared in time to be included in its proper place in these notes ;
I saw seven yesterday — 27th May, 1905.

White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater {Lalage tricolor). — Is with
us all the year round, but very inuch less numerous during the winter.

Cuckoo Notes.

By C. L. Barrett, Melbourne.

Wishing to study the nestlings of some Victorian birds, and to
photograph them at various stages of development, I spent last
nesting season, with two companions, in the valley of the Olinda
Creek, which winds out of the Dandenong Ranges in the vicinity
of Lilydale. Some fifty of our familiar birds breed here in
numbers, and we experienced httle difficulty in locating many of
their nests. The banks of the creek are clothed with tea-tree
{Leptospermum), native hazel {Pomaderris), and musk (Olearia),
intermingled with wire-like grass and bracken ferns {Pteris), which
form miniature jungles where the White-throated Thickhead
{Pachycephala gutturalis) and the Coachwhip-Bird {Psophodes
crepitcins) love to rear their young. Here and there are open grassy
spaces, and the Blue W^ren [Mahmis cyanens), the White-shafted

The Emu, Vo/. V

PLATE I.

Young Xarrow-bille<l Bronze-Cuckoo ( Chalcococcyx basalis ) ousting young IJlue Wren

(M alums cyaneus).

FROM A PHOTO. BY C. P. KINANE.

^'°L 7"1 Barrett, Cuckoo Notes.

1905

21

Fantail {Rliipidiira albiscapa). the Red-browed Finch [Mgiiiilia
temporalis), and many other charming Httle birds flit busily about
in the sunhght ; while among the tall timber on the mountain
slopes such species as the Great Brown Kingfisher {Dacelo gigas),
the Butcher-Bird {Cracticus destructor), and the Rosella {Platycercus
eximius) are most frequently seen. It was to the Cuckoos, however,
that our attention was mainly devoted, and as we had good oppor-
tunities for observing these birds, some of our field notes may
prove interesting to others.

In early September the melancholy notes of the Pallid Cuckoo
{Ciicitlus pallidus) were heard among the multitudinous bird-voices
of the valley, and soon afterwards the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Caco-
mantis flabeUijormis) made its appearance, together with the Bronze-
Cuckoo {Chalcococcyx plagosus) and the Narrow-billed Bronze-
Cuckoo (C basalts). During the month individuals of these four
species arrived in increasing numbers, and were evidently searching
for suitable nests in which to deposit their eggs, for a day seldom
passed now without a Cuckoo being seen darting through the trees
hotly pursued by a mob of small, angry birds (Wrens, Honey-eaters,
Tits, &c.) While watching one of these chases the question arose,
are these birds pursuing the Cuckoo because they are really con-
scious of its intention to shirk parental cares by leaving its Qg^
in one of their nests, or do they mistake it for some bird of prey ?
If the former be the case, why do birds whose nests have been
wronged remain apparently ignorant of the nature of the alien
eg§^ ; and when the young Cuckoo is hatched and has murdered
its foster-brethren, why do they guard and feed the parasite with
as much solicitude as they would their own offspring had these
survived ? This is certainly a difficult question, and to complicate
the problem we found several nests containing only addled Cuckoos'
eggs, which would lead one to suppose that the owners of these nests
had detected the imposition and abandoned their homes. The
manner in which the Cuckoo deposits its eggs in the nest has never
been satisfactorily explained, and although we often saw one of
these birds in the vicinity of a nest which was afterwards found to
contain an egg of its species, we were unable to catch one in the
act. It seems highly probable, however, that those species whose
eggs are placed in covered nests first lay the egg on the ground,
and then, bearing it in their wide beak to the chosen nest, drop it
gently in. It would be quite impossible for such a large bird as
the Fan-tailed Cuckoo [Cacomantis fiabellijormis), for instance, to
enter the nest of the White-browed Scrub- Wren {Sericornis frontalis),
where its eggs are commonly found, without considerably enlarging
the entrance to the nest ; and I cannot recall a single instance in
which one of the many domed nests we examined, containing
Cuckoos' eggs, showed an aj^pearance of having been entered by
any but the rightful owners. Being anxious to obtain photographs
of the early life of the young Cuckoo, we selected a nest of the
Blue Wren {Malitriis cyaneiis) which contained two Wren's eggs
and one of the Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo (C basalts). This we

2 2 Barrett, Cuckoo Notes. [ist^jHiy

kept under close observation, and at length had our patience
rewarded, for on visiting the nest one morning we beheld a blind
and naked nestling, easily recognized by its larger size as the
Cuckoo, in the act of ejecting one of its foster-brothers from the
nest ; the other unfortunate young Wren already lay dying on the
ground beneath. The Cuckoo we judged to be about 30 hours old,
while the young Wrens had probably been hatched a few hours
earlier. We were able to secure a good picture of the young
murderer at work, because on one of the Wrens being replaced
in the nest, the Cuckoo at once proceeded to throw it out again,
with the result that, during the two hours of our watching, he
accomplished this feat no less than six times. Struggling despera-
ately until it succeeded in getting the feebly resisting Wren into
the hollow of its back, and balancing it there with extended embryo
wings, the young Cuckoo, with head bowed between its strong legs,
which, with claws firmly fixed in the sides, were straddled across
the nest, worked its way gradually to the entrance, and on this
being reached, suddenly raised the head and with a sharp upward
lift of the body pushed the unfortunate nestling over the edge.
His work accomplished, the young usurper gave a final shrug of the
body, as if to make certain his burden was gone, and subsided
exhausted to the bottom of the nest. It has been suggested [Emu,
vol. iv., page 172) that the chief factor which operates on the young
Cuckoo, and causes it to throw out its foster-brethren, is probably
involuntary muscular action, incident on local irritation of the
nerves of the skin when in contact with a naked nestling. I
scarcely think the facts warrant us in accepting this theory without
some reservation, for, if it has m.uch in its favour, it still leaves
unexplained a most important point — viz., thereason why a distinct
hollow should be present in the back of a Cuckoo during the nestling
period, and disappear in the adult bird, if not specially adapted
by natural selection for the function it so admirably performs.
Again, no one who has not actually witnessed the scene can realize
the deliberate and apparently reasoning manner in which a young
Cuckoo commits his crimes.

Cuckoo nestlings are very voracious. I have often watched them
being fed, and found it no uncommon thing for the devoted little
foster-parents to make over thirty visits within an hour to the
nest with food for their charge. The menu is varied, but the larvae
of lepidopterous insects form an important item, as far as my
observations go. The young bird develops rapidly on this diet,
and the nest soon becoming too small for his increasing girth,
expands to nearly twice its original size, and even then is filled
to bursting point. The Cuckoo is fed by the foster-parents long
after it has quitted the nest, in the vicinity of which it remains for
some time, its plaintive cry for food being always responded to
by its anxious guardians. While in the nest the Cuckoo displays a
viciousness in keeping with its general character, for if one's finger
be placed within reach it will be fiercely pecked until withdrawn.

The list of foster-})arents for our Cuckoos is a long one, but in

The Emu, J'o/. V.

PLATE II.

Young Fan-tailed Cuckoo ( Cacoinautis JlabiUifonnis) in Nest of Urowii Tit
( Acauthiza pusilta).

FROM A PHOTO. BY C. P. KINANE.

The Emu, J'ol. V

PLATE III.

ol. V.-|
1905 J

Barrett, Cuckoo Notes. 23

this district each species has an apparent preference for one par-
ticular nest. Thus the salmon-tinted egg of the Pallid Cuckoo
{Cuciilus pallidus) is commonly found in the nest of the Yellow-
faced Honey-eater [Ptilotis chrysops), whose flesh-coloured egg it
somewhat resembles. The Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacomantis flabcUi-
f or mis) favours the White-browed Scrub- Wren {Sericornis frontalis).
Here again the resemblance between the egg of Cuckoo and foster-
parent is noticeable, though what advantage is gained by this
similarity, in a covered nest where the eggs can be but dimly seen
by the brooding bird, it is hard to imagine. The Bronze-Cuckoo
{C. plagosus) and the Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo (C. basalis)
both select dome-shaped nests for their offspring, the former species
showing a j^reference for the nest of the Brown Tit {Acanthiza
pnsilla), and the latter for that of the Blue Wren [Malnrits cyaneus).
The illustrations reproduced, which are from negatives by Mr.
C. P. Kinane, depict — ^(Plate L) " Young Narrow-billed Bronze-
Cuckoo ousting young of Blue Wren ; " (Plate II.) " Young
Fan-tailed Cuckoo in Nest of- Brown Tit;" and (Plate III.)
" Young Bronze-Cuckoo being fed by Brown Tit."

Notes on Some Limicoline Birds.

By (Dr.) H. W. Bryant, Melbourne.

(^Read before the Bird Observers' Club, I'^th May, 1905.)

I WISH to confine myself to remarks on those species of shore-birds
which I have had most opportunity of studying round the swamps
and sea-shore of Hobson's Bay.* Some of these birds commence to
visit our shores about the end of June. I find a note in my game-
book that on the 25th June, 1897, I shot a Painted Snipe at Little
River. As a rule the ordinary Snipe arrive next, about the end
of August, in small numbers at first, but becoming more numerous
later, in September, October, and November, and remaining often
until March. The Tringa, Curlew, Godwit, &c., do not usually
arrive until October, and leave about April and May. A special
kind of large Dottrel are again later in arriving, just after the dis-
appearance of the Tringa. They come in big flocks, and afford
very good sport.

Painted Snipe [Rostratida aiistralis). — When first shot the colour
of this bird is most beautiful, it having a kind of shot green tinge
all over the feathers. After death this sheen disappears, and as
with all stuffed birds the colours fade after a time. Another
peculiarity about the Painted Snipe, that I have heard of, but
have not so far been able to substantiate, is, that if one of them be
placed in the game-bag with other game, it will cause the whole
of the game in the bag to decompose very rapidly.

* Dr. Bryant enumerates eleven species, and his field observations are interesting
because written more from a sportsman's point of view. — Eds.

2 A Bryant, Noies on Some Limicoline Birds. [^^j "j",^.

The Snipe (Gallinago australis) is the ordinary Snipe that you
have all seen and eaten during the early part of summer. It is
one of the most gamey birds that visit us, and it is highly prized
both for the table and the sport it affords. This Snipe arrives
here late in August, and continues to come over in some seasons
in large numbers ; in others, in very small numbers, I am sorry
to say. The average weight is from 5 to 6 ozs., but I have shot
them as late as March weighing over lo ozs. Mr. R. Hall informs
me that the Australian Snipe breeds in Siberia,* and that it is
more than probable that most of the birds that visit us come all
the way from the tundras. This Snipe travels probably by night,
and arrives about the period of the full moon nearest the end of
August or beginning of September. The description of this bird
you all know, so I will not inflict it upon you, and the sexes are
exactly alike.

Marsh Tringa, or Sharp-tailed Stint {Tringa acuminata). — This
bird is a little over half the size of a Snipe, and arrives in large
flocks in September and October, settling in the swamps and marshes
near the coast line. They are very fond of the insects and worms
which inhabit the greenish seaweed noticed at low tide along the
bay. In the swamps I have noticed they prefer the slightly brackish
places to those where the water is fresh, and when the swamp is
drying off and the water is low and the mud nice and black and
oozy these birds are usually very thick, if not disturbed. They
afford excellent sport, as they are very swift fliers, and if taken
singly require a skilled shot to stop them ; of course a shot into
the brown makes a nice addition to the game bag, and I notice
my friends do not miss many chances of this sort if they come their
way. They are a delicious table bird if properly cooked, and in
my opinion quite as good as the ordinary Snipe.

Curlew Stint [Ancylochilus siiharqiiatus). — This species is not
quite so large as the Sharp-tailed Stint, and has a curved bill instead
of a straight one, which is also rather longer than that of the Sharp-
tailed Stint. It is ashy-brown above, with dark centres to the
feathers ; rump and under surface white, and white bar on the
upper surface of the tail. This bird is just as swift as the Sharp-
tailed Stint, is not quite so good a table bird, but has exactly
the same habits in every way.

Little Stint {Limonites riificollis). — This little bird is about half
the size of a Tringa, with ashy-grey back and head, white abdomen,
and straight bill. These birds arrive at the same time as the
Tringa, and are usually seen in large flocks. They are fonder of
a sandy beach than the Tringa, and are exceedingly swift fliers, but
being so small are hardly worth shooting as a table bird.

The Lesser Golden Plover {Charadriits dominicus) affects open
lands in the neighbourhood of the sea-beach, or swampy places ; it
swims and flies rapidly, and closely resembles the European Golden

* This Snipe is known to breed in Japan. See "Nests and Eggs " (Camp.),
p. 823.

Vol. v."] 'Brya'ST, No/es on Soim- L/iiiico//iic Birds. 2^

1905 J ' vJ

Plover. Of course we only see the bird here in its winter dress.
I have never seen this bird in full summer plumage.

This Golden Plover is a very handsome bird, nearly as large as
a Snipe, and quite as good for the table. These birds are very wary,
but frequent the marshes about Port Phillip in fairly large numbers.
They have favourite spots for feeding, and usually fly in certain
directions, and by noting these points the s]:)ortsman often obtains
a large bag.

The Greenshank {Glottis glottoidcs) is a constant visitor to our
shores, sometimes appearing in small flocks, and at other times in
ones and twos. It frequents the sea-shores and lagoons near the
sea, preferring sandy points, where it often associates with the
Sea Curlew, Marsh Tringa, &c. This bird is much taller than a
Snipe, and yet not so heavy. It is a quick flier and very wary,
and has a peculiar whistle when disturbed. (All these birds have a
characteristic whistle, distinguishing them to the ear of the sports-
man at once.)

The White-headed Stilt [Hiuumtopiis Icitcocephalus). — This Stilt
is a tall, slender, graceful bird, of proportions so delicate that the
long legs would seem quite out of keeping with the small body,
were not its carriage so easy and well poised that no incongruity
is noticeable. The specimen I am showing you was shot on the
big swamp at Altona, and was one of a flock of over 100. They
are rather ugly, laboured fliers, sticking their long legs out behind
and making a tremendous row nearly all the time they are flying, the
sound being comparable to a number of small dogs trying to bark
whilst suffering from a severe cold in the vocal chords. Their food
consists entirely of insects and small snails found on the water's
margin, or captured by wading knee-deep into the water.

These birds make their appearance almost every year on the
swamps about Altona and Werribee. I have never heard of their
eggs being found about that locality.

The Double-banded Dottrel [Ochthodromm bicindus) is a very
beautiful bird, which visits different parts of the States in large
flocks, remaining only a few days, and decamping just as suddenly
as it comes. It prefers meadow lands to sea beaches, and owing
to its habits it has not been studied closely.

The Doul)le-banded Dottrel runs very swiftly, and the whole
flock rise on the wing together, mounting high in the air, through
which they pass very quickly, and after flying a mile or so suddenly
wheel round and descend to a spot within a hundred yards or so
of the one they left.

The Black-fronted Dottrel [JEgialitis melanops) is found most
abundantly in metUum latitudes, but is not known in Tasmania.*
However, it is universally distril)uted over the Continent, affecting
the shores of fresh-water streams and lakes in the interior rather
than the boisterous sea-coast. It is a delicate and beautiful little

* Mr. \V. L. May states he shot one of these birds at Sandfoid, Tasmania, in
1896. But it was probably only an accidental visitor.— Eus.

2 5 Bryant, Notes on Some Limicoline Birds. [ist "July

bird, whose every attitude speaks of quickness and speed, from
the long, slender tarsi to the long and pointed primaries crossing
over the tail.

Of all the Dottrels this one is the tamest, for it will allow one
near enough to observe the brilliant scarlet ring round the eye,
and even when induced to take flight will alight again within a
very short distance. Irides dark brown and eyelids bright red.

Knot [Tringa canutus). — The Knot is a very rare bird in this
State. One obtained by me at the big swamp at Altona has
under neck and breast light buff on a white ground ; under tail
is white, with patches of buff and black ; under wing coverts are
white, barred with black and slaty-black, not unlike the Snipe
feathers in the same position. The back of head is slaty-grey,
and the back and upper surface of the wings are a light slate with
splashes of black, and some of the feathers have white margins.
Upper surface of tail is white, with spots of black and a little buff,
and some of the feathers are margined with black. The legs are
black, and the bill, which is about |- inch in length, is also black.

South Australian Ornithological Association,

The April-May meeting of this Association was held at the
residence of Dr. A. M. Morgan, Adelaide, on the 12th May,
when Mr. F. R. Zietz presided. Mr. J. W. Mellor drew
attention to the reports and letters in the daily press concerning
the destruction of Magpies for the purpose of poisoning their car-
casses as baits for foxes. Mr. M. Symonds Clark reported that he
had, in his capacity of honorary secretary of the Native Fauna
and Flora Protection Committee of the Field Naturalists' Section
of the Royal Society, brought the matter before the authorities,
and that steps had been taken to prevent further depredations
in respect to the birds.

The chief business of the evening was the further examination of
the Strepcra family, and a large number of skins from different parts
of Australia, notably South Australia, was compared. Several
skins recently collected by Mr. E. Ashby on Kangaroo Island were
of particular interest ; he had seen a large number of the birds
there, and had identified them as the Black-winged Crow-Shrike
{Slrepera melanoptera), there being no trace of white in the wing,
and a specimen shown tallied exactly with one from the Forrest
Ranges in South Australia and one from Port Augusta in the north.
Upon further examination of skins it was found that a young male
from the Mt. Lofty Ranges, near Adelaide, was of a lighter colour
than the Flinders Range and Kangaroo Island specimens. Birds
from Yorke's Peninsula and Eyre's Peninsula in South Australia
were found to be of a darker brown, with a very great amount of
white on the wing, and it was considered that these birds were not
Strepcra melanoptera nor yet Strepera plumhca, and it was suggested

Vol. V. I South Australian Oniitholo^ical Association. 2 7

KJ05 J •^ -^ /

to designate them Strepcra fiisca, or the Brown Crow-Shrike.
Specimens from Ouorn, Laura, and Mt. Remarkable, in the north
of South Austraha, resembled Strepera fusca in general colour, but
the speculum on the wings was not so defined, and not nearly so
white. The investigation of the birds shown proved highly in-
teresting and valuable in determining the habitat of the species.

Amongst other specimens of note that were exhibited were a Pink-
bellied or Bourke Grass-Parrakeet {Neophema boiirkei). Varied or
Many-coloured Parrakeet [Psephotus multicolor), Brown Fly-eater
[Pseiidogcrvgone fusca), and White-browed Scrub-Wren {Sericornis
frontalis), by Mr. J. W. Mellor. Mr. F. E. Storr exhibited specimens
of the White-eyed Duck {Nyroca australis) and the Freckled
Duck {Stictonetta ncBvosa) from the River Murray. Mr. E. Ashby
showecl specimens of the Spotted Scrub- Wren {Sericornis maculata),
Chestnut-rumped Ground-Wren {Hylacola pyrrhopygia) from
Kangaroo Island, also a pair of Leach Cockatoos [Calyptorhynclms
viridis) from the same ^olace. This was noted as being a new
locality for the bird, as it is generally found more towards the
interior of South Australia. An egg of this species was also
obtained from the Island by Mr. Ashby, and was exhibited by
Mr. A. H. C. Zietz, together with an egg of another species of the
Black Cockatoo for comparison. Mr. M. Symonds Clark showed a
pair of the Black Cockatoo {Calyptorhvuchits funereus) which had
been collected on Kangaroo Island many years ago.

Nomenclature.

The Condor (vol. vii., Jan.-Feb., 1905) contains an article on
nomenclature, dealing principally with the American O.U. code.
It is proposed to issue a new code, under the editorship of Drs.
Jordan, Evermann, and Gilbert, dealing with some of the knotty
problems involved in the department of ichthyology ; but as the
principles underlying the new code have equal force so far as bird-
names are concerned, they deserve the attention of the gentlemen
who are revising the Australasian bird list, and are worth republica-
tion. They are summarized thus* : —

" The value of a code depends not on the authority behind it, but
solely on its simplicity, usefulness, and naturalness. Formal agree-
ments among groups of authors are always marked by compromises
in which fitness and exactness are more or less sacrificed in the interest
of unanimity of action. These compromises one and all are discarded
in the progress of science.

" The different canons in this code are based on those composing
the code of the American Ornithologists' Union, and so far as possible
the language of that admirable document has been followed.

" Of competitive names otherwise tenable, given by the same author,
that one is to be preferred which stands first in the text. In case of

* A. O.U. in this excerpt must be understood as referring to the American Union.

28 Nomenclature. [,sf"}uly

competitive names otherwise tenable, given by different authors of
the same actual date so far as ascertainable, the one standing on the
earlier page in its publication must be chosen. [Note.] The sole end
of laws of nomenclature is that of fixity, and this is to be ensured only
by the elimination among names once printed, of all element of choice
by later authors. Even among twins, the laws of primogeniture
recognizes one as first born. So with names on the same page.

" Canon VII. [Compare A.O.U. XVIII.] In case of competitive
generic names otherwise tenable, published simultaneously in the same
work, preference shall be given to the one standing first in the work.
Of competitive generic names of the same actual or ostensible date (no
exact date being ascertainable) given by different authors, that one
is to be taken which is proposed on the earlier page of the volume in
which it appears. When the same generic name is given to two distinct
genera of animals at the same date (as far as ascertainable), the name
appearing on the earlier page shall be deemed to have precedence.

Canon X. differs widely from the A.O.U. rulings. Compare with
XXI., XXIII. " The type of a genus can be indicated by the original
author only. This may be done by direct statement that a certain
species is a type species, the leading species, the ' chef de file,' or by
other phraseology conveying the same idea ; it may be indicated by
the choice of a Linnaean or other specific name as the name of a genus,
or by some statement which shall clearly indicate an idea in the author's
mind corresponding in fact, if not in name, to the modern conception
of the type of a genus. The type of a Linnaean genus must be, in the
phraseology attributed to Linnaeus, ' the best known European or
officinal species,' included by that author within that genus.

" In every case, the determination of the type of a genus shall rest
on evidence offered by the original author, and shall be in no wise
affected by restrictions or modifications of the genus in question intro-
duced by subsequent authors, nor shall the views or the dates of
subsequent authors be considered as affecting the assignment of the
type of a genus. [Note.] It is believed that the principle that a
generic name must be fixed by its original author is one of vital im-
portance in nomenclature. All processes of fixing types by elimination,
or by any other means resting on subsequent literature, lead only to
confusion and to the frittering of time on irrelevant questions. The
method of elimination cannot be so defined as to lead to constant
results in different hands. In general it is much more difficult to
know to what types subsequent authors have restricted any name than
to know what the original author would have chosen as his type. Most
early writers who have dealt with Linnaean species have consciously
or unconsciously encroached on the Linnaean groups rather than made
definite restrictions in the meaning of the generic names.

" Canon XL [Compare with A.O.U. XXIV.] In case a genus
recpiiring subdivision or modification contains as originally formed
more than one species, and the author of the genus does not in any
way clearly indicate its type, the first species named in the text by
the author as certainly belonging to this genus shall be considered as
its type. [Note.] It can never be unjust to an author to regard his
first named species as his type, and it can never lead to confusion to
let the genus stand or fall with this first species. The same remark
applies to composite species.

" Canon XVII. [Second paragraph.] As a name is a word without
necessary meaning, and as names are identified by their orthography.

^"'qos^ 1 Nomenclature. 29

a generic name (typographical errors corrected) is distinct from all
others not spelled in exactly the same way. Questions of etymology
are not pertinent in C£ise of adoption or rejection of names deemed
preoccupied. [Note.]- This canon prohibits change of names because
prior names of similar sound or etymology exist. It permits the use
of generic names of like origin but of different genders or termination
to remain tenable. All manner of confusion has been brought into
nomenclature by the change of names because others nearly the same
are in use. Thus the Ornithologists' Union sanctions the cancellation
of Ereniophila because of the earlier genus Eremophilus, of Parula
because of the earlier Parulus, and of Helminthopliaga on account of
Heminthophagns. On the other hand, Pica and Picus are allowed.
In ornithology this matter has been handled by a general agreement
on the relatively few cases concerned. But in other groups the matter
is b}- no means simple, and every degree of similarity can be found.
Thus the genus Canthevines is preceded by Acanthorhinus, a correct
rendering of the same etymology ; Canthidermis by A cant ho derma, also
a correct form of the same word ; Thymallus is preceded by Thymalus,
Lyopsetta by Liopsetta. Rafinesque changes Hiodon because it sounds
too much like Diodon ; Trachidermis has been altered on account of
its resemblance to TracJiyderma, Ateleopus on account of its resemblance
to Atelopus.

" Between forms like Pachynathns, antedated by the correctly spelled
Pachygnathiis, and Aplodontia, antedated by the more correct Haplodon
and Aplodon, every sort of case may be found. If all names are regarded
as different unless spelled alike, these matters offer no difficulty. Any
other view gives no assurance of stability."

Although there are several other points of diffei^ence of a very minor
nature, I shall close this short abstract with the following well-considered
canon, a portion of which, as will be seen, departs considerably from
present usage in ornithology and mammalogy.

" Canon XXIX. The authority for a specific or sub-specific name
is the first describer of the species or sub-species. A name adopted
from manuscripts should be ascribed to the person indicated as author
in the original publication, whether this person be the author of the
memoir in which the name occurs or not. . . . [Note.] This
canon deprecates the practice of ascribing to the author of a paper
descriptions and names furnished him in courtesy or otherwise by some
other author. If a writer ascribes one of his species to someone else,
we must take his word for it. Thus the manuscript species of Kuhl
and Van Hasselt in the Museum of Leyden, although printed by Cuvier
and Valenciennes, should be ascribed to Kuhl and Van Hasselt."

Much of the foregoing is doubtless debatable matter, but the
reasons for each proposal are well worth thinking over.

Stray Feathers.

NiNOX V. PoDARGUS. — Adverting to a note in The Emu, vol. iv.,
p. 36, I camped at Parwan, Vic, during the last Easter holidays
and on the Saturday evening, just as the day was drawing to a
close the " Mopokes " began to call. I was too tired to move,
but a companion went over to the tree (about 150 paces distant)

^O Stray Feathers. ^ ^'""

July

and shot the bird as it was caUing, and it proved to be a splendid
specimen of the Boobook Owl {Ninox boobook). — F. E. Howe.
Albert Park (Vic), 5/5/o5-

Pied Mutton-Birds. — This season I received two black and
white Mutton-Birds {Piiffimis tenuirostris) from Phillip Island,
Western Port. One collected by Mr. A. P. Smith, Cowes, instead
of the usual uniform dusky plumage, has its cap and throat white ;
abdomen and under tail coverts, excepting here and there a dusky
feather, also white. The wings are white with a few dark patches.
The bill is the usual dark colour, but the feet are parti-coloured.
The second example was forwarded by Mr. Tom Bergin, San Remo,
and may be generally described as having head and neck white
and the rest of the plumage mottled sooty-brown and white. — A. J.
Campbell.

Early Moult of Blue Wrens {Mai urns). — At the present time
this neighbourhood offers ample ocular demonstration of Blue
Wrens discarding their gay summer livery for the winter greys. I
have never before known them to moult so early in the year. All
the males one sees are half-way or even further through their moult.
This means that sometime about midwinter they will regain their
full plumage. A casual observer seeing the gaily attired birds at
that time is apt to conclude that they had not lost their blue
feathers at all during the winter, whereas their appearance in full
plumage is accounted for by the moult having taken place
very early in the year.* — Geo. Grahaisl Scott's Creek (Vic),
3/3/05-

" Why Does the Young Cuckoo Eject its Foster-Brethren ? "
In reply to Mr. Mattingley's query {Emu, vol. iv., p. 172), how does
he draw the line between reason and instinct, and how know what
are the bounds of either ? Is it not more than probable that phy-
sical discomfort on the part of the " intruder " is the only reason
for the efforts which cause the removal of other birds ? Does either
reason or instinct come into play here ? Judging from human
analogy, it is possible, certainly, that the movements spoken of are
involuntary ; but where the parent birds have gone so far along
their particular line of development as to make a constant practice
of fostering the rearing of their young on birds of other species, it
is more than likely that instinct has its say. As to whether birds
reason is too open a question to be discussed ; but who can say
they do not ?— H. K.

* Mr. Graliam's note is valuable, as it confirms the experiences of other observers
of this bird. — Eds.

Vol. V.
1905

I Stray Feat her s ^ I

PoowoNG (Queensland) Notes. — The Fairy Martin, or rather
a small colony of them, began to rebuild a couple of weeks ago.
Cold westerly weather set in for a day or so, and they suspended
operations. A change again took place, and ever since they have
been busy, and have just completed some of their nests.

The Pallid Cuckoo, incessantly uttering his melancholy note, has
also been with us during the same period. It struck me that both
these facts are unusual for this time of the year.

The little " Double-bar " Finch has been more or less in evidence
since the big drought, and has just finished breeding with us. I
have never known this bird as a resident here before. We are
very few miles from the coast.

This year will be the greatest for Quail ever known in Queensland.
The numbers of Varied or Painted Quail in timbered paddocks even
last year were remarkable, another shooter and self bagging on
two occasions 43 and 38 brace. This year they are everywhere,
even where the Brown or Swamp bird is usually found.

For a very long time after the big drought the beautiful notes
of the Butcher- Bird were nowhere to be heard, but both the
common one and the Black-throated are becoming fairly numerous
again. The Painted Snipe has this last season been seen in greater
numbers than I have ever known. — B.S. 16/5/05.

RoCKHAiNiPTON NoTES. — Ornitho])hils everywhere will be pleased
to hear that the devastation of avifauna in Queensland caused by
the drought has been followed by a wonderful recovery. In fact,
it appears as if there had been a " general resurrection." Around
here the coast country is becoming alive with erewhile familiar
birds. Laughing Jackasses are again to be seen and heard in the
bush ; Magpies and Butcher-Birds are numerous, and Magpie-
Larks are numerous all over the country, waterholes now being
filled. Ibises, which evidently shifted their habitats, have
returned to their old haunts. Finches of several kinds are in
thousands, their numbers conveying the impression they have
been breeding without ceasing ever since the drought broke up.
Kestrels came here after the grasshoppers and mice, and Piping
Magpies (Strepera) are expected to renew their visits this incoming
winter. Lesser Golden Plovers, which do not breed here, are
numerous, and night hours are vocal with the notes of Stone and
Spur-winged Plovers. In our western country the restoration
has been even more remarkable. Downs country within view
of coach roads and the railway is swarming with Water-Hens — a
smaller variety than that common on the coast. They all appeared
to be travelling eastward. Galahs, Corellas, Betcherrygahs, and
others of the Parrot tribe are in dense flocks, and present a
beautiful spectacle as they circle above the waterholes at even-
tide. Many varieties of Grallatorial birds, Dottrels, and Sand-
pipers are abundant. A flight of Snipe visited this locality in
February. — Will. MTlwkaith. 28/4/05.

32 Stray Feathers. V^^'^^^^y

A Kagu Chick. — In reference to my notes on the Kagu {Rhino-
chetus jubatus) in The Emu, vol. iv., page i66, Mr. H. E. Finckh
(Sydney) has thoughtfully supplied me with the following interesting
remarks respecting the successful hatching of a Kagu chicken,
together with a photograph of the same, which is here reproduced.
(See Plate IV.) I believe the young of the Kagu has hitherto been
undescribed. Mr. Finckh states : —

" On the 25th March, 1905, the birds paired, and on the 7th
April an egg was laid. On the seventh day the egg proved fertile,
and the birds sat on it for five weeks and one day, the male bird
sitting most of the time — I should say four out of the five weeks.
On the thirty-second day I observed the egg cracked, which cracks
closed entirely as the egg cooled when the bird left it to feed (to
keep the chick warm, I should think). I noticed the same for the
next three days, the egg at times appearing quite perfect. On
the next day (the thirty-sixth) the egg was indented, as if damaged
from the outside ; then I observed the male bird most carefully
peel the egg to about two-thirds without damaging the inside skin,
the chick moving freely and chirruping. Towards dusk he forcibly
broke the skin, laying the chick partly bare, and then sat on it for
the night. The next morning the young one was perfectly out and
dry — a lively, fluffy ball, with a big and heavy head. The old ones
were very anxious to feed it by taking up as many as six worms in
their bills and dangling them round its head. The chick seemed
very helpless, so I removed it at times and fed it with worms. The
female bird did not much object to my removing the young, but
the male always showed fight. The young took the feed readily,
and grew stronger, but very seldom opened its eyes, which were
very dull. Wet and cold weather then set in, the nest got a little
damp, and on the eighth morning, unfortunately, I found the chick
dead. The colour of the chick may be described as dark brown
with light fawn markings, while the legs and bill are brownish, and
the eyes black." — A. J. Campbell.

Tasmanian " Strays." — Mr. H. C. Thompson, of Launceston,
a member of the A.O.U., has the following note in his diary, which
bears upon the question of the migration or otherwise of Petrceca
phcenicea at the approach of winter, as touched upon by Mr. A. G.
Campbell in his paper appearing in The Emu, vol. iv., p. 118 : —
" Launceston, Tas., 1904. Several Flame-breasted Robins were
observed feeding at a manure-heap in the corporation yard on
2ist, 28th, and 29th April, and as late as 15th June ; these birds
were very tame."

Spine-tailed Swift {Chci'tura caudacitta). — Why is it that these
birds are seldom seen here until some date in February, and then
almost always after a storm of wind and rain ? My own theory is
that, as they subsist here chiefly upon flying ants, and upon the
winged forms of the termite (so-called "white-ant"), they time
their arrival to suit the appearance of these insects, which usually

The Emu, l"o/. V.

PLATE IV.

Kagu (Rlunochetus jubatus) Chick. Natural size, S days old.

FROM A PHOTO. BY H. E. FINCKH.

V°1^V.-| ^^,.^^ Feathers. 12>

swarm in damp weather towards the end of summer. The fohowing
note is from Mr. Thompson's tield-book : — " Launceston, 1904.
Large number of Spine-tailed Swifts flying low among trees near
Trevallyn on nth February and 17th March. In Frederick-street,
on 20th March, some of these birds were seen, at 6.30 p.m., flying
low after white-ants." During the present season Mr. Thompson
and myself made the following notes : — " W. Devonport, 1905.
Spine-tailed Swift seen on afternoon of 21st February, at moderate
elevation. Wind S.W., strong ; weather fine, after disturbance
with rain. This is the first Swift seen this summer." On 24th
February about two dozen of these birds were seen, high up, flying
singly or in small groups from the westward before a strong wind
after another atmospheric disturbance.

" Malurus goiildi. — Feb., 1905. Two young males noticed, one
on the nth, the other on the 23rd, undergoing a moult, consequently
presenting an extremely ragged appearance. These are usually
said to be birds putting off their summer blue for winter grey. I
consider that this requires considerably more proof, as I have
myself seen, in the Tasmanian bush, males of this species in bright
blue plumage during every winter month. We consider it probable
that the ragged birds are young males hatched very early, and
now beginning to assume the spring dress." — H. Stuart Dove.
W. Devonport (Tas.), 8/3/05.

Domestic Lyre-Birds. — Mr. S. M'Xeilly, Drouin, has been good
enough to furnish me with the following particulars of a Lyre-Bird
{Men lira) which he has had domesticated for 20 years : —

The bird was caught in October, 1885 (20 yesivs ago), and had
apparently only quitted the nest, his plumage being very scanty.
He showed no signs of fear, and was quickly and easily reared.
His food for the most part consisted of wood-grubs, beetles, small
worms, and an occasional bit of meat. His plumage gradually
improved, and after about 6 or 7 years he developed a magnificent
tail, which he shed about every year. He appeared to take great
pride in his plumage and had a bath regularly, after which he
would arrange and clean the feathers. He soon became a great
favourite, and had free access to the house, as well as a gully which
adjoins the homestead. He would sometimes wander away for
the day, but always returned at night, roosting in different places.
The men about the place declared the bird a nuisance, and while
any work was going on he was always in the way, hcn( e his
favourite saying — " Look out. Jack 1 " There appears to be
nothing he could not mimic. The following are a few of his
favourite imitations, \'iz. : — The noise of a horse and dray mo\iiig
slowly, with the play of the wheels in the axle boxes, chains
rattling, &c. ; an occasional " Gee up, Bess " ; the sound of a
vioHn, piano, cornet, cross-cut saw, &c.. Sec. All the more
frequent noises heard about the farm the bird learnt to perfection,

34 ^"^i'-^y Feathers. [,,f"j;;,^.

such as a Dig being killed, dog howling, child crying, flock of Parrots.
Jackass laughing, and many other imitations of calls of small
birds, &c.

At the sight of a stranger the bird was very quiet, and would not
continue his antics for some considerable time. He had, however,
a great liking for following people like a dog, and on various occasions
has been found some distance from home ; in one instance he
wandered three miles away.

The bird's answer to people saying " Poor Jack " was invariably
" Not poor Jack, fat Jack," which the men had taught him to
say. Jack succumbed to old age on Tuesday, i8th April last,
after a long life of notoriety, and to the great regret of his many
" admirers and friends."

Mr. M'Neilly had a second bird, a hen, for about b years. She
took to roosting in a large gum tree in the middle of the road,
some distance from the house. She had many narrow escapes
from being shot, which was subsequently her fate. She was at
one time rescued from a box, about to be put on board a train,
bound for Melbourne.

Lyre-Birds do not appear to thrive imless caught very young.
One bird (a hen) which was caught on the nest and kept in a wire-
netting enclosure, fretted away and died. — F. P. Godfrey.

* * ^

Clarke Island (Bass Strait) Notes. — The season here, dating
from August, 1904, until March, has been remarkably dry and
cold, except for a severe heat wave in January, which lasted for a
week, with thermometer ranging from gj° to 95°. The birds which
usually visit us. such as the Wood-Swallow, Swift, &c., have been
conspicuous by their absence, or nearly so. The smaller birds,
also, are not nearly as numerous as when the seasons were regular.
The Wild Duck is only to be found on the sea-coast at Clarke
Island, as the lakelets are nearly all dry, and the water in the
remaining ones is too stagnant for their liking. On Flinders Island,
at the chain of lagoons at the south-eastern end of the island. Ducks
are to be found in great numbers. Swans, and also Wild Geese. Of
late years the Wild Goose has appeared to a great extent around
the coast of this island, especially on the south-western side at a
place locally known as White Mark, this place possessing chains
of lakes for miles, abounding with weeds and soft grass round the
edges, which seems to take their fancy.

The Brown Quail is with us always, and the Painted variety is
also more in evidence than in former years. It is curious to note
how, as the Mutton-Bird becomes scarcer, the Little Penguin
takes its place. Indeed, in some rookeries, they are, I am told by
peojile who earn a living capturing the first-named, gradually
ousting them altogether. The Mutton-Birds are thought to be
more numerous this year, but still one cannot build on this until
the " season " is over and one notes results. The Brown Hawk,
which used to nest here largely, has almost deserted us, although
one sees the birds frequently.

Vol. V. "j
1505 J

Stray Fenthers-. 3 ^

The Silver Gull has laid satisfactorily along the coasts, also the
Black and Pied Oyster-catchers, building in the same locality year
after year. The Brush Bronze-wing Pigeon is to be seen in fair
numbers. Last December one could find their nests in nearly
every thicket, containing their two white eggs. Owing to the
flat formation of the nest, in hasty flight the bird will often kick
the eggs on to the ground, and I have seen the young ones in a
similar condition. It is very difficult to secure these birds for
the aviary, as they are extremely suspicious of traps, &c.

The Wedge-tailed Eagle has also departed to " pastures new,"
or else terminated their long life, as they have not nested in their
old haunt, although the nest is still intact. We have a fair variety
of Honey-eaters, the Spinebill and Yellow-throated species being
the most conspicuous. Have not seen any eggs of the Spur-winged
Plover last season, although the birds have been fairly plentiful.
The Cape Barren Goose is flourishing on Passage and Forsyth
Islands, their chief homes, and one will often see as many as 50
in one cluster upon the sea-sands when the sportsman has made
his unwelcome visit. — J. D. Maclaine. 7/3/05.

Field Notes on Cuckoos. — So very little is known of the habits
of the different Cuckoos that a few facts and some of the theories
derived from my experience may not be amiss. Of all birds I
think the Cuckoo is the most interesting. I remember once, when
playing truant from school, I went into the bush, and on the out-
skirts of the township (Stawell, Victoria) found a nest of the Scrub-
Robin {Drymaadiis brunncopygius)* and in it an egg I had not
before seen, but experience has since taught me that it belonged
to the Pallid Cuckoo (C. pallidus). I have repeatedly taken two
Cuckoos' eggs in the one nest, but they were always one each of
the Bronze species — the Narrow-billed and Thick-billed — though
last year my friend Mr. F. P. Godfrey took two of the Thick-billed
Bronze-Cuckoos' eggs in the nest of the Yellow-tailed Tit {Acan-
thiza chrysorrhoa), but then one was partly built into the nest —
not an uncommon thing. One day last year I took an egg of the
last-named species in a nest of A. chrysorrhoa, but the bird had
evidently made a mistake, as the egg was fresh and the young had
flown, this being indicated by the quill shells inside ; and on
another occasion, in a nest of A. chrysorrhoa, there was only
one egg, and that a Cuckoo's, hard set. This bears out a
fact I have noticed, that the Cuckoo either eats or destroys
an egg or two before dcj^ositing her own. For instance, the
ordinary clutch of Acanthiza pusilla is three, and sometimes
four, but whenever I took a clutch containing a Cuckoo's egg
there would be one or two only of the foster-bird's eggs. On
two occasions I have seen the Cuckoos visit the nest where
their young was. Once at Whittlesea (Christmas, 1902) I found

• Not previously recorded as a foster-pareiil of ihe Pallid Cuckoo. —lius.

J

6 Stray Feathers. [isf'jul

a nest of A. chrysorrhoa and in it a young Cuckoo, and while
there the parent bird came to the nest and fed the young one ;
meanwhile the foster-parents were in a great state of excitement,
and repeatedly dashed at her until she left the vicinity. On the
second occasion I was at Ringwood (3rd October, 1904) in company
with Messrs. F. P. and R. Godfrey. While having breakfast about
sunrise near- a dam, we were surprised by the continuous noise
made by a pair of A. pusilla in a creek a few yards distant, and on
walking to the spot disturbed a large bird, the flight at once pro-
claiming it the Fan-tailed Cuckoo (C. fiabellifonnis). In a swamp
tea-tree, low down, was a nest, and in it a young Cuckoo with its
capacious mouth open, crying for food. It would be interesting to
know if they do tend their young, and thus remove some of the
hard thoughts we entertain of them, as I have repeatedly seen
them about a nest where their egg or young was.

I took a clutch of the Black-and-White Fantail (RJtipidura
tricolor) and with them an egg of the Pallid Cuckoo, and on the
same day (31st October, 1904) Mr. F. R. Godfrey took a clutch of
the Rufous-breasted Thickhead [Pachvcephala rttfiventris) with
an egg of the same Cuckoo. — Frank E. Howe. Albert Park
(Vic), 23/3/05.

KuRRAjONG (0.) Notes. — The little Tawny Grass-Bird {Mega-
luyus galadotes) is in hundreds here now. The last (3rd March)
nest I observed was that of a Sericornis, with two eggs, in a
bush about 8 feet high. Is it not unusually early for them ?
I have never noticed them earlier than May before. The
Cockatoo- Parrakects made their appearance yesterday, and to-
day I have seen a good many. Little Doves showed up a
few days ago, and are now in dozens. Another bird that has
drawn my attention is the Bee-eater [Merops). I saw three
or four a fortnight ago, and since then they have been in-
creasing. I wonder why they come here ? Certainly not to
breed — it is not suitable country, and besides it's too late. Perhaps
they were passing through en route for their winter quarters.

We have a good crop of figs just ripening, and three fine old
Magi)ies {Gyiiinorhina tilictn) sampled them, and began a feast, so
we had to shoot them. I never saw them tackle fruit before.
These were handsome fellows and always used to " camp "
in the fig-tree in the heat of the day ; therefore I think they must
have got " tasting." Certainly no more have visited the figs,
and there arc jilcnty of the birds always near the house.

Hawks arc very much in evidence this year. They are attacking
the fowls at all the stations round, and the jwor " chooks " are so
harassed and worried that they stay under shelter nearly oil day.*

* Is it not possible that the presence of ticks or some ether form of insect life 011
what Mr. Barnard calls "chooks" would be sufficient to account for the fowls being
harassed as described ?- Ens.

Vol

1905

J Stray Feathers. ^7

We shoot one or two Hawks here every week — last week the
number rose to three. At some pkiees the fowls are said to have
hardly any feathers left on their baeks, but I have not heard of any
being killed. Goshawks {A. approximans) are the chief offenders,
but Brown Hawks, Spotted Harriers, and Sparrow-Hawks all join
in, and I have even seen the little Kestrels hovering over the fowl-
yard. \\'hy they all do it I can't make out, as the bush is " chock-
full " of small birds, and grasshoppers are in thousands. 1 shot
one Brown Hawk and found nothing but grasshoppers in his
craw. Wood-Swallows (White-browed and Masked varieties)
seem to be also following the " hopj)ers," as they are in countless
flocks, but at present seem to have no intention of building. Here
is a Wren {Malurus melanocephalus) note that may be useful : — On
the 25th of February I found a nest just outside the garden con-
taining four eggs. I took them, but the birds stayed about, and
on 2 1st of this month (]\Iarch) I found a second nest with three eggs.
On looking at them the next day, I was astonished to find that
they had hatched. Quick work, wasn't it ? There were only two
birds to be seen at any time, and they were both " browns." Was
one an immature male ? I think so, because in all the other
families that I see about there is always one red and black bird,
so I concluded they were not laying out of season. If there had
been a I'ed and black male with these I must have seen him, as
they were close to the house for over a month and are still here. —
Ernest D. Barnard. March, 1905.

" The School in Wild Life." — The publication of Mr. F. M.
Littler's article on " The School in Wild Life " {Emu, vol. iv.,
p. 57, 1904) induces me to forward the following notes of my own
experience of birds and their songs. They hardly support the
theory that the song of a bird is instinctive, and I am led to con-
clude that birds do learn their song from their parents, and that
in many cases their schooling occupies a fairly long time.

The Long-tailed Blue Wren [Malurus gouldi), I have found,
acquires its notes from its parents by degrees, and is at least nine
months old before its song is perfect. A male which I kept in a
cage could at the end of 18 months articulate only half a bar.

As to the Laughing Jackass {Dacelo) : every si)ring for 20 years
past I have observed the parents coaching their young, and noted
how the adults wt)ul(l sit on a branch with the learners and
encourage them by many prolonged laughter-like notes. Little
by little the notes of the young birds changed from " Yah ! yah !
yah ! " to the cackle with variations. Until the full song is
acquired the noise of the " school " is very trying to one working
in the vicinity.

So with the Magpie {(JymnorJiina). The various calls and
singing notes are learned piece by piece ; the alarm note first,
then a note of anger, afterwards fragments of song, until the whole
song is acquired. In this connection 1 may record an incident

o

g S/ray Feathers. ['^t Tul

which occurred within my own experience. A neighbour ol mine
fostered a young male Magpie, and although Magpies were
numerous in the vicinity and this one had full freedom, it could be
heard crowing like a " rooster" and singing from the tops of tall
trees " Merrily danced the Quaker's wife." Until it was two
years old it had none of the native bird song. At that age it joined
the wild birds, and soon procured a mate. Occasionally it returned
to the house, and sometimes followed the plough when food was
to be easily got. In time it became not unusual to hear a strain
of " Merrily danced the Quaker's wife " amongst the notes of many
wild Magpies scattered over a considerable surrounding area. It
seems not unreasonable to infer that the young of the domesticated
bird had learned from the parent part of the tune above mentioned
and intermixed it with the wild notes of the species.

A Canary in my possession — a splendid songster — lost its song
for a long time and picked up the twitterings and chirjnngs of the
Sparrows which infested the place. When another Canary was
brought as a mate the first bird regained its full power of song,
although it for a long time intermingled with its own proper song
the chirpings of Sparrows.

It has been urged that the Cuckoo is an example of a bird which
necessarily inherits its notes. However, although its call suffices
to bring the sexes together at pairing time it is a very simple matter
compared with the varied song of many species of birds. I feel
convinced that it is acquired by the young Cuckoo from members
of its own species long after leaving its foster-parents, with whom
it hardly remains long enough to acquire any of their notes.

Of course the structure of the vocal organs may make it impossible
for some sj^ecies to imitate others. For instance, the guttural-
voiced Wattle-Bird {Acanthochccra) or the Laughing Jackass (Dacelo)
could never be expected to learn the clear piping notes of the
Butcher-Bird {Cradiciis) or the Magpie {Gymnorhina).- — George
Graham. Scott's Creek (Vic), 6/3/05.

Autumn Notes. — Autumn is the time to look for man\' interesting
notes among the birds. To the naturalist autumn is as full of
meaning as the springtime, when even the hardest head finds some-
thing to rejoice over in the breaking forth of new hfe. A certain
steady preparation for the coming winter can be detected every-
where. Trees, withdrawing their active sap from the branchlets,
allow their leaves to chase each other like brown butterflies along
the streets. Birds come, birds go, in search of more suitable winter
quarters, and they, like animals, lay by great layers of reserve
tissue for the trying season. All this suggests to us in the city the
great concentrating movement of Dame Nature in all her forms.
She, at this time of the year, lays up her stores for the winter
months, and also sufficient energy to meet the first call of the
following si)ring.

V'^^'-^^'^'j S//ay Feathers. 39

The male Blue Wren {MaUivus cytiiwus) is one ot the lirst birds
to niaive the change to a winter garb. Early in March he can be
found in the duh brown plumage which his little mates keep the
whole year round. At least this is the assumption to which one
is led by watching a little family of four in the garden. They are
headed one week by a male in blue, the next week by a bird with
a blue head and ear coverts, flecks only of blue and black being
visible on its otherwise brown mantle, and the third week the
leader differs only from the rest of the party in retaining the black
of the legs and bill and the blue of the tail. Some folk aver that
the plumage is not changed for winter, because birds in blue livery
can be procured every month of the year. That is true, but they
are the exceptions, not the rule.

Hawks are always in evidence about Melbourne during the
months of February, March, and April. They make the autumn
their holiday period between one nesting season and the prepara-
tions for the next. Several other birds, however, do this. Rosellas
and White-eyes {Zosterops) come in to })rospect for late fruit ; Wrens
and Robins come about our homes.

We must not forget those who have left us, preferring to spend
the winter in some northern part. Careful watch must be kept
for the day of departure, else they will slink away silent and un-
observed. Both the Reed-Warbler and the Sacred Kingfisher
disappeared the first week in April. A large flock of Magpie- Larks
(about 50) was seen about the same time flying over, but it is not
yet stated that they make a practice of migrating.

About the ist of April one can generally look for the arrival of
the Flame-breasted Robin. This year the long, fine autumn kept
it back until the loth of the month, for it is noticed to a})j)ear with
or immediately after the cold drizzling weather that turns the
season. Where these birds come from is not quite settled. The
old idea that they all come from Tasmania is being gradually
exploded. Mr. A. R. Reed, of Hobart, in July, 1904, sent me birds
in the flesh, with word that they were just as })lentiful then as in
summer. The records of the species being in the nesting season
on the highlands of the Buffalo, Baw Baw,* and Dandenong Ranges
and in Cape Otwayf seem to complete the evidence for their summer
residence. A significant fact is that the earliest date in my note-
book of arrival was 20th March, 1899, at l^utherglcn, in the oi)en
country just north of Buffalo.

Three times this autumn have I identified the female (or young
male) of the Pink-breasted Rol)in — at Geelong, Somerville, and
Toorak. The close likeness of the winter dress to that of Petra'ca
piKcnicea possibly leads to its being overlooked. The main differ-
ence lies in the wing-patch, which is rich brown instead of white.

Honey-eaters are always plentiful when food is procurable. The
first gurgling note of the Si)iny-cheeked was heard on loth April.
Flowering euca]yi)ts along the river at Burnley attracted, besides

* Emu, vol. iv., part 4, p. 165.
t Geelono Nuturalist, vol. i., No. 3, p. 50.

40 Stray Feathers. [,^j 'j",y

that species, a few Wattle-Birds and a mob of eight Warty-faced
Honey-eaters. For nearly a week all three species wrangled over
the blossoms. The last-mentioned is a rare visitor to these parts.

In the gardens the White-plumed Honey-eater has developed a
knowing trick. Large flowers hke tecomas and cannas it cannot
easily search, so it coolly nips a hole in the side of the bell to devom-
the nectar. The Spinebill is a constant autumn visitor to the city
gardens. Away at Melton, on the timbered sides of a sunken creek,
great numbers were seen one day, busily prospecting the late
blossoms of the mistletoes, which were there in great quantity. The
bird seems fitted to the flower, and comes away dusted about the
face with pollen. A little later, when the fruit is ripe, there will
be a tine harvest for the Mistletoe-Bird [Diccewn). Already about
Melbourne this bird is dropping the slimy seeds of an earlier-fruiting
mistletoe upon the oaks and elms and fruit trees.

At Rockbank on 15th Ma}', 1905, a walk was taken across the
basalt plains, and where the Werribee River is flanked by long
lines of box- tree forest, several species of birds were noted which
belong properly to the northern portion of Victoria. The Whiteface
[Xerophila), the Restless Flycatcher, the Brown Tree-creeper, the
Fuscous Honey-eater, and the Black-chinned Honey-eater all
witnessed to the possibility of forms creeping southward along open
and dry areas suitable to their needs.

A Delicate (Lesser Masked) Owl was recorded here a week or two
back — a rare bird now. It must have ventured out from the hills.
At Riddell (35 miles from Melbourne, to the northward) a pair of
Crimson-winged Lories was shot in February. Their presence is
unaccounted for. Another bird that seems to have wandered far
from its habitat this autumn is the Little Turtle Dove, one of which
was seen at Burnley last month and another at Myrniong.*

Lorikeets are in great numbers wherever eucalpyts are flowering,
and this season many hundreds of acres on the Mornington Penin-
sula have blossomed. The trees will get a valuable clearing of
scale-insects from these worthy foresters. Though the birds
primarily are attracted by the gum blossoms, they have a sweet
tooth for the timber-destroying scale-insects in the forests they
patrol.

At Burnley last month another little forester put in an appear-
ance— a Spotted Pardalote. It lived a solitary life for some time
in a patch of young gum trees planted for shelter in a public garden.
It prospected high and low for eggs and young of leaf -destroying
insects, which are unfortunately all too common on our native
plants. If there were more of these little tree-top feeding birds
about, with Tree-creepers and Sittellas to second their efforts by
borer-catching upon the bark and branches, I am sure we should
not find the gum trees languishing as they do, and leaving their
gaunt skeletons near the city, a mute witness to the folly of
driving away insectivorous birds. — A. G. Campbell. Melbourne.

* See "Nature Notes," Argus, 5/5/05.

" g^j ' J From Magazines, &c. A\

From Magazines^ &c.

Birds Teaching Youxg to Sing. — A note by Mr. W. H. Parkin
in the Febrnary Zoologist (p. 71) has a bearing on the question
whether song is acquired or inherited. " A Sky-Lark had young
ones just out of nest ; on the old bird returning and feeding
them, it remained on the ground close to the fledglings, and broke
out into full song, which it continued for about a minute."

Migration of Waders. — An article by Austin H. (lark, in
The Auk for x\pril, deals with "The Migration of Certain Shore
Birds," a fascinating subject. vStarting from the premise that
birds prefer a beam wind, and therefore fiy diagonally across the
" trades," Mr. Clark sketches the probable routes taken by the
Golden Plover {Charadrius dominicus) in its migrations from North
to South America and back.

* * :i:

Hard Pressed. — Mr. A. E. Kitson, F.G.S., read a newspaper
cutting relating to the pursuit of a Laughing Jackass by a Hawk.
The bird sought refuge within the walls of an hotel, and, in its
extremity, dived through the upper pane of one of the commercial
room windows, and then, after making several ineffectual efforts
to pass through a large mirror over the fireplace, regained the street
by " taking a header " through another closed window. — Victorian

Naturalist, April, 1905.

* * *

Celebrated Ornithologists. — The Co)idor for March-April
establishes a good precedent with its four pfiotographs of eminent
ornithologists — Dr. P. L. Sclater, Prof. Cabanis, Mr. Howard
Saunders, and Count Schmidhoffcn. A facsimile of a page of
MS. of Prince Charles Lucien Bonaparte, with a lithograph of the
Prince that strongly reminds one of his great cousin ; an article
by Leonhard Stejneger in support of Palmen's theory that birds
migrate along the routes whereby they anciently immigrated into
a country ; and a number of local bird-notes, complete the issue.

* * *

Australian Birds in England. — At the Crystal Palace Bird
Show held in January last, in the Parrakeet class the first prize
fell to a Varied Lorikeet {Plilosclera versicolor) owned by Miss t\ R.
Little. Mallee {Barnardius harnardi) and Yellow-collared {B.
zonariits) Parrakcets and King (A prosmiclus cyanopygius) and Red-
winged (Ptisles erythroptcrits) Lories were also on view, according to
The Avicidtiiral Magazine (Feb., 1905), as well as a hybrid " Red-
rumj)ed Rosella." In the class for Grass-Finches, &c., a Yellow-
rumped Finch {Miinia flaviprymna), owned by Mr. H. E. Pier, won
first prize and special for the rarest bird in the show. A jiair oi
Red-faced Finches (Bathilda riificanda) and a Crimson Finch
{Neochniia phaeton) were also shown.

42

T^!-c r Kmu

vroin Magazines, •^c. I ,^( j^i

Regurgitative Feeding. — Mrs. Irene G. Wheelock, who con-
tributes a paper on " The Regurgitative Feeding of Nestlings" to
The Auk, Jan., 1905, has records of 187 broods of young birds
she has had under observation, which show that in every case
where the young were hatched in a naked or semi-naked state
they were, for a period varying from one day to four weeks,
fed by regurgitation — i.e., the parents swallowed the food, carried
it in their craws to the young, and then disgorged it, sometimes
partly digested, into the latter's mout]is. Young birds, however,
which when hatched are covered with down were found by the
writer to be fed directly with fresh food from the time of hatching.

* * *

Duck and Eagle. — In The Geelong Naturalist (Dec, 1904) Mr.
J. F. Mulder has the following observation : — " In going over one
of the forest rises I came suddenly on a Mountain Duck {Casarca
tadornoides), which was standing about forty yards away, in front
of me. It appeared hurt, for as I rode on it flapped along the
ground, dragging its legs behind it, the acting being so clever that
I really thought it had been shot. I was not the only one deceived.
A pair of Whistling Eagles [Haliastitr sphenurus) kept swooping
down on it as it was fluttering along the ground. When the Eagles
darted down the Duck lay flat in the dust, but started on again
when I approached. My suspicions were aroused by its getting
gradually further away. At last it rose straight up in the air,
I'ivalling the Eagles themselves in vigour of flight, and disappeared."

A Nature Calendar. — Mr. James R. M'Clymont, M.A., supplies
The Zoologist (April) with " Monthly Notes for 1902, taken in the
South of Tasmania." Not the least interesting, albeit brief, are
the bird observations. On the 17th August he notes " Eucalyptus
globulus in flower." The following day " Swift Lorikeets appear."
About the end of November " Swift Lorikeets disappear." In
the interim did the Lorikeets breed ? Or were the^^ merely attracted
by the flowering blue gums ? These are interesting questions.
Some records kept during November proved that the Magpies
{Gymnorhina) commence carolling about one hour before sunrise,
although in one instance a bird was heard i hour 18 minutes before
sunrise. Of course the dawn is comparatively long in November.
Would the Magpies commence so early beloie sunrise, say, during
a winter month ?

Sub-species.— A paper in Tlu- Auk for January., by Dr. Jonathan
Dwight, on " Plumage Wear in its Relation to Pallid Sub-species "
holds out some j)rospect of relief from the interminable splitting of
species. To establish a new " geographical race " it is necessary,
says in effect the writer, to show that the difl'erence relied on exists

^°'- .^-1 Prom Magazines, &c. 43

in the leather at the time of growth — that is, in the birds at the
moult ; lor the dilterences observable in bucls from diflerent
localities in breeding plumage may be due to climate acting merely
on the feather of the individual, but leaving the sjjecies as such
unaltered. No doubt the conscientious apj)lication of Dr. Dwight's
test would considerably reduce the number of American sub-species,
and so go to obviate the need for trinomial nomenclature. This
is a road on which we in Australia have not yet travelled so far
as oiu" American cousins, l)ut it is well to be wise in time.

BiRD-KiNDNESS. — The Rev. R. (i. Pearse (Natal), writing to a
recent number of The Spectatoy, states : — " 1 beg to give you an
account of bird-kindness witnessed by a doctor, another minister,
and myself here in Durban. During an exceptionally heavy tropical
rain, three weeks ago, two Duclcsof the common half-bred native and
Bombay \ariety got washed in the flood down the I'mgeni River,
which flows through the Town Gardens. The Ducks both got
entangled in the barbed wire and wire netting which crosses from
bank to bank. One managed by much flapping of wings to
extricate itself ; the other seemed, hcnvever, to be on the point of
drowning, when a large male Ostrich stalked out of the bush and
waded into the river, lifted it bodily out of the water, and carried
it ashore by one wing. The Duck was not badly hurt, but its
rescuer was severely torn on its thigh muscles by the barbed wire.
I may mention that this all is the more remarkable as the Ostrich,
with rare exceptions, buries its head in the sand during a storm,
and will starve to death sooner than move."

Singular Site for a Satin-Bird's Bower. — Writing in The
Geelong Naturalist (Dec, 1904) Mr. J. F. Mulder states: — "A small
party of Satin Bower-Birds {Ptilonorhviichiis violacens) has built a
bower in a pine tree over my kitchen at Bambra (loth October. 1892).
They are very interesting, and amusing in their habits, and make
such strange noises, sometimes like a cat snarling, anci sometimes
a whirring noise like an Owl ; then again they imitate other birds
so closely as to deceive anyone who chd not know, and make one
tliink there were five or six different birds in tlie tree. When
watching these birds they were continually jumping about from
one branch to another, and appeared to be playing together. As
there were no black ones among them, I concluded that most of
the birds were females or young males. The bower, which had a
l)assage right through it, was composed of a lot of broken pine
branches, laid across other limbs of the tree and built close to tlie
trunk. In flying from one j)lace to another the birds appeared to
move off in a succession of small flights. Two or three of the
flock fly to a neighbouring tree ; as soon as they alight, two or
three more start. The first lot go on, then two or three more fly
out from the first tree. The birds in the second tree go to the

44 From Magazines, &c. i^, j"'i

tliiixl ; those in the third fly to a fourth tree, and so on until the

whole flock lias gone."

* * *

Nests and Eggs of Varied Honey-eater {Ptilotis versicolor). —
In The ]'ictorian Naturalist for March (vol. xxi., p. iby) Mr. A. J.
North, Ornithologist, Australian Museum, has described a nest
and two eggs of the Varied Honey-eater collected on Franklin
Island, off the north-eastern coast of Queensland. The specimens,
together with the parent birds, were taken by Mr. A. F. Smith,
ibth October, iqo4.

The nest is an open cup-shaped structure, rather scantily formed
of fibrous rootlets, held together with plant down intermingled with
webs and egg-bags of spiders, the inside being sparingly lined with
pale brown fibre, and at the bottom with a small quantity of silky
white plant down. It was built in a shrub at a height of 7 feet
from the ground, and is firmly attached by the rim on one side
to a thin leafy branch, two leaves also being worked on to the
outer portion of the o])posite side, where Mr. Smith informed Mr.
North it was fastened to two upright twigs. The eggs are similar
in colour to those of Ptilotis sonora.

Mr. North concludes with the remark that " similar eggs taken
by Mr. E. M. Cornwall, of Cairns, have recently been described as
the eggs of Ptilotis fasciogidaris."* RegarcHng this assertion, Mr.
Cornwall writes : — " With reference to the eggs of P. fasciogularis,
I am quite satisfied that my identification is complete, but evidently
I made a mistake in jumping to the conclusion that the bird, nest,
and eggs taken by Mr. A. F. Smith on the Franklin Islands were
the same species. I do not think there is anything remarkable in
the fact that the eggs of both species are similar, for the birds are
about the same size and very closely allied."

* * *

Bird-Lore. — The last number of this magazine to hand (Jan.-
Feb., 1905, vol. viii., No. i, pjx 45-120) has for a principal feature a
record of what is being done in tiie way of bird protection in North
America. " The History of the Audubon Movement " tells what
the Audubon Societies and the American O.U. have been doing in this
direction, and the results make an Australian ornithologist jealous.
Not only do the first-named societies publish a magazine of their
own, " to advance the work already so well under way, give stability
and permanence to that work, and broaden the sphere of effort in
such directions as may with reason suggest themselves," but in-
dividual members and affiliated bodies spare no effort in the cause.
With a membership of about 30,000, of course much may be done.
Massachusetts claims the honour of having started the present
system of State Audubon Societies. From humble beginnings in
1884-5 the Biological Survey, in connection with the U.S.A. Depart-
ment of Agriculture, has grown. From Massachusetts the move-
ment of bird-protection s]:)read throughout the States. Maps are

*Emit, vul. iv. , p. 137.

Vol. V.
1905

] From Magazines, &c. AK

given to show what has been done. Bird-Lore notiees the fact that
in North Carohna the efforts of the labourers in the cause have been
so far recognized by the State Government that it acts in that
region as a " Game Commission," " with powers of appointing bird
and game wardens, who can arrest violators of the game laws."
One of our great mistakes in Australia has been that everything
of this kind has been left in the hands of the police, who are so
overweighted with duties that what would naturally be considered
an outside one has small chance of being attended to. The coloured
])late in this number continues the series of Warblers, and a very
full Christmas bird census occupies pp. 22-31.

" Bird Notes from Olixda Vale." — In The Victorian Naturalist,
vol. xxi., p. 162, new ground has been broken by Messrs. C. L.
Beirrett and E. B. Nicholls — with nesting notes of familiar l)irds.
illustrated by the camera by Mr. C. P. Kinane.

The majority of the notes were made in the valley of the Olinda
Creek about three miles south-east of Lilydale. Weekly visits
were paid the district during the spring and summer months, witli
the result that 35 species were observed nesting, while photographs
of nests and eggs or young of many were secured. Although five
eggs for a clutch are sometimes recorded for the Spotted Pardalote
(P. piiiictatiis) it is surely a rare occurrence to see five young reared.
One of Mr. Kinane's successful pictures shows a row of five spotted
youngsters (4 weeks old) perched on a twig. Another picture
shows a newly-hatched Bronze-Cuckoo in the act of ejecting its
foster-nestling — a young Wren. (The subject of this illustration
has been enlarged and is reproduced in this issue of The Emit.
(See plate 1.)

The other photographs reproduced in The Naturalist depict a
female Rufous-breasted Thickhead near her nest containing two
fledglings, and a Bronze-Cuckoo (ib davs old) being fed by a foster-
])irent {Acanthiza pimlla).

Although not an Australian bird, these interesting field ol^serva-
tions conclude with a note on the Starling (imported). It appears
that last year a settler picked 18 cases of cherries from 20 trees.
From the same trees this season he only collected about 2 lbs.
While away on a fishing excursion one Sunday afternoon the Starlings
swooped down and cleared his orcharrL Moral : Don't i^^o fishing
on a Sunday.

* * *

The Period of Incubation. — In The Avicultural Magazine for
March Dr. A. G. Butler has a valuable article on the duration of
incubation in different species, a little-worked but rich field for study.
The desire for exact knowledge, the probability of a connection
between the duration of incubation (as of gestation) and of life,
and the obvious importance to the breeder of birds of knowing
when eggs will hatch, should all have tended to direct attention to

46

From Magazines, &c.

[Kmu
ist Jul

the subject, as the writer points out ; but zeal for egg-collecting
would seem, in England at least, to have outweighed these con-
siderations, and, copious as are the data which Dr. Butler has
collected, one cannot but be struck with the great number of gaps
yet to be supplied. The observations recorded are almost all of
birds in captivity, and the conclusion pointed to is that the longer-
lived birds take the longer time to hatch their eggs. Appended
is a list of the Australian birds mentioned by Dr. Butler, with the
duration of incubation given for each ; members of the Union
resident here may be able to make useful com|mrisons from their
existing records or from future field and aviary notes : —

Crimson Finch (Neochmia phaeton)
Red-browed Finch {Mgintha temporalis)
Gouldian Finch (Poephila gouldice)
Black-throated Grass-Finch (P. cincta)
Spotted-sided Finch {Staganopleura guttata)
Cheslnut-eared Finch (Ta-niopygia castanotis)
Bicheno Finch (Stictopteya bichenovii)
Plum-head Finch (Aidemosyne modesta)
Satin Bower-Bird (Ptilonorhynchus violaceus)
Bhie-bellied Lorikeet (Trichoglosstis novcs-hollandice)
Cockatoo-Parrakeet {Calopsittacus novce-hollandice) .
Black-tailed Parrakeet iPolytelis melanura)
Red-winged Lory {Ptistes erythropterus)
Pennant Parrakeet (Platycercus pennantii)
Pale-headed Parrakeet (P. pallidiceps)
Rosella Parrakeet {P. eximius)
Barnard Parrakeet {Bartiardiiis barnardi)
Many-coloured Parrakeet (Psephotus multicolor)
Red-rumped Parrakeet (P. hcematonotus) . .
Bourkc Grass-Parrakeet (Neophema bourkei)
Blue-banded Parrakeet {N . venusta)

Turquoisine Parrakeet {N . ?)

Warbling Grass-Parrakeet (Melopsittacus iinditlatus)

Fit lie Tur tie-Dove {Geopelia cuneata)

Brush Bronze-wing (Phaps elegans)

Crested Bronze-wing (Ocy phaps lophotes)

Zostcrops

Cockatoos

Duration of

Incubation.

Da

'S.

II-

-12

13

15

12

12

II

II

12

21

• • 23-

-26

21

28

24

20

21

21-

-24

21

18

22

. . 17-

-2 2

19

20-22

. . 18-

-20

12

.. IS-

-18

19

P-

-ID

21

AusTR.'\LiAN Birds in Italy. — The Rev. H. D. Astlc}/, M.A.,
M.B.O.U., occupies a coign of vantage in his home at Ligure, in
the Italian Riviera, that may well e.xcite the envy of liis less
fortunately situated fellow-aviculturists abroad, and there is a
touch of pardonable pride in his account, in The Avicultural
Magazine for April, of a fine haul which he made for his aviaries
on the 9th March last. On that day a vessel arrived at Genoa
with a consignment of Australian birds, and Mr. Astley obtained
four Bourke Grass- Parrakccts {Neophema bourkei), a pair of Many-

coloured Parrakeets {Psi-pholiis multicolor), a pair each ol the
Painted {Einblema picta), Yellow-rumped \Munia fliivipryiniia), and
Crimson {Ncochmia^ phaeton) Finches, and a Gaml)oge-headed
Gouldian Grass-Finch {Pocphila goiildice). The Yellow-rumped
Finches were quite new to Mr. Astley, so he gave a full description
of them. An editorial note mentions that eleven of these rare
Finches had just reached a London dealer, of which four had ulti-
mately gone to the Zoo. It is to be hoped Mr. Astley's birds do
well. They will not find themselves alone as captives in the strange
land, for in another paper in the same number Mr. Astley, describing
one of his outdoor aviaries, mentions as among its occupants
" Ruficauda " Finches, Blue- winged Grass-Parrakeets, Diamond
Sparrows, Bronze- wings, and Diamond and Peaceful Doves. Mr.
Astley has much to tell of the Doves, evidently his favourites. " A
pair of Diamond Doves in perfect condition, sitting cooing and
preening their feathers in an orange tree, with the golden fruit
hanging over their small grey heads, and the brilliant blue of the
Mediterranean in the background, is worth seemg." One wonders
if the tiny strangers are ever homesick for the south. Probably
nostalgia is a human ill that birds know nothing of, and yet — it is
a far cry from the Riverina to the Riviera.
* * *

Oreoscopus (Sericornis) gutturalis. — In The Proc. Roy. Soc,
Queensland, vol. vi., p. 244 (1889), Mr. C. W. De Vis described a
new bird from North-Eastern Queensland as Sericornis gutturalis.
On the discovery of its nest and eggs recently, and a further exam-
ination of skins, Mr. A. J. North, Ornithologist Australian Museum,
has assigned the species a new genera — namely, Oreoscopus — and
the very distinctive vernacular name "Fern-Wren." The Trustees
of the Australian Museum received two nests with sets of eggs of
this bird taken by Mr. H. Elgner, the eggs being widely different
from those of the true Sericornis. A description of the nests and
■eggs appears in The Agricultural Gazette of New South Wales, March
(1905), p. 247. The covered nest (of which a photo, is given)
appears very beautiful, composed of fresh green mosses, while the
eggs are pure white entirely in one set, but in the other there were
numerous faint purplish-red dots and spots on the surfaces. Mr.
North extracts the following from Mr. Elgner's interesting field
notes : —

" The first nest of Scyiroruis guUurnlis I lourul was in Novcnil)cr,
1903. In the following month I found another, built in the side of a
gully, near the Upper Russell River, with an egg in it. The following
day I flushed the bird from the nest, but only caught a glimpse of it
as it rapidly passed over the fallen leaves lying on the ground. The
nest now contained two eggs. The nest was visited on four occasions
during the two succeeding days, and then it began to rain, continuing
without a break for two more days. On visiting it the following morn-
ing, as I anticipated, part of the nest had been washed away with the
water, and the eggs were lying broken on the clay below. On the loth
August, 1904, when on Black Mountain, I found another nest, con-

48 From Magazines, &c. risr"lul'

taining two fresh eggs, but did not see any bird about it. This nest
was built in a similar position to the previous ones, being partially
built in a hole in an almost perpendicular bank on the side of a gully
overgrown with small ferns and mosses, rendering the nest nearly
invisible, although the gully was close to a track. Returning to my
camp, I provided myself with a butterfly net, and, as soon as it was
quite dark, without boots, and carefully shading a candle-light, again
visited the nest. Quickly placing my net over it, I caught the bird
just as it was flying out, and took the nest and eggs. In the early
part of October I found two more nests, with two eggs in each, which
had been abandoned by the birds, as the yolks were dried up in them
and adhering to the shell. The eggs in these nests were not pure
white, as those previously found, but had a few small spots on the
thicker end, so I did not know whether they belonged to the same
bird or not. A few days later I was on the Macalister Range, when,
coming down a gully, I saw a little bird with some moss in its bill run
on to a piece of dried wood. Looking with my field glasses, I saw it
was Sericornis gutturalis. I went lower down the gully and up on the
bank, and sat down among some bushes. The bird flew over to the
opposite side of the creek, then back again, hopping within 4 feet of
me. I kept very quiet. Then it went behind me, and flew over again
to the other side of the creek. There was a very steep place where it
disappeared. I watched it return four times into the gully, and gather
moss off the rocks and go back to the same place, where later on
I discovered the nest. Marking the spot, I returned a week later, on
the 2ist October, 1904, and found the bird sitting on two fresh eggs,
which, together with the nest, I took. The eggs in this nest were also
speckled on the thicker end."

Correspondence.

NATIVE NAMES OF BIRDS.

To the Editors of "' The Emit.''
Sirs, — We are neglecting a duty we owe to posterity by not collect-
ing the aboriginal names of our birds. The aborigines are fast
disappearing, and with them goes the original nomenclature of our
avi-fauna. Were native names and other native knowledge of our
birds collected and published we would no doubt find, on
systematically tabulating them, that there was a connection between
some species which so far has been hidden from systematists, and
especially from field workers, but which was understood by the
aboriginal children of nature, whose life was so closely bound up
with the habits of our birds. Some of our field-workers have
recorded that they had discredited information given them in the
field by our aborigines, but on investigation had found the blacks'
information correct. With pleasure I note that some of our field-
workers, members of the A.O.U., have given native names when
writing. Probably all the members of the A.O.U. would assist as
far as they can in this patriotic and j^robably useful duty ere it be
too late. — Yours, &c.,

Melbourne, 8/6/05. A. H. E. MATTINGLEY.

[In connection with this subject reference should be made to

Vo

"go- J Corfcspofidciice. aq

vol. i., p. 112 el SCO., wherein Mrs. Langloh- Parker gives many
native names for birds. The various articles that Mr. Milligan has
contributed to The Emu should also be consulted ; some others
also. But there are "so many aboriginal dialects, in most of which
the name of each bird varies, that the names given possess no
meaning save to those in the immediate locality. It would be
worth the while of someone who possesses the requisite material and
knowledge to compile a list of the aboriginal names of birds,
tabulated according to the various dialects. A great deal of inform-
ation is available in such works as those of the lamented Rev.
J. W. Draper, K. Brough Smyth, and the journals of the various
explorers. The memorable records which Dr Howitt has made
would perhaps be better than all — certainly as far as Victoria is
concerned. — H. K.]

Review.

THE THREE NAUMANNS.

To hand is a reprint of Dr. Paul Leverkiihn's contribution to
Naumann's " Natural History of the Birds of Central Europe."
The original work of Johann Andreas Naumann appeared in 4
\-olumes and 8 supplements, iy(.)^-i8iy ; his son Johann Friedrich
l)rought out a second edition, with much added matter, in ij
volumes, 1820-1844 ; and the present edition, which was published
last year in 12 volumes, under the editorship of Dr. Hennicke
(F. E. Kohler, Gera-Untermhaus) is the third. Of the many
collaborators in the letterpress. Dr. Leverkiihn, of Sofia, Bulgaria,
was entrusted with the task of writing the story of the life and
work of these three German ornithologists — Johann Andreas
Naumann (1744-1826) and his sons, Johann Friedrich (1780-1857)
and Carl Andreas (1786-1856).

Dr. Leverkiihn, in addition to mucli excellent biographical
material, reproduces the elder Naumann's preface and conclusion,
and J. F. Naumann's introduction to the second edition and preface
to its several parts, with eight of his letters to contemporaries. It
is from these pieces of autobiography that we get the clearest
portrait of the Naumanns. They came of a stock of small farmers
and bird-catchers, settled for centuries at Ziebigk, in the principality
of Anhalt-Cothen, a district then very rich in birds. The characters
of father and son were singularly alike. Each was diligent in
observation and faithful in the record of what he saw ; upon each,
too, came in his childhood the strong, enthusiastic love of nature,
and remained till death. They had but small education. The
father says of himself — " I am more practised in the construction
of snares than of sentences, and have ever been an explorer of
nature rather than of books." Johann Friedrich Naumann, how-
ever, read everything to be had pertaining to ornithology, and to
his father's powers of observation he added a talent for drawing.

50 Review. [J"]X

painting, and copper-engraving — a splendid equipment, truly, for
an ornithologist, and of which he made full use. The Naumanns
were observers pure and simple, not systematists, preferring the
field to the study, but they did for Germany what Gould did for
Australia, and, like his, their work remains the standard.

Carl Andreas Naumann, the younger son, was a forester in the
service of the Duke of Anhalt-Cothen. He wrote nothing himself,
but from his wide experience in the field was able greatly to help
his brother in the preparation of the second edition.

Australians will learn with interest that Gould once visited J. F.
Naumann at the latter's home, and that the name of Baron von
Mueller appears as one of the eleven signatories to the first appeal for
funds to erect the Naumann memorial, which was completed in
1880. And of especial interest to Australian ornithologists, too, is
the record by J. F. Naumann of the Tropic-Bird {Phaethon) having
twice been seen on Heligoland (1842) and of the shooting of a
Sooty Tern [Sterna fitliginosa) near Magdeburg in 1844.

The bibliographic part of Dr. Leverkiihn's work has been done
with characteristic German thoroughness, and should be invaluable
for reference. Each volume of each work of the Naumanns is
separately dealt with. The reprint also contains eight special
plates and a genealogical tree of the Naumann family.

About Members.

Mr. H. Kendall, on account of pressure of office work, has asked
to be relieved of his duties as one of the honorary editors of The
Emu. While reluctantly complying with his request, and thanking
him for his past valuable assistance, the Council of the A.O.U.
hope to retain Mr. Kendall's services as an "advisory" editor.

At the general meeting of the B.O.U., held in London 24th May*
Mr. John Macoun, M.A., F.R.S.C, Canada, and Mr. A. D. Millar,
Natal, were elected Colonial Members, while Mr. Harry C. Ober-
holser, Washington, D.C., was elected a Foreign Member, and Dr.
Paul Leverkiihn, Bulgaria, an Ordinary Member.

Mr. a. G. Campbell, Melbourne, is compiling a " Key " which
he claims will prove serviceable to beginners and others in aiding
them to easily identify any species of Australian bird. The need
of some such ready help is obvious, and the system of dichotomy
which was first applied by the savant Lamarck to plants has been
found most suitable for birds. The system, which could be also
applied to eggs or to any form.s of the natural world, is not only
easily mastered but possesses a fascination of its own. W^hen
Mr. Campbell has compiled the "Key," it is probable that the
Council of the A.O.U., in the interests of its members, and as an aid
to popularise ornithology, will ]iublish the " Key."

^°'- ^'-l Notes and Notices. S 1

1905 J vJ

Notes and Notices.

The Rabbit Pest in Australia : Its Cause and Its Cure. By
W. Rodier. The Council of the A.O.U. have received this pamphlet
from the author. This system of destroying the pest certainly
commends itself to bird-lovers, because no birds are destroyed
by the method, as is the case with the various poison formulae.

Mr. J. A. Kershaw, F.E.S., Curator National Museum, Melbourne,
wi'iting on behalf of that institution, states : — " Any birds or mam-
mals which show any variation from the usual type are always
welcome additions. We are particularly in want of albino forms
of all kinds. I would esteem it a favour if you let our wants be
known among your country friends and others."

Birds of Italy. — To hand from the publishers (Rebeschini di
Turati and Co., Milan) is the prospectus of a work entitled " The
Birds of Italy, Described Popularly and Figured," by Professor G.
Martorelli. It is to be published in parts, and will contain about
500 pages, with 200 illustrations (photo, and water-colour). The
British Museum classification is to be adopted.

A Remarkable Parrot. — At the Prahran poultry and dog show,
Mrs. Hoffner exhibited a handsome and lively variety of the Pennant
or Crimson Parrakeet [Platycercns elegans). The general colour is
bright scarlet relieved with white, the white seemingly taking the
place of the blue parts in the normal coloured bird — cheeks,
shoulders, wing coverts, &c. The eyes are ruby. It was found in
Gippsland. thrown out of a nest, and was taken home and reared
by the finder.

The Nature Study Exhibition held at Geclong last Easter was
a decided success, and a departure in the right direction. It is
hoped that similar shows will follow, at not too distant intervals,
in other provincial centres. The exhibitors in ornithology at
Geelong were Mr. W. Shaw (gold medal and special prize), Mr. J.
Hammerton, jun. (silver medal), Mr. J. F. Mulder (special prize
for best local collection), Mr. Neil Campbell, besides a loan collection
from the Department of the Government Entomologist. With the
exception of the Government collection, none, or very few, of the
specimens were named, nor were habitats given. From an educa-
tional point of view these omissions were detrimental, notwith-
standing many of the species were life-like and artistically set
up.

The second monthly meeting of the Bird Observers' Club was
held at the residence of Mr. D. Le Souef, Royal Park, on the
evening of 25th April last, the host occupying the chair. Dr.
Bryant, Messrs. G. E. Shepherd, A. J. Davidson, J. M. Thomson,
and E. J. Christian were elected members. The following papers
and notes were read and discussed : — " Shore Birds," by Dr.
Bryant; "Young White-bearded Honey-eaters," by Mr. Donald

52 Notes and Notices. [,.fTuly

Macdonald : "An Autumn Ramble," by Mr. A. J. Campbell ;
and " Autumn Notes," by Mr. A. G. Campbell ; while Mr. F. E.
Howe exhibited a male Red-capped Robin {Petnvca goodenovi) with
a partially scarlet throat, thus showing affinity to P. ramsayi. and
Mr. Le Souef exhibited and explained many fine series of his
oological specimens.

Interesting returns of " birds striking the light " continue {o
come in from the lighthouse observers. Mr. D. Le Souef is
tabulating these returns, which so far chiefly relate to sea-birds.
But Mr. Geo. Johnson's last report from Cape Wickham, King
Id., mentions several small land-birds — Cuckoo. Fantails, Robins.
&c. He also has been the means of recording a new bird for the
Tasmanian " region " — namely, the White-browed Wood-Swallow
{Artamus sjiperctliosiis), which appeared in numbers for the first
time on the island about the 9th April last. In Mr. Johnson's
subsequent notes it will be interesting to learn how long these
migratory Wood-Swallows remained — not long, possibly. Probably
the birds had recently flocked on the adjacent mainland previous
to a northern move, and making a southern wheel, touched King
Island. One of the Wood-Swallows shot by Mr. Johnson accom-
panied his schedule.

An Autumn Ramble.

By A. J. C.VMPBELL, Col. M. B.O.U.

Bird observations are usually made during the spring and summer
months, in this country at least, when bird-life is more plentiful and
interesting.

In this short sketch I propose to mention 34 species of birds
identified in autumn (6th May, 1905) during one day's outing on
the Mornington Peninsula, which divides the waters of Port Phillip
from those of Western Port.

The locality may be generally described as open forest country,
consisting of swamp or grey gums {Eucalyptus), fine-leafed pepper-
mint gums and manna gums, mixed with Casuarina, Exocarpus.
blackwood, &c., with a ground scrub of Lcptosperinuin, Melaleuca.
&c.

My bedroom window being part]}' open, before dawn I can hear
the " Boobook " call of the little Brown Owl. The spring of day
is heralded by the laughter-like notes of a family of Great Brown
Kingfishers camped in a tree about 150 yards away. Then follow
the cheerful carols of Magpies. When it is broad daylight a
familiar Black-and-White Fantail calls at my window as if to say
" Good morning, sir." Afterwards I detect the voices of Wattle-
Birds, Spotted Paidalote, Magpie-Lark, (irey Thrush (harsh notes,
peculiar to winter months), and Noisy Miners. I can hear the
"quick-quick, quick-cjuick " notes of Rosella Parrakeets passing by

^"iQos^ ] Campbell, Ah Ait/inini Raiuhlc. 53

the house, and the screeches of numerous Lorikeets. And on
opening wide my window, I noticed a pair of Brown Flycatchers
on the garden fence, and some Babblers hopping over the ground
among the fruit trees about 50 paces away. So much for " feathered
friends " seen or heard before I break my fast. After breakfast,
with a sympathic companion,* I ramble into a bush paddock,
where Lorikeets are clamorous everywhere. The cause is not far
to seek. The swamp gums, which have not flowered here for years,
are now full of bloom, surcharging the air with a mawkish-like
aroma. These nectar-laden blossoms have attracted four kinds of
the honey-eating Parrots, all species sometimes seen feasting in the
same tree. The most numerous is the Little Lorikeet, which is
seen in strings at times upon the tops of dry branches. Then, in
point of numbers, come the Musk Lorikeet. Some Swift-flying
Lorikeets are identified by their longer-pointed tails, and when on
the wing by brilliant scarlet under-shoulder parts, and by their
chattering-like notes. The fourth species is the little Purple-
crowned Lorikeet, seen in pairs, but few and far between.

Passing an old cultivation paddock a single Spur-winged Plover
is disturbed with protesting cries, and male Flame-breasted Robins
are seen perched upon stumps or posts. In an acacia hedge is a
Scrub-Wren (probably Sericornis osciilans), with noisy notes, a
contrast with the merry songs of a Shafted Fantail and a Yellow-
faced Honey-eater. In a more thickly timbered patch a pair of
Brush Wattle-Birds is observed, also White-eared and White-
plumed Honey-eaters, in addition to a beautiful male White-
throated Thickhead, some Striated Tits, and a Butcher-Bird.
Here, too, we capture a female Rosella, fluttering along the ground
and through bushes, endeavouring to escape us. We examine her
with much curiosity. She evidently is suffering from moult
troubles, and, having shed the primaries of both wings, is unable to
fly. In the tail there remains a feather or two, but the rest of the
body is fairly clothed, though somewhat soiled in travelling over
the ground. This bird apparently is no exception, because my
companion informs me that during his walks afield this season he
has seen several Rosellas similarly feathered, incapable of flight.
I must not omit to mention an exceedingly handsome Great Brown
Kingfisli(M\ which we observed closely — an old male, no doubt,
judging by the splendid patch of blue on his wing coverts and the
rich brownish markings of the upper tail coverts.

In the afternoon we visit a messmate (gvuri) forest, brightened
with early-flowering pink epacris, and through which runs a tea-tree
creek. Here we add to our list Orange-winged Sittella, Scarlet-
breasted Robin, Yellow-tailed Tit, Red-browed Finch, Little Field-
Wren {(lithonicola), Ground-Thrush {(icocichla — a single example),
and on returning home the familiar Swallow, several of which will,
no doubt, remain in the district during the winter. We are glad
to notice how j^lentiful the large and useful Babbler {Poinalurhiuus)

* Mr. G. E. Shepherd, of Somerville.

c^ Campbell, An Aiitujim Ramble. r,^f"j"l

is becoming. A flock of lo or 12 goes hopping across the road
before us. Their cat-Uke caU is very remarkable. An orchardist
one day thought that another cry of these birds sounded hke
" Every three yards, every three yards." He was planting fruit-
trees at the time.

At the close of day I waited near a camping place ' of Laughing
Jackasses (Great Brown Kingfishers), where I was much entertained
watching the home-coming of the family, notwithstanding the crowds
of stinging mosquitoes. At dusk, or 40 minutes after sundown,
two birds coming from opposite directions sailed into the tree,
and after a hearty laugh moved to a particular perch. Soon
afterwards three others came, one by one, each in turn receiving
a noisy welcome, ending in chuckling notes of seeming satisfac-
tion and contentment. Convivial choruses from other families
could be heard in the distance in different directions. At last
darkness was complete, and all had shut down for the night.

Australasian Ornithologists* Union.

RoucxH Minutes, 30TH Meeting A.O.U. Council, held at Dr.
C. Ryan's, on Wednesday, the 2ist June, 1905.

Correspondence was received from Professor J. A. Allen,
thanking the Council for electing him an honorary member of
A.O.U. Mr. P. Peir, of Sydney, also wrote, stating that the cost
price of the official badge of the A.O.U. — viz., an Emu carved on
Emu-egg shell, and designed by him— would be 3s. for the carved
shell, and if set in an g-carat gold pendant, suitable for wearing on
the watch chain, or on the lapel of the coat, or as a brooch, it
would cost 8s. complete. These prices were considered by the
Council as remarkably reasonable.

Communications were received from Mr. W. Rodier, of Tambura
Station, N.S.W., and the Review of Reviews, New York.

Mr. R. Henry, of Pigeon Island, Dusky Sound, New Zealand,
also wrote, stating that he had no objection to his article " Bird
Sanctuaries of New Zealand," which appeared in The Emu, being
republished in the Annual Report of the Smithsonian Institute for
1904, in conjunction with the article by R. A. Vivian entitled
" Some Bird-Life of British Papua," which the Institute also
wished to republish.

Auditors for the current 3'ear were elected, viz : — M. Symonds
Clark and Edwin Ashby, as general auditors, and as local auchtors
C. L. Barrett and E. D'Ombrain.

It was decided that the next Annual Congress, which is to be
held at Adelaide, should take place about the middle of October,
and that a " working field trip " would be taken to Kangaroo
Island, since many interesting features are to be found amongst

°go5 J Australasian Ornit/iologists' Union. :^ C

its avifauna, and that an official visit could then be paid to the
lighthouse there, which regularly forwards reports on the migratory
birds that strike the light.

The hon. sec. was instructed to write to the Hon. the Premiers of
Tasmania and New Zealand, and also Sir Joseph Ward, of Welling-
ton, asking them to support the motion of Mr. W^alter Lionel
Rothschild which was brought before the International Ornith-
ologists' Congress now being held in London, that the Penguins on
^Lacquarie and other islands south of New Zealand be protected,
as was cited in a recent cablegram.

Mr. H. Kendall was unanimousl}^ elected advisory editor of
The Emu.

The question of the next coloured plate was dealt with, and it
was suggested that Dr. Sharpe be written to and asked to advise
the Council as to what specimens were the more important for
figuring in The Emu, as Dr. Sharpe has several unfigured skins
of Australasian birds in his possession. It would also obviate
sending skins to England, and so facilitate the work and reduce
the expenditure.

The advisability of instituting an inquiry column in The Emu
was dealt with, and it was decided to empower the hon. editors to
introduce this new feature. It was also mentioned that the per-
manent reciuirements of " working " ornithologists relating to
Australasian avifauna, such as the discovery of the unknown nests
and eggs of known birds, be published also.

A portion of a dichotomous key to the birds of Australia, that
Mr. A. G. Campbell was at present working out, was exhibited, and
it was suggested that the key be issued as a supplement to The
Emit,. After some discussion it was decided to deal definitely
with the matter when the key was complete, so that there would
be an indication of the cost of its production. It was also in-
ferentially mentioned that a dichotomous key on " Oology "
should accompany the one on birds.

Mr. C. L. Barrett, on the retirement of Mr. A. G. Campbell, was
elected unanimously " press correspondent."

Reports of the birds striking the different lighthouses were read
by Mr. D. Le Souef, and some important observations were recorded,
especially from Cape W'ickham.

Inquiry Column.

It is tliought that a column of inquiry lor matters pertaining to
ornithology would be useful to many members, especially to those
residing in the country, not to mention the far bush. The Council
of the A.O.U., therefore, through the editors, invite questions about
bird subjects, such as identification, &c., which may perplex any
member. The replies, if possible, will be made through The
Emu.

c5 Publications Received. I ,^t ^"i

Publications Received

Auk, The, XXII., Nos. i and 2, Jan. -April, 1905.

Academy of Natural Sciences, Proceedings, LVL, Part II., April
to August.

AvicuUural Magazine, The, N.S., Nos. 4-6, Feb.-April, 1905.

Birds of North and Middle America, The (Ridgway), Parts
I.-III., 1901-2 and 1904.

Bird-Lore, VII., Nos. i and 2, Jan. -Feb. and March-April, 1905.

Biological Survey, United States Department of Agriculture.
Recommendations of State Game Commissioners and Wardens for
1905.

Condor, The, VII., Nos. i and 2, 1905.

Geelojig Naturalist, The, Second Series, I., No. 4, Dec, 1904.

Linnean Society of A^.5.IF., Proceedings, Vol. XXIX., Parts
1-4, 1904.

Leverki/lui, Paul, (i) Biographisches iiber die drei Naumanns
unci Bibliographisches iiber ihre Werke. (Sonderabdruck aus
Naumanns Naturgeschichte der Vogel Mitteleuropas, Band I.
F. E. Kohler, Gera-Untermhaus, IQ04.) (2) Zaun-Konignester von
Hummeln besetzt. (Orn. Monatssch., vol. xxix.. No. 12, S. 501-502.)
(3) Pischingers Beitriige zur Antiquarischen Ornithologie. (Ibid.,
^- 503-504-) (4) Ein Merkv/iirdiger Kolkrabenhorst. (Ibid.,
vol. XXX., S. 118-121.)

Martorelli, Giacinto. Gli Uccelli d' Italia Descritti Popolarmente
e Figurati. (Programma Rebeschini di Turati, -Milano.)

Smithsonian Tnstitute, Annual Reports, 1902-3.

Victorian, Naturalist, The, XXI., Nos. 11 and 12, March- A])ril,
1905.

Zoologist, The, Fourth Scries, IX., Nos. 98, 99, and 100, Feb.,
March, April, 1905.

The Emu, Vo/. V.

PLATE V.

Jhe £mu

0ffii:iiil ©rgvin of thi; ^uetralasiau (l)niithologists' Siuioii.

" Birds of 2v feather."

Vol. v.] 2ND OCTOBER, 1905. [Part 2.

Notes on the Victoria Lyre-Bird (Menura victoriae).

By a. E. Kitson, F.G.S., Melbourne.

Distribution and Dispersion of the Lyre-Bird.

The Victorian Lyre-Birds are restricted to the densely timbered,
moist, hilly, and mountainous parts of eastern Victoria, for they
must have abundance of moisture, and food consisting of insects,
grubs, worms, &c. The Melbourne to Sydney railway may be
taken as the approximate western limit of these birds. They have not
been found to the west of that line, nor even nearly uj) to it in
many parts. The reason apparently is that no densely timbered
and scrubby humid ranges, with permanent creeks in them, occur
to the west of this line on the northern side of the Main Divide,
for neither Putter's Range nor the Mokoan Range near Benalla
possesses these characteristics. The Main Divide itself, where the
railway crosses it at Kilmore Junction, at an altitude of 1,145 feet,
is rather low, and is not — apparently never was — densely scrubbed.
Again, although eminently suitable country for these birds is com-
prised by the Macedon Ranges and those in the Blackwood district,
near and on the Main Divide, also by the Otway Ranges, no Lyre-
Birds are found there. In the case of the last, the reason is un-
doubtedly its isolation. It is completely cut off from the other
hilly and mountainous districts of Victoria by the great volcanic
plains of the Western District, which would form an effectual
barrier to the dispersion of the Lyre-Bird southwards, even if it
were present on the Main Divide to the north. The bird is so
shy that, unless abundant cover be quite close at hand, it will not,
under ordinary circumstances, venture into the open forest country,
much jess cross wide tracts devoid of arboreal vegetation. It is
not so obvious why the Lyre-Bird is not present in the thickly
timbered and scrubby country of the Macedon Ranges, but
apparently this also is due to its comparative isolation. On the
east it is separated by a wide dissected volcanic plain, forming a
natural barrier. The only practicable bridge of dispersion exists
in the Main Divide itself, which from Wandong on the railway
takes a general north-westerly course to Mt. William, thence south-
westerly and southerly to Mt. Macedon. About Mt. William
itself there was, in its original state, a small area which might

Kii

cS KiTsoN, Nolcs on the Vicluria Lyre-Bird. I md'oci

have been suitable for Lyre- Birds, but on the portions between
Wandong and Macedon the want of sufficient moisture and scrub is
perhaps the reason of their absence. The birds seem to have
spread over south-eastern Australia from New Guinea by following
through Queensland and New South Wales the mountains that
form the watershed between the Darling-Murrumbidgee basin and
the Pacific Ocean ; and this within comparatively recent time,
considered from a geological point of view.

It is a matter for wonder that in suitable country Lyre-Birds
have existed in such numbers as they have done. The native
carnivorous fauna destructive to them comprise the dingo or wild
dog {Canis dingo), the "tiger cat" {Dasyuriis maadatus), and
the "native cat" {D. viverriniis). These animals, especially the
two first — which are much less numerous than the "native cats" —
frequent Lyre-Bird country. These birds build their nests in spots
usually accessible to dingoes, and easily so to the climbing "cats."
They have almost invariably only one young one a year, and yet
in most of Gippsland and the North-Eastern District Lyre-Birds
exist in much greater numbers than many of the other larger birds,
which nest in much less dangerous situations, such as the
Grey Magpie, King Lory, Wonga-Wonga and Bronze-winged
Pigeons, Laughing Jackass, and Black Cockatoo. The Lyre-Bird
is a day bird, and roosts in trees at night, so, except at
nesting time, it is practically safe from attack. It is a strong,
active bird, and could, even if attacked by a " cat " in a tree,
either free itself or drag the " cat " to the ground in its first
struggle. But it is comparatively helpless when in the nest, and
certainly the young are completely so. One fact, however, aids
in its protection. The nest is usually not easily seen, especially
if the female bird is inside with her tail raised over her head, as
is her wont, thus nearly filling up the entrance and breaking the
noticeable black cavity of the empty nest.

Near the source of the King River I have seen the birds going
to roost in tall green trees. They cannot fly upwards like an
ordinary bird, but rather partially jump upwards in a slanting
direction, with their outspread wings aiding them by soaring, not
flapping. To get into these tall young trees, ranging up to
nearly loo feet in height, they went up by stages, taking advantage
of short and long tree ferns and the branches of smaller trees.

Destiny of the Lyre-Bird.

But the days of the Lyre-Bird are numbered, unless it develop
the habit of nesting in trees* or spots inaccessible to its far more
dangerous enemy, an introduced one, the European fox. Scattered
feathers and occasional feet are frequently met with in some parts
of the country, and attest the depredations of the fox, which has
now spread over nearly the whole, if not the whole, of the State,

* Reference to I'lale VI. will sliow thai I. y re- Birds occasionally build in trees. —
Eds.

The Emu, Vol. V

PLATE VI.

Nests of Lyre-I>iids in Trees.

FROM PHOTOS. BY 0. LE SOUEF.

^"^I'oo-^ ] KiTSON, Notes on t/u: \' ictoria Lytc-iUrd. 59

and has, moreover, developed the faculty of ascending slightly
leaning trees.

As regards South Gippsland the Lyre-Bird is doomed to ex-
tinction, and that by the agency of man. The mass of hilly country
between the valleys of the Latrobe on the north ; the Tarago, Lang
Lang, and the Bass on the West ; the Powlett and Tarwin and the
narrow strip between Foster and Merriman Creek on the south
and south-east, was a large tract, covered with an extremely
dense vegetation and in a continuously moist or wet state before
settlement took place. It was united to the main mass of the
mountain system of eastern Victoria by a narrow elevated tract
of volcanic and similarly timbered country between Warragul and
Longwarry. \\\ every gully and on every spur the lovely notes
of the Lyre- Bird could be heard, and evidence of its occupation
could be seen on every hand. Thousands of these birds must
have sported about this country, making the otherwise rather
silent forest a huge natural concert hall. Now, alas ! the march
of settlement, with its breech-loaders, forest spoliation, and bush
fires, has brought about a sad change from a naturalist's point of
view. With the disappearance of the scrub goes the Lyre-Bird,
and as the country gets cleared from various sides so patches only
of scrubby country are left. These become the temporary home
of such of the outcasts as have escaped the gun, the clearing, and
the fire, till they, in their turn, become felled and burnt, when
the Lyre- Birds disappear.

Nest, Egg and Young.

During my geological survey of the Victorian coalfields area in
South Gippsland in the year 1900 I was camped on the Foster
River near Jumlmnna, on the edge of a belt of natural forest of an
extremely dense character. This scrub was the home of scores of
Lyre-Birds, whose lovely notes could be heard all through the day.

Several nests of these birds were found, and as many observations
made concerning the birds and their habits as time and opportunity
permitted. One nest was situated in the side of one of the short,
deep channels (" blind creeks ") that drained the swampy portion
of the river fiat. As is customary in South Gippsland, the timber
had been taken " in the face " — i.e., all the scrub and trees up to,
say, 4 feet 6 inches in diameter had been felled, but as they had
not then been burnt, they lay in hopeless confusion, forming a
tangled mass of logs, branches, and scrub, through which young
scrub was growing. It was, therefore, an awkward place for stock,
or even human beings, to get into — a fact that some of the birds
had apparently recognized by building their nests in it. Across
the river lay the natural forest forming the feeding and sporting
ground of the birds, and containing some nests also. I found the
nest in question one morning by noticing the female bird fiy, or
rather float, noiselessly away from the place on my approach.
This is a common practice with the Lyre-Bird. A young bird,
un feathered save for tufts of down on its crown and upper back,

5o KiTSON, Nuics uii ihc \' icloria Lyrc-llird . l_2nd'oct.

and a few young feathers just breaking forth on the crown, was
in the nest. It screeched so vigorously on being disturbed that
the female bird quickly appeared, making meanwhile a semi-
clucking noise, somewhat similar to that of a domestic hen calling
her chicks. Whenever the little one gave its whistling screech the
mother made this noise, and also gave vent to her own quaintly
melodious notes, sounding like " Koo-wuk', koo-wuk', koo-wow',"
with a growl-like roll on the wow, and " Oua-ack', qua-ack'," some-
what like the guttural of the common ppossum. On calming down
after the young bird stopped screeching she imitated various birds,*
principally the Tits, Scrub-Wrens {Sericornis), Coachwhip-Bird
{Psophodes crepitans), King Lory {A prosmictus cyanopygius), Magpie
{Gymnorhina leuconota). Grey Magpie [Strepera cuneicaiidata).
Laughing Jackass (Dacelo gigas), Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus
funcrciis), Butcher-Bird {Cracticus destructor), Sparrowhawk {Acci-
piter cirrhocephaliis), &c. — principally the first three. She then
walked leisurely down the sloping log, stopping every now and
then to scratch it — simply through force of habit, for it was quite
dry and sound — and then jumped on to the ground and resumed
her scratching. All this time she was giving a refined rendering of
the liquid notes of the common Magpie.

The place was a very unsuitable one for the camera, and, being
alone, there was difficulty in getting the photo of the adult bird (see
Plate VI L) She was very restless, and as a time exposure was
necessary, I was compelled to focus the camera on a certain part
of the log where she stayed for a second or two while walking down
it. Then, as I could get no stick long enough to touch the young
one from my post at the camera, I collected pieces of mud and earth,
and threw bits of these into the nest. Whenever one hit the little
bird a screech followed, and the mother was on the log like a flash,
but keenly alert and ready to float into the scrub at the least sign
of danger.

On one occasion (22nd September, 1900), when setting up thej
camera opposite the nest, I heard a slight sound, and, looking up,
found the bird on the log within 2 feet of my head. I had not
touched the young one, so it had not screeched, and the mother had,
therefore, not betrayed herself sooner. All the while I was setting
up the camera she moved about the log within a few feet of me,
occasionally putting her expanded tail over her head, and quietly
warbling — an alert, observant, fearless spectator. Now and then
the young bird gave its whistling screech, when the old one evinced
great distress and moved to a position that gave her a view of the
nest, though she never went near it all the time. Whenever I
stooped or sat down on the ground she got suspicious and hopped
round till seeing me, then walked up quite close to see what was
being done. Of my whistling she took very little notice, of talking
none at all, but started at once at a gruff noise like coughing.

* This is a vtry important note, lliliicito it was believed that the male Lyre-Bird
only mimicked. — Eds.

The Emu, I'ol. V.

PLATE VII.

l,yi'c-];ii<l (female).

FROM A PHOTO. BY A. E. KITSON.

The Emu, Vo/. V.

PLATE VIII.

^^^H^^iji. — i|iir~^'-

^^'■■^.^^f^^.

■Up ifki/'^nilH^H^^I

^^^^p. ' ^^ ; ';^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

M^

» ^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^H

»:■

Egg of Lyre-Bird (natural size)

FROM A PHOTO BY A J. CAMPBELL.

\'oung (in down) of Lyre-Bird.

FROM A PHOTO. BY A. E. KITSON.

Vol. V.
1905

1 KiTSOX, Notes on the I'ictoria Lyre-Bird. 6r

One of her most graceful movements was walking along the
swaying frond of a tree-fern. As the frond bent under her weight
she gradually reversed her position till she was hanging head down-
wards, suspended by her claws, and quietly warbling the while.
This bird was the most sensible of any of the kind that I have
seen. She seemed to realize at once that I had no intention of
hurting the young one. and though evincing every sign of great
distress while her offspring was screeching, became quite reassured
of its safety when the screeches ceased.

The bird frequently walked down the log while I was standing
at the nest with my head within 2 feet of her. Once I touched
her feet with my hand, and I think with a little time and patience
I could have caught her. Several times I made a grab at her
leg, but she only jumped and floated away to another log, without
evincing any signs of fear. Again, to test her timidity, I shouted,
waved my arms, and threw little sticks at her without frightening
her from her position, and even when one stick hit her on the head
she simply floated to another log and resumed her observations.

The entrance to the nest can be seen just on the right of the
log under the tail of the bird and just to the left of the extremity
of the blackbutt spray with large leaves.

The picture of the young bird (Plate VIII.) shows it resting in
my hat, surrounded with sprigs of tree-fern {Alsophila aitstralis),
dogwood {Cassinia aculeata), blackbutt {Eitcalypttis pihdaris), musk
[Aster argophvlliis) and laurel {Pittosporiim undulatum). It was
very frightened when first taken out of the nest, but soon rested
quite contentedly in the hat while being photographed.

When in the nest it commenced to screech immediately anything
appeared in the entrance, and thrust itself back as far as it could,
meanwhile keeping almost on its back, with its powerful feet pushed
out in front, and screeching. As it grew older it sometimes pecked
at my hand when thrust into the nest, and always screeched. This,
however, was never long sustained, except on movement oi the
hand, and it remained quite still if the hand were still.

I watched it carefully till it was nearly fledged, but one day I
heard the distress signal several times in rapid succession. On
reaching the place I found the poor creature dead in the nest. It
had suffered no apparent injury, there were no signs of damage to
the nest, or of any struggle, and the only conclusion I could come
to was that it had been bitten by a tiger snake [Hoplocephalits
ciirius). The nest was in the side of the gully, about 5 feet
from the bottom, and easfly accessible to animals and reptiles.
The snake had, I think. ])ut its head into the nest, been
pecked by the bird, and after at once biting it had withdrawn
and disappeared. I made careful search to confirm this view,
but could not, as the place afforded no chance of seeing a
snake-track of any kind. Had a fox killed it the bird would
undoubtedly have been dragged out of the nest. The snake.
as every bushman knows, is of a very enterprising nature, and
particularly partial to exploring nests of birds, whether on the

62 KiTSON, Notes on the Victoria Lyre-Bird. [2nd'o'ct

ground, or in trees and scrub. I have nearly tramped on one
crawling along a scrub-suspended fallen tree, at a height of lo feet
from the ground, the snake being there probably with the dual
view of getting direct sunlight and young birds, and I for less
laborious and quicker progress than was practicable in the tangled
vegetation on the ground.

In the case of another nest near, I found there was no sign of
any old bird until the young one screeched on being touched.
Then like a flash the female bird was on the spot, uttering notes
somewhat similar to those of a " clucking hen." On seeing me
she flew first into a tree-fern, watching intently meanwhile,
then on to the ground and scratched away, gradually working up
almost to within kicking distance. All this time she quietly
imitated three or four notes of the Magpie and those of a few other
birds. When any movement was made she jumped or ran away
a few yards and resumed her quest for grubs. When the young
one screeched rapidly several times in succession, the mother, after
giving her answering call, " Koo-wuk', koo-wuk'," made a noise like
a woman in hysteria. She calmed down when the young one
stopped its noise, and with a grating, purring noise floated down
to the ground and resumed scratching.

The young one, when found on nth August, 1900, was probably
about two days old. It haci down on the crown and upper back,
the rest of it being bare, showing the whole of the skin to be of a
bluish-drab colour. The abdomen was an abnormal size and the
vent large, characteristics of all the young found. On nth
September, on my approaching the nest, the young one jumped out.
but was caught, when it screeched and struggled violently, using
its feet vigorously. It was most unwilling to enter the nest and
acted like the other one when placed therein. On i6tli Sei)tembcr
I again visited the nest, with a view to photographing it, but,
as feared, found it empty.

Another young one, nearly full grown, sat up silently in the
nest when found, but when touched it struggled and screeched,
using its claws freely. In this case the female bird came rushing
up at once, but on seeing me darted back into the scrub and ran
round the nest, making meanwhile her " Koo-wuk', koo-wuk'," and.
in addition, the " Clungk, clungk " or " Buln buln " that Lyre-Birds
make when undisturbed in the scrub. This nest was within half a
mile of Jumbunna township, in an easily penetrable patch of scrub,
which probably accounted for the timidity of the parent bird.

For the descriptions of nest, egg, &c., reference should be made
to Mr. A. J. Campbell and Mr. Robt. Hafl's observations in their
publications.* Nevertheless I shall give a few further personal
observations. Nests have been found in various places. The one
most favoured by the bird in South Gippsland is the side of a deep
channel or creek under a slightly overhanging bank, with ferns

* A. I. Campbell, •• Nests an i Egj^s of Australian liirds," pp.
Hall, " The Insectivorous Birds of Victoria," pp. 171-176.

510-523 ; Robert

The Emu, Vol. T

PLATE IX.

KiTSON, Noles on the Victoria Lyre-Bird. 6'

and leaves about (see Plate IX.) Another favourite one is among
the roots of a large fallen tree, several feet from the ground, with
vegetation growing, out of the contained earth. In the Baw Baw
and Walhalla districts Mr. J. Easton tells me that a large proportion
of the nests occurs in tall stumps of trees. All the nests are placed
so that the bird can have a clear space through which to fly or float
out of sight on the approach of danger.

It has been stated that once a Lyre-Bird's egg has been touched
by human hands the bird deserts the nest. However true this may
be in individual cases, it by no means is general. On 26th August,
1900, I found a nest in South Gij^psland and handled the egg.
Between this date and 13th September I handled the egg on six
different occasions. On the last visit the egg was quite cold, and
the nest appeared to have been deserted, but on again visiting it
on the 15th, a young one, apparently just hatched, was in it. The
young bird was partially covered with down, as in the cases of
those already mentioned. On 23rd September, 1900, the feathers
were just showing through the skin on the top of the wings and
the upper back. Further observations on this I had no oppor-
tunity to make, on account of leaving the locality. During this
survey several abandoned nests, each with one egg, were found.
In these cases I do not think that the nests had been voluntarily
abandoned, but that the birds had been killed.

All the young birds mentioned in this article were sent to the
National Museum, Melbourne, where they can be seen in the
scenic case of the Lyre-Birds.

Dancing Grounds.

These dancing grounds are open spaces, generally about 3 feet
in diameter, situated preferably in a rather clear place in a patch
of dense scrub. In some cases they are raised several inches above
the general level of the surrounding ground, while in others there is
little or no difference in level. The surface, which is flat, appears
to have been scratched up by the birds, and the sticks, roots, and
pieces of grass or creepers thrown to one side. Numerous ex-
amples have been noted in various parts of eastern Victoria, but
in no case have I seen any evidence of a beating down of the surface.
They all had a more or less freshly scratched appearance. On only
one occasion have I been fortunate enough to see the birds dancing.
This was on the top of Mt. Wild Boar, about 8 o'clock on a foggy
morning (19th March, 1896). When walking quietly alone along a
track I suddenly heard and immediately saw two male birds perform-
ing on one of these grounds. They were alternately advancing and
receding, turning, bowing, whirling, hopping, and running about
round the ground. W'hile doing this they raised and lowered their
tails repeatedly. Sometimes they put their head through their
raised tails, and, turning them, seemed to be admiring the lyre
designs thereon. At the same time they were, in rather subdued
tones, whistling beautifully, and mimicking all the forest birds.
One female bird walked quietly round the dance, making a few

Sa. Kitson, Notes on the Victoyia Lyre-Bird. \

Emu
2nd Oct.

short hen-like notes, and pretended to pick up a grub here and
there and to be unconcerned about the dance. She, however,
cast occasional glances at the male birds, and was doubtless making
her choice of a mate. I was in a hurry to search for a missing
horse, and could not watch them for more than a few minutes, so
quietly went past and left them undisturbed.

Mimicry.

The Lyre-Bird is an extraordinarily good mimic. No sound is
too difficult for it to reproduce, and the imitation, in the case of all
sweetly musical notes, is an exact reproduction of the originals,
while of those of a harsh nature it is a highly relined imitation.
Its rendering of the rich liquid notes of the Grey Magpie {Strepera
cuneicaudata), the Butcher-Bird {Cracticiis destructor), the Grey
Thrush {Collyriocincla harmonica), the Magpie {Gymnorhina leitco-
nota and G. tibicen) is superb ; similarly with the chirp and twitter
of the small Scrub-Wrens and Tits. In the case of the Laughing
Jackass {Dacelo gtgas), the harsh, grating, laughter-like effort of
this quaint bird is rendered in a manner so refined as to afford a
pleasing contrast with the original. The swish of the coach-driver's
whip, the sound of the saw and axe, which I have heard on the
Blacks' Spur and near Marysville, are perfect deceptions, and the
rapidity with which the notes of various birds are rendered, the
gliding of one bird's notes into those of another, and the rendering
of two or more simultaneously, are nothing short of marvellous.
The male bird is much the better and more ]:)owerful whistler,
but the female is practically as good a mimic. I have no doubt
that the Lyre-Bird is a mocking bird, for, even supposing it to
owe to heredity its faculty for imitating the birds of the forest, as
has been suggested, it can have acquired the art of imitating sounds
of human origin only since the settlement of the country in which
it is found.

Lyre-Birds in Captivity.

It is generally supposed that these birds cannot be reared and
kept in captivity. Several attempts have, I believe, been made in
the Zoological Gardens, Melbourne, but the birds have always
died in a short time. There are several instances known, however,
in which such attempts have been successful. The most notable
one is that of a resident of the Wood's Point district (Upper Goul-
burn), who, so Mr. O. A. L. Whitelaw tells me, reared several of
these birds, which fed with the fowls and were quite tame. The
owner decided upon proceeding to America to exhibit the birds as
one of the curiosities of Australia, but before matters had been
arranged all of them were ])oisoncd, it was sujiposed, by some
malicious person.*

* Writing under "Nature Notes" in '/'/le Art^us of the 28th July, 1905, Mr. Donald
Macdonald incidentally .substantiates this fact. A correspondent', Mr. J. C. IVIahan,
of Wood's Point, in giving some particulars about saving and keeping Lyre-Birds in
captivity, states: — ''When I found a nest 1 left the chicken for 30 days after it was

The Emu, Vol. V.

PLATE X,

Vol. V.

1905

j KiTSON, Notes 07t the Victoria Lyrc-Bird. 65

Other instances have been cited of a Lyre-Bird having been reared
and kept for lengthened or brief periods of timef in the Drouin,
Loch, and Omeo districts. Personally, I think it would be
impracticable to keep a bird in captivity even after rearing it,
unless it had access to some scrub affording shelter and a supply
of insects.

General Notes.

Though Lyre-Birds are chiefi}^ found in the dense scrubby forest,
they at times can be seen in fairly open country, but in such cases
there is dense scrub at hand, and they disappear into this on the
first approach of danger. In South Gippsland, where I have seen
and heard hundreds of these birds, I never once saw them singing
in cleared land, or even in open forest. Moreover, in no instance
have I seen them feeding or running about on open ground. On
one occasion I noticed about eight of them cross a narrow strip
of cleared ground, about five chains wide, from one patch of scrub
to another. They did this just before dusk by running quickly,
jumping over logs, and floating one after the other. During the
great bush fires in South Gippsland in i8g8 hundreds of Lyre-Birds
were burnt or starved, and I have been told by settlers that
in the Jeetho district some of these birds came out of the burnt
scrub and fed among the fowls near the farmhouses. This was
doubtless owing to the destruction of insect life. It would in-
dicate that they could in necessity become graminivorous birds.
Mr. J. W. Bainbridge informs me that two Lyre-Birds have become
so tame near Mrs. Manfield's Temperance Hotel, at the foot of
Mount Buffalo, that Mr. Manfield has photographed one of the pair
perched on the fence near the place.

Lyre-Birds may be seen at altitudes from 100 feet above sea level
in the dense gullies of South Gippsland to those of close on 6.000
feet, or as high as arboreal vegetation ascends, in the Australian
Alps. In November, 1890, when returning to Harrietville from
Mt. Feathertop (6,303 feet), in the Australian Alps. I saw between

hatched ; then snared the old bird, and carried them with the nest to a large wire-
netted aviary. The chicken was thus fed naturally by the mother. On one occasion
I had a chicken in the nest for 42 days. A bird that had been in my aviary for three
or four years developed only three of the ' frond ed feathers.' In my opinion
the male bird does not reach its full plumage for eight years. I have never
found more than 24 of the brown bars on a mature bird. It was a tedious and
difficult task to accustom my birds to artificial food, and I lost thirteen before
succeeding. The proof that I got the right system in the end was shown in
the fact that after my birds had been maliciously poisoned they were opened and
found to be lined with healthy fat, as the saying is. The late Mr. A. A. C. Le Souef
offered me £/^0 for the collection, and later Jamrach's agent offered ;i^ll5 a pair for
three domesticated pairs, to be delivered in London. I was going to accept this offer,
when all my birds were poisoned ; then I lost heart and gave it up. If the National
Park is ever established some Lyre-Birds should be turned down there. With the
right conditions they would breed in captivity. The experience of my own aviary
satisfied me as to that." — Eds.

t Mr. F. P. Godfrey, in The Etnu (vol. v., p. 33), mentions Mr. S. M-Neilly, of
Drouin, having had a male Lyre-Bird in a state of domestication for 20 years. A
photograph of this particular bird is herewith given (see Plate X.) — Eds.

66 KiTSON, Notes on the Victoria Lvre-Bird. \ ??'""

^ ^ [_2na

Oct.

20 and 30 male and female Lyre- Birds on the stunted snow gums
{E. pauciHora) on the high ridge running from Feathertop and
separating the Ovens River from Snowy Creek. They were at an
altitude of about 5,700 feet, and near the timber line. It was
nearly sunset when I was surprised to hear a medley of melodious
sounds, as if all the birds of the bush were singing their best and
loudest. Being alone and on foot, I was in their midst before they
noticed me, but to my surprise they not only remained jumping
about the trees, or with heads inclined watched me from the
branches, but many of them continued their unsurpassable mimicry
of other forest birds. I regretted that approaching darkness did
not allow me to stay and watch them longer. At altitudes of
from 5,000 feet to the timber line I have seen these birds, or
evidence of them, on the high Gibbo Range, Mt. Wild Boar, Mt.
Bogong, Mt. Stirling in Benambra, Victoria, and on the high
timbered spurs of Mt. Kosciusko, N.S.W.* Once, when camped,
on 20th March, 1896, on the summit of Mt. Wild Boar, at an
altitude of over 5,000 feet, I was awakened shortly after sunrise
by beautiful and spirited whistling outside the tent entrance. On
jumping up I found a male bird peering into the tent from a branch
only a few feet away. After putting the camera together as hastily
as circumstances permitted I had the mortification of seeing the
bird glide away into the thick scrub just as I was about to take
the photograph. Mr. Bainbridge informs me that he has heard
during the winter a Lyre-Bird whistling on Mount Buffalo, at
an altitude of 3,500 feet, and quite close to snow.

Lyre-Birds are very inquisitive when found in districts or places
where they have not been molested by man. On passing through
such country one is sometimes escorted for some distance by these
birds, which pass from tree to tree along the line of march. I have
been informed by Messrs. W. Baragwanath, jun., and J. Easton,
that once when they were surveying a line on the flanks of Mt.
Baw Baw a female bird came close up to the chain, watched it
intently, and followed it as it was dragged along. Every time they
made a noise the bird gave the well known alarm whistle and darted
into the scrub, to return almost immediately and repeat these
tactics for some time. On another occasion, in a creek near Mt.
Useful, a male bird viewed them from blackwood trees 60-70 feet
high, and disappeared only after several sticks had been thrown
at him. On other occasions they have brought these birds close
up to themselves by whistling the birds' own notes, in the same
way that the King Lory can be decoyed.

Unlike some of the native birds, which give their songs at certain
times through the day, Lyre-Birds may be heard in their haunts
any time from dawn till dusk, regardless of the nature of the

* Hitherto Meiiura victoria has been recorded for Victoria only, but it is natural to
suppose that the same species is found in the ranges extending over the border of
New -South Wales. It is probable that the M. superba\?,r\o\. found south of the
Blue Mountains. If it exist further south it would be interesting to fnid where the
two species inosculate, if not intergrade. — Eds.

Vol- V.~j KiTSON, Notes on the Victoria Lyre-Bird. 6?

190S J ^ ^ I

weather. On a misty day, when steady, Hght rain is falling, they
may, perhaps, be said to be heard to the greatest advantage.

Lyre-Birds are inveterate scratchers, and are almost unceasingly
at such work, somewhere or other in the bush. They must do a
great deal of good by destroying myriads of insects destructive
to vegetation. Unwittingly they also do a certain amount of harm,
by partially obliterating tracks, filling up side cuttings and survey
trenches, and uprooting or burying survey pegs. Some years ago
I remember seeing a recently made track over the Bogong Pass,
in Victoria, which had been rendered impracticable for horse
traffic through being filled up in some places with masses of rock,
logs of wood, and other dcbri'i. These had rolled down the steep
sides of the mountain on account of their supports of humus and
soil having been scratched away by these birds. Again, it is often
imjiossible to exactly locate a survey trench or peg in Lyre-Bird
(" Pheasant," as it is called by selectors) country, sometimes even
shortly after they have been placed there. This causes some
difficulty when the Itlaze (a>ie-cut mark) on the tree has been
destro3'ed by bush fires. This habit of scratching amongst decayed
vegetation and soil may account for the abundance of lice which,
Mr. W. Baragwanath, jun., informs me, are to be found on most of
these birds in the Baw Baw district of Gippland.

I have spoken of the flight of Lyre-Birds as a floating. As far
as I have noticed they do not rise upwards in the air like a soaring
bird, and cannot make a proper upward flight. But in going to
a lower place they simply jump off a log or rock into the air with
their wings outspread, and float or glide through it down a slope
into a gully, sometimes taking advantage, every here and there,
of a log or rock from which to get an additional spring. In a few
seconds they can descend several hundreds of feet with very little
apparent motion of the wings. It is an interesting sight to see the
dark brown form of a departing Lyre-Bird as it hops on a fallen
tree, floats under a tree-fern, or jumps off into space — silent, save
for its first shrill whistle of alarm. While Lyre-Birds are fond of
tree-fern gullies and dogwood {Cassinia aculeata and C. longifolia),
" native hop " {Daviesia latifolia), and " wild hop " {Goodcnia
ovata) slopes and ridges, they are very partial to the patches of
"blanket-wood" {Senecio hedjordi). This plant grows into small
trees with lateral Ijranches, and large, thick leaves, arranged more
or less horizontally, thus forming a canopy. The ground beneath
is usually not covered with ferns and small plants, but with decayed
leaves and twigs, while the branches form convenient perches for
the Lyre-Birds. There are thus open spaces between the foliage
and the ground, and the birds are fond of moving about in them,
hence the scrub is called locally " Pheasant scrub."

68 Campbell, Fruit-catino Birds. \ '5"^;'

' ■=■ Land Oct.

Fruit^eating Birds.

By a. G. Campbell, Melbourne.

(Writicii fur the Nature Study Exhibition, Geelong, Easter, 1905.
N on- competitive. )

In dealing with frugivorous birds we find a subject which apparently
is of nothing but negative importance to the interests of a country.
There is less direct bearing upon the welfare of a community than
is found with the insectivorous section. But this is only on the
surface. An axiom founded upon a general study of birds is that
no bird is without its uses. Nature abhors a deadhead. So, taking
up this proposition, we will endeavour to prove it among fruit-
eating birds.

That the taste for fruit is developed with most of the birds that
are called pests places us at once upon artificial, or shall we call it
disturbed, ground. The birds never saw the civilised fruits of man
before his advent here, and never knew what it was to dip their
bills in their hidden sweetness or carry off the smaller berries, seeds
and all. They lived previously upon insects, upon seed, and in a
few instances upon native berries and tiny fruits.

But when their native forest was taken from them, with its store
of provender, they, if not starved outright, or if not hardy enough
to take to other available native food, came to look upon the crops
and fruit trees planted in the clearings as legitimate spoil. This is
further accentuated by the fact that the season in which the various
kinds of fruit ripen is one when the natural supply of insect or
other food is, with the approaching summer, beginning to be scarce.
It often happens that in one district, adjacent may be to the virgin
forest, the early fruit ri]:)ens untouched, for the birds are away
attending to nests and offspring and living upon natural food,
but the fruit crops after the new year suffer consideral.ly.

It is indeed a serious thing to find birds developing and increasing
in a taste for cultivated fruits, apart from their natural food, and
it is almost beyond explanation, unless it be by the same principle
which governs bees when they discover honey can be got without
working very hard. The robbing of a weaker colony utterly
demoralises the robbers while ruining the robbed.

Fruit-eating birds must not be judged too harshly. More
observation and study are required before a proper estimate
can be put upon either their depredations or their service ., for
these do exist in every case. Birds must not be utteily con-
demned because they are seen at a bad point. Ask the question
of each one — Where are they during the remainder of the year,
and what are they eating then ?

Introduced birds are without doubt a more difficult problem than
the native. All of them are pests in some way or other. Gold-
finches and Sparrows strip valuable flower and vegetable seed
from our gardens ; Thrushes and Blackbirds destroy the softer
fruits ; while Minahs and Starlings are most inveterate fruit-

Vol. V,
1905

■] Campukll, Ffuil-canng Birds. 69

thieves, leaving nothing but the core and stem of the hardest
apples and pears.

But we might stop to point out their respective usefulness, and
to see therefrom that even the most unmitigated fruit destroyers
have more points in their favour than against them. Goldfinches
are very partial to seeds of thistle and other introduced weeds, and
the Sparrows to the aphides or plant lice frequently so common in
our gardens. Thrushes and Blackbirds keep down snails, slugs, and
many soft-bodied insects, while the latter have a special hking for
the green caterpillars of the vine. The Minah in the streets and
in the field is an excellent scavenger and insect-eater. In the
Starling it has a hardier and more ravenous companion, which
has spread already far out into the country, where in flocks it is
found devouring grasshoppers and caterpillars when these insect
hordes are at their worst, threatening the produce of the land.

But the real difficulty with these and with most native fruit-
eating birds lies here. The benefit is not direct to the person
robbed. Some birds steal from the farmer to pay back to the
pastoralist ; some rob the fruit-grower and benefit the farmer or
the forester. Looking, however, at the subject from the broadest
and perhaps the proper point of view, the country is much the
better for the presence of the birds, even if they do take a heavy
toll for their services. Any difficulty in reaching this conclusion
lies in the man, and not in the bird. If we were truly a socialistic
community, with every man drawing the value of his energies from
a common fund, we should have a more open mind to consider
the birds in their proper place, and to allow them full liberty to per-
form the work for which alone they are fitted, and to allow a fair
wage for their services in keeping the hordes of the insect world
in check. At present the man who pays all the bill is not com-
pensated by his country.

A list of native birds will, according to their economic value,
show at least three groups, and in the analysis of these will be
found much of interest and more for further study.

Firstly — Birds antagonistic to man at certain seasons.

This needs further subdivision.

1. To the orchardist.

2. To the farmer.

3. To the pastoralist. To others in special branches, like

the poultry farmer, beekeeper, &c.

I. The orchardist admits that his crops of fruit are an immense
temptation to l)irds, but the question of how to keep them most
effectually from taking more than a fair share of his profits, and
that without lessening their serviceableness (if any) elsewhere,
is the question that should most occupy his mind. The ex])eriences
of thoughtful orchardists would be welcome.

However, generally speaking, in districts away from the intro-
duced birds of the cities, it is found that previous to Christmas
time birds do not come about the orchards in any numbers. They
have, in truth, the important duties of nesting and rearing

yO CAMPKiiLL, I- ynit-catiiig Binls. F-^nd'oct

of young to attend to away in the forest, and so the soft berry
fruits, as well as apricots and many peaches, mature unharmed.
Only along river frontages or adjacent to forest areas are orchards
liable to the depredations of native birds at this time of the year.

Further, it is well known that most fruits are mature some time
before ripe, and, as they are independent of the parent tree, can
be picked, and will ripen as well, if not better, in the storeroom
or in cases on the way to market. So if the orchardist is abreast
of his work the birds are cheated of their spoil.

If birds, native or introduced, should be persistent at any time
of the season, especially on fruits not yet mature, ingenious scare-
crows are very effective in frightening them away, but they may
come in such numbers at times that there is nothing for it but to
employ several guns to keej) the birds persistently scared and save
the crop.

Birds troublesome to orchardists are — Raven, Black and Grey
Magpies, Bower-Birds, Leatherhead (Friar-Bird), Wattle-Bircl,
White-plumed Honey-eater, White-eye, and occasionally the Black-
backed Magpie, besides the introduced Sparrow, Thrush, Blackbird,
Minah, and Starling. One species in one district and one in another
may be a source of some annoyance, but all the native birds are
shy in the extreme and easily kept away by a determined effort.

2. To the farmer those specially troublesome are the Magpie
(both Black-backed and White-backed), White Cockatoo, the Galah,
and perhaps the Ibis and the Native Companion. These put in
an appearance at sowing time and pick up as much wheat as they
can find upon the surface, where, incidentally, the grain would never
germinate well. But it is far more likely that such birds as the
Magpie, the Ibis, and the Native Companion are attracted to the
corn field by the number of cutworms, caterpillars, and chafer
grubs, and possibly locusts, which are there also, much more eager
for the sown grain. It is quite correct for the present to refer to
these as fruit-eating birds, because the wheat grain is botanically
a fruit and not a seed.

3. In producing industries which take the fruit of the land
in other forms there are birds of special interest to be touched upon.
To the pastoralist the Raven and the Eaglehawk are a source of loss
in the lambing season, to the poultry farmer the Hawks, and to the
beekeeper the Wood-Swallow and the Bee-eater all demand a share
in the profits. But to direct attention to the absurd way in which
the birds are treated it is only necessary to state the case of the
Hawks. Because a few young poultry are taken (when they ought
to have at least some cover to run to) there is a general desire to
shoot all and sundry. Now there are only three species known
to pilfer about the fowl-yard, and they only appear in the late
summer and autumn, being busy themselves in rearing young away
in some secluded forest during the time of the year when the main
crop of chickens is about.

Among these birds enumerated under the first group are
some of the confessedly most useful insectivorous birds, the imj)or-

^'^I'gos^ ] CaiMI'bell, Fruit-eating llirds. 71

tance of which to a country's welfare cannot be overestimated.
Are we then, because of one chscernible bad point, to endeavour to
drive away or exteiTiiinate the whole tribe .-^ Far from it ! Many
of them are one month in the crop or the orchard against eleven
months of useful and sober living elsewhere. Let them have
their liberty, or it will be to our ultimate sorrow.

To the accusation contained in the heading of "• birds antago-
nistic at certain seasons," we are obliged to add, " but which more
than compensate by keeping in check, over the greater part of
the year, insects — a greater evil.''

Second group — Birds with no good intentions and no very direct
compensations.

Examples — Blue Mountain Loiikeet, the Musky Lorikeet, the
Rosella, and, perchance, other Parrakeets.

The first two mentioned are birds which in flocks sweep down
with sometimes immense destruction upon the orchardist. They
are so persistent that they may even be knocked off the trees with
a stick. To shoot them until the flock is decimated or driven
away is often the only way to deal with such a visitation. They
come late in the season, however, but will soon destroy the hard
a})ples and pears which may not have reached maturity.

The Rosella, in pairs more often than in small flocks, is also a
very exasperating fruit-destroyer, and is perhaps one of those few
species which could be shot indiscriminately. It has not such an
important function in the forest as the Lorikeets among the scale-
insects, and it would not be missed if partially exterminated.

The large Lorikeets are troublesome alike to the agriculturist
who essays maize-growing, for in favoured spots they will play
havoc with the ripening corn. The 'Keets throughout are deserving
of less consideration than any other genus of birds, from a producer's
point of view.

A third group needs a brief mention to complete the review of
the birds generally from an economic point of view — Birds serving
the public good and taking no compensation.

This embraces all the useful birds of the first importance — no less
than the whole insectivorous section, excepting, however, those it
was found necessary to place in Group No. i. They are not by any
means fruit-eaters, and so are not deserving of anything but brief
mention now. Of most obvious use, however, among insectivorous
birds are the Magpie and Raven, which devour locusts, besides
chafer grubs and cutworms ; Kingfishers and Plovers, and many
wading birds, which eat worms, slugs, and snails ; and, above all,
birds like the Stone-Plover, Wild Turkey, and Ibis, which patrol
the Riverina plains, the nursery grounds of myriads of locusts,
from whence, once the insects reach the winged stage, they
might spread far and wide, carrying devastation not only to orchards,
but to every other kind of vegetation they came across. The Ibis is
without doubt the foremost locust-destroyer ; it goes in flocks, and
with its long bill has no difficulty in catching the young or grass-
hopper stage in myriads. One bird's stomach on examination

72 Campbell, l^ruil-cating Birds. [2nd'oct.

contained over 2,000 young locusts, and this number only repre-
sented one meal for one individual in a flock of many hundreds.

Against that other vegetation-destroyer, the caterpillar or army
worm, the Ibis would still be useful, together with such as the
Raven, Magpie, Chough, Jumper, Plover, and Wild Turkey.

An examination, then, of the case of fruit-eating birds shows
many points in their favour, for they give many compensations in
ways that would be more readily estimated perhaps in the sorrows
of a community were they removed. The fruit-eating birds are
deserving of much better treatment that is usally given them.

Field Notes on Birds of the Richmond District,
North Queensland.

By Fredc. L. Berney.

Part II.

Pale Flycatcher {Micvceca pallida). — The Pale Flycatcher is a
constant resident with us. I think, judging by the volume of song,
that they commence pairing in July ; I found a nest with one youngster
on 19th August, 1899, and another with two youngsters on 24th October
the year previous. The feathers were just showing on the first lot ;
the others were half-fledged. They feed very late in the evening. I
have noticed them when it was almost dark darting off some coign of
vantage after insects on the wing. They are sweet singers, one of our
best, and one of the earliest to be heard in the morning — it is hardly
daylight when they start.

White-shafted Fantail (Rhipidviva albiscapa). — A winter visitor,
never numerous, generally singly, occasionally a pair. In the course
of seven years I have only one summer record — 9th January this year.
Of one I obtained for examination (2nd May, female, ovaries very
minute), Mr. A. J. Campbell wrote : — " The white parts in tail of
specimen sent are more extensive than usual." A most energetic
little bird, always on the go.

Black-and-White Fantail (RJiipidura tricolor). — Always with us,
but prefers the lightly timbered country to the open downs. I cannot
recognize any regular migratory movement among them, but we had
during April and May last year (1904) a very large influx ot " Shepherds'
Companions," as they are universally called. Mating commences in
September. My earliest note of eggs is ist October, and the latest 23rd
January. The clutch seems to be three eggs as often as four. I have
known the same nest used for three broods in succession — a late brood
one year and two the following season. Their " sweet pretty creature "
calls may often be heard during moonlight nights.

Restless Flycatcher {Sisura inquieia). — Only seen occasionally,
during the winter months.

Red-capped Robin {Petrceca goodenovi). — This showy little Robin
was here through the winters of 1902 and 1904, but I did not see them
at any time during 1903 ; they showed up suddenly at the end of
January this year, and have been with us in considerable numbers ever
since.

Vol

.^"l Bkkney, Birds ui Ike Richmond District, N .Q.

Yellow-tixted Tree-Tit [Smicromis fiavescens). — Here all the year
round ; their cheerful and lively notes may be heard daily as the tiny
birds thread their way among the trees — eucalypts for choice, and
always the tops of 'them. 1 found a nest containing two slightly
incubated eggs on the 5th June, 1903, suspended among the foliage
at the end of a coolibah (eucalypt) limb. The structure was doined,
entrance high up on the side, and was composed of the seed-head
portion of very fine grasses and sheep's wool, bound together with
spiders' web and dotted over with spider egg-cocoons and the pollen
portion of some small flower.

White-winged Wren {Alalurus leucopterus). — Saw this species
about in the summer of 1899, and obtained a male that Mr. C. W.
de Vis kindly identified for me, and again in midwinter of 1901, but
these are the only notes I have concerning them. Both times they
were among polygonum bushes round a swamp.

Variegated Wren (Malurus lamberti). — Shot a full-plumagcd male
in December, 1899.

Reed-Warbler (Acroceplialns australis). — With the advent of the
artesian bore streams and their attendant bulrushes (Typha) the Reed-
Warblers have invaded the Western downs, and are now common
where previously they were unknown. They are really beautiful
songsters — possibly our very best — and from their rich notes and the
habit of singing at night might well be called the Nightingale's under-
study. A degree or two of frost does not deter them, and their song
seemingly sounds better in the crisp, dry air. I have found nests
with eggs and others with young in Noveinber and December.

Spotted Bower-Bird (Chlamydodera maculata). — To be seen fairly
frequently about the scrubby districts. A " play-house " that I found
was shortly after abandoned and dismantled, the best of everything
being removed to a new site three or four hundred yards away.

Grass-Warbler {Cisticola exilis). — The Grass-Warbler is a constant
resident with us, but is much more often heard than seen ; it keeps
to the bulrush beds, where one may sight its small form as it clings
to the top of a rush for a moment and then drops out of sight. This
bird has a single sweet liquid note, with which is interspersed a sharp
buzzing sound. I have found its rather peculiar nests, of which
an excellent illustration is given in the Australian Museum's No. i
Special Catalogue, but not until they had fulfilled the purpose for which
they were constructed. I notice by the publication just quoted that
Mr. A. J. North considers this a coastal bird.

Yellow-rum fed Tit (^Acanthiza chrysorrhoa). — This elsewhere
familiar Tit is a rare bird in these parts. I have only come across it
once or twice, and one of these occasions includes a nest and three eggs.
This latter observation was made on the Flinders, 40 miles below
Richmond. I suppose this must be its most northern limit, but going
south from here 1 used to see this species and find its two-storied nests
fairly frecjuently on Cameron Downs, 40 miles south of Hughenden,
while in the Blackall district of the Barcoo it was common.

Babbler {Pomatorhinus temporalis). — To be seen pretty constantly
on suitable timbered country, where their big stick nests are con-
spicuous objects. On 30th March I examined one of these, and
found it to contain an addled egg and one chick a few hours old ; and

7^. Berney, Birds of the Ricluiiond District, N .Q. Und'oct

I have seen youngsters that could not fly sufficiently to get away in
April and October. I caught one of these latter, and on its crying
out I was at once surrounded by a flock of 20 old birds, which jumped
and scolded in an unmistakable manner. As a rule they go in parties
of seven to ten.

Black-breasted Song-Lark {CinclorJiam pints cniralis). — A migra-
tory bird, very much more numerous in the summer than the winter.
It nests with us. For details of its movements, and, to save
repetition, reference may be made to vol. iv. of The Emu, p. 43.

I remember one fearfully hot day in January, 1902, when I was
driving a mob of wethers across open downs. The sheep rounded up
and went into camp early in the day, and I made for the only shade
(save the mark !) in the landscape — a little, miserable bush, under which
I crept, drawing myself up into the shape of an N to fit the scanty
shade. I placed an Australasian on my knees and prepared to make
the best of things through the intense heat ; but I found I was jumping
the claim of a lot of Bush-Larks (Mirafra) and Black-breasted Song-
Larks, which were also driven to the shade, panting, with open beaks ;
but, nothing daunted, they clustered round any portion of me that
threw a shadow. Some got under the angle formed by my legs, while
one cruralis hopped on to my lap and sat contentedly under the shade
of the newspaper.

Rufous Song-Lark {CincloyJianiphiis rufescens). — Whereas cruralis is
found on the open country rufescens prefers the lightly timbered foi'est.
Generally on the ground, it moves about in a quiet, retiring manner,
takes to the branches of a neighbouring tree or bush when flushed, and
returns to the ground again as soon as the disturbing object has passed.
It is here winter and summer, but never in any great numbers, and
most probably has a migratory movement.

Tricoloured Bush-Ch^t {Ephthianura tricolor). — This beauty is
always here, but in greatly increased numbers during the winter. This
winter they are more numerous than I ever have seen them before ;
they seem to be scattered over the ground everywhere. The descrip-
tion of the plumage in Gould's Handbook is not accurate, but that
given in the Australian Museum's No. i Special Catalogue is excellent.
Its only note appears to be an insignificant " Chip, chip, chipper,
chipper, chip," uttered impatiently on the wing.

Orange-fronted Bush-Chat (Ephthianura aurifrons). — A rare and
irregular visitor. A few appear at odd seasons, remain two or three
weeks, and then disappear again for perhaps a couple of years.

Black-backed Magpie (Gymnorhina tibicen). — The Magpie is always
here, and pretty numerously represented. I think this is the earliest
of the early birds, for its beautiful notes may be heard with the faintest
streaks of the dawn. I have a good many notes of nests with eggs or
young birds in September.

Black-throated Butcher-Bird (Cracticus nigrigularis). — A con-
stant resident among the timbered country, nesting in September and
October.

Butcher-Bird (Cracticus destructor). — Common enough at Spring
Valley, where the scrubby country suits it, but I never see it away
from the scrub. Destructor has an ominous-looking hook at the end
of the upper mandible, which, together with the upturned extremity

^"Igos^'j Berney, Birds of the R/c/njioiid District, N.Q. 75

of the lower one, bodes ill for any small animal that gets between
them.

Northern Thickhead {Pachycepliala falcata). — I have only one
record — a male, obtained on the river, 30th May, 1902.

Rufous-breasted Thickhead {Pachycephala rufiventris). — Very
common among any lightly timbered country or open scrub. A nest
with eggs was found on 14th October — my only note in this connec-
tion.

Black-backed Tree-creeper {Climacteris melanonota). — The loud
" Spink, spink " of this Climacteris is to be heard fairly frequently
among the river timber. To make sure of the species I shot a specimen
for identification. Later in the same day (13th January, 1904) I
watched a pair feeding a nestful of young in a hollow spout, five and
thirty feet from the ground, in a river gum. This species has a most
peculiar cheesy or mouse-trap smell ; it is most curious, and strikes
one as soon as the bird is handled.

Striated Tree-runner {Sittella striata). — Not to be seen very
frequently. Its visits, generally in small parties of eight or thereabout,
do not appear to be confined to any one season of the year. Its feet
are large for the size of the bird, but eminently adapted for running
up or down the rough bark of trees. The peculiarly shaped bill, too —
long and narrow, with a slight dip in the culmen — is beautifully suited
for searching out insects in crevices. It hunts the foliage as well as
the trunks, and on the latter is just as much at home running head
downward as going up.

Blood Honey-eater {Myzomela sanguineolentai). — I found an
individual resting, weak and dazed, on the verandah at Wyangarie,
which died a couple of hours later — from simple poverty, it seemed.
It w^as an entire stranger to me, and must, I think, have been consider-
ably out of its beat. It was a young bird.

White-fronted Honey-eater {Glycyphila albifvons). — I have only
come across this Honej'-eater once — iith July, 1904 — and then I
obtained a male among the tea-tree {Melaleuca leucadendron) along the
Flinders River. Dissection, I am sorry to say, proved that it must
have had a sitting mate close by. It has a cheerful song.

Brown Honey-eater (Glycyphila ocularis). — Found a nest con-
taining two eggs, white and spotless, on 2nd June, 1905, which is, I
think, an unusual date. They are sweet singers. From experience I
can quite bear out Gould's statement that " while the female is sitting
on her eggs the male sings all day, with scarcely any intermission."
The little Brown Honey-eaters are plentiful on Spring Valley, and can
be heard along any watercourse where the tea-trees and eucalypts are
in flower. I think, with Mr. Tom Carter, that they confine themselves
to the \icinily of ranges.*

Yellow Miner (Myzantha Lutea). — A permanent rcvsident, and
a very noisy one, and breeds apparently all the year round. I was
much interested in making the acquaintance of a pair at Gladevale
homestead, where they had become so tame that they would enter the
diningroom at meal times, and while waiting to be served would perch
on the cruet stand, the back of your chair, or any convenient spot ;
this, too, with several people seated at table and a cat on the floor. A

* Emu, vol. iii., p. 92.

76 Berney, Buds of Ike Richmond Disitut, N.CJ. [znd'oct.

few small pieces of bread or cake put down for them by the side of
your plate are quickly gathered up without the birds showing any
fear. Honey on a plate is much relished by them, and they like a jam
tin to clean out. They had a nest some 20 yards away from the house,
and later used to bring their family with them. They are the tamest
wild birds I ever came across. The site for the nest is usually the top
of a coolibah or whitewood (Alalaya hemiglauca), at a distance of 20 or
30 feet from the ground.

Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater (Acanthogenys nifigulans). — Although
never numerous, still in suitable localities the Spiny-cheeked Honey-
eater may be seen or heard all through the year. At times I miss it for
a while, but this is doubtless owing to a temporary shortage of some
item in its menu. It is particularly partial to the honey of the mistletoe
(Loranthus quandong). I have pleasant recollections of them at one
camp where our dining table was built under the refreshing shade of a
bauhinia {B. carronii). Here " Spiny-cheeks " would busy himself all
day, passing from bunch to bunch of the mistletoe with which the tree
was covered, our meals being accompanied by its quaint but cheerful
song — just a subdued, bubbling, gurgling song, that was very pleasant
to listen to.

White-quilled Honey-eater {Entomyza albipennis). — I believe I
am right in including this Honey-eater in my list on the strength of
having watched (October, 1903) a pair at fairly close quarters, with
the aid of field glasses ; they were among the gums on the river.

Friar-Bird (Philemon corniculatus). — The common Friar-Bird is
only occasionally met with along the Flinders River, but about the
heads of the creeks that issue from the basalt ranges their chattering
cries are always to be heard.

Yellow-throated Friar-Bird {Philemon citreogularis). — Unlike the
larger corniculatus , tliis Friar-Bird is plentiful along the river, but quite
absent about the basalt country. It, too, is a noisy bird. A nest of
this species contained three eggs on 8th January.

Little Friar-Bird {Philemon citreogularis, sub-sp. sordidus). — Have
seen it frequently at Spring Valley during the past winter, where I
obtained a specimen that was kindly identified for me by Mr. A. J.
Campbell. It is not as garrulous as its relatives before mentioned.

Flower-pecker (Dicceum hirundinaceitni). — I have come across the
Diccsum in August, 1902, and again in June, 1905. A specimen ob-
tained in the former month had the testes very fully developed, and
therefore I suppose the birds were nesting in the district.

Red-browed Pardalote {Pardalotus rubricatus). — Only identified
once— December, 1902 — when I obtained a specimen on the river.

Black-headed Pardalote (Pardalotus melanocephalus). — A very
common Pardalote here. Its monotonous " Chuc, chuc " is heard all
day long on the river. A nest containing two eggs was found in a
sandbank on 27th June, 1903.

Swallow {Hirundo neoxena). — Previously to 1903 we used to see the
Swallows in fairly large numbers, but for the years 1903 and 1904 I
have only one record for each year, and both those winter records,
while for 1905 to date (August) I have seen none.

Black-and-White Swallow {Cheramceca leucosternum). — A very

ol. V,

190S

J Berney, Birds of the Richmond District, N.Q. yj

uncertain visitor at any time, and then in small numbers. During the
past twelve months they have not showed up at all.

Fairy Martin {Petrochelidon ariel). — Almost always with us, generally
in good numbers. A migratory bird, the place of those that leave being
taken by those that arrive ; both lots nest in- the district. (See Emu,
vol. iv., p. 45.)

Ground-Lark (AntJms aitstralis). — My experience so far leads me
to look up(>n the Ground-Lark as a winter visitor, occurrences of the
bird during the summer being only occasional.

White-rumped Wood-Swallow {Artamus leucogaster). — During the
summer the White-rumped Wood-Swallows are here in fair numbers,
but as the winter approaches they slip away, till in July they are repre-
sented by only occasional birds. Some winters they are entirely
absent. They come back to us in August, and commence nesting
without delay, as I have seen one sitting on its nest — it had made use
of a disused Magpie-Lark's (Grallina) — on 27th August. It is a smart
bird in appearance, and the most aerial of the Artami, except, perhaps,
A. minor. From my diary I take the following: — " Artamus leuco-
gaster are here now (2nd August) in some numbers ; I counted to-day
one little party of thirteen up in the topmost branches of a gum on
the river bank. They generally select the tops of the tallest trees,
and from this point of vantage watch for any insects on the wing, now
and again leaving their perch to sail round and round on easy wing.
Situated as they were high overhead, all I could see was their under
surface — an expanse of spotless white shirt-front, topped with a sooty-
grey head — reminding me of a gathering of negro minstrels. Nestling
together in a row, they were on the best of terms, this little party, and
as each returned after having a look round it shuffled along the limb
till it was tight up against the outside bird, when it settled down, and
called with contented chirps with a strong twang to a companion
still floating in the beams of the lowering sun."

White-browed Wood-Swallow {Artamus superciliosus). — A winter
resident, when it may be seen in big flocks, in company of A . personatiis,
feeding and flying together and twittering like a lot of Sparrows. The
fact of these birds seeking honey from the flowers, which I reported in
The Emu (vol. ii., p. 217) was doubted by some readers, but as the
birds have brush tongues the habit should not have been unexpected.
However, one of our contributors (Miss Bowie), writing to The Emti
(vol. iii., p. 1 12) later, supported my statement from observations made
on these birds in confinement, and I am glad to notice in the same
journal (vol. ii., p. 59) Mr. R. Hall's correspondent, Mr. J. P. Rogers,
adds a note, with skins of these birds collected in N.W. Australia, that
" They are now feeding upon the honey-laden flowers, in company
of A. personaius, and this perhaps accounts for their brush-tongues."

I never saw any sign of their nesting here, and during the months
October to February inclusive I have only one record — I saw two on
the 19th December, 1898.

Masked Wood-Swallow (Artamus personatus). — There seems to be
a closer family tie between this Artamus and the preceding one than
between any of the other Artami in this district. The remarks on this
bird are practically a repetition of those given for A. superciliosus.
But in 1898 a few pairs remained through the summer to breed, as I
found a nest in November and two in December that year ; two eggs

yS Berne Y, Birds of the Richmond District, N .Q. [^nd'o^ct.

in each of the latter, but the former was empty, although I put the
bird off its nest.

Black-faced Wood-Swallow {Artamus melanops). — A constant
resident, nesting here regularly. They pair in August, and 1 have seen
young leave the nest early in September, and from then on I have
found eggs up to 5th February. The clutch is generally three, but
on two occasions I have seen four. On one occasion I saw a pair eating
honey, and mentioned the instance in connection with the two preceding
species, but reported it as A. cinereus, which was incorrect, as it should
have been melanops. We have not A . cinereus in these parts. I have
seen as many as sixteen melanops together, but they do not flock.

Little Wood-Swallow (Arlamus minor). — A few of these interesting
little birds are to be seen all through the year. Although I have never
seen them nesting about Richmond, I have found a nest with two
squabs in December at Homestead, on the Campaspe River.

A Trip to the West.

By E. B. Nicholls, North Melbourne.
{Read before the Bird Observers' Club., 2yd August., 1905-)
After a five-days' storm-tossed trip across the Great Australian
Bight the first glimpse of Western Australia was one of disappoint-
ment. From the deck of the steamer the barren, rocky headland
of Cape Vancouver looked bleak and dismal in the dim grey light
of early morning. But, treeless and uninviting as it appeared, it
was land, and as an insatiable longing for something solid tmderfoot
had long since overcome all other desires, I restrained my feelings,
and agreed with a fellow-passenger, who had not missed a meal
and was ostentatiously jMoud of the fact, that the view was magni-
ficent.

Presently, as the rays of the sun scattered over the waves, the
islands of Breaksea and Michaelmas loomed in the distance, the
limestone structure of the lighthouse on the former glinting con-
spicuously in the seascape. Breaksea, some nine miles from Albany,
is placed midway between the two points of land which guard the
entrance to King George's Sound. Cape Vancouver forms the
eastern extremity. The western, a precipitous sandstone cliff some
three hundred feet high, is known as Bald Head. Visiting the
island at a later date it was found that the Mutton-Birds or Fleshy-
footed Petrels [Puffiniis carneipes) had nested in the deserted
burrows of the rabbits which overrun the place. Many years ago
they were isolated there by the Albany town authorities, who very
wisely would not permit of their being liberated on the mainland.
But this four-footed scourge has worked its way, with the help of
an occasional wet season, across the Continent, and is now to be
found at Esperance, a port 250 miles to the east of Albany. The
migration has been carried out in spite of the intervening desert
and a wire-netted fence, which, starting from the south coast, near
Esperance, runs for one thousand miles inland — in other words,
half-way across Australia. The primitive fauna, the forerunners of

Vol.

190S

; ■] NiCHOLLS, A Trip to the West.

79

the South and Western AustraHan marsupials, crossing from
Tasmania, ages and ages ago, by a land bridge now represented by
Bass Strait, travelled westward, in the same direction as did the
rabbits, and so entered and stocked the country. But during that
remote period, an abundant rainfall and a luxuriant vegetation,
together with the absence of enemies, made easy the passage way.

It was immediately after leaving the steamer, and whilst walking
along the roadway leading from the jetty to the town of Albany,
that the first land birds were met with. These, the Long-billed
Honey-eaters {Meliornis longirostris), a sub-species or variety of the
New Holland or White-bearded Honey-eater, were readily dis-
tinguished by the lanceolate streaks of black and white along the
breast and abdomen, the yellow in the wings, and the white cheek-
patches. The birds were dipping their bills into the long flower-
tubes of a peculiar shrub, known as the " kangaroo paw," which
gi-ows about 4 feet in height and has the terminal flowers arranged
on the end of the stalk like the outspread claws on the fore-paw
of a kangaroo.

A White-fronted Bush-Chat {EpJitJiianura albijrons) was next
flushed as it ran along the roadside. Two out of the four species
which constitute this typical Australian family are recorded for
the district, the other being the Tricoloured {E. tricolor). During a
holiday extending from February to June, and spent partly in
the town and partly in the forest, many different kinds of birds
were noted. In the private and public gardens, where the crimson-
flowering gums {Eucalyptits ficifolia) — perhaps the most beautiful
and ornamental of Australian trees — bloom in varying shades of
red, the small, inquisitive Green-backed White-eye {Zosterops goitldi),
the White-browed Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus snperciliosus), and
the Western White-naped Honey-eater {Melithreptus chloropsis),
together with the Little Wattle-Bird {Acanthochcera hmtdata), chased
and scolded one another as they gleaned a late harvest from the
last of the flowers and insects. Later on, in the month of May,
when a fine clump of transplanted Tasmanian blue gums burst into
early blossom, a flock of the Purple-crowned Lorikeets {Glossop-
sittacus porphyrocephalns), with that unerring instinct which we
cannot explain, found them out the following day, and continued
their visits every morning for some weeks. These Lorikeets, rather
scarce in Victoria, fly in flocks of twenty or so, though sometimes
they collect in hundreds. I often met with them whilst walking
through the bush, and noticed a peculiarity. If you fire a gun or
shout out loudly the whole flock dart towards the ground like a
flash, and fly with amazing speed only a few feet above the grass.
The aborigines, taking advantage of that peculiarity, used to build
a sort of brush fence, whitewashing it with the pipeclay mixture
they used in their corroborees. When the birds passed overhead,
the blacks raised a great clamour, and the panic-stricken Parrots,
dropping to earth, flew into the brush and were caught in hundreds.
Round about Albany thel^oys often frighten them into wire-netting
in the same way.

8o NiCHOLLS, A Trip to the West. [

Emu
2nd Oct.

It was whilst camped with a party of naturahsts at Tor Bay, a
little estuary of the sea some fifteen miles to the westward of Albany,
that a search was made for that rara avis, the Noisy Scrub-Bird
{Atrichia clamosa). One damp morning, after buttering our boots
as Thoreau did for his long walks in the Maine woods, we left camp
to work the valley behind the first ridge of sand hills on the western
side of the bay. It is very dense, with a close growth of squat tea-
tree, dwarfed peppermint, and a strange, short, stumpy bush, which
covers acres of ground, and is bound together by a species of dodder.
It makes a tangle so thick that one forces his way through it with
difficulty, but it is fine cover for the flocks of Brown Quail {Synacus
australis), which are there this year in exceptional numbers. We
stopped often, as much to take breath, I think, as to listen for that
characteristic note, which all naturalists who have heard it describe
as a loud, rising whistle, ending with a sharpness like the crack of a
whip. But the roar of the surf upon the sands was so great that
it smothered all lesser distant sounds. So we struck inland to the
tall karri {Eticalyptus) timber, which looked such a promising field
for search. High up in the karri gums Parrakeets were feeding and
squabbling. The largest of them all, the Yellow-collared [Barnardiiis
semitorqiiatus), is better known as the " Twenty-eight," from its
call. It is as large almost as the King Lory [Aprusmictus cyano-
pygiiis), green in colour, except for the blackish-brown head and
necklet of bright yellow. We shot one, and as it fell shrieking to
the ground, fifty or so of the Parrakeets fluttered round in circles
amongst the tree-tops, calling "Twenty-eight" in plain and forcible
English. When we picked up the bird by the leg a stream of honey
flowed from its bill. It was gorged with the rich nectar of the
flowering karri, jarrah, and red (beautiful-leafed) gums ; fully four
or five tablespoonfuls must have trickled from it. All through the
year, in this south-western corner of the State, there is a constant
succession of honey-bearing trees and shrubs in flower. We were
now in the same valley that Campbell had traversed fifteen years
before, when he obtained his specimen — a male — of the mysterious
Scrub-Bird.* Once I fired blindly at sight of a small brown bird
running through the scrub, but soon found that I was only alarming
myself unnecessarily, as well as the Brown Quails. We were taking
no risks of missing " Mrs. Atrichia," as Jackson calls her. Occasion-
ally we stepped out upon grassy glades, with the " pads " of wallabies
and bandicoots crossing and running into one another like the lines
in a railway yard. We crawled through tangles, and searched
thicket after thicket, watching, listening, and startled occasionally
by false alarms, when the Buff-bellied Shrike-Thrush {CoUvriocincla
rufiventris), Rufous Tree-creeper {Climacteris rufa), and Western
Thickhead {Pachycephalus occidentalis) burst into their sharp, loud
whistle. The Thickhead's note, cracking like a little coachwhip,
frequently deceived us. Otherwise there was never a note

* One nest has since been found (" Nesl and Eggs," Campbell, p. i,oSo), but the
female has never been obtained.

Vol. V,
1905

'1 NiCHOLLS, A Tri [I to the West.

that suggested the Scrui:)-Bird, which must be rarer than we
imagined.

At Denmark, a timber mill township situated on Wilson's Inlet,
some 30 miles still further west, specimens of the Red- and White-
tailed Cockatoos {Calyptorhynchi stellatiis and haiidini), exclusively
Western forms, were secured. Both birds are found in the south-
west coastal strip of country, using their powerful bills for stripping
the bark from the trees in search of grubs, and also for crushing
the hard cups of the eucalypts in order to get at the seeds. The
laboured flight and weird, shrieking cry are common to both species.
It is always a difficult matter to describe the call or song of a bird,
but occasionally, as all of us at times have experienced, the desired
contrast presents itself in the most unexpected manner and place.
One day in Albany, whilst watching a top-dressing being laid on a
tennis court, a flock of thirteen Red-tailed Cockatoos passed over-
head, uttering their shrill cries. At that moment the heavy roller
was drawn across the court, and the harsh creaking of the rusty
iron cylinder as it turned on the axle sounded so like the cry of the
birds that I was constrained to make a note of it. In the tall
timber of the forest the Western Rosella, or Yellow-cheeked
Parrakeet [Platycerciis icterotis), differing from the Eastern form
(P. eximiiis) chiefly in that the cheeks are yellow in colour instead
of white, and the Red-capped Parrakeet {Porphyrocephahts spurius),
with its long, overlapping upper mandible, are very plentiful. The
last mentioned, a bird of truly gorgeous plumage, is readily dis-
tinguished by the deep red crown, green back, violet-blue breast,
yellow rump, and under tail coverts of scarlet. In the cleared patch
around the hut of the fisher folk, whose hospitality I enjoyed whilst
at Denmark, poultry roamed at large, and with them a Black- tailed
Native-Hen {Microtribonyx ventralis) about the size of a bantam.
It fed with the fowls, picking up grain, thistle, grass, and the like,
and was very pugnacious. On one occasion it fought and defeated
the champion " rooster " of the yard, a bird six times its own size,
covering the foe with his own blood and putting him to ignominious
flight. When perturbed by the presence of a stranger, the constant
flicking of the small tail, spread fanwise, was very marked ; this
the more so just prior to the " closely pressed " bird seeking shelter
across the river on the bank on which the fishing camp was built.
In flying it rose gently from the ground, after a short run, without
any noisy flapping or whirring of wings, and slowly drew u]) the
dangling legs into a horizontal position as the flight balance was
gained.

Wilson's Inlet is larger than King George's Sound, but is blocked
by a sand bar at its mouth. It is made up of a series of horseshoc-
shaj^ed bays encircling a wide expanse of shallow water, which, in
parts, teems with wildfowl. Strolling with a companion, one
bright sunny afternoon, along the curving shore of one of the many
bays towards a famous avine retreat, locally known as Bird Island,
an occasional low musical note struck upon our ears and puzzled
us as to its whereabouts. The sea bed here consists of an immense

82 NiCHOLLs, A Trip to the West. [

Emu
2nd Oct.

flat sheet of rock studded with small sharp pieces of stone, which
project above the surface of the water. Thinking that the lap of a
wave striking against one of the miniature pinnacles containing a
blow-hole might in some way account for the sound, we stopped,
and after marking down the precise spot whence it next arose,
waded out a few steps, little more than ankle deep, and as we
stooped to examine the rock the note sounded again, but there was
no blow-hole. Time after time we were baffled. In sheer despera-
tion my friend tried to attribute the cause to the shoals of fish fry
which darted before us in the shallow pools as we splashed along.
At last we noticed a flock of Musk-Ducks [Bizuira lobata) fully
half a mile out. From these the notes undoubtedly came. After
listening for a while we could distinguish the deeper " ponk " of
the male bird. The smooth liquid surface acting as a perfect
conductor and sounding board, it appeared as though the call-
notes of the birds originated at the water's edge at our feet.
Hastening along we soon rounded the corner of the bay into the next.
Off the point of land lay the island, with a strip of sand between,
and further out a few scattered rocky outcrops with long lines of
connecting reefs. On the still waters flocks of Black Swans
{Chcnopis atrata), their red bills conspicuous against the black
bodies, hundreds of Ducks {Anas siipcrciJiosa and Nyroca aiistralis)
and a few Silver Gulls {Lams novcv-hollandicr) fed or lazily preened
their feathers in the welcome glow of the winter's afternoon sun-
shine. Upon the reefs, in silent contemplation or asleep, sat
numberless Black and Pied Cormorants {Phalacrocorax carbo and
hypoleucus), and on one particular eminence a family of Pelicans
{Pelecanus conspicillatus) gravely conferred together. Beyond, the
eye followed the stretch of blue sea to the coastline of the opposite
shore, where the low-lying, scrub-covered sandhills intercepted the
horizon. All was peaceful and quiet in this far-away bird sanctuary,
and for many minutes we stood silently watching the scene. Then
I fired the gun. In an instant the air was full of birds. They rose
in a cloud, the white-tipped wings of the Swans flashing like streaks
of lightning throughout the dark mass. For a few minutes the
birds wheeled and circled in wild disorder, then, gathering in
families, flew away in all directions till the neighbouring points of
land and the distant hills hid them from view.

Stray Feathers.

The Painted Finch in North Queensland.— Mr. F. C. Berney
has sent for verification a skin of Emblema pida. It was secured
about the middle of last July, at Homestead, by Mr. J. H. Smedley,
who reported that he observed two or three small flocks — first two
birds, then four, and then eight together. The Painted Finch has
once previously been reported for North Queensland, having been
seen in the Gulf country by Dr. \V. Macgillivray. See "Nests and
Eggs," p. 1082.— A. J. C.

^°J;.^-J Stray Feathers. Z^,

The White-plumed Honey-eater as a Bee-killer. — Mr. W.
M'Lellan, of this town, has some tree-lucerne plants, and just now
they are in full bloom. Noticing a large number of dead bees on
the ground, he examined them and found their bodies crushed.
There were dozens of them. Very soon a solution of the cause of
their death was arrived at, for he watched the " Greenies " or
White-plumed Honey-eaters {Ptilotis penicillata) snap every bee
that came to the blossoms. The birds simply gave the bees a
crunch or two and dropped them. — E. A. D'Ombrain. Casterton,

4/9/05-

* * *

Eggs of the Ewing Tit {Acanthiza ewingi). — Although the eggs
of this species have been described it may be of interest to record
remarks about an authenticated clutch of two eggs in my collection,
taken by the well-known Tasmanian ornithologist, Mr. E. D. Atkin-
son, on the nth October, 1904, near Waratah, Tasmania. The
eggs are inclined to be oval in shape, with fine texture of shell,
and glossy in appearance. The ground colour is a warmish-white,
and is finely freckled with reddish-brown, some spots appearing
more indistinct than others, as if beneath the surface of the gloss ;
the spots are so thickly accumulated at the larger end that they
form a blotch on the apex. A, measures .68 x .50 inch ; B,
.66 X .49 inch. The nest was dome-shaped, and typical of the
Acanthiza family, and was placed in a small beech {Fagiis cunning-
haini) which was growing in the bank of an old quarry. — J. W.
Mellor. Adelaide.

^ ;js ;{i

Se.\gulls as Insect Destroyers. — During last harvest the
crops, particularly those around Jan Juc, and further south of
Geelong, were visited with the caterpillar pest. When the crops
were ripe for cutting, these caterpillars would raid the farms and
nip off the top of the crop, letting the ears of corn fall to the ground.
Acres would be stripped in one evening by this pest. They seemed
to commence their work just at sundown. A friend who related
this to me, and who has a large farm, said the noise made by the
caterpillars in nij^ping can be distinctly heard at some distance.
One evening, on looking towards his crops, he saw hundreds of
Seagulls (the ordinary white Gull, Lartis novce-hollandicB) enter
his crop, and attack and devour these caterpillars. Next morning
there was not a caterpillar to be seen. My friend told me other
birds would not touch the catei-piHars. — Arthur Wilson. Geelong,

25/7/05-

* * *

Notes on Bronze-wings. — \Micn I wrote my notes on the
Crested Pigeon [Ocyphaps lophotes) for the April number of The
Emu the hen was on her nest, having begun to sit for the last time
on or about jrd March, just as the final lot of the common Bronze-
wings {Phaps chalcoptera) were out of the nest. Unfortunately I
accidentally broke one of the eggs ; however, as the weather soon
became changeable and snowy, one was quite enough for the parents

8 4 Stray Feathers. F ^^

Emu
d Oct.

to bring up well. They had begun a little earlier and finished up
later than the other species.

This season has commenced considerably in advance of that of
last year, as, to my surprise, I found yesterday, 26th June, two
eggs in the nest of Ocvphaps lophotes, and one in that of Phaps
c/ialcoptera ; last year the dates were about ist and 15th September
respectively. The birds have been kept under exactly the same
conditions, so the season, which has been extremely mild (almost
total absence of frosts), must alone be accountable for them nesting
so much earlier, I think. — Mary G. Roberts. Hobart, 27/6/05.
* * *

KuRRAjONG (Q.) Notes. — The Grass-Birds {Megahtms) have
almost totally disappeared. I saw one to-day, the first for some
weeks. Hawks are unusually numerous this winter, although this
locality is most noticeable for their absence at other times. Gos-
hawks {Astnr approxiinaiis) were in evidence some time ago,
terrorizing the poultry everywhere, but now there have been none
molesting them for some weeks. The other species I have noticed
are — Brown Hawks, very numerous ; Spotted Harriers are to be
seen on any of the little black-soil plains ; Kestrels, Black-shouldered
Kites, Little Eagles, Little Falcons, and Sparrow-Hawks are also
to be seen, though not plentiful. Eagles are also more numerous
than I have seen them before. We have had some visitors, in the
shape of tiny greenish Parrakeets (Warbling Grass-Parrakeets) ;
they were very wild, and were either in pairs or small parties of five
or six. Red-capped Robins have put in an appearance, one or two
pairs being seen. Although it has been very dry for some months,
the Scrub-Turkeys {Taleoalliis) would vie in condition with any
domestic fowls. Some of them are almost too fat to eat. — Ernest
D. Barnard. 23/6/05.

Tasmanian Hawk-Notes. — Anent Harriers (Circus goithii)
settling on trees, I have had good opportunities of watching
them, and have seen them many times settle on a dead tree,
near their hawking grounds, and also, at the nesting time,
have seen the male perch on the tree and wait there for
the female, while the latter was placing material in the
nest, which was in a crop close by. White-fronted Falcon
{Falco frontalis). — On a very hot, sultry evening, about the New
Year, I noticed one of these birds near me feeding on what I con-
cluded were the common black beetles, which were then very
numerous. This bird would settle on the branch of a dead tree
and there watch for one or more of these beetles to come along,
then with one or two flaps of its wings would dart upwards, down-
wards, or at an angle, and take its prey, sometimes taking more
than one in a flight, and always returning to the same perch. It
was very interesting to watch its performance, but I failed in one
thing, through being afraid to venture too near, and that was
to ascertain if the prey were taken in the mouth or claws, but I

Vol.
1905

. 'J Stray Feathers. 85

fancy at times 1 could see them taken in the claws — it may have
been when one was secured in the mouth first. I noticed also that
when the bird returned to the tree its head invariably went down
to its claws, as if it were feeding on them while holding them down. —
Arthur E. Brent. South Bridgewater (Tas.), 21/7/05.

RocKHAMPTON (Q.) NoTES. — The winter in Queensland has been
long and trying. The cold has been intense for this part of the
country — below the freezing point on many nights in July. The
rainfall here has been — May, i.oi ; June, 0.56; July, 0.45.
Pastures have become burned up, and in the absence of blossoms
one wonders how honey-eating birds find food. Lagoons and
waterholes have not fallen so low as might have been expected,
and waterfowl have not been stinted for food. Still they have not
recovered so quickly from the effects of the prolonged drought as
some other kinds — Quail, for instance, appear to have been breeding
incessantly, and are numerous all over the country. Cranes and
Herons, too, are common again, and Ibises come into the precincts
of the municipality. Flocks of Finches of various kinds are to be
seen at times. There was an influx of strangers in the cold, dry
weather of July, driven hither probably by the cold, stormy weather
which then prevailed in the southern States. Cuckoos were notice-
able among them. One evening a cluster of little birds about the
size of Sparrows were observed going to roost on the lee side of a
scaly- bark araucaria tree in a garden on Athelstane Range, within
sound of the city clock bell. They crowded together like a hive of
bees. In the morning they were hopping about the adjacent
pasture, but soon disappeared and did not return. What were
they ? They were conirostres of some kind ; ash and white were
the predominating colours in their plumage, and the tail feathers
had lovely white scallops at the extremities. The Kestrel has been
coming and going ; Kites are not nearly so plentiful as they used
to be. The Pied Crow-Shrike, which was a common and agreeable
winter visitant before the great drought, has not been here for three
seasons now. The little grey Doves, which are always with us,
became very tame in the cold weather. They discovered where
Canary seed was to be obtained, and boldly lit on the verandah,
where the singing birds had scattered it from their cages. Becoming
familiar, four were seen at one time perched on a cage, and by turns
rol)bing the seed-box. Magpie-Larks are unusually plentiful.
During the day they forage about the lagoons on the west side of
the range, but are careful to seek shelter in the bamboos on the
east side from the cold westerly winds at night. Their home-coming
reminded your correspondent of the return of boats from mackerel
fishing in the Firth of Clyde. Bee-eaters are very troublesome.
They sit on the fence opposite hives, and, as the bees are not smart
in the cold weather, snaj) them up without difficulty. It is when
they are sitting on the fence, rapping the bee to kill it outright, that
the bee-man makes a stone whizz pass the offenders. They are

86 Stray f cat hers. l-^nd'o'ct

making preparations for nest-boring in the sandy soil of the Botanic
Garden. The Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike is to be seen feeding on
the fruit of the native iig-tree under the shadow of the post-office
tower in East-street. Bronze-wing Pigeons are alnnidant all round
the town — visitors from dry country. — A.O.U. 21/8/05.

Re Fantail Cuckoo. — I notice Mr. Barrett, in The Emu,*
mentions finding addled eggs in nests. My experiences have been
the same, which can easily be accounted for, at least as far as
Tasmania is concerned. Cuckoos arrive here in August, the month
in which most of our small birds build (at least most foster birds to
the Cuckoo). Very likely this is so arranged in order for them to
be ready for the Cuckoos' eggs, which would then be ready for
placing in the nest. But down come a fall of snow and rough
weather, lasting some weeks, putting the builders off for at least
a month ; therefore the eggs of the Cuckoo are placed in the nest,
very, very often before the nests are completed, and if it should
happen to be put into a Sericornis' or Brown Acanthiza's the birds
will at once leave the nest. These little fellows seem to be able
to detect any little disturbance that may be caused by putting one's
finger in the nest before any eggs are laid, and therefore when doing
so one wants to be very careful. I once found a nest of the Brown
Acanthiza by seeing it chasing the Cuckoo away and fiying back
to the nest. I carefully felt one egg and left, thinking to go back
later and get the Cuckoo's egg. I returned three times, saw the
birds there, felt carefully — only one egg. I fancied the third time
something was amiss, so took out the egg, which proved to be the
egg of the Fantailed Cuckoo — this was my first experience. While
packing the egg away I noticed the Acanthizas darting about, so
sat and watched, to see if they went back to the nest, but to my
surprise I saw one with material, and discovered another nest only
two yards away, nearly built. After waiting a week I went to the
spot again and took another Cuckoo's egg (with two of the
Acanthiza), which proved to be exactly similar to the other.
(Query — Do Cuckoos lay more than one egg ? My answer
is decidedly yes.) While on the subject of Cuckoos, I might say
that my notes appearing in The Emu re the Pallid Cuckoo were
based on my own actual knowledge, obtained through constant
watching, but I have never seen them perform at the age of 30
or even 48 hours. It would be impossible for them to eject a young
bird from the nest of our Yellow-throated Honey-eater, or Black
Cap, at that age, on account of the depth of the nest. I have found
them in the nest of the Black Cap, and as soon as you touch them
they commence to jostle the other occupants and try to throw them
out. I have seen them do so at times, and have caught them in
my hand and placed them again in the nest, to see the same per-
formance go on. — Arthur E. Brent. South Bridgewater (Tas.),
21/7/05.

* Vol. V , p. 21.

Vol.
1905

.^■] Stray Feathers. 8?

Jottings from Tasmania. — 9/// Jinu\ 1905. — With regard to
the stay of the Flame-breasted Robin {Petra'ca pha-iiicea) in cold
latitudes during the winter months, the following observation was
recently made : — While walking with a friend up the hill leading to
the Don, we saw nearly thirty Robins grouped together on the
electric light wire and on the fence below. One pair belonged to
the Scarlet-breasted species (P. leggii) ; the others were all Flame-
breasts, only about 25 per cent., however, being in full plumage,
the grey tints of the remainder showing them to be either females
or immature males. The hen of P. leggii was easily distinguishable,
owing to the light red patch upon her breast, this being absent in
the others. It was very pretty to see how the males in full })lumage
of P. phivnicea shone out like small live flames in the long row
upon the fence, the females and younger individuals being all but
invisible on the grey timber under a grey sky. This took place on
5th June.

Some Fan-tailed Cuckoos {Caconuiiitis flabellifoniiis) stayed with
us very late this autumn ; their rippling notes were heard upon
the Mersey banks during the sunny afternoons of the last three
weeks in April ; one in a blue gum in Devonport town on loth
May ; finally, one was seen at the Don River enjoying the genial
sunshine of 21st May. I have a record of this species having been
seen last winter at the Mersey Bluff on i6th July ! This hardy
bird was sustaining the assaults of a Shrike-Thrush with apparent
serenity. "Summer-Bird" {Graiicalus parvirostris). — Four of these
graceful birds flew over my cottage on 12th May, keeping fairly high,
and heading to the north-east. They uttered as they flew their
peculiar rapid wiry notes. Pipit {Anthiis cntstralis).^Cd.n members
shed any light on the movements of this bird ? They appear to
move hence early in April, and reappear during the first or second
week of September. Are they migratory or merely nomadic ? An
observer some time ago assured me he had seen them in the
midlands of Tasmania during the winter months. The winters are
more frosty and severe there than here on the coast, so one does
not see how they would benefit by the change, unless they obtain
insects in the neighbourhood of the sheep, of which large flocks are
kept in the midlands.

12th June. — Three Swallows {Hinindo neoxena) were observed in
Charles-street, Launceston, by Mr. H. C. Thompson during the
first fortnight of June ; they appeared weak, and kept under
shelter of the shop verandahs. Mr. Thompson observed one taking
its food in a way that is uncommon among Swallows — viz., clinging
to the sash bar of a shop window and j)icking flies from the glass.

i^th June. — A pair of fine Pelicans {Pelecanus conspicillattis)
was seen sitting upon a sandbank in the Mersey River, the
first I have ever seen upon this coast of Tasmania. What an ever-
lasting disgrace that these fine birds, and also the splendid Black
Swan, should not be protected throughout the year ; if that were
done we should be delighted with the spectacle of numbers of them
sailing continually on our waters, instead of, as now, an occasional

88 Stray Feathers. [.nd o"ct.

specimen, here to-day — and shot or (if fortunate) fiown away to-
morrow.

i8/f^ June. — The much-talked-of Stading (European) has begun
to colonise Devonport ; three pairs were seen on the summit of a
dry tree this afternoon on the east bank of the Mersey. Their
whistling call, with a peculiarly plaintive finish, first attracted our
attention. At first we took the note to be a rather unusual call
of the Dusky Robin (P. vittata) or " Sad-Bird," but eventually
located the true whistlers.

I'^th June. — Two pairs of Flame-breasted Rollins {P. phcvnicea),
the males in bright plumage, were noticed in a grass paddock near
the sea, showing that some, at any rate, of these lovely birds remain
with us during winter.

2(ith June. — A male Flame-breasted Robin, in fine plumage,
sitting on electric light wire, uttered his plaintive little song of
six or seven notes. The Brown-tails {Acanthiza diemenensis) were
also heard uttering their sweet little mating-call, as if about to pair.
Of all our small birds this seems to me to have the most wild sweet-
ness in its call.

^oth June. — A " Summer-Bird " {G. parviroslris) was seen in
the pine trees of Dr. Payne's garden.

2nd July. — Another warm-weather bird was noticed to-day —
that is, in midwinter. This was a Fan-tailed Cuckoo (C flabelli-
forniis) sitting near the Bluff Lighthouse, and facing a strong
westerly breeze as if rather enjoying it.

'^rd July. — A male Long-tailed Blue Wren {Malurus gouldi), in
full plumage, accompanied by three sober-coloured friends, seen
to-day on east bank of the Mersey ; also a Grey-tailed Thickhead
{Pachycephala i^laucwa), without colour, picking insects from the
bushes.

4th July. — Flame-breasted Robin in full plumage noted in Fenton-
street.

i^th July. — A Little Penguin {Eudyplula minor) was disturbed
among the rocks on the beach ; it made for the sea, running awk-
wardly in a horizontal position, and much resembling a bandicoot
at a short distance. It used its flippers alternately on the rocks
to prevent itself stumbling forward on its face. When exhausted
it crouched down between two diorite rocks with rounded tops, and
with its own dark blue rounded back was almost impossible to
distinguish.

18th July. — Another Flame-breasted Robin in full plumage noted
to-day ; also a Fan-tailed Cuckoo flying near the beach and a
" Summer-Bird " calling among the pines. — H. Stuart Dove.
West Devonj)ort.

New Egg-Blower. — The Condor for July describes a new kind
of egg-blower and cleaner invented by Mr. W. L. Colvin, of
Osawatomie, Kansas, by which it is said eggs may ]:>e blown six
times faster than with the mouth. The principle is that of the
syringe.

1'^. ■] Frovi Magazines, &€. 89

From MagazineSt &c.

Australian Finches. — Mr. J. Ji. Huusdcn, of Brooklyn, Cator-
road, Sydenham (England), informs us that he has flying in his
aviaries twelve hundred Australian Finches, consisting chiefly of
Red- and Black-headed Gouldians, Star-Finches {Bathilda ruficauda).
Long-tailed, Pectoral, Masked, and Bicheno. — AvicuUural Magazine
(July, 1905), p. 293.

sH 5{i ^

The Great Auk. — The Auk, in its July number, has a photo,
of a specimen of the extinct species from which the paper takes
its name, and another of two of the eggs. Bird and eggs were
recently acquired by Mr. John E. Thayer, who describes them, at
prices which are not stated ; we are told, however, that the eggs
formed part of a lot of ten sold in London in 1865 at prices varying
from /29 to £_^^ each. The bird belonged to Gould as long ago as

1838.'^

* * *

The discovery of the eggs of the Knot (Triiiga caiiutits), which
is a summer visitor to Australia, is reported in the Ornitholo-
gisches Jahrbuch (Jan. -April, 1905). The clutch of four eggs was
taken 17th June, 1898, on an island called Hrisey, to the north
of Iceland. In coloration the eggs resemble those of the common
European species [T. alpina), but they are larger than the latter.
The collector who made the find had looked for the eggs of this
species for more than twenty years in vain.

The same issue has a note on the occurrence of Richardson
Skua {Stercorarius crepidatus) in Hungary. This is another species
that comes to us in summer, when it may be seen following in the
wake of steamers in Port Phillip Bay. It is easily identifiable by
its central pair of tail feathers, which stick out jirominently beyond
the rest and run to a sharp point.

* * *

The Alexandra Parrakeet. — Mr. G. A. Keartland has con-
tributed some interesting details on the "range" of this beautiful
Parrakeet in The Victorian Naturalist, vol. xxii.. No. 5 (September),
from the time it was first discovered, over 40 years ago, at Howell's
Ponds, in the far North, till recently, when it was found breeding in
South Australia proper, within 80 miles of Oodnadatta. The
extension of the range to Western Australia was recorded in The
Emu, vol. iii., p. 115 (1903). In this instance, two or three
young birds were brought alive to Melbourne from the West by
Mr. Hunter. One has developed into a handsome male, and has
easily taken the prize in its class at all the recent shows. Mr. Hunter
has liberated his Alexandra Parrakeets in a roomy aviary, in the
hope that they will breed. Mr. Keartland has, inadvertently, no
doubt, given North instead of Gould for the authority of the species
Polytelis (Spathopterus) alexandrite. But the former naturalist has
attempted to change the original generic name into Spathopterus
on account of the notch at the end of the third ]:)rimaries of the wings.

90 From Magazines, &c. [znd'o'ci.

This feature is only specific at least, for, in other respects — general

contour, shape of head, long tapering tail, &c. — the Alexandra

Parrakeet resembles the Green- Leek [Polytelis harrahandi) and

Black-tailed Parrakeets {P. melanitra). The Rev. Hubert D.

Astley, M.B.O.U., writing to The Avicultural Magazine (June) in

reference to some Alexandra Parrakeets which he has in captivity,

states :- — " I wonder why, just because a bird happens to grow a

peculiar-shaped feather in the wing, it should be given a separate

name ? The Princess of Wales Parrakeet is evidently of the same

group as the Barraband [Polytelis harrabandi) and the Rock-Pebbler

[P. melanura). Because one brother or cousin in a family has a

snub nose, and another a Roman nose, it does not make him of a

different geuus ! "

* * *

Save the Penguins. — According to Tlie Times (weekly edition)
a vigorous, if not heated, debate followed the motion brought for-
ward by the Hon. Walter Rothschild at the Ornithological Congress
held in London. Speaking, he said, as an exponent of the wish of
the bulk of the Congress, he moved — " That a telegram be sent to
the Government of New Zealand and Legislature of Tasmania,
urging them to introduce legislation to prevent, in islands under
their rule, the destruction of Penguins now going on for the sake
of boiling the birds down into oil." Numbers of members spoke
in support. Sir W. Buller (who is writing a book on the subject)
and Dr. Giglioni spoke with especial vehemence ; and one of the
delegates from the Australian Ornithologists' Union, after announc-
ing that the Legislature of Tasmania had recently put the Penguin
on the total protection list, said that such a telegram would strengthen
his hands. He also gave some terrible details of the torture of
Mutton-Birds (Petrels). At this point a vigorous protest was made
by M. Leonhard Stejneger, from the United States, on the ground
that the Congress had no business to dictate to Governments, and
he instanced the hypothetical feelings of the American Government
if so schooled. Dr. Bowdler Sharpe replied that if the Americans
were boiling down Penguins in the Philippines and the Congress did
not tell them to stop the Congress had better cease to exist.
Finally the motion was enlarged by including " the Commonwealth
of Australia " and the substitution of " all birds boiled down for
oil " for Penguins, and passed with the one dissentient.

Far Southern Seas. — At the International Ornithological
Congress recently held in London Mr. W. S. Bruce's account of
the Scottish Antarctic Expedition proved, according to The Times
(weekly edition, 23/6/05), much the most remarkable address
given during the Congress. The Scotch brought back a considerably
richer collection than any of the three other expeditions — a success
which Mr. Bruce attributed chiefly to the excellent shooting of Mr.
D. W. Wilton. Directly a possibly rare bird was seen a boat was
lowered, and, in spite of rough seas and considerable danger, Mr.

Vol.

■9c>5

. 'J From Magazines, &c. QI

Wilton was generally successful. The expedition also had the
adv'antage of the others in wintering on the South Orkneys, where
many specimens were secured, as also off Coat-land. Altogether
over 500 skins were brought home. The expedition, which started
from the Falklands, reached as far south as 74°. Perhaps the chief
success was in finding eggs which hitherto have been seldom seen —
for instance, those of the Snowy Petrel, the Sheath-bill, the Blue-eyed
Cormorant, &c. The prime success was Mr. Bruce's discovery of
a rookery of Cape Petrels [Daplion capensis), a well-known Aus-
tralian and widely-distributed species, of which the eggs had never
before been found. Two entirely new species were procured in the
Gough Islands, both Buntings, very different from known species.
They were named the Nisospiza jessice and A'', goughensis. About
one, which has a resemblance to the "Mollymauk," no one has yet
come to a decision. It is not the same as any known specimen,
and Mr. \\'alter Rothschild and Dr. Hartert are still trying to place
it.

Dr. Wilson, of the Discovery (National Antarctic, 1901-4) Ex-
pedition, also contributed an important bird-paper to the Congress
on South Polar species. He found the great Emperor Penguin
bred there during August, the period of greatest cold and com-
plete darkness, when the thermometer was often 100 deg. below
zero. The Emperor Penguin is a true ice-bird, never being found
north of the front of the great ice barrier.

Fruit-eating Birds. — In The Journal of Agriculture, Victoria
(part 5, vol. iii.), Mr. Charles French, jun.. Assistant Government
Entomologist, contributes an important article on " Fruit-eating
Birds."

The article, in the first place, was written for the recent Nature
Study Exhibition, Geelong, and gained The Age special prize.
The paper cannot fail to be of value and interest to the orchardist,
viticulturist, and others. Mr. French enumerates 24 indigenous
species of birds as destructive to fruit, and, naturalist-like, he treats
them systematically by vernacular names, classical names, geogra-
phical distribution, and breeding season, each species ending with
brief general remarks about food, &c. Probably there is a technical
error about the " Black Magpie." Strepera fuliginosa has been
written instead of 5. graculina. The latter fine bird ranges from
Queensland round to South Australia, but is not found in Tas-
mania. And, according to recent authorities, the King Lory
{Aprosmicltis cyanopygius) is not found in South Australia, while
the elegant swift-flying Lorikeet {Nanodes discolor) ranges into
Queensland. Of course these are items of interest to the zoo-
geographer, but the practical man will be more concerned with
the food, habits, &c., of the birds.

Although the birds mentioned are a trifie destructive to fruit
during the season (the rest of the year they are almost wholly
insectivorous), Mr. French would not like to see such beautiful

Q 2 From Magazines, &c. I „,,

Etnu
d Oct.

creatures destroyed because of their petty depredations. Even
the much-abused Crow or Raven, taking it all the year round,
has been proved to be a farmer's friend more than an enemy, and
the gracetul and merry Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater is only seen
about metropolitan gardens in winter time, departing inland for
its breeding haunts during the harvest season. Were the intro-
duced birds destructive to fruit — the Minah, Sparrow, Starling, and
Blackbird — mentioned at the end of Mr. French's paper wiped off
the face of the land, there need be no fear from any native birds.

* * *

The Aims of Ornithology. — Letters from prominent orni-
thologists on " The Future Problems and Aims of Ornithology "
are published in The Condor for May-June and July-August.
Dr. A. R. Wallace says that instinct and heredity are the
departments of biology in which most remains to be done.
Dr. L. Stejneger deplores the mass of unscientific ornithological
literature, which from its lack of arrangement is not even
useful as a source for the supply of facts to the scientist.
Nearly all the work must be done over again, and in an
entirely different manner, according to plan and system and
with definite objects in view. An ornithologist must be a
biologist as well. He may specialize, but on scientific lines. The
mere classifier and describer will soon be distanced. Birds are to
be studied in the light of other sciences, such as geography and
physiography, and in the light of study of other animals and plants,
fhe ornithologist must study under competent teachers, and at
first be guided by them. The time of the autodidact, the self-taught
man, says Dr. Stejneger, is past. The ornithologist must study
both in field and cabinet. For qualifications, he must have a know-
ledge of biology, general zoology, geology, and physiography. He
must gain detailed knowledge of species by patient work in the
study, and power of observation by training in the field. Then he
can start to specialize and study various problems under proper
guidance. The man of science has not to seek these problems ;
they grip him by the throat and demand solution. If these seem
to be counsels of perfection, we must remember that Dr. Stejneger' s
point of view is that of the man who makes ornithology his life-
work. He is not addressing the amateur, though, as he says, he
is not " down " on him. It is the amateur who poses as a scientific
ornithologist without having the true scientific mstinct who is the
nuisance, according to Dr. Stejneger. Dr. P. L. Sclater says there
is much work to be done in the branches of anatomy and pteryl-
ography, in which there are few workers at present. Mr. William
Brewster thinks with Dr. Stejneger that the problem concerning
the interrelation of bird with other animal life is the one best worth
attention. That is to say, we should study the " balance of nature "
and how it is maintained. Bird-migration is another problem far
from being exhausted. To the young ornithologist he says : —
" Study carefully the birds in the immediate neighbourhood of
your home, limiting yourself to a definite area." To become an

°' "J From Magazi)ies, &c. Q^

efficient ornithologist one must use the gun, but if the young man
wishes merely to divert himself by the study of birds, or to make
their study simply an excuse for leading an out-of-door life, the
opera glass, not the gun, is the implement best suited to his use.

* * *

Cuckoos. — Sixty pages of the Proceedings of the Ornithological
Society of Bavaria (1903, vol. iv., New Series, vol. i.) are occupied
by observations on the European Cuckoo {Ciicnlus canortis) by the
late Johann Andreas Link. The author has devoted the leisure of
forty years to the study of this species, and his statements may claim
some weight. The European Cuckoo is a congener of our familiar
Pallid Cuckoo (C. pallidus), also of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Caco-
mantis flahelliformis), and in view of the interest lately taken in the
study of Australian Cuckoos, and the probability that what is true
of the habits of C. canoriis will be found to be true also of its local
representatives, it may be worth while to see what the author has
to say about the European bird. His conclusions may be summed
up thus : — • The Cuckoo finds foster-nests by the eye and by
noticing small birds building. It visits the nests before it is ready
to lay, and remembers where they are. The egg is deposited by
means of the bill when the nest allows of no other way, and it
chooses nests of the latter kind even in preference to ones it could
easily sit on. Most of the nests frequented by the Cuckoo are more
suited in point of construction and situation for bill-depositing than
for direct laying ; indeed, in most of the preferred nests bill-
depositing is the only method possible. Therefore it may be said
the Cuckoo deliberately chooses the indirect way in most cases,
even when the possibility of direct laying is not excluded. Bill-
depositing is therefore the normal way for the Cuckoo. The female
usually finds nest and deposits egg alone ; if the male does ever
accompany her it is from motives of jealousy only. The breeding
season lasts as long as the bird calls — 70 days on an average.
The -female arrives 8 or 10 days later than male. The first egg
is laid 20-25 days after first call heard. The Cuckoo lays about
eight eggs in a season, with about 6 days interval between each.
This length of interval may account for the bird not hatching its
own eggs. One is the normal number of the Cuckoo's eggs for one
nest. If there are more, it means suitable nests are scarce in pro-
portion to the Cuckoos looking for them. The same Cuckoo may
sometimes lay two eggs in the same nest. Three eggs in a nest is
the record. The Cuckoo chooses the species that has reared it. A
nest with one Cuckoo's egg first laid is usually deserted by the nest
birds. Exceptionally a Cuckoo's egg is found with a full clutch
of the foster-parent's ; here the Cuckoo has laid first. If it has
time to do it, the Cuckoo usually removes one or more foster-bird's
eggs when laying its own. It usually lays in nests containing fresh
eggs, but sometimes by error in sleeping or i)lay nests. After
the young Cuckoo is hatched the old female Cuckoo visits the nest
and removes the other eggs or young, as the case may be ; if she

94 From Magazines, &c. [ond"o(

Oct.

is prevented from visiting the nest the young Cuckoo throws out
the other young, but not the eggs. It gets under the other young,
loads them on to its back, which has a special hollow at the earliest
period of its life-history, and throws them backwards, lifting them
to the edge of the nest and out over it. The young Cuckoo cannot
do this till it is 3 or 4 days old. At 12 days the hollow in its back
and the desire to throw out the other young birds disappear together.
The young Cuckoo is usually found alone in the nest a short time
after hatching. The exceptions are — {a) When the Cuckoo's egg
is laid last and hatched after the other young ; (b) in the case of
nests in hollows, where it is impossible for the young Cuckoo to
throw the other inmates out. If there are two young Cuckoos
hatched in the same nest one throws the other out. The Cuckoo
has as much maternal love as any other bird, evidenced as follows :
— " As soon as the female Cuckoo has found a suitable nest to
deposit its egg in, and the egg is ripe for laying, it removes one or
more of the eggs in the nest and puts its own egg there. This action
is proof of the first exercise of care for her offspring on the part of
the female Cuckoo, since the intention is to make room for the
proper incubation of the Cuckoo's egg. Before incubation is com-
plete the female Cuckoo appears again to see whether her egg has
been hatched. If it has, she removes everything from the nest but
her own egg. She throws the foster-bird's eggs out and leaves
them almost always near or under the nest. She proceeds in a
similar way with the nestlings, but removes them with greater care,
with the result that the little birds are to be found at first near the
nest, soon afterwards further away, and finally not at all. In my
opinion the reason for this difference in the treatment of eggs and
young lies in this — that the eggs, being motionless, do not draw
the attention of the female Cuckoo upon themselves any further,
but the little birds, by moving after being thrown out, awaken the
suspicion in the female Cuckoo's mind that they may be able to
get up and creep back into the nest again. This action proves great
care — indeed, motherly love — which is the more striking when we
reflect that the mother has not to concern herself with one child
only but with a whole series of them, so must devote similar care
to each egg that she lays."

Reviews.

At least as important to the student of ornithology as a minute
acquaintance with the birds of his own country is a working know-
ledge of the relations in which those birds stand to the Ornis of
adjacent regions and the rest of the world, so that Australasian bird-
lovers should read with interest and profit the lengthy presidential
address of Col. W. V. Legge, F.Z.S., delivered 7th January, 1904,
at Dunedin, before the Biology Section of the Australasian Associa-
tion for the Advancement of Science, which now appears in print
in the form of an extract from the " Transactions " of that

Vol. V.

1905

J RevieivSi. Q 5

Association (B}' authority : John Mackay, Government Printer,
Welhngton, 1905, 68 pp.) The title of the address is " The Zoo-
geographical Relations of the Ornis of the Various Sub-Regions of
the ' Australian Region,' with the Geographical Distribution of
the Principal Genera Therein."

The "Australian Region" is that so classified by Dr. A. R.
Wallace in his work on " The Distribution of Animals." It in-
cludes four sub-regions — Australasia (Australia and Tasmania),
Austro-INIalaya (New Guinea, &c.), Polynesia, and New Zealand.
The first part of the address is a description of each of these four
sub-regions ornithologically considered. Each has, as is shown, its
specialized forms — Australasia its Lyre-Birds, Mound-raisers, Emus,
and Plain- Wanderer ; Austro-Malaya its Birds of Paradise, Crowned
Pigeons, and Long-tailed Kingfishers ; Polynesia the strange Pigeon
{Gnathodon), of Samoa, and the Kagu {Rhino chet us), of New Cale-
donia* ; New Zealand its peculiar Starling (Heteralocha), aberrant
Pitta {Xeniciis), Sheep-killing Parrot (Nestor), and the Kiwi
(Apteryx).

New Guinea is the focus of the Austro-Malayan sub-region.
Oriental elements enter in Celebes and Timor, each of which forms,
as it were, the arresting point for many Indian, Indo-Chinese, and
Indo-Malayan forms on their way towards Australia ; but Celebes,
in spite of its peculiarities, has greater affinity with our own region
than with the Oriental, hence we find it included by Wallace in
the former. The dividing line is not so arbitrary as it looks in the
map, for the strait between Bali and Lombok. through which the
line of severance between the Oriental and Austro-Malayan regions
runs, is very deep, and forms a real natural division.

New Guinea's relation to Australia is closest in the Passeriform
birds, naturally enough, as that is the largest order, but it would
be still closer were it not that our tropical vegetation in the north
is confined to but a small area. Australia once stretched out nearer
the island of Timor than it does now, and the existing relationship
is to be attributed to that time, for now the broad Arafura Sea
rolls between and stops Oriental forms coming on from Timor to us.

Colonel Legge divides the Polynesian sub-region into five groups —
(i) New Caledonia and neighbouring islands ; (2) Fiji and Samoa ;
(3) the Societies, Marquesas, and Low Archipelago ; (4) the
Carolines, Marshalls, and Ladrones ; (5) the Sandwich Islands ;

* It is a popular error to suppose that the Kagu is nocturnal in its habits. Mr.
H. E. Finckh, of Sydney, in writing to the editors regarding his birds in captivity,
states : — " My four Kagus go to roost as soon as it is dark, not at dusk. Between
dusk and dark they eat up any scraps of meat which may be about, which proves
that they look for their food when the worms come out at the evening. .Strange to
say, their egg is also always laid just when the dusk has changed into night. They
sleep very soundly. I often go into their run at night ; they never wake then, unless
disturbed, and I have often been surprised that they do not wake easier. I have
even removed their egg from under the sleeping bird without awaking the latter. I
have never found my birds about at night, and I always give them a final look before
I retire myself. I also frequently find them asleep early in the mornings, should I
hapjien to be up just before flaybreak, and even the brightest moonlight nights do
not alter matters."

96 Reviews. [,„f-o"ct.

and shows the relation of each group to the others and of the
sub-region as a whole to its neighbours.

The carinate Ornis of the Australasian sub-region is analyzed
more closely, and divided into four series of genera, namely —

1. Genera peculiar to Australia.

2. Typical Australian genera extending more or less into

adjoining sub- regions.

3. Typical Austro-Malayan genera represented by species in

Australia.

4. Wide-ranging genera penetrating to Australia through

Malaya, some being exclusively Oriental.

The fourth sub-region. New Zealand (including Lord Howe and
Norfolk Islands), is shown to be remarkable for the number of its
specialized forms and its generally aberrant Ornis. Colonel Legge
suggests that the present distribution of the Struthious birds, which
range from South America (Rhea) through New Zealand [Apteryx) to
Australia and Austro-Malaya (Emu and Cassowary), points to a
former land connection over the whole area, a conclusion to which
he is also assisted by the likeness in habits between Stringops (Owl-
Parrot) of New Zealand and Rhinochetns (Kagu) of New Caledonia,
though the birds in question are of widely different orders. The
former existence of the Moa there would indicate that New Zealand
was the central point from which the Struthious birds spread to
Australia on one side and South America on the other.

En passant, the efforts of the New Zealand Government towards
preservation of diminishing species are commended.

The second and longer part of the address deals with the
geographical distribution of families and genera in the Australian
Region. Land birds only, including as such the Herodiones
(Herons), Aleciorides (Cranes, &c.), and Fulicarice (Coots and
Rails), are dealt with, since the Limicolce (Plovers, &c.), Anseres
(Ducks and Geese), and Steganopodes (Cormorants, &c.), being
in the main birds of the littoral and of coastal waters, are of
no help in determining the ornithological relationships of land
areas.

The scope of this, as viewed by the author, can only be indicated
here and there, and where it chiefly concerns the species of the
Australasian Sub-region. Taken in conjunction with its large
area, Australia contains few birds of prey. The number of
species of diurnal Accipitres is 28, and that of nocturnal Striges
only 14. In comparison with these small totals the numbers in
limited areas in other parts of the world may be cited, such as
Ceylon with 32 F alcoves and 12 Striges ; Britain with 24 of the
former and 10 of the latter ; and if we compare the Indian Sub-
region, with its 60 diurnal birds of prey, our Australian list is
small indeed. One notes that the most recent addition to our
Accipitres is Biitastiir teesa, said to occur sporadically in New
South Wales.

It is the great order of Perching-Birds, the members of which
far outnumber those of any other order, through which the relations

Vol. V.l D •

1905 J Reviews. 97

of the Australasian Ornis are better established with those of the
adjacent sub-regions than through other orders.

Of the family of Drongos there is one Australasian species, Chibia
hracteata. Chibia is a genus which is almost purely Austro-Malayan,
six out of the nine known species inhabiting that sub-region. In
the family of Wood-Shrikes, the Magpie-Larks {Grallina) connects
New Guinea and Australia, as a congener — G. hruijni — of our
well-known bird inhabits the mountains in Papua. The Shrike-
Thrushes {CoUyriocincla) are almost exclusively Australasian, one —
C. brnnnea — only straying to New Guinea. The allied genus
{Pinarplestes) has, however, a wider range — from Australasia to
Austro-Mala3i'a and Polynesia, where seven species and sub-species
are found. As Australasia has only three species, the genus is
chiefly Polynesian. Regarding the Cuckoo-Shrikes, which are
mainly distributed from India to Eastern Papuasia. there are two
small genera, Pteropodocys and Campochcera, confined to Australasia
and New Guinea respectively. They are followed in the arrange-
ment by Graucahis, with many species strongly located in the
Austro-Malayan region and fairly so in Australasia.

The genera Gerygone, Arses, M achcerorhynchiis, Microeca, Pcecilo-
dryas, and Malurits are all common to Australasia and Austro-
Malaya. Out of the many known species of the last-mentioned, all
are restricted to Australia save one — M. albiscapiilatus of New
Guinea. A characteristic feature of the Australian Ornis is the
scanty distribution of the Thrushes (Turdidce) within the region.
There are, however, three or four species of Ground-Thrushes
{Geocichla) in the Australasian Sub-region. It is not till we come
to the sub-family Ptilonorhynchince (Bower-Birds) that we meet
with Australian representation in the Timeliidae. Five genera of
these remarkable birds are Australasian, two of them being also
found in Papuasia, while an additional one is exclusively Papuan.
The Ephthianura deserves passing notice. These little Chats form
one of the typical groups of smaller birds highly characteristic of
Australia. They live upon the ground and are insectivorous, and,
according to Colonel Legge, have no affinity in habits and mode
of life to the other birds in the group in which they have been
placed by systematists.

In his interesting remarks in reference to the dispersion of the
Tree-creepers and Nuthatches, the author comes to our Australian
Creeper, Climacteris, of which several species are found on the
continent. As C. riifa has generally been considered to be purely
Australian, it would be interesting to have Colonel Legge's authority
for the statement that it has wandered north to the Phili})pines.
The Meliphagidce, or honey-loving birds, taken in their natural
sequence, occuj)y many very instructive pages of the address. An
Asiatic vSwallow {Hirundo giitturalis) is mentioned as a straggler
to Northern Australia. The Wood-Swallows (Artamits), which are
a most puzzling form of birds, are almost wholly Australasian, two
species only having ranged outwards to Indo-Malaya and the
Indian and Indo-Chinese Sub-regions of the Oriental Region. In

9o Reviezvs. \

Emu
2nd Oct.

the AtrichidcB (Scrub-Birds) and Memiridce (Lj^-e-Birds) there are
two remarkable specialized Australasian forms.

No Australasian form is more widely found in Polynesia than
the familiar Halcyon.

It . is extremely interesting to find that the European Cuckoo
ranges as near to us as Timor, whilst its Asiatic prototype, C.
intermedius, visits the northern parts of Australia. The genus
Cacomantis (short-winged, typical Cuckoos) is a Malayan and
Papuan form, extending on the one hand to India and on the other
to Fiji. In Australasia there are three species. The focus of the
pretty little Bronze-Cuckoos {Chalcococcyx) is New Guinea.

Of the perplexing Plain-Wanderer (Pcdionomus) Colonel Legge
says that its dissimilar habits and Limicoline eggs almost warrant
its separation from the TurnicidtB and placing in a separate family,
Pedionomidce. And by parity of reasoning might not the genus
Zosterops, with its 86 species, be removed from the Meliphagidce,
from which it exhibits so many points of difference ?

In the order FidicaricB, which is full of fascinating interest, the
RallidcB are fairly represented in Australia. Regarding the stray
Native-Hen [Microtrihonyx) being procured at sea between Tasmania
and the Auckland Islands, may it not have escaped from ship-
board ?

The conclusions at which Colonel Legge arrives from his con-
sideration of the geographical distribution of species in the Aus-
tralian Region are as follow : —

" I. Australasian and Austro-Malaj^an are the most closely allied
sub-regions. The typical families showing this alliance are Meli-
phagidce, Muscicapidce, Campophagida, Laniida, Pittidce, LoriidcB,
MegapodidcB, ArdeidcB.

" 2. The relations between Australia and Polynesia are mainly
through Meliphagidce, Muscicapidce, Laniidcc.

" 3. Between Austro-Malaya and Polynesia we find affinity
through the Meliphagidce, Muscicapidce, Loriidce, Peristeridce,
Treronidce.

" 4. Between Polynesia and New Zealand through the genera
Rhipidura, Cyanorhamphiis, Urodynamis, Notophoyx.

" 5. Between New Zealand and Australia through the genera
Rhipidura, Pseudogerygone, Zosterops (doubtful).

" In the foregoing I have not included certain genera of wide
range, species of which are found throughout the various sub-
divisions of the Australian Region."

It is to be regretted that Wallace did not choose a wider name
than " Australian " for the whole region. One has got used to
considering Australasia as including Australia, and when the pro-
cess has to be reversed it means a pitfall for the unwary ornithologist.

Some errors have appeared in Col. Legge's paper, owing, as the
author explains, to his not having been furnished with proofs in
due time. He had not time to make necessary corrections, and
did rot see a proof of his map. Hence inaccuracies have occurred
which the author deeply regrets. Thus " Australian " is given as

^°905^''] Reviews. 99

the title of the Australasian Sub-region in this map, and on page
218, by some misunderstanding, the titles are transposed. Again,
the omission of the Order Picarice preceding the genus Sywa, and
the misplacing the genus Heteromyias among the Shrike-Tits on
page 225, have been unfortunate, as also the misprint " Geopsit-
tacits," for Neopsittacus, page 269, and the habitat " south" instead
of north {or Alcyone pusilla and A. ptilchra, page 263.

But Col. Legge's work deserves to have a much greater publicity
than it is likely to obtain in the somewhat unattractive form of a
" reprint," and one hopes that the author may at some future
date be able to see his Vv'ay to publish it as an independent
contribution to the science of ornithology in Australasia. Purely
local observation and study have too often a tendency towards
narrowness and lack of system, a tendency against which the
thoughtful study of such a work as this acts as the best kind of
corrective.

AMERICAN BIRDS.

[" The Birds of North and Middle America : a Descriptive Catalogue of the
Higher Groups, Genera, Species, and Sub-Species of Birds Known to Occur in North
America, from the Arctic Lands to the Isthmus of Panama, the West Indies, and
other Islands of the Caribbean Sea, and the Galapagos Achipelago." By Robert
Ridgway.]

This great reference work, which is issued as a " Bulletin of the
United States National Museum, No. 50," has reached Part IIL
The parts are substantial volumes (octavo size) of over 700 or
800 pages each. Part I., issued in igoi, included the Finch
Family alone. Part II., issued 1902, included the Families
Tanagers, Troupials, Honey-creepers, and Wood- Warblers, while
the present Part (III.), issued 1904, comprises Wagtails and
Pipits, Swallows, Waxwings, Silky Flycatchers, Palm-Chats, Vireos,
Shrikes, Crows, and Jays, Titmice, Nuthatches, Creepers, Wrens,
Dippers, Wren-Tits, and Warblers.

These three volumes contain the descriptions of about 1,250
species and sub-species, or about two-fifths of the total number of
North and Middle American birds. The completed work is
expected to run into eight or ten volumes. This gigantic task
has been looming before the author for nearly a quarter of a century,
and, so far as can be judged by the present parts, whether as literary
or scientific work, it is simply beyond the pale of criticism. Only
an ornithological giant could possibly attempt to raise such a
monument. Think of the synonyms alone of the work — what a
laborious task ! — not to mention drudgery of comi)ilation.

In view of a systematic list of Australian birds the following may
be quoted with advantage from Professor Ridgway's preface : —

" The question of whether a given form should be considered as
a species or a sub-species is very much a matter of material, both
from a geographic and a numerical point of view. The greater the
number of closely related forms, hitherto regarded as specifically dis-
tinct, that are examined — especially when representing intermediate
localities — the fewer becomes the number of those which are really

lOO Reviezvs. f f"n\

^^^-^ |_2"Q Oct.

specifically distinct. As in the case of genera, very different extremes
are often connected by a series of intergrading forms, approaching one
or the other of the extreme types exactly in proportion to their
geographical position between them ; and other forms much less
different appear to be really distinct through absence of ' intergrades.'
In determining questions of this class, the author has exercised the
fullest independence, without reference, so far as North American
forms are concerned, to the rulings of the committee of the American
Ornithologists' Union ; not from lack of confidence in the committee's
judgment, but from a full knowledge of the unsatisfactory conditions
as to time and material under which their conclusions were usually
reached. Satisfactory decisions affecting the status of described but
still dubious forms is a question both of material and investigation,
and the author holds that no conclusion in such a matter should be
accepted unless based upon an amount of material and careful investi-
gation equal to that bestowed by the original describer.

" Recognizing the fact that in the present stage of zoological nomen-
clature trinomials are a ' necessary evil,' the author has not hesitated
to use them when such relationship was clearly indicated by the
evidence. He has not, however, often done so on theoretical grounds,
because, in the first place, the facts when known may or may not
justify the step, and in the second because a binomial is preferable
to a trinomial when there is any good excuse for its adoption. The
greatest difficulty in deciding questions of this kind is in the case of
insular forms, among which occur every possible degree of difference
between related forms inhabiting different islands, so that it not
only becomes largely a matter of individual judgment as to which
should be given specific and which sub-specific rank, but furthermore
the distinction made must, in the case of any author, necessarily be
more or less arbitrary, since no ' hard and fast rule ' for determining
such questions seems possible.

" As observed before, the more familiar one becomes with the subject
through the medium of specimens representing continuous geographic
sequence of localities the fewer in number really distinct species become,
and what have long been considered such resolve themselves, one by
one, into a connected series of sub-specific forms, each representing a
definite geographic area of more or less marked peculiarites of topo-
graphy, climate, or other physical features. Such forms are fixed, or
' true,' over territory of uniform physical character, the intergrades
coming from the meeting ground of two such areas. Such a group of
conspecific forms may aptly be compared to the colours of the solar
spectrum, which form a graded scale from red, through orange, yellow,
green, and blue, to violet, with intermediate hues of greater or less
number, according to the nature of the case requiring their indication
by name. These colours of the spectrum, though imperceptibly running
into one another, are obviously distinct, and the necessity of recog-
nizing them by name has never been questioned.

" To carry the comparison still further, a certain species may include
six sub-species or conspecific forms, which for convenience inay be
designated by the sub-specific names rubra, aurantiaca, flava, viridis,
cyanea, and violacea. Intermediates between these might be designated
as rubro-aurantiaca (or auranitaco-rnbra , according to which form the
intermediate most resembles), aurantiaco-flava (or flavo-aurantiaca),
fiavo-viridis, viridi-cyanea, and cyaneo-violacea — i.e., red-orange (or
orange-red), orange-yellow (or yellow-orange), yellow-green, green-
blue, and blue-violet of the colour scale. The necessity for such a

Vol. V.

Iy05

J Reviews.

lOI

nomcnclatui-e is just as great in zoology (and botany) as in chroma-
tography ; and to ignore this necessity is neither scientiiic nor sensible,
but on the other hand is nothing less than suppression or pervex'sion
of an obvious truth. The only question that can possibly exist in the
mind of those who have this matter to deal with is the degree of
difference which should be recognized in nomenclature, and in this
respect there is excuse for more or less difference of opinion, according
to one's ability to discern differences and estimate the degree of their
constancy, the extent and character of material studied, and the
amount of time which has been devoted to its investigation. No
doubt many of the forms which the author has recognized as sub-
species in the present work may appear trivial to others, especially
those who have not had advantage of the material upon which they
are based ; but in all cases it has been the author's desire to express
exactly the facts as they appear to him in the light of the evidence
examined, without any regard whatever to preconceived ideas, either
of his own or of others, and without consideration of the inconvenience
which may result to those who are inclined to resent innovations,
forgetful of the fact that knowledge cannot be complete until all is
known. This question of species and sub-species and their nice dis-
crimination is not the trivial matter that some who claim a broader
view of biological science affect to believe. It is the very foundation
of more advanced scientific work ; and without secure foundation no
architect, howcxer skilful, can rear a structure that will endure."

Australasian Ornithologists' Union.

Rough Minutes of 32ND Meeting of the Council of the A.O.U.,

HELD AT the RESIDENCE OF Dr. C. S. RvaN, T^J CoLLINS-STREET,

17TH August, 1905.

Correspondence was received from the following : —

The Hon. the Premier of Tasmania, stating -that he was in com-
munication with the Hon. the Premier of New Zealand with a view
to co-operating with regard to the protection of Penguins at Mac-
quarie and other islands south of New Zealand, as desired by the
Council of the A.O.U.

The President of the Marine Board of South Australia wrote stating
that he would have pleasure in meeting the desire of the Council of
the A.O.U. as far as possible, in that they would place the steamer
Governor Miisgrave at the disposal of the Council and members of the
A.O.U. attending the Annual Session, and would convey them to the
" camp-out " at Kangaroo Island, at the same time pointing out that
the steamer did not usually visit Kangaroo Island until December,
but that they would arrange to make their trip fit in with the time
of the Session programme. He also enclosed a plan of Kangaroo
Island.

Mr. J. W. Mellor also wrote, informing the hon. sec. that he had
ascertained that Middle River would be the most advanttigeous site
for the camp-out, both as regard the suitability for landing and the
study of the avifauna of the island.

The president, Captain Hutton, F.R.S., wrote from England, staling
that he had unfortunately been unable to attend the first meeting ol
the International Ornithological Congress held in England, but had
attended the second meeting, and found that Mr. F. M. Littler, F.E.S.,

IQ2 Austi'alasian Ornithologists'' Union. I 2nd"oct

who had been appointed co-delegate, had been representing the Union,
and he (Captain Hutton) had thought it best to leave the representa-
tion in his hands.

A communication was read from Mr. A. G. Campbell relative to his
" Dichotomous Key," in which he stated that the Key would cover
about 40 pages of The Emu. After a lengthy discussion it was decided
to print the Key as a supplement to The Emu.

The hon. sec. pointed out the desirability of having the Union's
journal copyrighted so as to include the copyright of the " Dichotomous
Key," which matter was left to the hon. editors.

Letters were read and dealt with from the following : — F. M. Littler,
W. Pidsley, A. Fowler, L. Harrison, T. W. Richards, A. Grossman,
C. F. Belcher, and the Director Field Columbian Museum, Chicago.

The following new members were duly enrolled : — L. Harrison,
Sydney ; F. K. Calder, Fremantle ; E. Brooke Nicholls and C. P.
Kinane, Melbourne.

Mr. Robert Hall, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., at the desire of the Council, kindly
consented to give his lecture " A Naturalist's Tour in Siberia and the
East," at the forthcoming Annual Session in Adelaide.

It was decided that in the event of the president. Captain Hutton,
F.R.S., being unable to write a presidential address, owing to his
absence in Europe, the task would therefore devolve upon one of the
vice-presidents, and that Dr. Charles Ryan be asked to be good
enough to assist the Council by preparing an address.

South Australian Ornithological Association.

The bi-monthly meeting of the South Australian Ornithological
Association was held at Dr. A. M. Morgan's residence, Adelaide, on
Friday evening, 7th July, 1905. Mr. F. R. Zietz presided over a good
attendance.

Mr. J. W. Mellor reported that the Australasian Ornithologists'
Union Congress would meet in Adelaide during October, and that ii
was the intention of the Union to hold an excursion to Kangaroo
Island. It was resolved to assist the Union in every way to make the
Congress a success.

Mr. F. R. Zietz read some interesting notes upon the crossing of
various species of Australian Finches in England, resulting in some
curious hybrids.

Mr. J. W. Mellor drew the attention of the members to the fact of
a second Moa's egg having been found in New Zealand recently, the
first specimen having been unearthed forty years ago. It was sold for

;^IOO.

The chief business of the evening consisted of the examination and
discussion of the Honey-eater genus Melithreptus. Mr. A. H. C.
Zietz, F.L.S., showed specimens of nearly all the species found in
Australia, and gave some interesting notes upon them, especially in
reference to a new species found recently by Mr. F. R. Zietz on
Kangaroo Island, and which had been described by Mr. A. J. North,
of the Sydney Museum, and designated the Long-billed Honey-eater
(ilf. magftirostris), its nearest ally being the Brown-headed Honey-
eater (A/, brevirostris). Mr. Zietz also showed a pair of Chestnut-
bellied Quail {Excalfactoria lincata), got at Dismal Gully, near Victor
Harbovir, S.A., and a specimen of the Oriental Pratincole {Glareola
orientalis) from Milang, S.A. Mr. J. W. Mellor exhibited a specimen of

I905 J South Australidii ()> )iitliological Association. \OX

the Red-eyed Honey-eater {Melithreptus liinidatus) and the cup -shaped
pendent nest of the Black-lhroated Honey-eater {M. gularis), and a
specimen of the Blue Kingfisher {Alcyone aziirea). He also reported
that quite a number of native birds, not regularly seen, had this
season put in an appearance at the Reed-Beds, near Adelaide, and were
enjoying the strict protection accorded them by the residents gener-
ally, notably large numbers of the Magpie-Larks {Grallina picata),
Dusky Wood-Swallows (Artamus sordidiis), Yellow-rumped Diamond-
Birds {Pardalotiis xanthopygius), Mistletoe-Birds {Dicceum hirundin-
accum), Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrikes (Graucahis mclanops), Varied
Cuckoo-Shrikes {G. mentalis), and the Flame-breasted Robin [Petrwca
piia-nicea) had not long since returned from Tasmania, while the Tree
Martin {Petrochelidon nigricans), through being protected and given
places wherein to keep snug in winter, had remained in the district all
the year round. Honey-eaters were also numerous in varied species,
some of wliich had not been seen for several years past. Mr. F. R.
Zietz showed a number of sternum bones of rare birds. Dr. Morgan
exhibited oological specimens, notably the eggs of several of the
Melithrepti, and also a bright blue Kingfisher from the Philippine
Islands. Captain S. A. White reported that numbers of Whistling
Eagles {Haliastur sphenurns) and Striped Brown Hawks {Hicracidca
berigora) had lately taken up their abode on his property at the
Reed-Beds, and were proving highly beneficial in killing young rabbits
— a fact that should afford them protection from being ruthlessly shot
and 'killed. Captain White also pointed out the absence of the Land
Rail {Hypotcenidia p/iiiippinensis) this year, and as a consequence
caterpillars and wire-worms were extremely plentiful, ravaging the
vegetable crops.

Bird Observers' Club.

The third meeting of the Club was held on the 14th June, at the
residence of Mr. A. J. Campbell, Armadale. About a dozen members
were present, Mr. Campbell being voted to the chair. Miss H. Bowie,
Dr. C. S. Ryan, Dr. G. Home, and Mr. E. Scott were elected members.
The figure of the male Blue Wren was adopted as the emblem of the
Club. The following papers were read and discussed : — " Notes from
Kyabram," by C. F. Belcher ; " Note on White-bellied Storm-Petrel,"
by G. E. Shepherd ; "A Moorland Pool," by C. L. Barrett. Mr. Robt.
Hall made some interesting remarks on rare skins, which he exhibited,
while Mr. A. G. Campbell illustrated his " Dichotomous Key " by the
genera Strepera and Melithreptus.

The fourth meeting of the B.O.C., which took the form of dinner at
Oxford Chambers, Melbourne, was held on the 19th July. After
dinner there was the usual monthly meeting, Mr. D. Le Souef
occupying the chair. Mr. Fred. Lirtacre was elected a member. A
table of field excursions was arranged. The papers read were : —
" Pardalotes Nesting," illustrated by photographs, by C. P. Kinane ;
"Fruit-eating Birds," by A. G, Campbell; and "A Day at the You
Yangs," by F. P. Godfrey. Mr. A. G. Campbell exhibited a series of
Pardalote skins, and Mr. F. P. Godfrey a nest of the White-bearded
Honey-eater taken at midwinte> (July).

The usual monthly meeting (fifth) took place at the residence of Mr.
Donald Macdonald, Balaclava, on the 23rd August. Through the
hospitality of Mr. and Mrs. Macdonald, fourteen members sat down to

104 Bttd Observers' Club. Lsnd'oct

dinner. At the meeting afterwards the host was voted to tlie chair.
After discussion it was resolved to Umit the twenty-five memberships
for the present to gentlemen, but lady associates would be admitted
up to the number of five. The following papers were read and
discussed: — :" A Trip to the West," by E. B. Nicholls ; "A Trip to
Gembrook," by E. J. Christian; "On the Ejectment of Young by
the Cuckoo," by A. Mattingley. Mr. C. L. Barrett exhibited two
types of Scrub-Wrens' eggs, Mr. A G. Campbell skins of various
Acanthizas, while the host showed numbers of interesting trophies
obtained during his trying experiences in the memorable siege of
Ladysmith, notably a portion of a dark " mealy " loaf — his last day's
ration served in the beleaguered city.

Notes and Notices.

" A Dichotomous Key to the Birds of Australia" is issued as a
" Supplement " to this number of The Emu. Any members re-
quiring extra copies of the " Su})plement " may have them at one
shining each (postage extra) on application to the hon. sec. of the
A.O.U.

A conference, representing New South Wales, Victoria, and
South Australia, was held in Melbourne recently to deal with the
question of the Murray River fisheries. Amongst resolutions agreed
to was the following : — " That it be recommended that action be
taken by each of the States with a view to the destruction of Shags,
Pelicans, and turtles in inland waters."

At a meeting of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria held 14th
August, 1905, Mr. H. J. Coles stated that during the past few
weeks seventeen Grass- Owls (Strix Candida) had been forwarded to
him from various localities. Fifteen of the birds had been picked
up dead, and were in very poor condition.

In connection with the next (Adelaide) Annual Session of the
A.O.U., the hon. sec, Mr. A. E. Mattingley (address, Custom-House,
Melbourne) has issued the following circular : —

" The fifth Annual Congress of the Australasian Ornithologists'
Union will be held in Adelaide from nth to 13th of October, and
the Council would be glad if as many members as possible were
to attend. Thereafter (on the 14th October) will be a ' working
excursion ' to and ' camp-out ' at Kangaroo Island, for about
10 days. Those who intend to camp wiU need to bring blankets
and eating utensils ; other necessities will be supplied. Members
leaving Melbourne by evening express on the loth October can
obtain a return ticket through the hon. secretary at the cost of
£2 5s. It is the intention of the President of the Marine Board of
South Australia to ]ilace the steamer Governor Miisgrave, which will
be visiting Kangaroo Island, at the disposal of members who intend
camping out. The total cost of the ' camp-out ' will therefore be
about ;^i or £1 5s. The hon. secretary would be glad to know if
you will be able to attend, and the title of the paper, if any, you
desire to contribute to the Congress."

Supplement to " The Euiu,'' Vol. F., Oct., 1905.

A DICHOTOMOUS KEY to the BIRDS of AUSTRALIA.

By A. G. CAMPBELL, Melbourne.

INTRODUCTION.

The plan of this Key is founded upon the system first ap])iied by a
savant named Lamarck to plants ; but it will prove easily workable
in all branches of natural history. The idea of dichotomy aims at
selecting two contrasted characters. By eliminating that which
does not apply to the specimen under notice, and by passing on to
the next two characters indicated by the number in the margin,
the name is finally reached.

The system has a fascination of its own which will be readily
appreciated after a short acquaintance.

No previous knowledge of bird life is necessary with this Key,
though it might be well to point out the exact meanings of the
terms in use : —

The culmen is the ridge of the upper bill or mandible, and
the measurement of this is taken from the feathers at the
base to the tip.
The tarsus is the shank bone from the middle of the knee to

the middle of the ankle.
The wing is measured from the point of the shoulder to the

tip of the longest outside feathers or primaries.
Wing and tail feathers have all a narrow outer web and a wide

inner web, which may be differently marked.
The lores are the spaces between the eyes and the base of the

l)ill.
The cere is only found in a few genera, and is the membrane
bare of feathers at the base of the bill.
All other characters will explain themselves. It is essential,
however, that they be interpreted strictly as written, not confusing
forehead with crown, which is the whole top of the head, nor back
w'ith rump, nor breast or flanks with throat or abdomen. But such
terms as plumage, upper surface, under surface, and licad have
general value only. All measurements, especially those of total
length and wing, it must be understood, may vary somewhat with
different districts and skins.

4 Introduction.

The Directions for working the Key are simple :

Starting at No. i, select the character that applies to the specimen ;
take the number on the right-hand margin; turn to that, and
proceed until the name is reached. Should a wrong turn
be taken, the operator is soon aware of the fact by meeting
characters that obviously do not apply to the specimen
under notice.
A little practice soon makes one expert in the simple art of
observation.

Should the genus of the bird, however, be known, the index will
quickly show from what number the species can be worked out.

Complete descriptions after the name of each species might add
to the completeness of this Key, but as these already exist in " The
British Museum Catalogue of Birds " and in " A Key to the Birds
of Australia," by Robert Hall, reference, if required, might be
made to them. I have to acknowledge the help of both these.
The habitats indicated in the latter will be extremely useful.

In offering this little work to the members of the Australasian
Ornithologists' Union, it is done in the hope that the}' will not
hesitate to give any advice that may improve the Key, especially
with the view of making it applicable to work in the open, without
the destruction of bird life.

A. G. CAMPBELL.

Melbourne, 2nd October, 1905.

DICHOTOMOUS KEY TO THE BIRDS OF AUSTRALIA.

1. Wings reduced ; flightless . . . . . . . . . , 2

Wings developed for flight (except Biziitra, No. 80) . . . . 6

2. Found in the sea ; web-footed. Penguins. 3
Terrestrial . . . . . . . . . . . . 4

3. Longer than 20 inches ; crested.

Catarrhactes chrysocome (Crested Penguin).
Shorter than 20 inches ; not crested.

Endyptida minor (Little Penguin).

4. Fleshy helmet on head ; bill narrow.

Casuarius anstralis (Cassowary).
Xo fleshy helmet ; bill broad. Drom.eus. Emus. 5

5. Feathers uniform grey with black tips. D. novce-JioUandice (Emu).
Feathers barred, silky white and dark grey.

D. irroratiis (Spotted Emu).

6. Swimmers : web-looted or with lateral lobes - . . . . 7
Waders (with partial membranes between toes) and Land birds . . 105

7. With lateral lobes to toes . . . . . . . . . . 8

Web-footed (except Cladorhynchus, No. iig, and Recurvirostra,

No. 140, Waders with very long, thin legs ; tarsus 3 inches) 11

8. General colour black. Fidica anstralis (Coot).
General colour white and brown. Podiceps. Grebes

9. Length 20 inches. P. cristatus (Tippet Grebe)
Length 10 inches

10. Chin and throat black, with chestnut stripe down each side of neck

P. novce-hollandice (Black-throated Grebe)
Head black or brown ; in summer with white hair-like feathers

P. poliocephalus (Hoary-headed Grebe)

11. Nostrils running out in short or long tubes
Nostrils simple openings

12. Nostrils united or nearly so above beak
Nostrils distinct and separate

13. Length about 8 inches ; second primary longest. Storm-Petrels
Length 12 inches or more ; first primary longest or not shorter

than second. Petrels

14. Basal joint of middle toe much flattened. Cymodroma
Basal joint of middle toe not flat

15. Centre of abdomen white like flanks.

C. grallaria (White-bellied Storm-Petrel)
Centre of abdomen black.

C. melanogaslra (Bhick-tx'llii'd Storm-Petrcl)

10

12

49
13
42

14

18

15
16

6 Campbell, DicJwtomous Key.

i6. Under surface all white ; claws flattened and wide.

Pelagodroma marina (White-faced Storm-Petrel).
Under surface not all white ; claws sharp . . . . . . 17

17. Head, neck, and chest sooty-grey.

Garrodia nereis (Grey-backed Storm-Petrel).

Plumage sooty-black, except upper and under tail coverts, which

are white. Oceanites oceanicus (Yellow-webbed Storm-Petrel).

18. Length about 12 inches ; upper surface bluish ; under surface

white ; tarsus bluish ; nasal tube short . . . . 19

Plumage mostly uniform or not bluish and white ; tarsus flesh
colour or black ; nasal tube long or strong ; hook of bill
large . . . . . . . . . . • • 23

19. Bill black ; first and second primary equal in length.

Halobcena ccernlea (Blue Petrel).
Bill bluish ; first primary longest. Prion. Dove-Petrels. 20

20. Bill broad ; edges of upper mandible convex . . . . 21
Bill narrow ; edges of upper mandible straight . . . . 22

21. Width of bill .7 to .8 inches ; palate plates visible when bill is shut.

P. vittatus (Broad-billed Dove-Petrel).
Width of bill .5 inches ; palate plates only visible near gape.

P. banksi (Banks Dove-Petrel).

22. Crown of head darker than back. P. desolatus (Dove-Petrel).
Crown of head not darker than back. P. ariel (Fairy Dove- Petrel).

23. Length 34 inches ; plumage dark brown ; bill horn colour.

Ossifraga gigantea (Giant Petrel).
Characters otherwise . . . . . . . . . . 24

24. Length 16 inches ; back mottled black and white.

Daption capensis (Cape Petrel).
Back uniform . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

25. Both nostrils visible from above : bill black or flesh colour.

PUFFINUS. 26
Nostrils united in a single opening or almost so ; nasal tube stout or

turned upward . . . . . . . . . . 32

26. Plumage sooty only . . . . . . . . . . 27

Plumage sooty above, white beneath . . . . . . 30

27. Legs and bill black ; wing 10.5 inches

P. tcnuirostris (Short-tailed Petrel, Mutton-Bird).
Legs flesh colour ; bill not all black . . . . . , . . 28

28. Tail wedge-shaped, 5 inches ; wing 11.6 inches.

P. chlororhynchus (Wedge-tailed Petrel).
Tail rounded, 4 inches ; wing 12 inches . . . . . . 29

29. Under wing coverts ashy-white with dark shafts : bill dark.

P. griseus (Sombre Petrel).
Plumage sooty throughout ; liill flesh colour, except tip.

P. cariieipes (Fleshy-footed Petrel).

30. Tail wedge-shaped, 5.5 inches long.

P. leucomelas (White-fronted Petrel).
Tail rounded, about 2.5 inches . . . . . . . . 31

31. Total length 12 inches : under wing sooty.

P. gavia (Forster Petrel).

.Supplement to " The Emu." 7

Total length 10.5 inches ; under wing white.

P. assimilis (Allied Petrel).

32. Shank compressed, with sharp front edge . . . . • • 33
Shank normal, rounded on front edge . . . . . . 34

33. Plumage greyish-brown ; 12 tail feathers.

Priofiniis cinereus (Brown Petrel).
Forehead and under surface white ; 14 tail feathers.

Priocella glacialoidcs (Silvery-grey Petrel).

34. Upper and under surfaces similar sooty-black ; bill long, stout,

not dark. Majaqueus. 35

Bill stout, black, hook large. OEstrelata. 36

35. Chin and band over crown white.

M. cequinoctialis (Spectacled Petrel).
Plumage sooty-black throughout. M. parkinsoni (Black Petrel).

36. Under surface sooty . . . . . . . . • • 37

Under surface light . . . . . . . . . . 38

37. Plumage sooty-brown. (E. rnacroptera (Great-winged Petrel).
Plumage greyish-sooty. (E. solandri (Brown-headed Petrel).

38. Face and forehead white . . . . . . . . • • 39

Face and foi-ehead like upper surface . . . . . . 41

39. Whole head white, except eye. (E. lessoni (White-headed Petrel).
Face, forehead, and under surface white . . . . . . 40

40. Upper surface dark slaty-black.

(E. leucoptera (White-winged Petrel).
Upper surface greyish-black ; crown much darker than back.

(E. cooki (Cook Petrel).

41. Throat white : wing 10.3 inches ; tarsus 1.4 inches.

(E. mollis (Soft-plumaged Petrel).
Throat dark like back ; wing 11 inches ; tarsus 1.75 inches.

(E. rostrata (Peale Petrel).

42. Wing 4.7 inches ; nostrils opening upward.

Pelecanoides urinatrix (Diving Petrel).
Wing 20 inches or more ; nostrils opening forward. Albatrosses. 43

43. Plumage sooty ; tail long, wedge-shaped ; bill black.

Phccbetria fidiginosa (Sooty Albatross).

Plumage light coloured ; tail short, rounded . . . . 44

44. Side of bill without furrow. Diomedea. 45
Side of bill with deep furrow. Thalassogeron. 47

45. Head white (crown and back sooty in 3/outh) . . . . . . 46

Head buff (young all sooty-brown with chin paler) ; wing 22 inches.

D. albatrus (Short-tailed Albatross).

46. Middle of back white in age (sooty in young, which has forehead and

face white) ; wing 25 inches.

D. exidans (Wandering Albatross).
Middle of back slaty-black ; wing 20 inches.

D. melanophrys (Black-browed Albatross).

47. Lores not much darker than crown ; bill boldly coloured yellow

and black . . . . . . . . . . . . 48

Lores greyish-black : bill pale colour.

T. cautiis (White-capped Albatross).

8 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

48. Lower edge of lower bill horn colour (head dark grey, bill brownish-

black in youth). T. cuhninatiis (Flat-billed Albatross).

Base only and not lower edge of bill yellow.

T. chlororhynchiis (Yellow-nosed Albatross).

49. Three toes webbed, hind toe free . . . . . . . . 50

All four toes united one to the other by webs . . . . . , 91

50. Upper beak sharp and straight or hooked . . . . . . 51

Upper beak flattened and with nail-like tip. Ducks. 73

51. Claws feeble ; bill without membrane (cere) at base . . . . 52
Claws large and hooked ; bill with naked cere at base. Skuas. 71

52. Both mandibles about equal in length and slender. Terns. 53
Upper mandible hooked over lower. Gulls. 70

53. Outside tail feathers longest . . . . . . . , . . 54

Outside tail feathers shortest . . . . . . . . 64

54. Tarsus short comparatively . . . . . . .... 55

Tarsus very slender, 1.6 inches long.

Gelochelidon anglica (Gull-billed Tern).

55. Bill slender ; tail half length of wing. Sterna. 56
Bill very stout (red) ; tail less than half wing.

Hydroprogne caspia (Caspian Tern).

56. Total length not more than 14 inches ; wing to 9 inches . . . . 57
Total length 14 to 20 inches ; wing 10 to 14 inches . . . . 59

57. Crown black in breeding plumage ; forehead white, bill and legs

yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 58

Crown always white ; nape of neck black ; bill and legs black.

S melanauchen (Black-naped Tern).

58. Lores white. 5. nereis (White-faced Ternlet).
Lores black. 5. sinensis (White-shafted Ternlet).

59. Back and rump umber or black . . . . . . . . 60

Back and rump pale to dark grey . . . . . . . . 61

60. Back and rump umber (under parts white in young).

S. ancestheta (Panayan Tern).
Back and rump black (under parts dark brown in young).

S. fidiginosa (Sooty Tern).

61. Forehead black to base of beak . . . . . . . . 62

Forehead white ; crown black (mottled white when immature) 63

62. Pale grey above ; rose tinge on white breast ; wing 9.3 inches ;

bill orange (black in youth) ; legs red.

S. doiigalli (Roseate Tern).

Plumage grey above ; wing 12 inches ; bill orange or red ; legs

black. S. media (Lesser Crested Tern).

63. Bill greenish- yellow ; legs blackish ; wing 14 inches

5. bergii (Crested Tern).
Bill black ; legs red ; wing 11. 3 inches.

5. frontalis (White-fronted Tern).

64. Plumage white or white and grey . . . . . . . . 65

Plumage grey or chocolate-brown or sooty . . . . . . 67

65. Plumage pure white. ^^Vgw Candida (White Tern).
Upper surface grey ; cap and flanks black. Hydrochelidon. 66

66. Wing 9.5 inches. H. hybrida (Marsh Tern).

Supplonent to " The Emu." ' g

Wing 8.2 inches. H . Iciicoptera (White-winged Tern).

67. General colour grey. Procelstonia ci)icrca (Grey Noddy).
General colour chocolate-brown or sooty . . . . . . 68

68. Length 12 or 13 inches ; bill slender ]\Iicranous. 69
Length 16 inches; bill strong. Anoiis stoHdus (Nodd}^).

69. Bill 1.75 inches : crown ashy-grey ; lores and cheeks grey.

M. tenuirostris (Lesser Noddy).
Bill 2 inches ; crown white ; lores and cheeks black.

M. leucocapillus (White-capped Noddy).

70. Wing 12 inches ; bill red. Larus novce-Jwllaiidice (Silver Gull).
Wing 17.5 inches : bill olive or yellow.

Gabianus pacificus (Pacific Gull).

71. Plumage dark brown (young with rufous marks on back) ; wing

15 to 17 inches ; centre pair of tail quills project -| inch.

Megalestris antayctica (Skua).
Phunage not uniform ; wing al)out 14 inches ; centre pair of tail

quills project 3 inches. Stercorarius 72

72. Central tail feathers pointed and tapering ; wing 13 inches.

S. crepidatus (Richardson Skua).
Central tail feathers broad and rounded ; wing over 14 inches.

5. pomatorhinus (Pomarine Skua).

73. Hind toe not lobed ; length either 13 inches or more than 30 . . 74
Hind toe broadly or narrowly lobed . . . . . . . . 78

74. Lpper surface glossy green. Nettopus. 75
Plumage black and white or brownish-slate . . . . . . 76

75. Neck dark green (male) or barred white and green (female).

N. pnlcheUus (Green Goose-Teal).
Neck white (male) or narrowly barred black (female).

N. albipennis (White-ciuilled Goose-Teal).

76. Plumage black and white . . . . . . . . • • 77

Plumage brownish-slate ; bill yellow.

Cereopsis novce-hollandice (Cape Barren Goose).

77. Plimiage black with white primaries and pink bill.

Chenopis atrata (Black Swan).
Plumage black and white ; bill reddish-brown.

Anseranas semipalmata (Pied Goose).

78. Hind toe broadly lobed ; no metallic patch on wing . . . . 79
Hind toe very narrowly lobed ; often metallic patch on wing . . 81

79. Tail feathers narrow and very stiff ; no white on wing . . 80
Tail feathers not stiff ; conspicuous white patch on wing.

Nyroca anstralis (White-eyed Duck).

80. Pouch under chin ; 24 tail feathers ; sexes similar in colour. (Too

heavy for flight.) Bizinra lobata (Musk-Duck).

No pouch ; 18 tail feathers ; male deep chestnut breast, female

freckled grey. Erismatura anstralis (Blue-billed Duck).

81. Bill flat and broad, black . . . . . . . . . . 82

Bill high and goose-like, olive-brown.

Chenonetta jiibala (Maned Goose or Wood-Duck).

82. Wing II inches or over . . . . . . . . . . 83

Wing 10 inches or under . . . . . . . . . . 84

lO Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

83. Head and neck white ; sexes similar.

Tadorna rajah (White-headed Shielduck).
Head and neck glossy black (male) or head brown (female).

Casarca tadornoides (Shielduck or Mountain-Duck).

84. Feathers of lower flanks with broad longitudinal marks ; sides of

chest rufous, black-barred or quite plain.

Dendrocycna. Tree-Ducks. 85
Feathers of lower flanks neither prominently marked nor plain . . 86

85. Flanks for most part white, with broad black stripes ; no chestnut

on wing. D. eytoni (Plumed Whistling-Duck).

Upper flanks plain rufous ; deep chestnut mark on shoulder.

D. arciiata (Whistling-Duck).

86. Bill spoon-shaped . . . . . . . . . . . . 87

Bill with parallel sides . . . . . . . . . . 90

Sy. General colour brownish, with other colours prominent . . . . 88

General colour blackish, freckled with grey (no wing-patch).

Stictonetta ncevosa (Freckled Duck).

88. Soft membrane hanging from sides of bill near tip, rose-pink mark

behind eye. Malacorhynchus membranaceus (Pink-eared Duck).
No soft membrane ; no pink colour. Spatula. 89

89. Head and upper neck glossy green (male), deep brown, barred

reddish (female). S. clypeata (Common Shoveller).

Head and upper neck brownish-black (male), very brown tail

(female). S. rhynchotis (Shoveller or Blue-wing).

90. Distinct black band through eye, with light band above.

Anas superciliosus (Black Duck).
No bands on face ; head and neck metallic green (male) ; young and
female brownish throughout, streaked with black.

Nettion castaneum (Teal).

No bands on face ; sexes similar ; weight i lb. 2 ozs., against i lb.

8 ozs. of previous species. Nettion gihherijrons (Grey Teal).

91. Large distensible pouch on bill, which is 18 inches long.

Pelecanus conspicillatus (Pelican).
Bill less than 6 inches ; pouch absent or not prominent . . . . 92

92. Neck long and slender ; upper surface black . . . . . . 93

Neck stout ; upper surface light (including Fregata, No. 98, which

are blackish with forked tails, and some Sula, No. 99, which

are brown) . . . . . . . . . . 98

93. Bill pointed. Plotiis novcp-hoUandicc (Darter).

Bill hooked at extremity. Phalacrocorax. Cormorants. 94

94. Plumage black . . . . . . . . . . . . 95

Plumage black and white . . . . . . . . . . 96

95. Length 35 inches ; space round eye yellow.

P. carbo (Black Cormorant).
Length 25 inches ; space round eye blackish.

P. sulcirostris (Little Black Cormorant).

96. Length 23 inches : broad white eyebrow.

P. melanoleiiciis (Little Cormorant).
Length above 25 inches ; no white above eye . . . , . . 97

97. Bill 1.8 to 2 inches ; eye-space blackish.

P. goiddi (\\'hite-breasted Cormorant).

Supplement to " The Ediu." 1 I

Bill 2. J inches ; eye-space yellow.

P. liypoJciicus (Pied Cormorant).

98. Bill pointed . . . . . . . . . . . . 99

Bill strongly hooked. Fregata. Frigate-Birds. 104

99. Tail wedge-shaped (young mostlj- brown). . . Sula. Gannets. 100
Tail with two long centre feathers. Phaf:tox. Tropic-Birds. 103

100. Plumage mostly white ; head freckled brown in youth . . . . loi

Upper surface, neck, and chest sooty-brown ; breast and abdomen
white. 5. sulci (Brown Gannet).

loi. Feathers of head and neck white . . . . . . . , 102

Feathers of head and neck yellowish-buff : throat naked for 2 inches.

5. serrator (Gannet).

102. Primaries and secondaries of wing and tail brown ; legs greenish.

S. cycDiops (Masked Gannet).
Outer webs flight feathers grey or black ; tail white ; legs ver-
milion. 5. piscator (Red-legged Gannet).

103. Outer webs of primaries white ; long tail feathers carmine.

P. rithricauda (Red-tailed Tropic-Bird).
Outer webs primaries black, tipped white; tail feathers whitish.

P. lepturits (White-tailed Tropic-Bird).

104. White patch on black flank (male) or white collar (female).

F. arid (Lesser Frigate-Bird).
No white on flank (male) ; or no collar, breast and sides white (female).

F. aquila (Frigate-Bird).

105. Without hind toes . . . . . . . . . . 106

With hind toes very small or much developed . . . . 130

106. Thick-set birds living in grass or scrub ; legs yellow.

TURNIX. BUSTARD-OUAILS. I07

Long-legged birds about seashore, swamp, or plain .. .. 112

107. More than 7 inches in length . . . . . . . . 108

Less than 7 inches in length . . . . . . . . no

108. Shank not longer than middle toe and claw . . . . . . 109

Shank longer than middle toe and claw; chest buft' (male) or collar

rufous (female). T. maculosa (Red-backed Quail).

109. Chest whitish, with subterminal black mark to feathers (male), or

black, many feathers terminated white (female).

T. melanogaster (Black-breasted Quail).

Chest buff, irregularly marked grey (male), or with pale shaft

streaks (female). T. varia (Painted Quail).

no. Chest grey or rufous ; feathers round eye black . . . . in

Chest and feathers round eye light red. T. velox (Little Quail).

111. Chest grey; upper surface uniform light red.

T. castano}iota (Chestnut-backed Quail).
Chest rufous : upper surface barred.

T. pyrrliothorax (Red-chested Quail).

112. Total length 18 inches or over . . . . . . . . 113

Total length less than 18 inches . . . . . . . . 117

113. About 4 feet in length.

Eupodoiis australis (Bustard or Wild Turkey).
Length 18 to 24 inches . . . . . . . . . . 114

1 2 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

114. Plumage sooty or black and white.

H.EMATOPUS. Oyster-catchers. 115
Plumage mottled brownish. Stone-Plovers. 116

115. Plumage sooty. H. unicolor (Sooty Oyster-catcher).
Plumage black and white.

H. longirostris (White-breasted Oyster-catcher).

116. Bill 2 inches, or shorter than head.

Burhinus grallarius (Stone-Plover or Land-Curlew).
Bill 3 inches, or longer than head.

OrthorhampJiHS magnirostris (Large-billed Stone-Plover).

117. Length 10.5 to 14.5 inches . . . . . . . . . . 118

Length 9 inches and less . . . . . . . . . . 120

118. Extremely long red legs ; tarsus 3 inches or more. Stilts. 119
Dark legs ; tarsus 1.75 inches

Zonifer tricolor (Black-breasted Plover).

119. Hind neck, wings, and back black.

Himantopus leucocephalus (White-headed Stilt).
Head and back white, chestnut band on breast. (This species has
toes webbed, but is not a swimmer.)

__ Cladorhvnchus leucocephalus (Banded Stilt).

120. Upper and under surfaces plain, faintly marked or banded.

Dottrels. 121
Upper and under surfaces boldly spangled ; length 9 inches.

Charadrnis dominicus (Lesser Golden Plover).

121. General colour sandy-buff; thin black collar round neck and chest

(collar not complete in female). Peltohyas australis (Dottrel).
General colour brown or grey . . . . . . . . 122

122. Bill and legs blackish . . . . . . . . . . 123

Bill flesh colour at base ; legs flesh colour .Egl\litis (also No. 125). 128

123. Outer toe united with middle one by web at base ; bill less than

I inch. OcHTHODROMUS. 124

Outer toe not united with middle one ; bill i.i inches ; length
7 inches; wing 4.75 inches. Calidris arenaria (Sanderling).

124. Length 8 inches or less ; under wings white . . . . . . 125

Length 9 inches ; feathers under wings blackish.

0. veredus (Oriental Dottrel).

125. Length more than b inches ; wing more than 4 inches . . . . 126
Length 6 inches ; wing 4 inches. (Male has black band on forehead

behind white.) Mgialitis ruficapilla (Red-capped Dottrel).

126. Length more than 6.5 inches ; wing more than 5 inches . . 127
Length 6.5 inches ; wing 4.75 inches : bill .6 inch. (Male has

black band on forehead behind white.)

0. bicinctus (Double-banded Dottrel).

127. Length 8 inches ; l:)ill i inch ; tarsus 1.45 inches.

0. geoffroyi (Large Sand-Dottrel).
Length 7 inches ; bill .8 inch ; tarsus 1.2 inches.

0. niongolus (Mongolian Sand-Dottrel).

128. Throat black (head smoky-black in youth).

.£. cucullata (Hooded Dottrel).
Throat white . . . . . . . . . . . . 129

Sxipplenient to " The Emu." 1 "I

129. White collar complete. JE. hiaticola (Ringed Dottrel).
White collar on hind-neck separated by black band from under

surface. .E. melanops (Black-fronted Dottrel).

130. Hind toe distinctly _ raised above level of others; total length

less than 25 inches . . . . . . . . . . 131

Hind toe or toes same level as front ones [includes Pigeons and Doves
(No. 336), birds with bills swollen towards tip, soft skin at
base and nostrils overhung by valve] . . . . . . 177

(Also two long-legged birds over 40 inches long — see No. 184.)

131. Short yellowish legs, small feet ; culmen short and arched ; tail

minute . . . . . . . . . . . . 132

Long dark legs, or toes long and slender, tail small but prominent 13G

132. Bill black ; culmen strongly curved. Quails. 133
Bill yellow ; culmen not strongly curved. (Female has black collar

spotted white, also chest rufous.)

Peduinomiis tonjuatus (Plain- Wanderer).
133- Over 6 inches in length . . . . . . , . . . . 134

Not 6 inches in length.

Ex calf actor ia lineata (Chestnut-bellied Quail).

134. Outer \\eb of primaries uniform brown ; eyebrow very light.

Coturnix pectoralis (Stubble Quail).
Outer web of primaries mottled ; white shaft stripes on back

narrow (male) or broad (female). Syncecus. 135

135. Wing about 4.2 inches. 5. dieuienensis (Tasmanian Quail).
Wing about 3.5 inches. 5. aitstralis (Brown Quail).

(Includes 5. sordid 11$, with very fine stripes and plumage
not boldly marked.)

136. Small feet ; bill as long or longer than middle toe and claw . . 137
Very large feet ; bill much shorter than middle toe and claw . . 163

137. Bill curved upward slightly or distinctly . . . . . . 138

Bill curved downward or straight . . . . . . . . 142

138. Total length 13 to 16 inches . . . . . . . . 139

Total length 9 inches. Terekia cinerea (Terek Sandpiper).

139. Length about 16 inches . . . . . . . . . . 140

Length about 13 inches. Glottis nehiilaris (Greenshank).

140. Plumage uniform and mottled. Limosa. Godwits. 141
Plumage black and white, breast rufous. (This species has half-
webbed toes, but is not a swimmer.)

Recurvirostra novcB-hollandice (Red-necked Avocet).

141. Tail barred black and white.

L. }iovcc-hoIlandice (Barred-rumped Godwit).
Tail black with white bases to inner feathers.

L. limosa (Black-tailed Godwit).

142. Bill curved downward . . . . . . . . . . 143

Bill straight . . . . . . . . . . . . 146

143. Total length 7.5 inches ; under surface white (rufous in breeding

plumage). Ancylochilus suharqiiatus (Curlew Stint).

Total length 12 to 24 inches . . . . . . . . 144

144. Length 13 inches : wing 7 inches ; bill 1.7 inches ; under surface

light l)uff. Mesoscolopax mintdus (Little Whimbrel).

I A Campbell, Dichotomoiis Key.

Plumage uniformly mottled Numenius. 145

145. Length about 24 inches ; wing about 12 inches ; bill 7 inches.

iV. cyanopus (Curlew).
Length about 15 inches ; wing 8.8 inches ; bill 3 inches.

N. variegatus (Whimbrel).

146. Length about 15 inches ; face wattled.

LOBIVANELLUS. PlOVERS (2). I47

Length less than 12 inches ; face not wattled . . . . . . 148

147. Sides of chest brown ; collar white.

L. miles (Masked Plover).
Sides of chest and hind-neck black. L. lobatns (Spur-winged Plover).

148. Back black ; length 8 inches ; bill stout, .9 inch.

Arenaria interpres (Turnstone).
Back rufous or olive-brown . . . . . . . . . . 149

149. Hind toe small ; armpit feathers brown or light . . . . 150
Hind toe extremely minute : long armpit feathers black ; total

length 10.5 inches. Squatarola helvetica (Grey Plover).

150. Thigh and knee not pink ; bill black or brown . . . . . . 151

Thigh and knee red-pink ; also base of bill.

Erythrogonys cinctits (Red-kneed Dottrel).

151. Total length more than 6 inches .. .. .. ..152

Total length 6 inches ; forehead and under surface white.

Limonites riificollis (Little Stint).

152. Long nasal grooves along bill, which is black and i inch or more in

length ; tail square or pointed . . . . . . 153

No nasal grooves ; bill .7 inch, brown ; wing very long (only about

I inch shorter than body). Pratincoles. 162

153. Middle and outer toes connected by a web at base . . . . 154
Toes all cleft to base . . . . . . . . . . 158

154. Length 10 inches and over . . . . . . . . . . 155

Length 9 inches and under . . . . . . . . . . 156

155. Wing 6.5 inches ; inner webs of primaries barred.

Bartramia longicauda (Bartram Sandpiper).
Wing 5.3 inches ; no wing bars ; under surface and rump white.

Totanus stagnatilis (Little Greenshank).

156. Lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts grey ; wing about 6 inches.

Heteractitis. 157
Lower back, rump, and upper tail coverts not grey ; wing 4 to 4.3
inches. Triiigoides hypoleucus (Common Sandpiper).

157. Abdomen all barred ; nasal groove along two-thirds of bill.

H. incaniis (American Grey-rumped Sandpiper).
Abdomen white ; nasal groove along half of bill.

H. brevipes (Grey-rumped Sandpiper).

158. Bin 2.y inches ; subterminal tail-band reddish.

Gallinago aiistralis (Snipe).
Bill less than 2 inches , . . . . . . . , . 159

159. Bill slightly longer than tarsus ; under parts (except for a few

streaks on breast), all white (rufous in breeding plumage).

Tringa. 160
Bill slightly shorter than tarsus ; under parts not all white . . 161

Supplement to " T)te Emu." I ^

i6o. Upper tail coverts white ; wing 7 to 7.6 inches ; bill 1.6 to 1.8 inches.

T. crassirostris (Great Sandpiper).

Upper tail coverts white, barred black ; wing 6.2 to 6.8 inches ; bill

I.I to 1.5 inches. T. cantttits (Knot).

161. Length 7 inches ; wing 5.4 inches.

Heteyopygia acuminata (Sharp-tailed Stint).

Length 9.5 inches : wing 5.5 to 5.9 inches. (Female has buff stripe

down head.) Rostratiila aiistralis (Painted Snipe).

162. Black under wings ; tail rounded, outstretched legs reaching beyond

tip. (Chest streaked in female.) Stiltia isabeUa (Pratincole).

Chestnut under wings ; tail forked ; tarsus short. (Throat streaked

in female.) Glareola orientalis (Oriental Pratincole).

163. Bill stout or wath horny or fleshy plate on head ; or bill much swollen

at base . . . . . . . . . . . . 164

Bill normal shape, medium length, tapering, upper tip slightly in

advance . . . . . . . . . . . . 170

164. With red fleshy helmet ; middle toe 3.6 inches ; back of neck and

crown black (rufous in youth).

Hvdralector gallinacens (Comb-crested Jacana or Parra).
Bill stout or swollen at base, or with horny plate on head . . . . 165

165. Bill swollen at base ; wing about 5.75 inches.

Amaurornis moliiccana (Rufous-tailed Moor-Hen).
Bill stout or with horny plate on head ; wing more than 7 inches. 166

166. Bill all red (also large head-plate). Porphyrio. Bald-Coots. 167
Bill mostly olive or dark . . . . . . . . . . 168

167. Legs all red. P. mdanonotus (Bald-Coot or Water-Hen).
Legs light or dark green. P. hellns (Blue Bald-Coot).

168. Primaries and secondaries of wing equal in length ; tarsus 3.25

inches ; large white patch on flank.

Tribonyx mortieri (Native-Hen).
Primaries longer than secondaries ; tarsus 2.5 inches . . . . 169

169. Upper tail coverts all black.

Microtribonyx ventralis (Black-tailed Native-Hen).
Under tail coverts black in centre, white on sides.

Gallimtla tenebrosa (Black Moor-Hen.)

170. Hind toe not half as long as bill. Rails. 171
Hind toe nearly as long or longer than bill : total length 7.5 inches

and less. Crakes. 174

171. Length 17 inches ; abdomen chestnut.

Eulabeornis castaneiventris (Chestnut-bellied Rail).
Length less than 13 inches ; abdomen slaty . . . . . . 172

172. Head, hind-neck, and upper mantle uniform chestnut ; length 11. 5

inches. Rallina tricolor (Red-necked Rail).

Head, hind-neck, and upper mantle not uniform. Hypot.enidia. 173

173. Breast uniform slate ; length 8.5 inches.

H. brachypiis (Slate-breasted Rail).
Breast barred with white ; length 10.5 inches.

H. philippinoisis (Pectoral Rail).

174. Abdomen, throat, and eyebrow white (no eyebrow mark in young

bird). PolioLimnas cinereus (White-browed Water-Crake).

1 5 Campbell, Dtchotomoi<s Key.

Abdomen, throat, and eyebrow not white. Porzana. 175

175. Chest dark grey ; wings ohve . . . . . . . . 176

Chest hght grey ; wings brown P. pal list ris (Little Crake).

176. Flecked with white on upper and under surfaces.

P. fluminea (Spotted Crake).
White only under throat, wings, and tail.

P. tabiiensis (Spotless Crake).

177. Bill and legs long ; bill curved, spoon-shaped, or sharp-pointed ;

total length over 18 inches (including two Bitterns, No. 195,
10 and 15 inches long ; birds with pointed bills and orna-
mental crest and neck feathers) . . . . . . 178

Characters not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 200

178. Bill much curved or spoon-shaped . . . . . . . . 179

Bill sharp-pointed . . . . . . . . . . . . 183

179. Bill spoon-shaped ; plumage pure white. Platalea. 180
Bill curved ; plumage not pure white. Ibises. 181

180. Bill and legs black. P. regia (Black-billed Spoonbill).
Bill and legs yellow. P. fiaiipes (Yellow-billed Spoonbill).

181. General colour white ; wings partly black.

This inohicca (White Ibis).
General colour black and white or rufous . . . . . . 182

182. Under surface pure white.

Carphibis spinicoUis (Straw-necked Ibis).
Under surface mostly rufous. Plegadis jalcinelhis (Glossy Ibis).

183. Lores feathered ; no plumes on lower neck ; length over 40 inches.

(Hind toe raised) . . . . . . . . . . 184

Lores and space round eye naked ; ornamental crest and neck

plumes. Egrets, Herons, and Bitterns. 185

184. Colour grey ; bare skin round ears ; length 42 inches.

Antigone australasiana (Crane or Native Companion).
Colour white and glossy black ; legs red ; length 48 inches.

Xenorhynchns asiaticiis (Black-necked Stork).

185. Colour white . . . . . . . . . . . . 186

Colour not white . . . . . . . . . . . . 188

186. Length about 22 inches : wing 10.7 inches.

Garzetta iiigripes (Little Egret).
Length 25 or 30 inches . . . . . . . . . . 187

187. Length about 25 inches ; wing 11 inches.

Mesophoyx pliimifera (Plumed Egret).
Length about 30 inches ; wing 15 inches.

Herodias timorensis (White Egret).

188. Plumage slate colour . . . . . . . . . . 189

Plumage grey and white, black and white, or mottled . . . . 192

189. Length about 50 inches ; bill 6.5 inches.

Ardea sinnatrana (Great-billed Heron).
Length 23 to 36 inches . . . . . . . . . . 190

190. Length about 36 inches ; bill yellow. Ardea cincrea (Grey Heron).
Length 23 or 26 inches . . . . . . . . . . 191

191. Length about 23 inches; pure white (or buff) streak down each

side of throat. (This species is often white in plumage.)

Demiegretta sacra (Reef Heron).

Supplement to " The E»iu."' I 7

Length about 26 inches ; forehead, eyebrow, and throat white.

Notophoyx novcB-hollandice (White-fronted Heron).

192. Phimage grey and white or black and white . . . . . . 193

Plumage chestnut apd white or mottled . . . . . . 195

193. Breast and abdomen pure white . . . . . . . . 194

Breast and abdomen streaked with black.

Notophoyx pacifica (White-necked Heron).

194. Crown of head and sides of face black.

Notophoyx flavirostris (Pied Egret).
Whole head white. Notophoyx aruensis (Aru Egret).

195. Length about 10 inches ; crown black (male) or rufous (female).

Ardetta pusilla (Little Bittern).

Length more than 15 inches . . . . . . . . 196

196. Length about 16 inches . . . . . . . . . . 197

Length more than 19 inches . . . . . . . . 198

197. Length 16 inches ; wing 5.2 inches.

Ardetta sinensis (Little Yellow Bittern).

Length 17 inches ; wing 7.7 inches ; feathers of shoulder edged

sandy. Butoroides stagnatilis (Thick-billed Bittern).

198. Length agout 24 inches . . . . . . . . . . 199

Length about 19 inches ; wing 11.5 inches; plumage light chestnut

and white, cap black, with two white plumes (but when not
mature whole plumage is mottled)

Nycticorax caledonicus (Night-Heron).

199. Length 21 to 24 inches ; wing about 8.9 inches and uniform in colour.

Diipetor gouldi (Black Bittern).
Length 24 inches or more ; wing 12.5 inches, and mottled.

Botaurus pceciloptilns (Bittern).

200. Feet strong, with powerful claws ; bill stout, very stronglj/ hooked.

Birds of Prey. 201
Xo powerful talons ; bill not strongly hooked [except in Cockatoos

and Parrots (Xo. 243), birds with two toes turned to rear] 242

201. Eyes directed to the front ; face encircled by a disk of feathers ; !

toes feathered. Owls. 202

Eyes on sides of head ; nostrils and toes bare of feathers.

Eagles, Falcons, and Hawks. 215

202. Inner toe equal in length to middle toe, claw of which is serrated ;

tarsus twice as long as middle toe. Strix. 203

Middle toe longest and its claw not serrated ; tarsus not twice

length of middle toe. Ninox. 207

203. Under surface pure white with small brown spots

5. delicahda (Delicate Owl).
Under surface buff or sooty with brown or white spots . . . . 204

204. General colour sooty. 5. tenebricosa (Sooty Owl).
General colour brown . . . . . . . . . . 205

205. Back finely mottled and spotted ; tarsus 2.5 inches . . . . 206
Back with spots only of wliite ; tarsus 3.5 inches.

5. Candida ((irass-Owl).

206. Face disk purplish, margined with deep brown spots.

S. novcB-hollandicB (Masked Owl).

I J5 Campbell, Dichofonious Key.

Face disk deep chestnut, encircled with black.

S. castanops (Chestnut-faced Owl).

207. Total length more than 14.5 inches (female much larger than male) 208
Total length less than 14.5 inches (female much larger than male) 212

208. Length 20 to 24 inches ; abdomen with cross markings . . . . 209
Length 18 inches and less ; abdomen with longitudinal markings 210

209. General colour greyish ; two or three cross bars on each feather of

breast. N. strenua (Powerful Owl).

General colour dark brown ; breast feathers with numerous fine

cross bars. N. humeralis (Rufous Owl).

210. Length about 16 inches. . . . . . . . . • . 211

Length less than 15 inches. N. peninsularis (Cape York Owl).

211. Colour dark brown ; wing 12.5 inches.

N. connivens (Winking-Owl),
Colour sandy brown ; wing 11. 5 inches.

iV. occidcntalis (Western Winking-Owl.)

212. LTnder surface deep rufous . . . . . . . . . . 213

Under surface rufous, much marked with white . . . . . . 214

213. Length 13.5 inches ; wing 8.6 inches or more.

N. ocellata (Marbled Owl).

Length about 12 inches ; wing 8.5 inches ; throat and breast very

rufous. N. lurida (Lurid Owl).

214. Back not spotted between shoulders ; wing to 10.3 inches.

iV. hoohook (Boobook Owl).
Back spotted with white ; wing 9 inches.

N. maculata (Spotted Owl).

215. More than 20 inches long (female much larger than male) . . 216
Less than 20 inches long ; wing always less than 14 inches . . 226

216. Length over 30 inches . . . . . . . . . . 217

Length between 20 and 30 inches ; wing more than 14 inches . . 218

217. General colour black or rufous.

Uroactns aiidax (Wedge-tailed Eagle or Eaglehawk).
General colour grey and white (buff in youth).

Haliastur leiicogaster (White-bellied Sea-Eagle).

218. Head and breast black or white . . . . . . . . 219

Head and breast rufous, streaked with brown or black . . . . 220

219. Head and breast black ; wing 19 inches ; abdomen black and

rufous. Gypoictinia melanosterna (Black-breasted Buzzard).
Head and breast white, mottled with brown ; wing 16 to 19 inches ;
abdomen pure white.

Pandion leucocephalns (Osprey or Fish-Hawk).

220. Tarsus 3.5 inches or over. Circus. Harriers. 221
Tarsus not more than 2.5 inches. . . . . . . . . 222

221. Rump light colour ; breast with brown stripes.

C. gouldi (Harrier or Swamp-Hawk).
No light rump ; breast rufous with white spots.

C. assiniilis (Spotted Harrier).

222. Under surface sandy or brownish (throat not lighter) . . . . 223
Under surface bright rufous, each feather with black centre, throat

whitish ; wing 14 to 16 inches.

Urospizias radiatiis (Red Goshawk).

Supplement to " The Etmi." 1 g

222,. Head and neck brownish, like back, with blackish stripes . . 224

Head and neck sandy (lighter than back), with fulvous stripes ; wing
about 16 inches. (Young has feathers of back and shoulder
tipped white.) Haliastur sphenurus (Whistling Eagle).

224. Tail 8.5 to 9.5 inches, square when expanded . . . . . . 225

Tail 10.75 inches, forked ; wing i5 inches. Milviis afjlnis (Kite).

225. Wing about 18 inches ; rump whitish.

Lophoictinia isura (Square-tailed Kite).
Wing about 15 inches ; rump not white.

Nisai'tus morphnoides (Little Eagle).

226. Crested. Baza subcristata (Crested Hawk).

Not crested (female much larger than male). Goshawks, &c. 227
22J. Plumage chestnut and white, grey and white, or pure white . . 228

Plumage mostly dark, mottled or uniform (includes Grey Falcon,

No. 239) . . . . . . . . . . . . 233

228. Plumage pure white. . . . . . . . . . , 229

Plumage chestnut and white or grey and white . . . . . . 230

229. Wing 10.5 to 12.5 inches. Astiir novce-hollandiee (White Goshawk).
Wing 7.7 to 8.y inches. Astur leitcosomits (Lesser White Goshawk).

230. Plumage grey and white, with black shoulders. Elanus. 231
Plumage grey and white, without black shoulders ; or chestnut and

white . . . . . . . . . . . . 232

231. Black bar on under side of wing. E. script us (Letter- winged

Kite).
Black spot only under wing. E. axillaris (Black-shouldered Kite).
2}2. Upper surface and tail grey ; breast white.

Astur cinereus (Grey Goshawk).
Plumage rich chestnut, with white head and neck (young all brown
with white stripes).

Haliastur givrcnera (White-headed Sea-Eagle).

233. Wing 10 inches and less . . . . . . . . . . 234

Wing more than 10 inches . . . . . . . . . . 235

234. Colour light rufous : wing 10 inches. Cerchneis cenchroides (Kestrel).
Colour greyish-black above, rufous beneath ; wing 9.75 inches.

Falco lunulatus (Little Falcon).

235. Wing about 13 inches or more . . . . . . . . 236

Wing not more than 12 inches . . . . . . . . 238

236. Plumage uniform sooty-brown. Falco suhniger (Black Falcon).
Plumage reddish-brown, mottled or streaked. Hieracidea. 237

2^j. Upper surface brown ; under surface buff to blackish-brown.

H. orientalis (Brown Hawk).

Upper surface sandy ; under surface creamy, with fine brown

shaft streaks. H. berigora (Striped Brown Hawk).

238. Head quite black or plumage nearly uniform grey . . . . 239
Head not black ; })lumage not uniform . . . . . . 240

239. Head black ; throat creamy ; thighs and under surface barred

(female has large arrow-head markings).

Falco melanogenys (Black-cheeked Falcon).
Plumage nearly uniform grey ; thighs and under surface uniform.

Falco hypoleucus (Grey Falcon).

20 Campbell, Dic/iolomous Key.

240. Wing not less than 10.25 inches ; tail not less than 8.5 inches.

(Under parts in youth buffy-white, each feather crossed by

two bands of dark brown) . . . . . . . . 241

Wing not more than g.25 inches ; tail not more than 7.5 inches.

Accipiter cirrhocephalus (Sparrow-Hawk).

241. Breast rufous brown, with white cross marks.

Asttir approximans (Goshawk).
Breast rust-red, with pale rufous cross marks, back greyer.

Astiir cruentus (Lesser Goshawk).

242. Two toes turned to the rear . . . . . . . . . . 243

One toe only at the rear . . . . . . . . . . 320

243. Bill elongate ; lower mandible straight. Cuckoos. 244
Bill short and very stout, strongly hooked or curved . . . . 256

244. Wings short and curved to fit body ; total length 24 inches ; all

the body except wings black (but in youth reddish-brown).

Centropus phasianus (Coucal).
Wings long and flat, not fitting body . . . . . . 245

245. Total length more than 8.5 inches . . . . . . . . 246

Total length less than 7.5 inches . . . . . . . . 252

246. Length about 16 or 25 inches . . . . . . . . 247

Length 8.5 to 13 inches . . . . . . . . . . 248

247. Length about 25 inches. Scythrops novce-hollandicB (Channelbill).
Length 15 to 17 inches ; male metallic black, female and 3'Oung

mottled brown. Eudynamis cyanocephala (Koel).

248. Wings not reaching beyond tail coverts. Cuculus. 249
Wings reaching much beyond tail coverts. (Plumage brown and

breast mottled in youth.) Cacomantis. 250

249. Breast whitish, barred with black ; length 12.8 inches.

C. intermedins (Oriental Cuckoo).
Breast uniform grey (mottled brown in youth) ; length 12 inches.

C. pallidtis (Pallid Cuckoo).

250. Tail feathers scalloped with white on both webs . . . . 251
Tail feathers toothed with white on inner web only.

C. variolosiis (Square-tailed Cuckoo).

251. W^ing 5.4 inches. C. fabelliformis (Fan-tailed Cuckoo).
Wjng 4.3 inches ; plumage much darker.

C. castaneiventris (Chestnut-breasted Cuckoo).

252. Breast grey or barred ; back and wings metallic green.

Chalcococcyx. 253
Breast rufous-buff ; back ashy-brown.

Misocalius palliolatus (Black-eared Cuckoo).

253. Much rufous colour on tail feathers . . . . . . . . 254

Little or no rufous on tail feathers . . . . . . . . 255

254. Crown dark brown ; centre of abdomen not barred.

C. basalts (Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo).
Crown shining green ; under surface heavily barred.

C. pcecihirus (Rufous-throated Bronze-Cuckoo).

255. Crow^n and back of neck shining violet.

C. plagosiis (Bronze-Cuckoo).
Crown and back of neck shining green.

C. Incidns (Broad-billed Bronze-Cuckoo).

Supplement to " The Emu.'' 2 I

256. Head crested or forehead feathers elongated. Cockatoos. 257
Head not crested : phmiage never white . . . . . . 271

257. General colour black , , . . . . . . . . 258

General colour white, grey, or pink . . . . . . . . 263

258. Cheeks entirely naked. Microglossus aterniiiiis (Palm Cockatoo).
Cheeks feathered. Calyptorhynchus. Black Cockatoos. 259

259. Tail banded with red or mottled yellow . . . . . . 260

Tail banded with white. C. baudini (White-tailed Cockatoo).

260. No light-coloured ear coverts . . . . . . . . 261

Ear coverts yellow. C. jitncrcits (Black Cockatoo).

261. Head and neck, like body, greenish- black . . . . . . 262

Head and neck brown ; length 19.5 inches ; wing 14 inches.

C. viridis (Leach Cockatoo).

262. Length about 24 inches ; wing 17 inches. (C. inacrorhvnchiis has

stronger bill.) C. hanksi (Banksian Cockatoo).

Length about 22 inches ; wing 14 inches.

C. stellatiis (Rccl-tailecl Cockatoo).

263. General colour grey or gre3^ and pink . . . . . . . . 264

General colour white or pinkish . . . . . . . . 266

264. General colour grey . . . . . . . . . . 265

General colour gre}^ and pink.

Cacatua roseicapiUa (Rose-breasted Cockatoo).

265. Wing 9.6 inches ; crest and head scarlet (male) or grey (female).

Callocephalon galeatmn (Gang-Gang Cockatoo).
Wing 6.5 inches ; orange spot on side of head ; forehead and cheeks
yellow (male) or grey (female).

Calopsittaciis novce-hollandicB (Cockatoo-Parrakeet).

266. Hook of bill I inch long and projecting foward. Licmetis. 267
Hook of bill short and nearly perpendicular. Cacatua. 268

267. Naked skin round eye blue ; length 15 inches ; wing 11 inches.

L. nasica (Long-billed Cockatoo).

Naked skin round eye lead colour ; length 17.5 inches ; wing 12

inches. L. pastinator (Western Long-billed Cockatoo).

268. Large upturned crest feathers . . . . . . . . 269

Crest of ordinary feathers lengthened . . . . . . . . 270

269. Crest yellow ; plumage white. C. galerita (White Cockatoo).
Crest red and yellow ; plumage pink and white.

C. leadheateri (Pink Cockatoo).

270. Naked skin round eye white and circular ; length 14 inches ; wing

10 inches. C. sanguinea (Blood-stained Cockatoo).

Naked skin round eye blue, extended into a bare space below ;
length 16 inches ; wing 11 inches.

C. gyninopis (Bare-eyed Cockatoo).

271. Hook of bill nearly smooth underneath ; tongue brushed ; tail

shorter than wing. Lorikeets. 272

Hook of bill crossed by file-like ridges underneath ; tongue smooth ;

tail longer than wing. Parrakeets. 280

272. Bill longer than deep ; under side of lower mandii)lc nearly straight 273
Bill dee])er than long ; under side of lower mandible much curved.

Cyclopsittacus. 279

2 2 Campbell, Dichotonious Key.

273. Bill red or orange ; no red band on forehead . . . . . . 274

Bill black ; forehead red. Glossopsittacus. 277

274. General colour green . . . . . . . . . . 275

Head blue ; chest red. Trichoglossus. 276

275. Feathers of under surface with yellow shaft streaks (male) or plain

(female). Ptilosclera versicolor (Varied Lorikeet).

Feathers of under surface yellow with green edges.

Psitteiiteles chlorolepidotus (Scaly-breasted Lorikeet).

276. Abdomen blue ; band on nape of neck greenish.

T. novcB-hollandice (Blue-bellied Lorikeet).
Abdomen olive-green ; band on nape of neck reddish.

T. rubritorquis (Red-collared Lorikeet).

277. Crown purple. G. porplivrocephalus (Purple-crowned Lorikeet).
Crown green like back . . . . . . . . . . 278

278. Length about 8.6 inches. G. concinniis (Musk Lorikeet).
Length about 6.4 inches. G. pusillus (Little Lorikeet).

279. Forehead feathers red, tipped green ; middle ones bluish ; wing

3.9 inches. C. coxeni (Blue-faced Lorilet).

Forehead feathers all red ; wing 3.5 inches.

C. maccoyi (Red-faced Lorilet).

280. Back uniform in colour ; bill sometimes red . . . . . . 281

Back not uniform in colour ; bill never red . . . . . . 305

281. Total length 13 inches and more ; bill always red . . . . 282
Total length less than 13 inches ; bill not red . . . . . . 291

282. Head uniform in colour . . . . . . . . . . 283

Head not uniform in colour . . . . . . . . 285

283. Length about 16 inches ; tail mostly black . . . . . . 284

Length about 13 inches ; tail green.

Ptistes erythropterns (Red- winged Lory).

284. Head scarlet (male) or dark green (female).

Aprosmictus cyanopygius (King Lory).
Head yellow (male) or olive-green (female).

Polytelis melanura (Black-tailed Parrakeet).

285. With yellow collar or red cap or under tail coverts red . . . . 286
No yellow collar, no red cap, under tail coverts not red. Polytelis. 290

286. Crown maroon-red (male), under tail coverts only, red (female) ;

abdomen violet-blue.

Porphyrocephalns spiiriiis (Red-capped Parrakeet).
Crown green or brownish black. Barxardius. 287

287. Forehead red ; abdomen green mostly . . . . . . 288

Forehead not red or only slightly touched ; abdomen all yellow . . 289

288. Crown green (brownish in female) ; rump light green.

B. barnardi (Mallee Parrakeet).

[Platycercus macgillivrayi (Macgillivray Parrakeet) has cheeks and

ring round eye all blue, lesser wing coverts light blue, like

shoulder, collar and broad band on lower breast and abdomen

clear yellow, and forehead not red.]

Crown brownish-black : rump not lighter than back.

B. semitorqiiatiis (Yellow-collared Parrakeet).

289. Cheeks dark blue ; black band on neck below collar.

B. zonariiis (Yellow-banded Parrakeet).

Supplement to " The Etmi." 23

Cheeks light bhie ; no black band on neck.

B. occidentalis (North Parrakeet).

290. Forehead and rump bluish ; cheeks and throat pale rose (colours faint

in female). P. alexandrce (Alexandra Parrakeet).

General colour green (male has yellow throat and cap) ; young and
female all green, but with cheeks and crown different shade,
and often outer tail feathers edged red ; length 16 inches.

P. barrahandi (Green-Leek Parrakeet). ' "^

291. Centre tail feathers broad ; under wing not scarlet . . . . 292
Centre tail feathers narrow and long ; under wing scarlet.

N anodes discolor (Swift-flying Lorikeet).

292. Outer tail feathers light blue. Psephotus. 293
Outer tail feathers yellow (but white in N. bourkei. No. 299).

Neophema. 299

293. Forehead blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 294

Forehead not blue . . . . . . . . . . 295

294. Under tail coverts all red.

P. hcematorrhons (Crimson-bellied Parrakeet).
Under tail coverts yellow (or touched with red in youth).

P. xanthorrhoiis (Yellow-vented Parrakeet).

295. Rump mostly bluish or greenish ; head not uniform in colour

(female paler in colour) . . . . . . . . 296

Rump mostly reddish (male) or greenish (female) ; head uniform.

P. hcematonotiis (Red-backed Parrakeet).

296. Rump uniform bluish ; frontal band red or yellow . . . . 297
Rump mostly greenish or with dull red band ; frontal band green

or yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 298

297. Forehead band and middle wing coverts red.

P. pidcherrimus (Beautiful Parrakeet).
Forehead band and middle wing coverts yellow.

P. chrysopteryghis (Golden-shouldered Parrakeet).

298. Rump and forehead greenish (may be female P. chrysopterygius).

P. dissimilis.

Rump mostly green ; forehead yellow (female has red mark on

shoulder). P. multicolor (Many-coloured Parrakeet).

299. Upper surface green or olive ; abdomen all yellow . . . . 300
Upper surface brown ; abdomen rosy ; under tail coverts blue.

N. bourkei (Bourke Grass-Parrakeet).

300. Face and forehead blue . . . . . . . . . . 301

Forehead only blue (or olive like crown in youth) . . . . 302

301. Chest yellow (male) or light green (female).

N. pulcliella (Red-shouldered Grass-Parrakeet).
Chest scarlet (male) or dark green (female).

A^. splendida (Scarlet-chested Grass-Parrakeet).

302. Lores yellow or greenish . . . . . . . . . . 303

Lores and circle round eye l)lue. A^. petrophila (Rock-Parrakeet).

303. Lores and abdomen yellow . . . . . . . . . . 304

Lores greenish ; abdomen with a bright orange spot.

N. chrysogastra (Orange-bellied Grass-Parrakeet).

304. All shoulder and wing coverts deep blue.

N. venusta (Blue-banded Grass-Parrakeet).

■2-A. Campbell, Dichotomons Key.

Outer wing coverts blue, middle verditer blue, inner olive-green like
back. TV. elegans (Grass- Parrakeet).

305. Colour grass-green, barred, striped, or spotted ; tail with cross

bands or bright green . . . . . . . . 306

Feathers of back bordered with lighter colour, having scale-like
appearance ; bill notched where lower mandible touches
upper ; always with large, conspicuously coloured cheek-
patches. Platycercus. 308

306. Total length about 12 inches . . . . . . . . 307

Total length 7.5 inches.

Melopsittacus undulatits (Warbling Grass-Parrakeet).

307. Abdomen banded ; tail y.y inches. ,

Pezoporus formosiis (Ground-Parrakeet).
Abdomen uniform yellow ; tail 4 inches.

Geopsittacus occidentalis (Night-Parrakeet).

308. Cheeks blue or white and blue . . . . . . . . 309

Cheeks white or yellow . . . . . . . . . . 317

30Q. Cheeks blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 310

Cheeks white and blue ; under tail coverts red . . . . 314

310. Under parts red (or greenish with under tail coverts red, when

immature, also back imperfect) . . . . . . 311

Under parts yellow (whole plumage dusky green when immature,

except blue cheeks and red frontal band) . . . . 313

311. Under parts deep crimson .. .. .. .. ..312

Under parts pale red, feathers fringed with yellow ; wing 6.5 inches.

P. adelaidce (Adelaide Parrakeet).

312. Total length 13.5 inches ; wing 6.7 inches.

P. elegans (Crimson Parrakeet).
Total length 12 inches ; wing 6.3 inches ; under parts very dark.

P. nigrescens (Campbell Parrakeet).

313. Under parts pale yellow ; centre tail feathers dull blue.

P. flaveolus (Yellow Parrakeet).
Under parts jonquil-yellow ; centre tail feathers olive-green.
(Mature bird with under tail coverts orange.)

P. flavivcntris (Green Parrakeet).

314. Head red or crown black . . . . . . . . . . 315

Head pale yellow ; under parts blue . . . . . . . . 316

315. Head red. P. erythropeplus (Red-backed Rosella).
Crown black. P. browni (Smutty Parrakeet).

316. Feathers of back edged straw-yellow ; upper half of cheeks white.

P. amathusia (Blue-cheeked Parrakeet).
Feathers of back edged bright yellow ; cheeks sometimes all white.

P. pallidiceps (Pale-headed Parrakeet).

317. Cheeks white ; head red (if head yellow, see No. 316) . . . . 318
Cheeks yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 319

318. Feathers of back edged yellowish-green. P. eximius (Rosella).
Feathers of back edged gamboge-yellow.

P. splendidus (Yellow-mantled Parrakeet).

319. Rump green ; centre tail feathers green ; total length 10.5 inches.

P. icterotis (Yellow-cheeked Parrakeet).

Supplement to " The Emu." 25

Rump olive grey ; centre tail feathers dull blue ; total length
12.5 inches. P. xanthogenys (Red-mantled Parrakeet).

320. Hind toe shorter than any front toe.. .. .. .. 321

Hind toe equal to or longer than any front toe, and always with

the largest claw . . . . . . . . . . 372

321. Bill elongate; or swollen toward tip, with soft base .. .. 322
Bill very short and with very wide gape . . . . . . 360

322. Bill long . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 323

Bill swollen towards tip, basal portion of soft skin, nostrils overhung

by a valve. Pigeons and Doves. 336

323. Bill large and clumsy ; lower mandible deep and ascending from

centre to tip. Kingfishers. 324

Bill black and curved ; plumage green ; wing 4.5 inches ; two
centre tail feathers project 1.75 inches (male) or .75 inch
(female). Merops ornains (Bee-eater).

324. Length more than 14 inches. Dacelo. 325
Length less than 14 inches . . . . . . . . . . 327

325. Crown rufous-brown in centre, white on sides.

D. gigas (Brown Kingfisher or Jackass).
Crown white, boldly striped brown (male has blue tail) . . . . 326

326. Under surface whitish ; length 17 inches ; wing 8 inches.

D. leachi (Leach Kingfisher).
Under surface not whitish ; length 15 inches ; wing 7.5 inches.

D. cerviiia (Fawn-breasted Kingfisher).

327. Two long white feathers in tail.

Tanysiptera sylvia (White-tailed Kingfisher).
Xo long white feathers in tail . . . . . . . . 328

328. General colour greenish or blue ; bill mostly black . . . . 329
General colour cinnamon ; bill yellow.

Syma flavirostris (Yellow-billed Kingfisher).

329. Lender surface white or dull yellowish (mottled in youth).

Halcyon. 330
Under surface rich orange-rufous (or white, No. 334) ; inner front

toe missing. Alcyone. 334

330. Sides of crown blue ; under surface white . . . . . . 331

Sides of crown greenish or dusky ; under surface yellowish . . 332

331. Large white patch on outstretched wings (female has collar incom-

plete). H. macleayi (Forest Kingfisher).

No light patch on wings ; bill 1.6 inches ; wing 3.7 inches.

H. westralasianns (Western Sacred Kingfisher).

332. Crown uniform colour . . . . . . . . • • 333

Crown streaked white. H. pyrrhopygius (Red-backed Kingfisher).

333. Upper surface green. H. sanctus (Sacred Kingfisher).
Upper surface dusky olive. H. sordidus (Mangrove Kingfisher).

334. Length more than 6 inches ; under surface rich colour . . . . 335
Length 4.8 inches ; under surface white.

A. pusilla (Little Kingfisher).

335. Breast in centre rufous like lower throat ; bill 1.8 inches.

A. azurea (Blue Kingfisher.)
Breast often blue, continued from sides of neck ; bill 2 inches.

A. pulchra (Puri)le Kingfisher).

ttle Green-Pigeon).

342
349
343

344
346

26 Campbell, DicJiotomous Key.

336. Head crested . . . . . . . . . . . . 337

Head not crested . . . . . . . . . . . . 341

337. Length 15 inches. Lopholcemns antarcticiis (Topknot Pigeon).
Length less than 13 inches. . . . . . . . . 338

338. Brown or rufous in colour ; tail short. Lophophaps. 339
Grey in colour ; tail long. Ocyphaps lophotes (Crested Pigeon).

339. Plumage cinnamon colour ; thin bands across chest . . . . 340
Plumage rich brown ; chest chestnut ; abdomen light buff.

L. pliimijera (Plumed-Pigeon).

340. Centre of abdomen white.

L. leiicogaster (White-bellied Plumed-Pigeon).

Centre of abdomen like chest, but separated by thin bands of black

and grey. L. jerriiginea (Red Plumed-Pigeon).

341. Metallic colour-patch on wing
No shining patch on wing

342. Wing coverts not shining golden green
Wing coverts all shining golden green.

Chalcophaps chrysochlora (L

343. Wing more than 6 inches long
Wing 6 inches and less

344. Plumage mottled and patched ; forehead yellowish (male), whitish

(female). Phaps. 345

Uniform rufous above and blue-grey below (forehead white only in
male). Histriophaps histrionica (Flock-Pigeon).

345. Throat whitish ; breast brownish ; wing 8 inches.

P. chalcoptera (Bronze- wing).
Throat chestnut : breast grey ; wing 6.5 inches.

P. elegans (Brush Bronze-wing).

346. Primary feathers of wing more than i inch longer than secondaries.

Petrophassa. 347.
Primary feathers of wing less than i inch longer than secondaries.

Geophaps. 348

347. Throat all whitish. P. nifipennis (Chestnut-quilled Pigeon).
Throat black, with feathers tipped white.

P. albipennis (Rock-Pigeon).

348. Lores and eyebrows black, also black line under eyes ; wing 6 inches.

G. scripta (Partridge-Pigeon).
Lores and eyebrows white ; wing 5.3 inches.

G. smithi (Naked-eyed Partridge-Pigeon).

349. Total length 14 inches or over . . . . . . . . 350

Total length less than 12 inches . . . . . . . . 355

350. Colour dark grey and white or all rufous-brown . . . . 351
Colour black and white; or green, purple, and yellow . . . . 352

351. Plumage dark grey and white ; wing 8.5 inches.

Leiicosarcia picata (Wonga-Wonga Pigeon).
Plumage all rufous-brown, with large tail.

Macropygia phasianella (Pheasant-tailed Pigeon).

352. Plumage black and white . . . . . . . . . . 353

Plumage green, purple, and yellow. Ptilopus (2). 354

353. Plumage mostly white with black wing-patches.

Myristicivora spilorrhoa (Nutmeg-Pigeon).

Supplement to "The Enu{." 2 7

Back and wings black : head and under surface white.

Columba Icucomela (White-headed Fruit-Pigeon).

354. Length 16 inches : wing 9 inches.

• P. magnifica (Purple-breasted Fruit-Pigeon).
Length 14 inches ; wing 7.5 inches.

P. assimilis (Allied Fruit-Pigeon).

355. Plumage mostly green. Ptilopus (3). 356
Plumage brownish or greyish. Geopelia. Doves. 358

356. Crown purple. P. siiperbus (Purple-crowned Fruit-Pigeon).
Crown rosy colour . . . . . . . . . . . . 357

357. Yellow colour in front of pale rose abdomen.

P. ewingi (Rose-crowned Fruit-Pigeon).
Xo yellow on chest ; abdomen rosy purple and orange.

P. swainsoni (Red-crowned Fruit-Pigeon).

358. Length more than 10 inches ; wing 5.5 inches.

G. humeralis (Barred-shouldered Dove).
Length less than 10 inches ; wing less than 4 inches . . . . 359

359. Length about 8 inches ; no naked skin round eye.

G. tranquilla (Ground-Dove).
Length about 7 inches ; naked scarlet skin round eye.

G. cuneata (Little Dove).

360. Plumage bluish : bill and legs red ; length 10.5 inches ; light blue

patch on wing.

Eurystomus australis (Dollar-Bird or Roller).
Plumage not blue ; bill and legs not red . . . . . . 361

361. Total length more than 9 inches . . . . . . . . 362

Total length less than 9 inches . . . . . . . . 368

362. Length less than 12 inches. Nightjars (3). 363
Length more than 12 inches. Podargus. Frogmouths. 365

363. Strong bristles round gape ; wing 7.5 inches.

Caprimiilgiis macriiriis (Large-tailed Nightjar).
No conspicuous bristles round gape. Eurostopus. 364

364. Wing about 10 inches ; abdomen not uniform.

E. albigularis (White-throated Nightjar).
Wing less than 9 inches ; abdomen uniform.

E. argits (Spotted Nightjar).

365. Tail more than 10 inches . . . . . . . . . . 366

Tail less than 10 inches . . . . . . . . . . 367

366. Wing II inches. P. papitensis (Plumed Frogmouth).
Wing about 8 inches. P. marmoratus (Marbled Frogmouth).

367. Wing 9.5 to 10.5 inches. P. strigoides (Tawny Frogmouth).
Wing about 8 inches. P. phaleenoides (Freckled Frogmouth).

368. Wings not as long as body. /Egotheles. Nightjars. 369
Pointed wings equal in length to whole body. Swifts. 370

369. Colour blackish-grey. M. novcB-hollandicc (Owlet Nightjar).
Colour rufous. M. rufa. (Rufous Nightjar).

370. Wing 7 inches and over . . . . . . . . • • 37^

Wing about 4.4 inches. Callocalia jrancica (Grcy-rumj)ed Swiftlet).

371. Throat and rump white ; wing 7.2 inches.

Micropiis pacificns (White-rumped Swift).

28 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

Throat and under tail coverts white ; wing "^.z inches.

Chcetura caiidaciita (Spine-tailed Swift).

372. More than 24 inches in length . . . . . . . . ^y^

Less than 22 inches in length . . . . . . . . 378

373. Head and neck almost naked ; large vascular wattles at base of

neck. Catheturus. Brush-Turkeys. 374

Head and neck feathered ; no wattle . . . . . . . . 375

374. Lower neck red ; wattles yellow. C. lathaiiii (Brush-Turkey).
Lower neck and wattles purplish- white (female has no wattle).

C. pnrpnreicollis (Barnard Brush-Turkey).

375. Plumage mottled ; tail short. Lipoa ocellata (Mallee-Fowl).
Plumage uniform ; tail long, with many wire-like feathers (male) or

all feathers broad and fully webbed (female and young male).

Menura. Lyre-Birds. 376

376. Back ashy-brown (male with curious lyre-shaped tail) . . . . 377
Back rufous-brown; wing 9.5 inches. M. alberti (Albert Lyre-Bird).

2)yy. Outer tail feather white beneath, with broad chestnut bars ; wing

10.5 inches. M. vidoricB (Victoria Lyre-Bird).

Outer tail feather ashy beneath, with reddish-brown bars ; wing

II inches. M. siiperha (Lyre-Bird).

378. Head and neck bare of feathers or partly so. Blue naked skin around

and behind eye. Pendent lobes of wattle beneath each ear.
Plumage dark brown, with fine white shaft streaks to feathers.
Throat light rufous and abdomen striped. All from 8.5 to 18
inches long ; tail nearly as long or longer than wing . . 379

Head not bare ; no wide bare skin round eye ; no pendent wattles ;

plumage various . . . . . . . . . . 391

379. Throat and upper chest light rufous ; abdomen streaked.

ACANTHOCH.ERA (2). 380

Throat and upper chest not light rufous . . . . . . 381

380. Wing 4.8 inches ; ear coverts of white spines.

.4. rufigularis (Spiny-cheeked Honey-eater).
Wing 4 inches ; ear coverts of yellow spines (young ?).

A. flavacanthiis.

381. With pendent lobes of wattle under each ear. Acanthoch.era (2). 382
No pendent lobes of wattle under each ear . . . . . . 383

382. Wattle I inch long and yellow (may be shorter in youth).

.4. inaiiris (Yellow Wattle-Bird).
Wattle .25 inch long and red. (Crown not all streaked in youth.)

^4. carunciilata (Red Wattle-Bird).

383. Plumage dark brown, with fine white shaft streaks to feathers of

back and breast. (Crown not streaked in youth.)

ACANTHOCH^RA (2). 384

Plumage brownish or greenish ; head and neck mostly bare or with

naked skin round eye . . . . . . . . . . 385

384. Bill 1.25 inches ; wing 5.3 inches ; crown of head and neck not

boldly streaked. .4. lumtlata (Little Wattle-Bird).

Bill .8 to I inch ; wing 4.6 to 5.6 inches ; crown of head and neck

streaked. .4. mcllivora (Brush Wattle-Bird).

385. Naked blue skin (yellowish in youth) behind eye ; throat black ;

back green. Entomyza. 386

Supplement to " The Ennc." "20

Head and neck mostly bare of feathers. Philemon. 387

386. No large white patch on wing.

E. cyaiiotis (Blue-faced Honey-eater).
Basal half of primaries white.

E. albipctuiis (White-quilled Honey-eater).

387. Head and neck partly feathered . . . . . . . . 388

Head anti neck quite bare.

P. coriiiciildfiis (Friar-Bird or Leatherhead).

388. Large hump at base of beak . . . . . . . . 389

No hump at base of beak . . . . . . . . . . 390

389. Sides of neck bare. P. biiceroides (Helmeted Friar-Bird).
Sides of neck covered with silvery feathers.

P. argenticeps (Silvery-crowned Friar-Bird).

390. Cheeks and round eye bare ; throat yellowish (but not so in youth) ;

wing 5.25 inches ; bill 1.25 inches.

P. citreogidaris (Yellow-throated Friar-Bird).
Smaller in size, but with larger bill. P. sordtdiis (Little Friar-Bird).

391. Length 13 to 22 inches . . . . . . . . . . 392

Length less than 13 inches . . . . . . . . . . 408

392. Plumage olive and chestnut ; length 14 to 17 inches.

Megapodius duperreyi (Scrub-Fowl).
Plumage black, black and white, or sombre ; tail more than half

length of wing . . . . . . . . . . 393

393. Plumage shining black. Raven and Crows. 394
Plumage black and white or sombre . . . . . . 396

394. Down at base of neck feathers snow white. CoRVUS. 395
Down at base of neck feathers dusky-brown ; bill 2.5 inches ; wing

14.7 inches. Corone mistralis (Raven).

395. Bill 2.2 inches ; wing 13.7 inches. C coronoides (Crow).
Bill 1.85 inches ; wing 12.3 inches. C bennetti (Small-billed Crow).

396. Plumage black, with white patches on wings only.

Corcorax melanorhamphiis (White- winged Chough or Jay.)
Plumage sooty or black and white. . . . . . . 397

397. Plumage sooty and white ; tail tipped white.

Streper.\. Crow-Shrikes. 398
Plumage black and white ; tail tipped black.

Gymnorhina. Magpies. 404

398. Under tail coverts white . . . . . . . . . . 399

Under tail coverts dusky. 5. fiiliginosa (Black Crow-Shrike).

399. Base of tail feathers blackish . . . . . . . . 400

Base of tail feathers white. 5. gracidina (Pied Crow-Shrike).

400. Large white patch on primaries of wing . . . . . . 401

No white patch on primaries of wing.

S. melanoptera (Black- winged Crow-Shrike).

401. Total length more than 19 inches . . . . . . . . 402

Total length less than 19 inches . . . . . . . . 403

402. Wing II. 9 inches ; tail 9.8 inches ; wing feathers not tipped white.

5. arguta (Hill Crow-Shrike).
Wing 10.75 inches ; tail 8.75 inches ; wing feathers tipped white.

S. cuneicaiidata (Grey Crow-Shrike).

10 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

403. White tips to primaries and secondaries of wing.

S. plumbea (Leaden Crow-Shrike).
No white tips to primaries and secondaries.

S. intermedia (Lesser Crow-Shrike).

404. Black band across white back . . . . . . . . 405

Back white from head to tail (but grey or mottled black in female

or 3^oung) . . . . . . . • • • • • 4^^

405. Bill 2.4 inches. G. longirostris (Long-billed Magpie).
Bill 2 inches. G. tibicen (Black-backed Magpie).

406. Length 15 inches ; wing 10 inches or over ; tarsus more than 2 inches 407
Length 13 inches ; wing 9.6 inches ; tarsus less than 2 inches.

G. hyperleuca (Lesser White-backed Magpie).

407. Wing II inches; bill 2.2 inches. (Back grey in female and young.)

G. leuconota (White-backed Magpie).

Wing 10 inches ; bill 2.1 inches. (Back mottled in female and black

in voung.) G. dorsalis (Varied-backed Magpie).

408. Total length 10 to 13 inches (including two Grancaliis, light grey

birds, 9.5 inches long, No. 440) . . . . . . . . 409

Total length 10 inches and less (including Cinclosoma pundatum.
No. 628, a spotted bird with white or shining 'throat, and
Pomatorhinus temporalis, No. 613, dark brown, with curved
bill ; both 10.5 inches long) . . . . . . . . 450

409. Bill about 1.5 inches, straight and stout, with tip curved and thorn-

like (plumage brownish in youth, and with base of bill light

brown). Cracticus. Butcher-Birds. 410

Mandibles about equal, no thorn-like tip . . . . . . 417

410. Plumage all black or black and white . . . . . . . . 411

Plumage greyish or brownish . . . . . . . . 414

411. Plumage all black (the female when immature is all brown) . . 412
Plumage black and white . . . . . . . . . . 413

412. Butts of feathers dull white ; wing 7.6 inches.

C. qitoyi (Black Butcher-Bird).
Butts of feathers slate-brown ; wing 5.5 inches.

C. spaldingi (Spalding Butcher-Bird).

413. Bill 1.9 inches ; wing 7.1 inches.

C. nigrigularis (Black-throated Butcher-Bird).
Bill 1.5 inches ; wing 6.5 inches. C. picatits (Pied Butcher-Bird).

414. Back and flanks grey or brownish : lores light ; tip of outer web of

tail feathers mostly blackish . . . . . . . . 415

Back silvery grey ; flanks, like abdomen, white ; lores blackish ;
whole tips of tail feathers white.

C. argenteiis (Silver-backed Butcher-Bird).

415. Back and sides of upper breast brownish ; only three secondaries

edged white . . . . . . . . . . 416

Back and sides of upper breast greyish ; many wing feathers edged
with white. C. leucopterus (White-winged Butcher-Bird).

416. Length 10 to 10.5 inches ; wing 5.5 inches ; bih 1.25 to 1.5 inches.

C. destructor (Butcher-Bird).
Smaller measurements and less white on wings and tail.

C. cinereus (Grey Butcher-Bird).

Supplement to "The Ediic." -^ I

417. Very curved black bill. 1.5 inches or more. (]Male with resplendent

metallic plumage, female brownish.) Birds of Paradise. 418

Bill not 1.5 inches or not much curved . . . . . . . . 422

418. Tarsus equal to or longer than bill. Maiiucodia goiildi (]\lanucode).
Tarsus shorter than' bill. Rifle-Birds. 419

419. Length more than 10 inches , . . . , . 420
Length 9 inches ; wing 5 inches.

Plilorhis victoricB (Victoria Rifle-Bird).

420. Length about 11 inches : wing about 6 inches . . . . 421
Length about 12 inches; wing 6.6 inches. (Probably 'in New

Guinea only.)

Craspedophora magnifica (Magnificent Rifle-Bird).

421. Length 11.2 inches ; wing 6 inches.

Ptilorhis paradisea (Rifle-Bird).
Length 11. 5 inches ; w'ing 5.9 inches ; throat with shining scales.

Craspedophora alherti (Albert Rifle-Bird).

422. Plumage black and white : face black (male) or white (female).

Grallina picata (Magpie-Lark).
Plumage not black and white . . . . . . . . 423

423. Plumage black with long forked tail. Chibia hracteata (Drongo).
Plumage not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 424

424. Plumage glossy blue-black, or greenish, or breast boldly streaked

with brown or black . . . . . . . . 425

Plumage not blue-black or greenish ; breast not boldly streaked . . 432

425. Plumage all green, spotted below. Aelurcedus. Cat-Birds. 426
Plumage blue-black, or greenish, or streaked . . . . . . 427

426. Crown of head spotted white. A. maculosiis (Spotted Cat-Bird).
Crown of head faintly marked brown. A. viridis (Cat-Bird).

427. Plumage blue-black (male) or greenish with half-moon marks on

breast (female and young) ; wing 6.2 inches.

Ptilonorhynchus violacens (Satin Bower-Bird).
Plumage greenish or brownish ; breast streaked or uniform . . 428

428. Bill orange colour. Oriolus. Orioles. 429
Bill black ; back green (male) or brown (female).

Sphecotheres. Fig-Birds 431

429. Breast white with bold streaks of black . . . . . . 430

Breast greenish with thin streaks of black.

0. fiavicincliis (Yellow Oriole).

430. Bill 1.2 inches ; wing 6 inches. 0. viridis (Oriole).
Ijill 1.3 inches ; wing 5.7 inches 0. affinis (Northern Oriole).

431. Wing 6.2 inches ; breast green (male) or crown dark (female).

S. maxillaris (Fig- Bird).
Wing 5.7 inches ; breast yellow (male) or crown light (female).

S. flaviventris (Yellow-bellied Fig-Bird).

432. Upper and under surfaces similar dark grey ; wings black ; tail

brown. Striithidea cincrea (Grey Jumjier).

Upper and under surfaces not dark grey . . . . . . 433

433. Plumage uniform light grey above, and grey, white, or barred beneath.

Cuckoo-Shrikes. 434
Phmiage not uniform light grey above and not grey, white, or barred

beneath . . . , . . . . . . . . 441

■2 2 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

434. Length 13 inches or more ; tail and wings jet black.

Pteropodocys phasianella (Ground Cuckoo-Shrike).
Length less than 12.5 inches. Graucalus. 435

435. Wing about 7.5 inches or more . . . . . . . . 436

Wing about 6.5 inches or less . . . . . . . . 437

436. Bill .9 inch or more. G. melanops (Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike).
Bill .8 inch or less. G. parvirostris (Small-billed Cuckoo-Shrike).

437. Chest grey or white ; abdomen plain or barred . . . . 438
Chest, like throat, black ; abdomen rayed with black.

G. mentalis (Little Cuckoo-Shrike), immature.

438. Length 10 to 11 inches . . . . . . . . . . 439

Length 10 inches or less (may be only 9.5 inches) . . . . 440

439. Lower part of abdomen and under tail coverts white.

G. mentalis (Little Cuckoo-Shrike), adult.
Lower part of abdomen and under tail coverts dark slate ; lores
only black.

Edoliisoma tennirostre (Jardine Caterpillar-eater), aciult male.

(For female see No. 634.)

440. Under surface all pure white.

G. hypoleuciis (White-bellied Cuckoo-Shrike).
Under surface barred with black ; throat and chest grey, like back.

G. lineatus (Barred Cuckoo-Shrike).

441. Plumage brown or blackish, streaked or spotted on back with

lighter colour. Bower-Birds (some). 442

Upper surface rich russet or olive-brown, feathers tipped with black

crescents. Geocichla. Ground-Thrushes. 447

442. Upper surface mottled ; abdomen plain.

Chlamydera. Bower-Birds. 443
Upper surface olive-brown ; abdomen lightly streaked ; length
10.5 inches ; bill i.i inches ; wing 5.6 inches ; tail 3.7 inches ;
tarsus 1.3 inches.

Scenopams dentirostris (Tooth-billed Bower-Bird).

443. Crown quite uniform (lilac tuft of feathers on back of neck in male

birds) . . . . . . . . . . . . 444

Crown spotted (lilac tuft of feathers on back of neck in male birds) 445

444. Length 12.8 inches ; wing 7 inches.

C. nitchalis (Great Bower-Bird).
Length 11. 3 inches ; wing 5.65 inches.-

C. cerviniventris (Fawn-breasted Bower-Bird).

445. Length 13 inches ; wing 7 inches.

C. orientalis (Queensland Bower-Bird).
Length 10 or 11 inches ; wing about 5.7 inches . . . . 446

446. Throat lighter than crown ; abdomen gre3\

C. macidata (Spotted Bower-Bird).
Throat darker than crown ; abdomen buff.

C. guttata (Yellow-spotted Bower-Bird).

447. Length about 10.5 inches ; wing 5.5 inches . . . . 448
Length about 9.5 inches ; wing 4.8 inches . . . , . . 449

448. Bill I.I inches. G. liinulata (Ground-Thrush).
Bill 1.2 inches (darker plumage).

G. niacrorhyiicJia (Large-billed Ground-Thrush).

Supplement to " The Emu." ^^

449. Under tail coverts light rufous ; outermost tail feathers tipped with

I inch of white. G. heinii (Russet-tailed Ground-Thrush).
Under tail coverts ochreous ; outermost tail feather pale brown,
with wedge-shaped mark on inner web and tip white.

G. cnneata (Broadbent Ground-Thrush).

450. Very bright colours ; back green ; shoulder blue ; abdomen partly

scarlet ; length from 6 to 8.5 inches. Pitta. 451

Colours various but not as specified . . . . . . 453

451. Crown mostly chestnut ; abdomen not all black . . . . 452
Head and breast black ; lower abdomen scarlet ; length 6 inches.

P. iris (Rainbow Pitta).

452. Length 7.5 to 8.5 inches ; breast fawn. P. strepitans (Noisy Pitta).
Length 7 inches ; breast banded greyish-blue.

P. mackloti (Blue-breasted Pitta).

453. Outside feather of wing as long or longer than others, and forming

the point of wing (including Minifra, No. 471). An extremely
small first primary is found in Artamus, No. 461, and in
Finches, No. 474, but it is not much longer than the under
wing coverts . . . . . . . . . . 454

First primary of wing much reduced in size and often the second

also. Tip of wing not formed by a strong outside feather 503

454. Plumage all shining black (breast in youth white with black stripes) ;

length g.2 inches. Calornis metallica (Shining Starling).

Not 9 inches in length ; plumage not all shining black . . . . 455

455. Under tail coverts not scarlet . . . . . . . . 456

Under tail coverts scarlet ; back blue-black (male) or brown (female) ;

length 3.4 to 3.9 inches.

Dicccinn hiniiidinacciim (Mistletoe-Bird).

456. Bill short, broad, and flat ; wings long and pointed : tail forked . . 457
Bill not flat ; tail short, square, or pointed . . . . . . 461

457. Plumage blue-black, white, and buff . . . . . . . . 45S

Plumage black and white ; wing 4 inches.

Cheramceca leiicostenmm (Black-and-White Swallow).

458. Crown all or partly rufous ; rump creamy.

Petrochelidon. Martins. 459
Crown and rump blue-black, like back. Hirundo. Swallows. 460

459. Crown all rufous ; length 4.5 inches. P. ariel (Fairy Martin).
Forehead only rufous; length 5.1 inches.

P. nigricans (Tree Martin).
Ear coverts blue-black, like back H. neoxena (Swallow).

Ear coverts brick-red, like face. H. javanica (Eastern Swallow).
Long, pointed wings. Artamus. Wood-Swallows. 462

Wings short . . . . . . . . . . . . 470

Plumage chocolate colour or sooty and white (mottled in youth) . . 463
Plumage mostly sooty or grey or grey and chestnut . . . . 465

463. Breast and rump similar to head . . . . . . . . 464

Breast and rump white.

A. leiicogaster (White-rumped Wood-Swallow).

464. Length about 6.8 inches. A. sordidiis (Wood-Swallow).
Length about 4.8 inches. A . minor (Little Wood-Swallow).

-^,1 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

465. Abdomen grey or white . . . . . . . . , . 466

Abdomen chestnut. A. siiperciliosiis (White-browed Wood-Swallow).

466. Rump and tail black and not like back . . . . . . 467

Rump and tail grey, like back.

A. personatus (Masked Wood-Swallow).

467. Under tail coverts mostly black . . . . . . . . 468

Under tail coverts white.

A. hypoleitciis (White-bellied Wood-Swallow).

468. Narrow black band across forehead ; chin and upper throat black 469
No narrow black band across forehead ; chin only black.

.4. venustits (White-vented Wood-Swallow).

469. Outer tail feather with large white tip.

A. melanops (Black-faced Wood-Swallow).
Outer tail feather with outer web black nearly to tip.

.4. cinereus (Grey-breasted Wood-Swallow).

470. Upper surface mottled tawny-brown ; nail of hind toe very long

(at least .25 inch) . . . . . . . . . . 471

Plumage various ; nail of hind toe not as long as rest of toe . . 474

471. Length about 5 inches ; bill stout and strong.

MiRAFRA. Bush-Larks. 472
Length about 6 inches ; bill ordinary.

Anthus ait straits (Ground-Lark or Pipit).

472. Plumage greyish-brown ; shoulder of wing rich rufous.

M. secunda (Lesser Bush-Lark).
Plumage tawny-brown ; wing with dark markings . . . . 473

473. Head and back with black centres to feathers ; bill .45 inch.

M. horsfieldi (Bush-Lark).
Head and back all sandy rufous ; bill .55 inch.

M. woodivardi (Rufous Bush-Lark).

474. Crown uniform black or grey ; or streaked or spotted with white (or

mottled olive) ; bill and tail very short.

Pardalotus. Diamond-Birds. 475
Crown not uniform black or marked with white ; bill stout and

strong. Finches. 483

475. Crown uniform black (or greyish in youth) . . . . . . 476

Crown black, streaked or spotted white or mottled olive . . . . 477

476. Rump dark brown ; throat and chest yellow.

P. melanocephalns (Black-headed Pardalote).
Rump yellowish ; throat yellow ; chest white.

P. iiropygialis (Chestnut-rumped Pardalote).

477. Crown black, streaked or spotted white (greyish or spotted yellow

in immature birds) . . . . . . . . . . 478

Crown mottled olive like back ; no colour on wing, but each feather
tipped white. P. qtiadragintus (Forty-spotted Pardalote).

478. Crown streaked with white ; always a few yellow or red feathers at

base of primaries . . . . . . . . . . 479

Crown spotted white (or yellow in youth) . . . . . . 481

479. Third or third and fourth primary edged with white . . . . 480
Nearly all primaries edged white, making conspicuous patch.

P. ornatiis (Red-tipped Pardalote).

Supplement to "The E)iin." t^z

480. Small yellow patch on wing ; third primary edged white.

P. affliiis (Yellow-tipped Pardalote).

Small red patch on wing ; third primary edged white, sometimes

third and fourth. P. assijiiilis (Orange-tipped Pardalote).

48 1. \Miite spot in front of eye ; primaries all black except tips . . 482
Scarlet spot in front of eye ; primaries edged rufous.

P. rnbricatus (Red-browed Pardalote).

482. Rump mostly chestnut. P. pnnctatiis (Spotted Pardalote).
Rump all yellow. P. xanthopygiiis ( Yellow- rumped Pardalote).

483. Centre pair of tail feathers with thread-like points. Poephila. 484
Centre pair of tail feathers not elongated . . . . . . 490

484. Back green . . . . . . . . . . . . 485

Back brown . . . . . . . . . . . . 487

485. Head yellow. P. aruiilinna (A phase of P. gouldice.)
Head not yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 486

486. Forehead and face black. P. gouldicF (Gouldian Finch).

(This is the youthful stage of the following species.)

Forehead and face red. P. tnirabUis (Scarlet-headed Finch).

487. Head brown, except for black circle around yellow bill . . . . 488
Head grey ; throat black . . . . . . . . . . 489

488. Patch on side of head white. P. leucotis (White-eared Finch).
Xo white on side of head. P. personata (Masked Finch).

489. Bill black. P. cinda (Black-throated Finch).
Bill yellow. P. acuticauda (Long-tailed Finch).

490. Plumage nearly all crimson. Neochmia phaeton (Crimson Finch).
Plumage not crimson . . . . . . . . . . 491

491. Rump crimson ; bill red (but black in youth) . . . . 492
Rump not crimson . . . . . . . . . . 496

492. Plumage almost uniform tone . . . . . . . . 493

Throat, chest, and abdomen different from back . . . . 495

493. Plumage uniform olive ; eyebrow red.

Mgintha temporalis (Red-browed Finch).
Plumage very finely barred with black lines ; lores black.

Zfjx.-EGIXTHUS. 494

494. Red spot behind eye ; abdomen spotted.

Z. ociilatus (Red-eared Finch).
Xo red spot behind eye ; abdomen similar to throat.

Z. hellus (Fire-tailed Finch).

495. Under surface black, with scarlet and white spots.

Emblema pida (Painted Finch).
Under surface mostly white ; chest band and sides black ; white
spots only on black sides.

Staganopleiira guttata (Sjiotted-sided Finch).

496. Face and bill red, face spotted with white (female has very little

red on face). Bathilda riificauda (Red-faced Finch).

Face and bill not red . . . . . . . . . . 497

497. Forehead ])lum colour. Aidemosvne modesta (Plum-head Finch).
Forehead not plum colour . . . . . . . . . , 498

^98. Crown and back brown ; uj)per tail coverts not barred . . . 499

vD

6 Campbell, Dicliotomous Key.

Crown grey ; upper tail coverts white and barred ; ear coverts
chestnut (male) or grey (female).

T ceniopygia castanotis (Chestnut-eared Finch).

499. Back and wings almost uniform. MuNiA. 500
Back finely marked with darker colour : wings freckled grey.

Stictoptera. 502

500. Abdomen pure w^hite : breast fawn, with black band.

M. castaneithorax (Chestnut-breasted Finch).
Abdomen not white ; no black line on breast . . . . . . 501

501. Under surface plain ; head grey.

M. flaviprymna (Yellow-rumped Finch).
Under surface with white marks on chest ; throat and ears black.

M. pectoralis (White-breasted Finch).

502. Rump white. 5. bichenovi (Banded Finch).
Rump black. 5. anniilosa (Black-ringed Finch).

503. Plumage chocolate or rufous ; feathers of upper surface very finely

marked with wavy black lines ; wing 2.5 to 3 inches.

Atrichia. Scrub-Birds. 504
Plumage various ; feathers not finely waved with black . . 505

504. Length about 8.5 inches ; black patch on whitish throat.

-4. clamosa (Noisy Scrub-Bird).
Length about 6.8 inches ; orange patch on abdomen.

^4. nifescens (Rufous Scrub-Bird).

505. Plumage black and yellow or olive-brown and yellow. Plumage

brown or mottled l)rown, with yellow or black crown ; length

8 to 10 inches . . . . . . . . . . 506

Plumage various, but not as specified . . . . . . 511

506. Yellow in the wings . . . . . . . . . . 507

No yellow in the wings . . . . . . . . . . 510

507. Around cheeks and eyes bare and warty.

Meliphaga phrygia (Warty-faced Honey-eater).
Around cheeks and eyes not bare . . . . . . . . 508

508. Plumage olive-brown and yellow . . . . . . . . 509

Plumage black and yellow. Senailiis meliniis (Regent-Bird), male.

509. Long feathers at back of head ; plumage not mottled ; length

8.25 inches ; wing 11. 5 inches.

Prionodiira newtoni (Golden Bower-Bird).

No long feathers on head ; plumage mottled black and yellow or

brown. Sericuliis melinus (Regent-Bird), immature male.

510. Plumage mottled brown and black ; crown black ; wing 5.3 inches.

Sericulus melinus (Regent-Bird), female.
Plumage mottled brown and black ; crown not black.

Sericulus melinus (Regent-Bird), young male.

511. Plumage brownish or greenish, with prominent crest . . . . 512
Not crested . . . . . . . . . . . . 518

512. Plumage brown, with pointed crest . . . . . . . . 513

Plumage greenish or blackish-green . . . . . . . . 514

513. Plumage uniform, except for large white tips to tail feathers ; length

6.5 inches. Sphenostoma cristatum (Wedgebill).

Chest black (male) or brown (female) ; length 8.5 inches.

Oreoica cristata (Bell-Bird).

Supplement to "The E))U(." 27

514. Back green ; abdomen yellow or white ; throat black (male) or green

(female). Falcunxulus. Shrike-Tits. 515

Plumage all blackish-green. Psophodes. Coachwhip-Birds. 516

515. Abdomen yellow. F. fvontatus (Yellow-bellied Shrike-Tit).
Abdomen white. ' F. Icucogaster (White-bellied Shrike-Tit).

516. Length about 10 inches. (Crown brownish in youth) . . . . 517
Length about 6.25 inches. (Male has white marks on side of throat

and chest, which female has not.)

P. nigrogularis (Black-throated Coachwhip-Bird).

517. Lateral feathers of tail tipped white ; wing 3.7 inches ; tail 5.3 inches.

P. crepitans (Coachwhip-Bird).
Lateral feathers of tail tipped brown ; wing 3.95 inches ; tail 5 inches.

P. lateralis.

518. Length 7 to 10 inches : plumage olive-green, greyish, or yellowish-

brown ; bill yellow ; small patch of naked yellow skin behind
ear. Maxorhina. Miners. 519

Bill not yellow ; no naked yellow skin behind ear . . . . 523

519. General colour greyish or yellowish-brown ; length 9 to 10 inches 520
General colour olive-green ; length about 7 inches.

M. inelanoplirys (Bell Miner).

520. General colour greyish . . . . . . . . . . 521

General colour yellowish-brown ; ear coverts black, edged silky

white ; wing 4.8 inches. M. lutea (Yellow Miner).

521. Rump white ; wing 5.2 inches. M. flavigiila (Yellow-throated Miner).
Rump not white . . . . . . . . . . . . 522

522. Crown olive ; ear coverts black ; wing 5.5 inches.

il/. obsciira (Dusky Miner).
Crown black ; forehead white ; wing 5.2 to 5.8 inches.

M. garriila (Noisy Miner).

523. Plumage ashy ; or black and white streaked ; bright yellow in the

wings ; length 5.5 to 7 inches. Meliornis. 524

Plumage otherwise . . . . . . . . . . 528

524. Plumage black and white streaked . . . . . . . . 525

Plumage ashy above ; black crescent on whitish breast (male) or

under surface smoky (female).

M. aiistralasiana (Crescent Honey-eater).

525. Feathers of fore-neck short and entirely black . . . . . . 526

Feathers of fore-neck long, black, edged and tipped white . . 527

526. Bill .8 inch long ; wing 2.75 inches.

M. sericea (White-cheeked Honey-eater).
Bill I inch : wing 3 inches ; cheek and ear patch very large and
pointed. M. mystacalis (Moustached Honey-eater).

y2j. Bill about .7 inch ; cheek and forehead marks large.

M. novcB-hollandice (White-bearded Honey-eater).
Bill .8 to .9 inch ; cheek and forehead marks small.

M. longirostris (Long-billed Honey-eater).
528. Plumage mostly olive above ; yellowish or streaked below ; other
colours white and brown ; ear coverts always different from
rest of head ; tail forked. Ptilotis. 529

Plumage not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 553

■5.3 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

529. Regions of eye and ear bare of feathers . . . . . . 530

Regions of eye and ear not bare . . . . . . . . 531

530. Breast uniform. P. frenata (Bridled Honey-eater).
Breast striated. P. macleayana (Yellow-streaked Honey-eater).

531. Distinct yellow or white ear-patches or tufts . . . . . . 532

No pronounced coloured ear-tufts . . . . . . . . 552

532. Ear-tuft or coverts pure white . . . . . . . . 533

Ear-tuft or coverts yellow with white spot behind or yellow only . . 536

533. Throat black ; large ear-patch (female has greyer crown) ; wing

3.3 to 3.9 inches. (Ear-patch flushed with yellow in young.)
P. leucotis (White-eared Hone^^-eater).
\P. novce-norcice (Western White-eared Honey-eater) has hind-neck

and back greyish-olive ; narrow ear-stripes ; secondaries

brown ; wing 3.5 inches.]
Throat not black ; tuft only of ear feathers . . . . . . 534

534. General colour yellow ; face and forehead yellow . . . . 535
General colour greyish-green ; face yellowish-green.

P. penicillata (White-plumed Honey-eater).

535. Black line along ear-tuft : throat yellow ; chest striated faintly.

P. carteri (Carter Honey-eater).

No black line along ear-tuft : throat not yellow ; chest not striated.

P. leilavalensis (Lesser White-plumed Honey-eater).

536. Mantle olive ; crown nearly black or yellow . . . . . . 537

Mantle and crown almost similar tone . . . . . . 539

537. Crown yellow ; face black ; sides of throat yellow, centre blackish 538
Crown nearly black ; throat all yellow. (Crown, cheeks, and throat

dark in male.) P. flavigularis (Yellow-throated Honey-eater).

538. Mantle olive, with helmet of stubbly feathers ; wing 4 inches.

P. cassidix (Helmeted Honey-eater).
Mantle blackish-olive ; no helmet ; wing 3.4 inches.

P. auricomis (Yellow- tufted Honey-eater).

539. Mantle dark olive-green : under surface olive or dark grey ; ear-

patch light yellow . . . . . . . . . . 540

Mantle brownish or light greenish or yellowish ; ear coverts bright

yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 542

540. Under surface greyish ; behind eye dusky ; wing less than 3.5 inches 541
Under surface olive ; behind eye silky leaden ; wing 3.6 to 3.9 inches.

P. lewini (Yellow-eared Honey-eater).

541. Wing 3.1 to 3.5 inches; space before and behind eye similar, black.

P. analoga (Yellow-spotted Honey-eater).
Wing 2.5 inches ; space in front of eye black and behind olive.

P. gracilis (Little Yellow-spotted Honey-eater).

542. Feathers of fore-neck white and hairy or lanceolate ; crown dark

brown ; under parts whitish and striated.

P. cocker elli (Cockerell Honey-eater).
Feathers of fore-neck not hairy or lanceolate . . . . . . 543

543. Crown and edges of wings yellowish-olive ; chest boldly or faintly

striated . . . . . . . . . . . . 544

Crown and edges of wings not similar ; chest sometimes mottled . . 546

544. Throat and chest yellowish ; tuft of black above ear coverts . . 545

Suppleineni to " The Emu." 39

Throat and chest whitish, with bold striations.

P. ornata (Yellow-plumed Honey-eater).

545. Face, forehead and throat similar; wing 2.7 inches (wing 3 inches,

= P. germana). P. flavescens (Yellow-tinted Honey-eater).
Face, forehead, and throat not similar ; wing 3.1 inches.

P. plitmula (Yellow-fronted Honey-eater).

546. Sides of head with yellow and black marks besides ear-tufts . . 547
Sides of head plain except for ear-tufts

P. fuse a (Fuscous Honey-eater).

547. Chest not darker than under surface : throat not barred . . 548
Chest dark ; throat cross-barred with yellow.

P. fasciogularis (Fasciated Honey-eater).

548. Chest and abdomen similar ; bill not more than i inch . . 549
Throat whitish ; chest grey ; abdomen buff ; bill i inch.

P. fdigera (Streak-naped Honey-eater).

549. With ridge of purplish wattle from gape to ear-tuft.

P. cratitia (Wattle-cheeked Honey-eater).
No wattle from gape to ear-tuft . . . . . . . . 550

550. Black streak through eye only or above it ; chest feathers with

dark centres . . . . . . . . . . . . 551

Two black streaks across side of head, separated by line of yellow.

P. chrysops (Yellow-faced Honey-eater).

551. Throat greyish; wing 3.8 inches. P. sonora (Singing Honey-eater).
Throat yellowish : wing 2.8 inches.

P. keartlandi (Keartland Honey-eater).
Throat yellow : wing 4 inches ; bill i inch.

P. versicolor (Varied Hone^'-eater).

552. Plumage yellow. P. flava (Yellow Honey-eater).
Plumage brownish-olive. P. unicolor (White-gaped Honey-eater).

553. Crown black or brown ; naked space above eye ; back greenish or

yellowish ; under surface white or smoky. (Bill smaller in

female.) ]\Ielithreptus. 554

Characters other than specified . . . . . . . . 564

554. Light-coloured band, lunar shape, behind head . . . . 555
No complete and distinct light band behind head . . . . 562

555. Wedge-shaped black mark on upper throat . . . . . . 556

Throat white or black only between base of bill . . . . 560

556. Under parts mostly dusky (under parts, bill, and lunar mark yellowish

in youth) . . . . . . . . . . • • 557

Under parts white. (Crown rufous brown in youth) . . . . 558

557. Sides and under tail coverts dark, like breast.

M. validirostris (Strong-billed Honey-eater).
Sides and under tail coverts lighter than breast.

M. gularis (Black-chinned Honey-eater).

558. Back very yellow, especially rump ; eye-space yellowish . . 559
Back olive-green ; eye-space greenish-blue.

M . carpentariana (Eastern Golden-backed Honey-eater).

559. Wing 3.25 inches ; crown black.

M. Icetior (Golden-backed Honey-eater).
Wing 2.45 inches; crown vinous. M. vinitinctus (Gay Honey-eater).

iQ Campbell, Dichotonwiis Key.

560. Skin round eye scarlet . . . . . . . . . . 561

Skin round eye greenish ; length 5.3 inches ; wing 3.1 inches.

M. chloropsis (Western White-naped Honey-eater).

561. Length 5 inches ; wing 2.7 inches : throat all white.

M. albigiilai'is (White-throated Honey-eater).
Length 5.3 inches ; wing 2.9 inches ; throat black in base of bill.

M. liinnlatus (White-naped Honey-eater).

562. Crown brown ; light mark behind eye and faintly behind head ; eye-

space yellowish ; under parts creamy • . . . . . 563

Head quite black ; under parts white. (Crown brown, under surface
yellowish in youth.)

M. inelanocephahts (Black-headed Honey-eater).

563. Cheeks and sides of throat creamy : under surface darkest on

breast ; bill .52 inch.

M. hrevirostris (Brown-headed Honey-eater).
Cheeks and sides of throat pure white ; under surface darkest on
abdomen ; bill .4 inch.

M. leucogenys (Western Brown-headed Honey-eater).

564. Plumage almost uniform green or yellowish, with ring of white

feathers round eye ; length about 4.5 inches.

ZosTEROPS. White-eyes. 565
Plumage different ; no white ring round eye . . . . . . 570

565. Back olive-brown or greyish . . . . . . . . 566

Back greenish like rest of upper surface . . . . . . 567

566. Crown olive-green ; tail olive. Z. cocriilescens (White-eye).
Crown greenish-yellow ; tail brown, margined with yellow.

Z. yamsayi (Yellow-vented White-eye).

567. Lmder surface greyish . . . . . . . . . . 568

Under surface yellow . . . . . . . . . . 569

568. Sides of body ashy-grey, like breast.

Z. alhiventer (Pale-bellied White-eye).
Sides of body rufous ; breast ashy-grey.

Z. goiildi (Green-backed White-eye).

569. Colour above grass-green ; bill .5 inch. Z. liitea (Yellow White-eye).
Colour above olive-yellow ; bill .6 inch.

Z. gulliveri (Gulliver White-eye).

570. Bill much longer than head, very slender, black, and much curved 571
Bill equal to or shorter than head . . . . . . . . 578

571. Length 4.7 inches ; abdomen yellow ; bill much longer than shank ;

throat shining blue-black (male) or yellow (female).

Cinnyris frenata (Sun-Bird).
Abdomen not yellow . . . . . . . . . . 572

572. Plumage olive-brown, or head red. Myzomela (2). 573
Plumage black and white, brown and white, or with rufous collar 575

573. Length 5 inches ; plumage olive-brown ; crown tinged with red.

M. obsciira (Dusky Honey-eater).
Length about 4 inches ; head red (male) or plumage brown (female) 574

574. Head and line along back red (male), bill and legs black (female).

M. sangimieolenta (Sanguineous Honey-eater).
Head only red (male) ; bill and legs olive (female).

M. erythroccphala (Red-headed Honey-eater).

Supplement to "The Emu." A\

575. Length about 4.4 inches : black and white (male) or brown and

white (female) Myzomela (2). 576

Length 5 inches and over ; abdomen mostly fawn ; collar rufous ;

much white in tail. Acaxthorhynxhus. 577

576. Crown and throat all black (male) or freckled brown (female).

'SI. nigra (Black Honey-eater).

Crown black ; throat white ; black band on chest. (Female has

rufous back.) .1/. pectoralis (Banded Honey-eater).

577. Crown shining black ; small brownish patch on whitish throat.

(Female similar, but lighter, especially on throat.)

^4. tenuirosiris (Spinebill).

White streak behind eye : crown brownish ; throat all chestnut,

followed by white and black crescents on chest (male). All

under surface similar, also crown and back similar, Init

separated by chestnut collar (female).

A. stiperciliosiis (White-browed Spinebill).

578. Length 4.5 to 6.8 inches ; inner web of wing feathers tawny or outer

web yellow . . . . . . . . . . . . 579

Inner web of wing feathers not tawny, nor outer web yellow . . 587

579. Inner web of w^ng feathers tawny. Glycyphila (3). 580
Outer web of wing feathers yellow . . . . . . . 582

580. Crown tawny (crown streaked and throat yellow in youth).

G. fidvijrons (Tawny-crowned Honey-eater).
Crown W'hite and blackish . . . . . . . . . . 581

581. Forehead all white ; throat blackish.

G. albifrons (White-fronted Honey-eater).
Forehead not all white ; throat white.

G. fasciata (White-breasted Honey-eater).

582. Feathers behind eye peculiarly shaped and silky. Glycyphila (3). 583
Feathers behind eye normal. Extomophila. 585

583. Ear coverts brownish black . . . . . . . . . . 584

Ear coverts with silvery spots.

G. albianricularis (Broadbent Honey-eater).

584. Under surface dingy ; feathers behind eye yellow.

G. ocularis (Brown Honey-eater).
Under surface white, faintly barred; feathers behind eye white.

G. modesta (Brown-backed Honey-eater).

585. Length 5.5 inches ; upper surface black ; under surface white.

E. picta (Painted Honey-eater).
Length 4.75 inches or less ; upper surface brownish ; under surface

not all white . . . . . . . . . . 586

586. Throat white. E. albigiilaris (White-throated Honey-cater).
Throat reddish. E. ru/igiilaris (Rufous-breasted Honey-eater.)

587. Abdomen yellow, rufous, dusky, or white, ]>lain or boldly streaked ;

length not more than 8 inches . . . . . . . . 588

Abdomen otherwise . . . . . . . . . . 611

588. Bill at nostrils broader than high ; strong gape bristles . . . . 589
Bill at nostrils equal in height and breadth ; bristles round gape

hair-hke. Pachycephala. Thickheads. 598

589. Under surface all yellow or yellow and white . . . . . . 590

A 2 Campbell, Dichoionwus Key.

Under surface without yellow colour . . . , . , 595

590. Under surface all yellow except chin . . . . . , 591
Abdomen yellow ; throat white.

Eopsaltria georgiana (White-breasted Shrike-Robin).

591. Over 5 inches in length. (Young is rufous-brown with light centre

streak to feathers of back and chest.)

Eopsaltria. Shrike-Robins (2). 592
Less than 5 inches long. Pcecilodryas. Robins (3). 593

592. Rump olive-green, like back.

E. australis (Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin).
Rump jonquil-yellow.

E. magnirostris (Yellow-rumped Shrike-Robin).

593. White patch in front of eye . . . . . . . . 594

Rufous patch in front of eye. P. nana (Little Robin).

594. Forehead ashy-olive. P. capita (Large-headed Robin).
Forehead black. P. albijacies (White-faced Robin).

595. Upper surface chocolate-brown ; distinct white eyebrow.

Pcecilodryas. Robins (2). 596
Upper surface black ; no white eyebrow.

Eopsaltria. Shrike-Robins (2). 597

596. Flanks and under tail coverts whitish.

P. superciliosa (White-browed Robin).
Flanks and under tail coverts tawny.

P. cerviniventris (Buff-sided Robin).

597. Tail tipped with white. E. gularis (Grey-breasted Shrike-Robin).
Basal half of tail white.

E. pulvcrulenta (White-tailed Shrike-Robin).

598. Length more than 5.5 inches . . . . . . . . 599

Length 5 inches. P. simplex (Brown Thickhead).

599. Length less than 7 inches . . . . . . . . . . 600

Length 7 inches or more . . . . . . . . . . 609

600. Abdomen yellow (male) or throat and chest ashy without streaks

(female) . . . . . . . . . . . . 601

Abdomen not yellow (male) or throat and chest ashy and streaked

(female) . . . . . . . . . . . . 605

601. Tail black or olive-green above . . . . . . . . 602

Tail grey or black and grey above . . . . . . . . 603

602. Tail all black ; crown black f male) or grey with black shaft lines ;

throat and chest whitish ; abdomen yellow (female).

P. melanura (Black-tailed Thickhead).
Tail all olive-green ; crown ashy-brown.

P. peninsula' (Cape York Thickhead).

603. Tail all grey. P. glaucura (Grey-tailed Thickhead).

Tail grey and black . . . . . . . . . . 604

604. Base of tail grey only, tiji black. (Abdomen light fawn, female.)

P. occidentalis (Western Thickhead).
Base of tail grey washed with olive ; two-thirds black. (Abdomen
whitish, female.) (In youth mostly rich rust-red.)

P. giitiuralis (\\'hite-throated Thickhead).

605. Throat white . . . . . . . . . . . . 606

Supplement to " The Emu." A'l

Throat rust -red or grey . . . . . . . . . . 608

606. Abdomen dark or light cream colour, plain or streaked . . . . 607
Abdomen rich orange-brown (male) or light fawn and streaked

(female). P. rnfiventris (Rufous-breasted Thickhead).

607. Collar broad (male) or abdomen streaked black (female).

P. jalcata (Northern Thickhead).
Collar narrow (male) or abdomen streaked brown (female).

P. paUida (Pale-breasted Thickhead).

608. Lores rustj^-brown. like throat (male) : grej' mark on chest and

streaked below (female). P. nifogiilaris.

(Thought to be young P. guttiiralis.)

Lores black, not like throat (male) ; under wing coverts sandy

(female). P. gilberti (Red-throated Thickhead).

609. Collar black and chestnut, throat and abdomen white (male) ; no

collar, under surface streaked (female) . . . . . . 610

No collar ; throat whitish ; abdomen olive. (Female has browner
mantle and dingier throat.) P. olivacca (Olive Thickhead).

610. Back of neck chestnut and black.

P. laiiioides (White-bellied Thickhead).
Back of neck chestnut only. P. fretoruui (Torres Strait Thickhead).

611. Length more than 7.5 inches ; bill black, curved, and .75 to 1.2 inches ;

distinct light eyebrow.

PoMATORHixus. Babblers or Chatterers. 612
Characters otherwise . . . . . . . . . . 615

612. Breast, like throat, mostlv white : back greyish-brown . . . . 613
Breast rufous : throat white : back dark brown.

P. riibeculiis (Red-breasted Babbler).

613. Length about 8 inches ; no rufous on abdomen . . . . 614
Length 10 inches ; abdomen partly rufous. P. temporalis (Babbler).

614. Crown chestnut ; white marks on shoulder.

P. ritficeps (Chestnut-crowned Babbler).
Crown dark brown : no white on wing.

P. siiperciliosus (White-browed Babbler).

615. Length more than 7.2 inches ; bill strong and nearly straight ;

plumage greyish or brownish, with light eyebrow and spot

in front of eye. Collyriocixcla. Shrike-Thri'shes. 616

Characters not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 623

616. Length more than 8 inches ; under surface whitish or not uniform O17
Length less than 8 inches : under surface uniform lawn . . . . 621

617. Bill blackish . . . . . . . . . . . . 618

Bill all horn colour ; wing 4.83 inches.

C. pallidirostris (Pale-headed Shrike-Thrush).

618. Back umber and different to head . . . . . . 619

Back ashy-brown, like rest of upper surface . . . . . . b20

619. Bill .8 inches ; chest darker than throat or abdomen.

C. harmonica (Grey Shrike-Thrush).
Bill 1.2 inches. (Crown like back, eyebrow rust-coloured, and
breast streaked in female and young.)

C. rectirostris (Whistling Shrike-Thrush).

620. Wing 4.65 inches ; under tail coverts white. (Female has lores and

round eye rufous.) C. hriniiica (Brown Shrike-Thrush).

11 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

Wing 4.8 inches ; under tail coverts fawn like rest of under surface.
(Female has rufous eyebrow but lores whitish.)

C yufiventris (Buff-bellied Shrike-Thrush).

621. Breast dark : under tail coverts rich fawn . . . . . . 622

Breast light : under tail coverts whitish.

Pinarolestes parviiliis (Little Shrike-Thrush).

622. Wing 4 inches ; tail 3.5 inches. C. hoiveri (Bower Shrike-Thrush).
Wing 3.6 inches ; tail 3 inches.

Pinarolestes rufigaster (Rusty-breasted Shrike-Thrush).

623. Tail shorter than or nearly as long as wing . . . . , . 624
Tail longer than wang and usually carried erect . . . . 747

624. Total length more than 6.6 inches . . . . . . . . 625

Total length less than 6.6 inches . . . . . . . . 639

625. Shafts of tail feathers produced and spiny : throat white (male),

rufous (female) or mottled (in youth).

Orthoxyx. Log-ruxxers. 626
Tail feathers normal . . . . . . . . . . 627

626. Length about 8 inches ; wing coverts tipped grey.

0. spinicauda (Spine-tailed Log-runner).
Length 10 inches ; wing coverts blackish.

0. spaldingi (Black-headed Log-runner).

627. Length more than 7.5 inches ; back luiiform brown or rufous ;

or spotted with black ; wing with white spots.

CixcLOSOMA. Grouxd-Birds. 628
Plumage black and white, brown and white, or brown striated with

black on back . . . . . . . . . . 633

628. Back uniform colour . . . . . . . . . . 629

Back spotted with black ; throat blue-black (male) or white (female).

C. punctatum (Spotted Ground-Bird).

629. Throat black . . . . . . . . . . . . 630

Throat buff. C. cinnamomeum (Cinnamon Ground-Bird), female.

630. Crown, upper back, and tail different from lower back . . . . 631
Back and centre tail feathers entirely one colour.

C. cinnamomenm (Cinnamon Ground-Bird), male.

631. Chest cinnamon or chestnut . . . . . . . . 632

No chestnut on breast ; throat black (male) or grey (female).

C. castanonotum (Chestnut-backed Ground-Bird).

632. Under tail coverts mostly white, with dark centres ; chest chestnut ;

wing 4 inches.

C. castaneothorax (Chestnut-breasted Ground-Bird).

Under tail coverts black with white edges ; chest cinnamon ; wing

3.8 inches. C. marginal iim (Northern Ground-Bird).

633. Total length q or 10 inches . . . . . . . . 634

Total length 6.5 to 8.5 inches . . . . . . . . 635

634. Back almost uniform ; breast and flanks with cross marks. (For

male see No. 439.)

Edoliisoma tennirostre (Jardine Caterpillar-eater), female.

Head and back with black centre to each feather ; under surface

uniform. Plectorhynchus lanceolatus (Striped Honey-eater).

635. Plumage purely black and white (male) or brown and white (female) 636

Suppleiiioit to " J lie Emu.'" ^^

Plumage mottled brown and rufous or black.

ClXCLORHAMPHUS. SoXG-LaRKS. 638

636. Throat white (breast streaked or barred, female).

Lalage. Caterpillar-eaters. 637
Throat black (male) or mottled brown (female).

Entomophila leucomelas (Pied Honey-eater).

637. Wing 4 inches ; under tail coverts white.

L. tricolor (White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater).
Wing 4.8 inches : under tail coverts fawn.

L. leiicomelcena (Pied Caterpillar-eater).

638. Rump mottled brown, like back : wing 4 inches (male). 3.25 inches

(female). C cruralis (Brown Song-Lark).

Rump rufous, not like back ; wing 3.6 inches.

C. nifescens (Rufous Song-Lark).

639. Plumage blue-black, black and white, leaden and white, or rufous

and white ; chest white, but sometimes rufous ; tail nearly
as long as wing ; bill broad. Flycatchers. 640

Plumage not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 655

640. Plumage blue-black (male) or rufous and white with shining head

(female). Piezorhynchus nitidns (Shining Flycatcher).

Plumage neither all black nor with rufous back . . . . 641

641. Plumage shining black and white . . . . . . . . 642

Plumage leaden and white : throat leaden or rufous . . . . 647

642. White ring round neck. Arses. 643
No white ring round neck . . . . . . . . . . 644

643. Lores white. .4. lorcalis (Frill-necked Flycatcher).
Lores black. .4. kaupi (Pied Flycatcher).

644. Throat black or white and black . . . . . . . . 645

Throat white (touch of rufous sometimes on chest). Sisura. 646

645. Length 6.5 inches ; throat shining black.

Myiagra nitida (Satin Flycatcher).
Length 5.75 inches ; throat white bounded by black.

Piezorhynchiis leiicotis (White-eared Flycatcher).

646. Length 7.7 inches ; w'ing 4 inches.

S. inqiiieta (Restless Flycatcher).
Length 6 inches ; wing 3.4 inches. S. nana (Little Flycatcher).
Plumage leaden and white only. Myiagra (2), males. 648

Plumage mostly leaden and white, but rufous on chest or throat.
Lores clark. M. concinna (Blue Flycatcher), male.

Lores not darker than face. M. mbecida (Leaden Flycatcher), male.
Centre of throat rufous, like chest. Myl\gra (several). 650

Face and centre of throat black (male) or greyish (female).

PlEZORHYNCIIUS (2). 654

650. Crown of head shining blue-black . . . . . . . . 651

Crown of head not shining blue-l)lack . . . . . . 653

651. Whole back shining blue-black.

M. latirostris (Broad-billed Flycatcher), male.
Crown only shining blue-black . . . . . . ■ • 652

652. Wing 2.9 inches ; bill very broad.

M. latirostris (Broad-l)illed Flycatcher), female.

J.6 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

Wing 3.35 inches. J/, nitida (Satin Flycatcher), female.

653. Lores dark ; ear coverts light.

M. conciiina (Blue Flycatcher), female.
Lores not darker than crown ; ear coverts dark.

M. rubecula (Leaden Flycatcher), female.

654. Flanks and under wings rufous, like chest.

P. goitldi (Spectacled Flycatcher).
Flanks and under wings white like abdomen.

P. albiventris (White-bellied Flycatcher).

655. Plumage light grey and rufous or olive and yellow ; tail nearly as

long as wing . . . . . . . . . . 656

Plumage not light grey and rufous and not olive and yellow . . 658

656. Length about 6 inches ; abdomen rufous. Moxarcha. 657
Length 4.6 inches ; abdomen yellow ; bill extremely broad.

Machcerorhynchits flaviventer (Yellow-breasted Flycatcher).

657. Tail and wings black. M. canescens (Pearly Flycatcher).
Tail and wings not darker than upper surface (female has less black

on throat and forehead).

M. melanopsis (Black-faced Flycatcher).

658. Bill straight and broadened or cylindrical, usually with strong

bristles round gape . . . . . . . . . . 659

Bill curved and black, or straight and light in colour ; no bristles
round gape ; hind toe very strong, claw very large and much
curved ; legs black or horn colour ; tail short . . . . 734

659. Bill at nostrils much broader than high ; plumage sombre ; wing

feathers uniform, but outer tail feathers mostly white.

MiCRCECA. 660
Bill at nostrils about equal ni height and breadth . . . . 663

660. Abdomen whitish . . . . . . . . . . . . 661

Abdomen yellow. M. fiavigaster (Lemon-breasted Flycatcher).

661. Outer tail feathers white . . . . . . . . . . 662

Outer tail feathers blackish, with white tips.

M. assimilis (Lesser Brown Flycatcher).

662. Wing 3.5 inches. M. jascinans (Brown Flycatcher).
Wing 3.03 inches ; plumage very light.

M. pallida (Pale Flycatcher).

663. Length over 4.5 inches ; upper and under surfaces almost similar

uniform brownish, or under surface with red or pink colour ;
wing feathers with light spots or bands across. Robins. 664
Characters not these ; gape bristles not large . . . . . . 678

664. Length 6.3 inches ; rusty-brown above ; chest ashy ; abdomen

white. Heteromyias cinercijrons (Ashy-fronted Fly-Robin).

Plumage otherwise. Petrceca. 665

665. Plumage black and white (male) or brown and white (female) . . 666
Plumage black and scarlet or pink ; or mostly brown . . . . 667

666. W^ing 3.7 inches ; tail with broad subterminal band of black.

P. bicolor (Hooded Robin).
Wing ',.5 inches ; tail with narrow subterminal band of black.

P. pic at a (Pied Robin).

667. Plumage all brown . . . . . . . . . . 668

Supplement to "The Enmy aJ

Breast scarlet or pink . . . . . . . . . , 672

668. Length 5.8 inches. (Crown and back streaked in youth.)

P. vittata (Dusky Robin).
Length 5 inches or less . . . . . . . ^ . . 669

669. Outer tail feathers mostly white and also wing marks . . . . 670
Outer tail feathers not white ; wing marks tinged rufous.

P. rhodinogastra (Pink-breasted Robin), female.

670. Forehead tinged rusty-red (under surface darker or tinged red in

young male). P. goodenovi (Red-capped Robin), female.

Forehead with small spot (breast sometimes flushed with red or pink) 671

671. Upper surface brown ; wing 3 inches. (Breast flushed with red

in young male.) P. phocnicea (Flame-breasted Robin), female.
Upper surface dark grey; wing 2.5 inches. (Breast flushed with
pink in young male and often female.)

P. rosea (Rose-breasted Robin), female.

672. Forehead red . . . . . . . . . . . . 673

Forehead not red . . . . . . . . . . . . 674

673. Throat all black. P. goodenovi (Red-capped Robm), male.
Throat black with red in centre from breast. (Probably a varia-
tion of previous species.) P. ramsayi (Red-throated Robin).

674. Breast scarlet ; large patch of white on forehead . . . . 675
Breast pink ; very small spot of white on forehead . . . . 677

675. Abdomen white ; throat and back black (male) or brownish (female) 676
Abdomen and throat scarlet, like breast.

P. phcenicea (Flame-breasted Robin), male.

676. Forehead spot .5 inch across ; wing 2.85 inches.

P. leggii (Scarlet-breasted Robin).
Forehead spot .35 inch across ; wing 3 inches.

P. campbelli (Western Scarlet-breasted Robin).

677. Tail all black. P. rhodinogastra (Pink-breasted Robin), male.
Outer tail feathers and abdomen white.

P. rosea (Rose-breasted Robin), male.

678. Whole plumage boldly streaked . . . . . . . . 679

Plumage not streaked (except crown and throat) . . . . 685

679. Length about 4 inches ; colour sandy-buff, with broad black stripes

on upper surface ; head plain when mature ; tail rounded.

Cisticola exilis (Grass- Warbler).
Characters not as specified . . . . . . . . . . 680

680. Crown streaked black ; under surface olive-yellow or white ; under

tail coverts streaked. Calam.\nthus. Field-Wrens. 681

Crown streaked white ; under surface whitish ; under tail coverts
not streaked. Chthonicola sagittata (Little Field- Wren).

681. Upper surface olive-green or dull brown ; throat white (male) or

buff (female) . . . . . . . . . . 682

Upper surface sandy rufous, with faint streaks ; under surface white,

streaked black . . . . . . . . . . 685

682. Crown olive-green, streaked like back . . . . . . . . 683

Crown rufous and nearly uniform. C. campestris (Field-Wren).

683. Upper surface olive-green with broad stripes ; abdomen olive-yellow ;

length 5 inches ; bill .4 inch ; tarsus .8 inch. (Tasmanian
specimens are larger.) C. jidiginosns (Striated Field- Wren).

zj.8 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

Upper surface dingv-brown, with narrow stripes : under surface
ash3--white ; length 5.25 inches ; bill .5 inch ; tarsus .9 inch.

C. niontanelliis (Rock Field-Wren).

684. Dark streaks of back almost lost. C. isahellinns (Desert-Wren).
Dark streaks of back distinct ; wing 1.95 inches. (Possibly a desert

variety.) C. riihiginosiis (Rusty Field-Wren).

685. Length over 5 inches ; upper and under surfaces almost similar . . 686
Length 5 inches and under . . . . . . . . . . 688

686. Length about 6.5 inches ; colour russet-brown, darkest on head,

lightest on rump ; first primary of wing extremely small.

AcROCEPHALUs. Reed-Warblers. 68/
Length about 5.5 inches; dark sooty-brown above, deep ferru-
ginous below. Origiiia rithricata (Rock- War bier).

687. Bill .6 to .75 inch ; shank i inch. A. australis (Reed- Warbler).
Bill .8 to .85 inch ; shank i.i inches.

A. longirostris (Long-billed Reed- Warbler).

688. Plumage never streaked, but often with distinct colours or broad

marks on under surface (gape bristles absent in Ephthiannra) 689
Plumage various (gape bristles absent in Smicrornis) . . . . 696

689. Length about 4 inches ; upper surface brownish ; lores white ; bill

stout and .4 inch long ; tail square.

Xerophila. \\'hite-faces. 690
Length more than 4 inches : bill .5 inch and slender.

Ephthiaxura. Chats. 693

690. Under surface with black or cinnamon band . . . . 691
Under surface plain and like back. A', leiicopsis (Whiteface).

691. Flanks chestnut. X. castaneiventris (Chestnut-bellied Whiteface).
Flanks not chestnut entirely . . . . . . . . 692

692. Cinnamon band on chest.

A', pedoralis (Chestnut-breasted Whiteface).
Narrow black band on chest.

A', nigricincta (Black-banded Whiteface).

693. Throat white or greyish . . . . . . . . . . 694

Throat black or yellow . . . . . . . . . . 695

694. Abdomen white, with black band across chest (male) ; abdomen

greyer, with obscure band (female).

E. albifrons (\Miite-fronted Chat).

Abdomen, crown, and rump scarlet (male) ; abdomen brownish, rump

scarlet (female). E. tricolor (Tricolored Chat).

695. Throat black ; breast yellow. (Head brown, female.)

E. aiirifrons (Orange-fronted Chat).
Throat and breast yellow, with band of black across chest (lighter in
female). E. crocea (Yellow-breasted Chat).

6g6. Length not more than 4 inches ; never streaked . . . . 697

Length not less than 4 inches ; throat or crown often streaked . . 708

697. Bill .4 inch and over, black. Fly-eaters. 698
Bill only .3 inch, brown in colour Smicrornis. Tree-Tits. 707

698. Throat black or brown.

Pseiidogerygone pcrsonata (Black-throated Fly-eater), male.
Throat not black or brown . . . . . . . . . . 699

Siippleinctil to '

" The E»i!f."

49

700

itish.

PSEUDOGERYGONE.

702

eiininal bar. t

ip whilr.

Gerygone.

701

399. Breast yellow
Breast brown or

700. Tail with black subtt
Tail uniform brown ; • throat white.

Pseudogerygone perso)iatci (Black-throated Fl^'-eater), female.

701. Upper sm-face olive. G. albigiilaris (White-throated Fly-eater).
Upper surface ashy. (',. cinerascens (Grey Fly-eater).

702. Back black, brown, or grey : tail with bar of black . , . . 703
Back green : no subterminal black band on tail.

/-'. chloronotu (Green-backed Fly-eater).

703. Back and sides of body reddish-brown . . . . . . 704

Back and sides of body greyish . . . . . . . . 706

■04. Tip of tail all white ; no light eyebrow . . . . . . 705

Inner webs of tail feathers with s})ot of white near tij) ; light-coloured
eyebrow. P. jiisca (Brown Fly-eater).

■05. Ring of white round eye ; bill entirely black.

P. hrnnnei pectus (Black-billed Fly-eater).
Xo ring round eve : bill white at base of lower mandible.

P. magiiirostris (Large-billed Fly-cater).
'06. Throat white ; ear coverts brown ; tip of tail all white.

P. Icevigastra (Buff-breasted Fly-eater).

[P. tenchrosa (Dusky Fly-eater) has tail all uniform ashy-brown ;

lores and eyebrows creamy-white ; throat and under surface

whitish, but flanks darker ; length 4.75 inches : bill .4 inch ;

wing 2.1 inches; tarsus .7 inch.]

Throat and ear coverts grey ; tail white at base and also inner webs

with spot of white near tip. P. citlicivora (Southern Fly-eater).

07. Plumage olive ; lores and eyebrows reddish-brown.

S. brevirostris (Short-billed Tree-Tit).
Plumage vellow : lores and eyebrows whitish.

5. fiavescens (Yellow Tree-Tit).
oS. Upper surface ricli brown or grev : bill more than .4 inch; forehead

yAmu. Sericornis. Scrub-Wrens. 700

I'pjier surface olive ; l)ill usually less than .4 inch ; forehead not

plain. AcANTHiZA. Tits. 719

09. Xo white on wing feathers ; colour rich brown or grey . . . . 710

Shoulder feathers edged white ; lores black (male) or slaty (female) 712
If). General colour brown; lores black, slaty, or tawny .. ..711

General colour grey ; lores white (male has rufous throat).

5. briinnea (Red-throat).

11. Throat yellow ; lores black (male) or slaty (female) ; wing 2.7

inches. 5. citreogularis (Yellow-throated Scrub- Wren).

Throat brownish ; lores tawny ; wing 2.2 inches.

S. magnirostris (Large-billed Scrub-Wren).

12. White tips to outer tail feathers, and dark subterminal band . . 713
Xo white t'ps to outer tail feathers ; tail band obscure or absent . . 715

13. Second;'.ry wing feathers much edged and tij^ped with white.

Acavthornis magna (Scrul)-'i'it).
Secondary wing feathers not edged and tipped witli white . . 714

14. Forehead black ; throat white, barely spotted.

S. Icevigastra (P)uff-l)reasted Scrub-Wren).

CO Campbell, Dichoto)nous Key.

Forehead brown, like crown ; throat thickly spotted.

5. maculata (Spotted Scriib-Wren).

715. No dark sub terminal band on tail

Obscure subterminal band on outer tail feathers ; head and back
olive, not like rump . .

716. Broad black crescent on lower throat ; wing 2.4 inches.

S. giittiiralis (Collared Scrub- Wren).
No black crescent on lower throat ; head and back rich brown, like
rump

717. Length 4.5 inches ; wing 2.35 inches.

S. frontalis (White-browed Scrub-Wren).
Length less than 4.5 inches : wing more than 2.4 inches.

S. minimus (Little Scrub- Wren).

718. Upper throat white ; abdomen whitish ; flanks brown ; legs light

brown. 5. osculans (Allied Scrub-Wren).

Upper throat speckled like lower ; abdomen and flanks olive ;

legs dark brown. S. liinnilis (Brown Scrub-Wren).

719. Dark band over nearly half of tail . .
Dark band narrow and subterminal . .

720. Rump bright yellow
Rump rufous or light fawn

721. Length 3.8 inches ; wing 2.25 inches ; forehead black, with white

spots ; abdomen brownish-white.

A. chrysorrhoa (Yellow-rumped Tit or Tom-Tit),

Length 3.6 inches ; wing 2.3 inches ; forehead not black and spots

few: abdomen white. A. pallida (Western Tom-Tit).

722. Base of tail rufous, like tail coverts . .
Base of tail fawn ; tail coverts dull yellow.

723. Forehead with white half-circles.

A. uropvgialis (Chestnut-rumpcd Tit).
Crown and forehead striated with black.

A. rohtistirostris (Thick-l)illed Tit).

724. Length 4 inches ; wing 2 inches ; bill .4 inch ; upper tail coverts

ochreous
Length 3.5 inches ; wing 1.9 inches ; bill .3 inch ; upper tail coverts
yellowish white. .4. temiirostris (Western Buff-rumped Tit).

725. Length 4 inches ; tarsus .7 inch ; feathers of throat uniform.

A. rcgitloidcs (Buff-rumped Tit).

Length 4.7 inches ; tarsus .5 inch ; feathers of throat with dark

edges. A. squamata (Scaly-breasted Tit).

726. Throat ashy or yellowish-white, often flecked with black
Throat pale rufous, with fine white shaft streaks.

A. nana (Little Tit.)

727. Crown like back except for scale-like marks on forehead . .

Crown rufous with white shaft streaks. A. liiicata (Striated Tit).

728. Tail feathers with distinct white tips
Tail feathers not tipped white

729. Forehead feathers black with whitish margins.

A. apicalis (Broad-tailed Tit).
Forehead feathers rufous with dusky margins.

A. pyrrhopygia (Red-rumped Tit).

Siipplciiicnt to " The Em 11.'^ 5 I

730. Throat and Ineast streaked ; upper tail coverts reddish-ln'own . . 731
No streaks on throat and breast ; no bright ruinj).

A. i)iornata (Plain-coloured Tit).

731. Forehead with light -and dark margins to feathers . . . . 732
Forehead uniform light rufous : l)ill .3 inches ; tarsus 1.8 inches.

A. cwingi (Ewing Tit).

732. Bill .35 to .4 inch .. .. .. .. .. ■■ 7ii

Bill .5 inch : tarsus .75 incli. A. maiinirostris (Large-billed Tit).

733. Abdomen jxile yellow : flanks ful\-ous brown.

^4. piisilla (Brown Tit).
Abdomen \-ellowish-white ; flanks olive-brown.

.4. diemenensis (Brown-rumped Tit).

734. Length more than 6 inches ; bill more than .5 inch, black and curved.

Climacteris. Tree-creepers. 735

Length less than 5 inches : l)i]l light in colour (at base), straight or
upturned, nostrils covered by valve.

SiTTELL.\. Tree-runners. 741

735. L^pper surface uniform brownish- black . . . . . . 736

L'pper surface slaty, brown, or reddish-brown . . . . y^j

736. Throat black with white stripes.

C. mchuiiira (Black-tailed Tree-creeper).
Throat whitish and not striped.

C. mclanunola (Black-backed Tree-creeper).
7j7- Centre pair of tail feathers dark grey, like most of ui)per surface . . 738
Centre pair of tail feathers olive-brown (general colour olive to

reddish-brown) . . . . . . . . . . 740

738. Rump dark grey . . . . . . . . . . . . 739

Rump rusty-red. C. I^yyyluniota (l-ied-backed Tree-creeper).

(Probably young of C. IcttcopJura).

739. Whole fore-neck and throat white.

C. Ifiicopkrva (White-throated Tree-creeper).
Throat slaty ; buff crescent across chest ; eyebrow reddish-brown.

C. erythrops (Red-browed Tree-creeper).
Throat slaty ; eyebrow white.

C. superciliosa (W'hite-browed Tree-creeper).

740. Abdomen buff and much striated.

C. scdiuh'iis (Brown Tree-creeper).
Abdomen rusty-red and not striped. C. rufa (Rufous Tree-creeper).

741. Large patch on wing pure white . . . . . . . . 742

Large patch on wing rusty-red or rusty and white . . . . 744

742. Head black on toj) . . . . . . . . . . 743

Head white all round. S. albata (Pied Tree-numer).

743. Breast and abdomen streaked (male has throat black).

.S. striata (Striated Tree-runner).
Breast and abdomen not streaked.

5. leucoptera (White-winged Tree-iunner).

744. Breast and abdomen streaked . . . . . . • • 745

Breast and abdomen not streaked . . . . . . . . 74^'

745. Crown dark brown : cheeks grey (male) or black (female).

S. chrysoptera (Orange-winged Tree-runner).

Z2 Cami'Bell, Diclioloiiunts Key.

Head and neck all white (male) or grey (female).

5. lencocephala (White-headed Tree-runner).

746. Crown black ; cheeks grey (male) or black (female).

S. pileata (Black-capped Tree-runner).
Crown brownish ; wing-patch half rusty, half white.

5. tenuirostris (Slender-billed Tree-runner).

747. Tail of peculiar feathers without barblets.

Stipiturus. Emu-Wrens. 748
Tail of ordinary' feathers . . . . . . . . . . 749

748. Tail black : crown striped with black. 5. inalachuriis (Emu-^^'ren).
Tail and crown rufous (males of both species have throat blue).

S. ruficcps (Rufous-crowned Emu- Wren).

749. Upper surface with white stripe down centre of each feather ; under

surface mostly similar but paler; 5 bristles on each side of
gape; 10 tail feathers. Amytis. Grass-Wrens. 750

Upi'Cr and under surfaces not both streaked, if at all . . . . 754

750. Length 8 inches ; wing 3 inches. A. hoiisei (Black Grass- Wren).
Length less than 7 inches : wing about 2.5 inches . . . . 751

751. Chest and throat streaked . . . . . . . . . . 752

Chest and throat white. A. goydcri (Goyder Grass- Wren).

752. No black mark on cheek . . . . . . . . . . 75J

Broad black mark on cheek. A. striata (Striated Grass-Wren).

753. Wing 2.3 inches ; flanks and under shoulder rust-red.

.1. tc.xtilis (Grass- Wren).
[A. modcsta (Modest Grass- Wren) has bill deeper and upper parts
paler ; under surface pale brownish, slightly darker on sides
of neck and chest ; throat whitish ; line from nostrils to above
eye pale rust-red ; length b.5 inches ; bill .42 inch ; wing
2.55 inches ; tail 3.2 inches : tarsus .95 incli.]
Wing 2.5 inches ; rust-red only under wing.

A. macfura (Large-tailed Grass- Wren).

754. Total length from 0.8 to 10 inches . . . . . . . . 755

Total length less than O.5 inches . . . . . . . . jbi

755. Wing feathers uniform ; tail not tipped with white ; three stout

bristles on each side of gape. Sphenura. Bristle-Birds. 756
Wing feathers with white bar ; outer tail feathers tipped white ; gape

bristles not stout. Drymaci-dus. Scrub-Robins. 75(j

750. Length more than () inches : crown rufous . . . . . . 757

Length 7 or 8 niches ; crown not rufous . . . . . . 758

757. Length 10 inches ; wing ^.j inches.

S. hroadhciiii (Rufous Bristle-Bird).
Length 9 inches ; wing 3.4 inches.

5. litturalis (Lesser Rufous Bristle-Bird).

758. Length about 8 inches : upper surface uniform.

S. brachyptcra (Bristle-Bird).
Length 6.8 inches : upj)er surface mottled.

5. longirostris (Long-billed Bristle-Bird).
750. Black spot above eye and black streak below.

D. superciliaris (Eastern Scrub-Robin).
Black sj)ot above eye only. . . . . . . . . . . 7O0

Supplenieitt to " The Eiimy c t^

jbo. Under surlace lirownish, except centre oi alxlonien.

D. briiiiiieopygiiis (Scrub-Robin).
l"ncler surface liuffy-white. sides of breast and flanks browner.

I), pallidiis (Pale Scrub-Robin).
ybi. General colour sandy-brown or chocolate-brown, with very long

upper tail coverts . . . . . . . . . . 762

Plumage otherwise . . . . . . . . . . . . 763

762. Length 5.5 inches : wing 2.1 inches ; throat and lores whitish.

Eremiornis carteri (Carter Desert-Bird).
Length 0 inches : wing 2.8 inches ; throat and lores rufous.

Pycnoptilits fioccosus (Pilot-Bird).

763. Feathers of back olive with black centres.

Megalurus. (tRAss-Birds. 764

Feathers of back uniform or brightly coloured . . . . . . ybb

764. Length 5.5 inches ; wing 2.4 inches ; crown spotted with black . . yb^
Length 6.5 inches ; wing 2.6 inches ; crown tawny.

M. galactotes (Tawny Grass-Bird).

765. Sides of body and under tail coverts striated brownish-black.

M. siriatus (Striated Grass-Bird).
Under surface uniform greyish (except throat, which is faintly
striated in female, bolder in male). M. graminens (Grass-Bird).
76b. Rump chestnut : throat and breast boldly streaked.

Hylacola. Ground-Wrens. 767
Rump not chestnut ; throat and breast not streaked . . . . 768

767. Eyebrows and tips of tail feathers pure white ; white spot on wing.

H. cauia (Red-rumped Ground-Wren).
E\-ebrows and tips of tail feathers greyish ; no white on wing.

H. pyrrhopygia (Chestnut-rumped Ground- Wren).

768. Bill at nostrils much broader than high ; bristles round gape nearly

as long as bill. Rhipidura. Flycatchers. 769

Bill at nostrils about as high as broad : gape bristles very small.

Malurus. Wrens. 778

769. General colour brownish or blackish ; throat white . . . . 770
Upper surface and throat black, under surface and eyebrow white.

R. tricolor (Black-and- White Fantail).

770. Eyebrow and base of tail rufous . . . . . . . . 771

Eyebrow and base of tail greyish-black . . . . . . 772

771. Breast spotted : wing 3 inches. R. riififrons (Rufous Fantail).
[R. intermedia (Northern Rufous Fantail) has tail feathers distinctly

tipped white and less rufous at base; chest with fewer scaly
marks, and with black band narrow ; centre of breast and
abdomen white ; length 5.9 inches ; bill .32 inch ; wing 2.9
inches ; tail 3.3 inches ; tarsus .7 inch.]
Breast not spotted ; wing 2.6 inches. R. dryas (\\'ood Fantail).

772. Total length 6 inches ; wing 2.75 inches . . . . . . yy^

Total length 6.5 inches ; wing 3 inches.

R. setosa (Northern Fantail).

773. Wings spotted and some feathers edged with white . . . . 774
Wings almost entirely blackish. R. diemenensis (Dusky Fantail).

774. Chest with prominent black or grey patch , . . . . . 775

ZA ' Campbell, Dicko/onious Key.

Chest tawny . . . . . . . . . . . . 777

775. Wing coverts spotted ; secondaries edged with white.

R. preissi (Western Fantail).
^^'ing coverts spotted or edged ; secondaries not plainly edged,

if at all . . . . . . . . . . . . 776

776. Outer tail feather pure white. R. alhicauda (White-tailed Fantail).
Outer tail feather not all white.

R. alhiscapa (White-shafted Fantail).

777. Upper surface light brownish-grey. R. phasiana (Pheasant Fantail).
Upper surface dark blackish-grey. R. preissi (Western Fantail).

778. Mantle containing blue or red or lilac . . . . . . . . 779

Plumage mostly brown . . . . . . . . . . 798

779. Upper surface dull blue ; ear coverts bright blue ; lores and throat

white ; tail broadly tipped with white.

M. amabilis (Lovely Wren), female.
Plumage not as specified. IMale Wrens. 780

780. Plumage black and white.

M. edouardi (leiicopteriis) (Black-and- White Wren).
Plumage not black and white . . . . . . . . 781

781. Plumage blue and white only . . . . . . . . 782

Plumage not blue and white only . . . . . . . . 783

782. Centre of back blue ; wing coverts white.

M. leucopterus {cyanotus) (White-winged ^^'ren).
Centre of back white, like wing coverts.

M. leuconotus (White-backed Wren).

783. Plumage red and black . . . . . . . . . . 784

Plumage not red and black . . . . . . . . 785

784. Length 4.4 inches ; back scarlet-vermilion.

M. melanocephalus (Orange-backed \\'ren).
Length 4 inches ; back deep crimson.

M. dorsalis (Red-backed Wren).

785. Crown bluish or greenish . . . . . . . . . . 786

Crown lilac, with black spot in centre.

M. coronntits (Purple-crowned Wren).

786. Wing coverts chestnut . . . . . . . . . . 787

Wing coverts not chestnut . . . . . . . . . . 791

787. Colour of back blue and darker or similar to ear coverts . . . . 788
Colour of back greenish and lighter than ear-coverts.

M. elegans (Red- winged Wren).

788. Throat jet black . . . . . . . . . . • • 789

Throat deep indigo blue ; bill .45 inch.

M. pidchcrrimus (Blue-breasted Wren).

789. Forehead and back of similar blue . . . . . . . . 790

Forehead and crown greenish-blue ; back blue ; legs light brown.

M. lamherti (Variegated Wren).

790. Forehead and ear coverts of similar blue ; outer web of outer tail

feather and tips white ; legs light brown.

M. amabilis (Lovely Wren).

Forehead blue ; ear coverts greenish-blue ; tail tipped only with

white ; legs dark brown. M. assimilis (Purple-backed \\'ren).

Supploitcitt to " The E)iiu.'^ ^^

Throat blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 792

Throat black . . . . . . . . . . . . 795

Rump black . . . . . . . . . . . . 793

Rump all blue, like -back. M. splendens (Banded Wren).

Throat much darker blue than crown and mantle . . . . 794

Throat, crown, and back of similar blue.

M. melanotus (Black-backed Wren).
Blue band on chest below black almost similar in colour to back.

M . whitei (Darker Turquoise Wren).

Blue band on chest, but ear coverts, crown, and back very light

silvery green. M. callainus (Turquoise Wren).

Length 5.2 inches and less ; faint blue or no blue on wings . . 796

Length 5.5 inches ; wing coverts deep blue and primaries edged blue.

M. elizahethce (Dark Blue Wren).
Colour of mantle cobalt blue ; faint blue on wing coverts . . 797

Colour of mantle light blue ; no blue on wing coverts.

M. cyanochlamys (Silvery- blue Wren).
Wing 2 inches ; tail 2.2 inches ; abdomen white.

M. cyanens (Blue Wren).
Wing 2.x inches ; tail 2.5 inches ; abdomen dusky.

M. goitldi (Long-tailed Blue Wren).

Bill black is winter plumage, and some bluish feathers on head or

reddish on back, immature plumage of Males of several species.

No coloured feathers in mantle ; bill and lores reddish-brown.

Female Wrens. 799
Length about 4.5 inches; tail all rufous-brown, like wings and back 800
Length about 5 inches ; tail blue or bluish-brown ; back and wings

dissimilar in colour . . . . . . . . . . 801

Wing 1.7 inches : lores whitish.

M. tnelanoccphulus (Orange-backed Wren) or
M. dorsalis (Red-backed Wren).
Wing 1.85 inches ; lores and feathers round eye rufous.

M. leucopterus (White-winged Wren) or
M. leuconotiis (White-backed Wren).
Tail brownish above, bluish below . . . . . . . . 802

Tail all blue . . . . . . . . . . . . 804

Wing 2 inches, and dark brown edged faint l)luish-yellow . . 803
Wing 1.9 inches, and light brown edged yellowish

M. cyanochlamys (Silvery Blue Wren).
Tail 2.5 inches ; tarsus .78 inch. M. cyaneus (Blue Wren).

Tail 2.7 inches ; tarsus .85 inch ; darker plumage.

M. goiildi (Long-tailed Blue Wren).
Lores and circle round eye rufous . . . . . . . . 805

Lores white ; mark behind eye chestnut.

M. coronatiis (Purple-crowned Wren).
Lores deep chestnut or darker than bill . . . . . . 806

Lores rusty or lighter than bill . . . . . . . . 807

Bill .3 inch ; tail 2.8 inches. M. assimilis (Purple-backed Wren).
Tail .32 inch ; bill 2.5 inches. M. lamherti (Variegated Wren).
Wing 1.9 inches ; tarsus .8 inch . . . . . . . . 808

2 6 Campbell, Dichotomous Key.

Wing 2 inches ; tarsus .9 inch. M. elizabethcc (Dark Blue Wren).
808. Tail 2.6 inches : primaries edged light blue.

M. splendens (Banded Wren).
Tail 2.4 inches ; primaries edged bluish-yellow.

M. nielanotiis (Black-backed Wren) or
M. callaijtits (Turquoise Wren).

Note. — The following, which include some •' accidental " species,
complete the list of known x\ustralian birds, namely : —

Butastcr teesa (White-eyed Buzzard-Eagle).
Callocalia esculent a (Edible-nest Swiftlet).
Chalcococcyx malayanus (Little Bronze-Cuckoo).
Titrnix olivii (Olive Quail).

(Allied to T. castanonota, but of larger dimensions).
Thalassogeroii carteri (Carter Albatross).

(Allied to T. chlororhynchus, but with black bill.)
Ptilopiis alligator (Black-banded Fruit-Pigeon).
Querquedula circia (Blue-winged Teal).

INDEX TO DICHOTOMOUS KEY.

Acanthiza

- 708

w

Buzzard

- 219

Acanthocha'ra

- 379

Cacatua

264, 266

Acanthorhynchus -

- 575

Cacomantis

- 248

Acanthornis

- 713

Calamanthus

- 680

Accipiter -

- 240

Calidris

- 123

Acrocephalus

- 686

Callocalia -

- 370

/Egialitis -

- 122

Callocephalon

- 265

.ilgintha

- 493

Calopsittacus

- 265

.Egotheles -

- 365

Calornis

■ 454

Aeluifjedus -

- 425

Caiyptorhynchus -

- 258

Aidemosyne

- 497

Capnmulgus

- 3*^3

Albatrosses

- 42

Carphibis -

- 182

Alcyone

- 329

Casarca

- 83

Amaurornis

- 165

Cassowary -

4

Amylis

- 749

Casuarius -

4

Anas

- 90

Catarrhactes

3

Ancylochilus

- 143

Cat-15irds -

- 425

Anous

- 68

Caterpillar eaters -

439> 634, 636

Anseranas -

■ 77

Catheturus -

■ 373

Anthus

- 471

Centropus -

- 244

Antigone -

- 184

Cerchneis -

- 234

Aprosmictus

- 284

Cereopsis -

- 77

Ardea

- 189

Cha-tura

■ 371

Ardetta

- 195

Chalcococcyx

- 252

Arenaria

- 148

Chalcophaps

- 342

Arses

- 642

Channelbill

- 247

Artamus

- 461

Charadrius -

- 120

Astur

- 226

Chats

- 689

Atrichia

- 503

Chatterers -

- 611

Avocet

- 140

Chenonetta

- 81

Babblers

- 611

Chenopis -

- 77

Bald-Coots

■ 166

Cheramceca

- 457

Barnardius

- 286

Chibia

- 423

Bartramia -

- 155

Chlamydera

- 442

Bathilda -

- 496

Chough

- 396

Baza

- 226

Chthonicola

- 680

Bee-eater -

- 323

Cinclorhaniphus

- 635

Bell- Bird -

- 5J3

Cinclosoma

- 627

Bell-Miner -

- 519

Cinnyris

- 571

Birds of I'aradisc -

- 417

Circus

- 220

Birds of Prey

- 200

C'isticola

- 679

Bittern

- 183

Cladorhynchus

- 119

Biziura

- 80

Climacteris

- 734

Blue Wrens

791, 801

Coachwhip-Birds -

- 514

Botaiirus

- 199

Cockatoos -

- 256

Bovver- Birds

427 442, 509

Collyriocincla

- 615

Bristle- ]5irds

■ 755

Columba -

- 353

Brown Hawk

- 236

Coot

8

Burhinus -

- 116

Corcorax -

- 396

Bush-Larks

- 471

Cormorants

■ 93

Bustard

- 113

Corone

- 394

Bustard-Quails

- 106

Corvus

- 394

Butchcr-Birds

- 409

Coturnix

- 134

Butoroides -

- 197

Coucal

- 244

5»

liulcx tl

Uiti

luloiiioii.s A ry.

Cracticus -

409

Frogmouths

- 362

Crakes

170

Fulica

8

Cranes (see also Herons)

183

Gabianus -

- 70

Crows

-

394

Gallinago -

- 158

Crow-Shrikes

397

Gallinula -

- 169

Craspedophora

-

410

Gannets

- 99

Cuckoos

-

243

Garrodia

17

Cuckoo-Shrikes

.

433

Garzetta

- 186

Cucukis

-

248

Geese

- 50

Curlew, Land

.

116

Gelochelidon

54

Curlew, Sea

-

145

Geocichla -

- 441

Cyclopsittacus

-

272

Geopelia

- 355

Cyniodroma

-

14

Geophaps -

- 346

Dacelo

-

324

(ieopsittacus

- 307

Daption

-

24

Gerygone -

- 700

Darter

-

93

Glareola

- 162

Demiegretta

-

191

Glossopsittacus

- 273

Dendrocycna

84

Glottis

- 139

Desert-Bird

-

762

Glycyphila

579, 582

Desert -Wren

-

684

Godwits

- 140

Diamond liirds

474

Goshawks -

222, 226

Dicreum

455

Grallina

- 422

Diomedea -

.

44

Graucalus

- 434

DoUar-Bird

.

360

Grass-Birds

- 763

Dottrels

1 20

, 150

Grass-Warbler

- 679

Dove- Petrels

19

Grass Wrens

- 749

Doves

322

Grebes

8

Dromteus -

5

Greenshanks

139, 155

Drongo

.

423

Ground -Birds

- 627

Drymaoedus

-

755

Ground-Lark

• 471

Ducks

50

Ground-Thrushts -

- 441

Dupetor

-

199

Ground-Wrens

- 766

Eagle- Hawk

-

217

Gulls

■ 52

Eagles

-

201

Gygis -

- 65

Edoliisoma

439

63 +

Gymnorhina

■ 397

Egrets

183

Gypoictinia

- 219

Elanus

-

230

Hsematopus

- 114

Emblema .

-

495

Halcyon

- 329

Emus

-

4

Haliastur -

217, 223, 232

Emu -Wrens

747

Haloba-na -

- 19

Entomophila

582

,656

Harriers

- 220

Entomyza -

385

Hawks

- 201

Eopsaltria -

590, 591

595

Herod ias -

- 187

Eplithianura

689

Herons

- 183

Eremiornis

-

762

Heteractitis

- 156

Erismatura-

.

80

Heteromyias

- 664

Erythrogonys

«5o

Heteropygia

- 161

Eudynamis

-

247

Hieracidea-

- 236

Eudyptula -

-

3

Himantopus

- 119

Eulabeornis

171

Hirundo

- 458

Eupodotis -

-

113

Histriophaps

- 344

Eurostopus

363

Honey-eaters 507,

523, 572, 634, 636

Eurystomus

-

360

Hydralector

- 164

Excalfactoria

-

133

Hydrochelidon

- 65

Falco

-

233

Hydroprogne

- 55

Falcunculus

-

5'4

Hylacola -

- 766

Field-Wrens

680

Hypota;nidia

- 172

Fig- Birds -

-

428

Ibis

- 179

Finches

474

Jabiru

- 184

Flycatchers

-

640

Jackass ( Laugh int^)

■ 325

Fly-eaters -

697,

768

Jacana

- 164

Fly-Robin -

-

664

Jumper

- 432

Fregata

-

98

Jfy

- 396

Frigate- Birds

98

Kestrel

- 234

Supl^Ieiiiciit to " The Emi)."

59

Kingfishers

- 323

Neophema -

Kites

224, 230

Nettion

Knots

- 159

Nettopus -

Koel

- 247 1

Nightjars -

Lalap;e

- 636

Ninox

Larks

47i> 635 ,

Nisaetus

Larus

- 70

Notophoyx

Leatherhead

- 387

Numenius -

Leucosarcia

- 351

Nycticorax -

Licinetis

- 266

Nyroca

Limonites -

- 151

Oceanites -

Limosa

- 140

Ochthodromus

Lipoa

- 375

Ocyphaps -

Lobivanellus

- 146

CPIstrelata -

Log-runners

- 62s

Oreoica

Lophoictinia

■ 225

Origma

Lophok-emus

■ 337

Orioles

Lophophaps

- 338

Orthonyx -

Lorikeets -

- 271

Osprey

Lorilets

• 279

Ossifraga -

Lory

- 2b3

Owls

Lyre-Birds

• 37b

Oyster-catchers

Machxrorhynchus -

- 656

Pachycephala

Macropygia

- 35'

Pandion

Magpies

■ 397

Pardalotcs -

Magpie- Lark

- 422

Parra

Majaqueus -

- 34

Parrakeets -

Malachorhynchus -

- 88

Pedionomus

Mallee-Fowl

- 375

Pelagodroma

M alums

- 768

Pelecanoides

^Lanorhina -

- 518

Pelican

Manucode -

- 4r8

Pelicanus -

Martins

- 458

Peltohyas -

Megalestris

- 71

Penguins -

Megalurus -

■ 763

Petrels

Megapodius

- 392

Petrochelidon

Melioniis -

- 523

Petrrcca

Meliphaga -

- 507

Petrophassa

Melithreptus

• 553

Pezopoius -

Melopsittacus

■ 306

Phaeton

Menura

- 376

Phalacrocorax

Mesophoyx

- 187

Phaps

Mesoscolopax

- '44

Philemon -

Merops

■ 323

Phcebetria -

Micranous -

- 68

Piezorhynchus

Micr(eca

- 659

Pigeons

Microglossus

- 258

Pilot- Bird -

Micropus -

■ 37'

Pinarolestes

Microtribonyx

- 169

Pipit

Milvus

- 224

Pitta

Miners

- 5'8

Platalea

Mirafra

- 471

Platycercus

Misocalius -

- 252

Plectorhynchu

Mistletoe- Bird

- 455

Plegadis

Monarcha -

- 656

Plotus

Moor- Hens

165, 169

Plover

Mania

- 499

Podargus -

Myiagra

645, 647, 649

Podiceps

Myristicivora

- 353

Pa-cilodryas

Myzomela -

572, 575

Poephila

Nanodes

- 291

Poliolimnas

Native Companion

- I84

Polytelis

Native- Hen

- 168

Pomatorhinus

Neochmia -

- 490

Porphyrio -

^62,

640, 645

292

90

74
368
202
225
188

'44
198

79

17

123

338
34
5'3
686
428
625
219

23
201
114
588
219

474

164

271

132

16

42

91

91

121

2

13

458

664

346

307

99

93

344

385

43

649

- 322

- 762

- 621

- 47'

■ 450

- 179

■ 305

- 634

- 1 82

- 93
1 12, 142

- 362

8
59', 595

- 483

- 174
284, 290

- 611

- 166

6o

Index to Dichotomoiis Key.

Porphyrocephalus -

Porzana

Pratincole -

Priocella

Priofimis -

Prionodura

Prion

Procelsterna

Pseudogerygone

Psephotus -

Psitteuteles

Psophodes -

Pteropodocys

Ptilonorhynchus

Ptilopus

Ptilorhis

Ptilosclera -

Ptilotis

Ptistes

Puffinus

Pycnoptilus

Quail

Rails

Rallina

Raven

Recurvirostra

Red-throat -

Reed -Warblers

Regent-Bird

Rhipidura -

Rifle-Birds

Robins

Rock -Warbler

Roller

Rostratula -

Sanderling

Sandpipers

Scenopa;us -

Scrub- Birds

Scrub- Fowl

Scrub- Robins

Scrub-Tit -

Scrub- Wrens

Scythrops -

Sericornis -

Sericulus -

Shield uck -

Shrike- Robins

Shrike-Thrushes

Shrike-Tits

Shovellers -

Silver-eyes -

Sisura

Sittella

Skuas

Smicrornis -

Snipe

Song- Larks

Sparrow- Hawk

Spatula

Sphecotheres

Sphenostoma

Sphenura -

Spoonbills -

- 286

- 174
• - 152

33

- 33

- 509

- 19

- 67
698, 699

- 292

- 275

- 514

- 434

- 427
352, 355

- 419

- 275

- 528

- 283

- 26

- 762
106, 132

- 170

- 172

■ 394

- 140

- 710

- 686

- 508

- 768

- 418

59i> 595> 663

- 686

- 360

- 161

- 123

- 153
• 442

- 503

- 392

- 755
■ 713

- 708

- 247

- 708

- 508

- 82

590, 591

595
615
5«4

88
564
644
734

51
697

15B
635
240

88
428
513
755

179

Squatarola -

Staganopleura

Starling

Stercorarius

Sterna

Stictonetta -

Stictoptera -

Stiltia

Stilts

Stints

Stipiturus -

Stone- Plover

Stork

Storm-Petrels

Strepera

Strix

Struthidea -

Sub

Sun- Bird -

Swallows -

Swan

Swifts

Syma

Synoecus

Tadorna

Tteniopygia

Tanysiptera

Teal

Terekia

Terns

Thalassogeron

Thickheads

Thrushes -

Tits

Tit-Mice -

Tom-Tit -

Totanus

Tree-creepers

Tree-Duck

Tree-runners

Tree-Tit -

Tribonyx -

Trichoglossus

Tringa

Tringoides -

Tropic- Bird

Turkey

Turnix

Turnstone -

Uroaetus -

Urospizias -

Wanderer (Plain)

Water- Hen

Wedgebill -

Whimbrel ■

White-eyes

White-face -

Wood-Swallows

Wrens

Xenorhynchus

Xeropiiila -

Zonceginthus

Zonifer

Zosterops -

143. >5'

149

495
454

71

55

87
499

162

118
, 161

■ 747

- 114

- 184

■ 13

- 397

- 202

- 432

- 99

■ 571

- 456

- 50

■ 368

- 328

- 134

- 83

- 498

- 327

- 50

- 138

- 52

- 44

- 588
441, t)i5

- 708

- 689

- 721

- 155

- 734

- 84
■ 734

- 697

- 168

- 274

• 159

- 156

• 99
"3. 373

- 106

- 148

- 217

- 222

- 132

- 167

- 513

- 144

- 564

- 689

- 461

- 768

493
118
564

The Emu, Vol. V,

PLATE XI.

The late Capt. F. W. Hutton, F.R.S.
(Second President of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union).

FROM A PHOTO.

©fticial ©rgan of the .^ustnthasiau ©niithologists' Eniou.

" Bir^s of a fcMbcr.'

Vol. v.] 1ST JANUARY, 1906. [Part 3.

Australasian Ornithologists' Union.

FIFTH (ADELAIDE) SESSION.

This session was the best attended since the inception of the
A.O.U. Those present were :^ From Victoria — Dr. Geo.
Home, Mr. and Mrs. A. J. Campbell, Miss Ellie Campbell, Miss
A. Dethridge, Messrs. Robt. Hall, C. F. Lad wig, A. Mattingley,
F. P. Godfrey, A. G. Campbell. J. A. Hill ; from New South
Wales — Dr. W. Macgillivray ; from Tasmania — Mrs. and Miss
Roberts ; from South Australia — Sir Samuel Way, Mr. and Mrs.
J. Mellor, Misses Mellor (2), Messrs. M. Symonds Clark, E. Ashby,
A. and F. R. Zietz, J. W. Mellor, P. Mellor, S. Mellor, R.
Crompton, T. E. Crompton, A. Crompton, R. Martin, Capt. S.
A. White, H. M. Smith, and H. Griffiths.

The visiting members by the express train from Melbourne
were met at Adelaide on the morning of Wednesday, nth
October, by the president (Mr. F. R. Zietz) and representative
members of the South Australian Ornithological Association.
In the afternoon they were entertained at the Museum by
Messrs. A. H. C. Zietz, F.L.S., and F. R. Zietz, who, in
welcoming them, trusted that their stay in Adelaide would be a
pleasant and profitable one. An inspection of the cabinet
specimens of native birds, in which were type specimens and
variations of species, was critically made by members of the
party, who were pleased with the arrangement of the various
families. The public collections in the show-cases were next
viewed, and numerous rare species pointed out by the Messrs.
Zietz, and the methodical manner of the mounting was favour-
ably commented upon.

After viewing the bones of the extinct animal Diprolodon
australis surprise was expressed at the magnitude of these
old-time mammals that once roamed the plains of the continent.

The opening meeting of the fifth session took place in the
Royal Society's room, Institute, North-terrace, in the evening,
when Mr. E. Ashby presided over a good attendance, and
welcomed the visitors from the other States.

I06 Ausi>'alasia>i Ornithologists' Union. [ ist "(an

Annual Report.

The hon. secretary (Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley) read the
following report : —

" Your Council have much pleasure in presenting to you the
fourth annual report, embodying the transactions of the A.O.U.
for the year ending 30th June, 1905. During the past year
steady progress has been made in the Union's affairs. The
membership is increasing, and it is a matter for congratulation
that most of the new members are ' working ornithologists.'
The Emu as a journal still maintains its standard of excellence,
and requests have been made from outside countries for
permission to republish some of the articles contributed to it,
whilst, on the other hand, many ornithological societies from
different parts of the world are making application for exchange
of journals. Subscribers have also been presented with a
' Dichotomous Key ' as an aid to the study of ornithology in the
field.

" Efforts have been made by the Council to establish national
parks and reserves as sanctuaries for our avifauna, and to
prevent the alienation of river and creek frontages, the habitats
of many of our birds, and movement also has been made to bring
into uniformity the game laws of the Commonwealth. Special
efforts have been made to protect the Penguins, which are being
slain in thousands yearly for their oil, with the result that the
Government of Tasmania have notified your Council of their
intention of co-operating with the Government of New Zealand
in protecting these birds on Macquarie and other islands south
of New Zealand. Two representative members of the Austral-
asian Ornithologists' Union were appointed as deputies to attend
the International Ornithologists' Congress held in England
during June, 1905. The Council also approved of the design of
a badge to be worn at ornithological functions. Members of
the A.O.U. will be more readily discernible thereby.

" To supply the increasing and popular demand for nature
study, several natural history societies have been formed, and it
is a matter for congratulation that the ' Bird Observers' Club '
has been successfully inaugurated, whilst the Field Naturalists'
Club of Victoria, which has had a long and successful career,
has been exceptionally fortunate through the accessions to its
junior section.

" One coloured plate, portraying three previously unfigured
Australian birds, was issued with vol. iv. of The Emu, and the
Council would be glad if members would send in during January
any notes they may have made up to the end of the year,
especially on the migration of the birds of their districts.

" The thanks of the Union are again due to Colonel C. S.
Ryan for the gratuitous use of his rooms for Council meetings.

°' g ■ I Australasian Oniii/iohgists' Union. \OJ

" Reports from lighthouses have been regularly received, and
valuable information is being collated therefrom, as will be seen
by the next report.".

Lighthouse Reports of Birds Striking the Lantern.

In the absence of Mr. D. Le Souef, Mr. J. W. Mellor read this
report, which is as follows : —

" The following is an epitome of the reports from the light-
house-keepers for the last two quarters in 1904 and the first
in 1905, and although most of the birds mentioned are sea
birds, there are a few land birds, and it is the latter,
of course, that are needed. The most interesting information
so far is that from the islands in Bass Strait, especially
Cape VVickham, and more is gradually being learnt about
the movements of the birds between Australia and Tas-
mania, although it will be a few years before we can expect to
gain much information, as iew of the smaller birds strike hard
enough to be killed, and consequently they are not always
secured and identified ; possibly, as the lighthouse-keepers
become more interested in the work, so will we gain in in-
formation.

" Most reports have naturally come from New Zealand,
with its long coast line, and Mr. T. J. Cox, the principal
keeper of the Cape Saunders Lighthouse, reports that when this
lighthouse was erected 30 years ago the birds used to strike it
nearly every night, but now only do so in thick or foggy
weather. In the last quarter in 1904 two Terns struck in misty
weather, but got away ; two New Zealand Pipits, also in foggy
weather, when one was killed ; also two Banks Petrels, two
White-faced Storm-Petrels, and one European Starling ; only
the latter was killed. During the first quarter of this year
several birds struck, mostly sea birds, but only two were killed
and secured — namely, a New Zealand Pipit and a Black-
bellied Storm-Petrel.

" At Cape Palliser Mr. R. MTver states that in the last quarter
in 1904 only two kinds of birds were secured — the Grey-backed
Storm-Petrel and the Starling. He says that very iQ\w sea birds
fly against the lantern ; those that do strike are mostly small
land birds. The two Starlings came down the cowl of the
lantern after the lights were put out in the early morning. In
January, 1905, only one bird was seen to strike — namely, a
European Goldfinch — but it was not killed.

" Mr. J. Anderson reports that sea birds rarely strike the lantern
at Dog Island, but that land birds, such as European Skylarks,
Sparrows, and Starlings, sometimes do on very dark nights, but
that none have struck lately.

"At Cuvier Island Mr. L. Thompson states that in the third
quarter of 1904 15 Petrels struck, but only three were killed,

I08 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. ist"lan

all Puffinus griseus. They came mostly in thick weather. In
the fourth quarter four more Petrels struck, but only one was
killed, a White-faced Storm-Petrel. In the first quarter of 1905
only two Petrels struck ; one, a Cook Petrel, was killed. The
keeper states that only Petrels strike the lantern ; they never see
any land birds.

" The principal keeper at Tiri Tiri, Mr. H. A. Wakefield, states
that only two birds struck the lantern, both in August of last
year; they were Piijflnns griseus. He says that very few birds
strike this lantern.

" At Cape Maria Van Diemen Mr. P. J. Voyle reports that five
Petrels struck in the third quarter of 1904, but none were killed
or captured. In the last quarter nine Petrels struck, all in
gloomy weather, and only one was killed, a White-faced Storm-
Petrel.

" Mr. S. Hart, the principal keeper, states that at Moko Hinou
Lighthouse, in the third quarter of 1904, nine Mutton-Birds
{Puffinus griseus), two Diving-Petrels, and six White-faced
Storm-Petrels struck the lantern ; nine were killed. He states
that birds striking this lantern are seldom found, even though
they may be killed. In the fourth quarter about thirty-five
Storm-Petrels struck, and none killed ; also two Puffinus nugax,
one Puffinus gavia, one Qistrelata mollis, one Diving-Petrel, and
two Grey-backed Storm-Petrels. These birds struck both in
clear and thick weather.

" At Cape Egmont only one bird was reported to have struck,
but it could not be secured or identified.

"Mr. W. J. Arnold, of the East Cape Lighthouse, states that
in the last quarter of 1904 two New Zealand Bronze-Cuckoos
struck, and also a Long-tailed Cuckoo, but they were not
secured. It was blowing hard at the time.

"At Stephens Island the keeper reports that from June to
December, 1904, only Prion turtur struck the lantern, and this
species did so in great numbers, but were seldom killed. As they
bred on the island, it is easy to account for so many of one
species striking the lantern.

" Principal keeper John Jess, of Centre Island Lighthouse, men-
tions that in the last quarter of 1904 only two birds struck —
namely, a Diving-Petrel and a Broad-billed Prion.

" During the last quarter of 1904 the principal keepers of the
lighthouses at Portland Island, Cape Campbell, Jack's Point,
Dog Island, Kahurangi Point, and Farewell Spit reported that
no birds had struck during that period.

" Eour reports have been received from Tasmania. One, from
Mr. G. H. White, the superintendent at Goose Island, states that
in June last a Black-backed Porphyrio (Bald-Coot) and a
Diving-Petrel struck the lantern ; both were killed.

" At Swan Island Mr. Hemsley mentions that in December,

"ggg j Aiislralasian Oriiithologists Union. IO9

1904, three Short-tailed Petrels (Mutton-Birds) struck ; only
one was killed.

"Mr. Rockwell, of the Low Head Light, states that on 17th
October, 1904, one Olivaceous Thickhead struck and was
secured. He mentions that very few birds strike this lantern.

" From Cape VVickham Lighthouse, Mr. Johnston, the super-
intendent, sends an interesting report, as usual, for the months
of April and May of this year. He states that during April a
Fan-tailed Cuckoo, numbers of Pink-breasted Robins, many
Dusky Fantails, and one Orange-bellied Grass-Parrakeet, and on
4th Alay many more Pink-breasted Robins struck. The P'antails
and Robins struck on the east side of the lantern, at a little after
8 o'clock, in the evening, but the Parrakeet struck at 1 1 o'clock.
Many White-browed Wood-Swallows {Artauins superciliosiis)
appeared early in April. This is the first time this latter bird
has been recorded from here. (See Emit,, vol. v., p. 52.)
The Robins and Fantails were evidently both migrating in
considerable numbers. Mr. Johnston states that many small
birds strike the lantern, but not with sufficient force to kill
themselves, and therefore they are not always secured.

"From New South Wales one report has been received, and
that from Mr. Wm. Gardiner, the principal keeper at Nobbys Light-
house. He states that in October, 1904, a Brown Quail struck the
lantern and was killed, and in December a Wedge-tailed Petrel
struck and got stunned. He also states that for several years
past very few birds have struck this lighthouse.

" Two reports have come from Queensland — one from Mr. W.
Picken, superintendent of the North Reef Lighthouse, in which
he states that he secured only two birds that struck the lantern —
namely, a Noddy Tern and a Wedge-tailed Petrel, the skins of
which he sent. He also says that birds strike the lantern at all
points of the compass, and that most of them fall into the sea,
so cannot be secured. It is nearly always in thick misty or
rainy weather that birds strike, and it is impossible to tell
numbers striking, as they often after striking fly away for a few
yards and then strike again, often numbering dozens in a night,
no matter which point of the compass the wind may be from.
Now and again a small Kingfisher has struck the lantern.

" The other report is from Mr. T. M'Kee, of Lady Elliot Island,
in which he states that on 3rd March, 1905, three small birds
of a grey colour struck, but they were not killed, so he could not
secure one for identification.

" Only one report comes from South Australia ; it is from Mr.
H. W. Transon, of Ironlenda Light. He states that a Teal
struck the lantern on the north side on 13th August. It fell to
the ground, but got away in the darkness.

" The Council of the A.O.U. desire to heartily thank those who
have so kindly helped in this interesting and important work in

IIO Anstralasia>i Ornithologists' Union. \ . "i"

' ' ^^ * L 'St Jan.

the different States, and hope that more information still may
be obtained during the coming year."

Here follows the balance-sheet, which was read by the hon.
treasurer (Mr. F. P. Godfrey), showing that the finances of the
Union are in a satisfactory condition. Its adoption was moved
by Mr. R. Crompton (^Adelaide) and seconded by Mr. J. A. Hill
(Victoria).

President's Address : On European and other Birds
Liberated in Victoria.

Owing to the absence abroad of the president (Capt. F. W.
Hutton, F.R.S.),* Colonel C. S. Ryan, P.M.O., Vict., kindly
prepared the following address, which was read by the hon.
secretary : —

It is interesting to notice how many of the European birds imported
into this country and liberated have adapted themselves to new
surroundings and thriven. In their native land they are kept
more in check by many causes, such as death or migration, trapping,
severe cold, &c. Here they are free from those difficulties, and have
besides a much milder climate and abundance of food. Consequently
the natural increase is much more rapid, and they generally nest
twice, and sometimes thrice, in the season. It must be noticed,
also, that the European birds now acclimatised here are of a strong
and vigorous type, having ancestors accustomed to human habita-
tions for centuries past. Our native birds, on the contrary, have
only seen houses for a comparatively few years, hence they retire
and keep to the bush as buildings increase. But not so most of
the imported ones ; these find a retreat among suburban gardens,
and although heavy toll is paid by those that make open nests, in
consequence of the raids of domestic cats, boys, &c., yet, by laying
two or three clutches, they steadily increase. Such species as nest
further afield or in more secure places naturally increase at a greater
rate. These are fairly secure from birds of prey, such being
generally shot whenever they approach human habitations, and
are consequently scarce in settled districts.

Many other kinds of birds than those most adapted to towns
and cities have also been imported and liberated from time to time,
but have not succeeded in establishing themselves. Perhaps this
is just as well in some cases. It is probable that those that did not
thrive were not so local in their habits, and therefore lost touch.
One of the other causes may be that Australia is a big country, and
a further one that they may not have been imported in sufficient
numbers, or have been turned out in unsuitable localities.

The birds that have succeeded are mostly omnivorous, and both
the reputed seed-eaters and insect-eaters will frequently eat fruit
when it is to be obtained, but during the rest of the year live on
their natural food.

The first bird we will take will be the Starling (Stiirmis vulgaris).

*It will be learned with regret that Capt. Hutton died at sea on the 27th October
(see Obituary Notice). — Eds.

°^o6 J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. Ill

Owing to its considerable increase, and the fact of its living in
flocks, it is more prominent than most of the other birds — besides
having had special laws suggested for its destruction, because it
often eats fruit when opportunity offers, and it has provided columns
of newspaper matter as to whether it is useful or otherwise.
Starlings were first introduced in 1863, when 36 were liberated ;
in 1864, 6 were turned loose ; in 1866, 15 more ; and in 1871,
about 20. These birds lived in flocks, and so kept touch with
one another, and were able by so doing to increase until they have
reached their present number, which must be considerable. They
are steadily extending their area, being found well established in
Tasmania, and almost over the whole of Victoria, although much
more plentiful in the southern portions. So far very few have
found their way into Riverina, where the residents are longing
for their arrival, to help them to battle against the huge armies of
locusts and caterpillars that often infest those districts. These
birds feed on the ground, and devour immense numbers of the
destructive wire-worms, also the bluish grubs that destroy so much
grass by eating the roots away, as well as similar insects, but
unfortunately they find it difficult to resist luscious cherries and
other fruit growing on unprotected trees, whose owners then forget
all about the inestimable good the birds have done for them during
the past eleven months of the year and wage war against them in
various ways. These birds are early risers, and rarely finding any
human beings looking after the fruit in the early hours, help them-
selves, to the natural discomfort of the owner. I should judge
that Starlings will increase far more rapidly than any other im-
ported bird ; they are swift of iiight, and well able to take care of
themselves, are also pugnacious, esj^ecially in driving some other
bird out of a favourite nesting-hollow. If a bird of prey is seen,
a large flock will rise as one bird and circle round and over the
object of their fear as it flies along. I have seen a flock of con-
siderably over a thousand Starlings doing this, and it was an
interesting sight to watch their evolutions in the air.

The next most prominent and much abused bird is the Sparrow
{Passer domesticus). 120 were first liberated in the Botanical
Gardens in 1863 ; in 1864, 125 more ; in 1866, another lot, and in
1867, many birds about Melbourne were caught and were distributed
generally over the State of Victoria, and in 1872, 100 more were
imported and liberated. They have spread from the various centres
well over \'ictoria, also in southern New South Wales and in South
Australia, as well as in Tasmania and the intervening islands. They
follow settlement, and are rarely found far away from human
habitations.

They will eat almost anything — fruit, insects, seeds, &c. — and
have a great weakness for grain as it is just ripening. After the
nesting season they often go in flocks and are then most trouble-
some to the farmer and his wheat-fields. In America and other
places frequent examinations have been made of the contents of
Sparrows' crops, and it was usually found that whatever food

112 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. fist Tan.

FINANCIAL STATEMENT OF THE

For Year ending

RECEIPTS.

Balance from last year, 1904, General Fund.

Receipts by Hon. Treasurer.

Subscriptions — Arrears, 1904.

Year current, 1905.
In advance.

Coloured Figure Fund.

Balance from last year, 1904.
Members' donations.

Sale of tickets, Sydney lecture.
Sales of Emu.
Advertising in Emu.
Binding members' copies &c.

£ s.

d.

£

s.

d

6 2

5

36

68

0
6

6
0

21 II

12 2
2 12

8

II
0

17

5

2

6

5

3
19

II
0

II 7

0

3 0
0 14

0
6

157 10 6

Vol. V.
1906

Australasian Ornithologists' Union.

113

AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION.
SOth June, 190S.

EXPENDITURE.
Printing Emu . .
Reprints (25)

Inserting and Illustrations
Authors' Corrections
Extra small type
Printing Additional and Inserting

Illustrations —

Blocks (12 Half-tone)

I Zinc-etched Block— " Flight of Birds '■

Postage —

Hon. Secretar)'

Hon. Treasurer

Hon. Editors

Emus sent to English agents . .

Books to Adelaide and return (audit)

Stationery —

Printing Post Cards . .
Printing Envelopes
Memo. Forms
Letter Book

" Egg in hand " Circulars
Congress Expenses —

Printing Tickets (Hobart)

Distributing Show Cards

Printing Circulars

Hire of Royal Society's Hall

Hire of Queen's Hall

Show Cards and Hangers . . ...

Posters for Lantern Lecture . .

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General Expenses —

Binding Emu

Fire Insurance Policy

Exchange and Poundage

Exchange, Foreign Bills

Bank Charges (as per Bank Book)

*BaIance at Bank of Australasia, 30th June, 1905

Less 2^8 1 5 o
330

£ s. d.

57 19 6

0

7

6

9

0

0

3

4

0

5

2

6

0

6

0

7

S

10

0

6

0

9

4

7

2

3

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0

18

9

0

12

4

0

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8

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2 13 7

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o I 2

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£ s. d.

75 19 6

7 II 10

13 3

206
o 17 6

760
I 4 6

4 7 9
44 19 7

II 18

157 io 6

•Owing to the death of the Lithographer, the account for colouretl plate was not
sent forward tdl after the books were closed.

(Approx.) /'8 15 o
3 3 o

;i^II 18 O

29/9'o5

Audited atid found con-ect.

M. Symonds Clark, ) . ,.,
Edwin Ashisy, } ^''^'^^''■

Fred Godfrey, H071. Treasurer A. O.U.

114

Aus/ya/asian Ortiiihol agists' Union.

[.

Emu
St Jan.

BALANCE SHEET OF THE
Year ending

Assets.

L

s.

d.

Emu journals in stock

6q

0

0

Library (Exchange)

10

10

0

Illustration blocks

=;

10

0

Arrears of subscriptions estimated to realize

48

8

Bank balance —

Coloured Figure Fund

o

o

I

General Fund . . • . .

44

19

6

44

19

7

I

174

7

10

LECTURE

Sale of Tickets (Sydney Lecture)
Debit Balance . .

1 s.

2 12

3 5

d.
0
0

^5 17

0

STATEMENT OF
Year ending

Balance from last Statement
Members' donations
Trade advertisements
Balance in bank

/

s.

d.

6

3

II

5

19

0

3

0

0

0

0

I

^

15

3

0

Melbourne, 30/// y>/;7^, 1905.
Fred Godfrey, Hon. Treasurer Atistralasion Ornitholoi^isis' U)jifl?i.

Vol. V

jl. v.-i

1906 J

Australasian Ornitholooists'' Union,

115

AUSTRALASIAN ORNITHOLOGISTS' UNION,
30th June, 196s.

Liabilities.

I s. d.

17 5 2

Subscriptions in advance
Outstanding accounts —

Lithographer's Plate — XeropJtila castaneivcntris,i Mirafra

woodioardi^ Ainytis hoHsei .. .. .. 8 15 o

Artist drawing ., .. .. .. .. 330

Balance, surpUis .. .. .. .. .. 145 4 8

ACCOUNT.

£174 7 10

Hire of Queen's Hall

Printing Bills and Advertising Lecture

£

s.

d.

3

3

0

2

14

0

£s

17

c

COLOURED FIGURE FUND.
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Lithographer's Plate of Xerophila casiatteiventris^ Mirafra

ivooihuardi, Amytis hoiisci (approximate)
Artist drawing . .
Debit balance, Sydney Lecture

£ s. d.

8 15
3 3
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0
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^15 3

0

Audited a?id found correct.

HAS. L BARRETT, ) j ^ Auditors.

DWD. D'OMBRAIN, S

c

Edwd

Il6 Australasiaii Ornitliologists Union. [ist"Tan

happened to be the most plentiful, was that which was eaten most.
The amount of injurious insect life eaten by them is very large,
and they also consume the seeds of noxious weeds. They will
undoubtedly spread over Australia in course of time, despite of all
means taken to check them. They nest two or three times in the
season, building their bulky nests either in hollows or thick foliage,
boxthorn hedges being favourite places for them, and in these
they are fairly secure. Various means have been used for trapping
and poisoning them wholesale, but without much success.

Java Sparrows {Padda oryzivora) were also imported in con-
siderable numbers. In 1863, 80 were liberated, in 1864, 220, and
in 1872, 235 ; but from some cause or another they did not succeed,
and fortunately all died or were killed out. They were hard-billed
birds, and stronger birds than the Sparrow. Their food consisted
principally of seed, but they also took insects and fruit, and it is
just as well, I think, that they did not thrive.

In 1863, 45 Chinese Sparrows were liberated, and in 1864, 20 more ;
but luckily they also were not in sufficient numbers to obtain a
foothold, and all gradually disappeared.

The Indian Minah {Acridotheyes irisfis) was hrst introduced in
1863, when 42 were liberated ; in 1864 40 others were let out, in
1866 another small lot, and 70 more in 1872. These birds have
fortunately increased very slowly, and are only to be found near
the larger towns, and are distributed over a small portion of
Victoria, and that mostly in the neighbourhood of the metropolis.
They are something like the Sparrow, and eat seed and insects,
being also very fond of fruit, either hard or soft kinds, and being
a fair-sized bird, soon make havoc with any sort they attack.
They are plain-coloured birds, have no song, except some dis-
jointed but slightly musical notes, and have little to recommend
them. They seem very local, and it will be a long time before
they increase in sufficient mmibers to be of much trouble to the
fruit-growers in the country districts. They are weak flyers,
easily caught by birds of prey, and instead of taking refuge in thick
vegetation, should a Hawk appear, they noisily fly in small com-
panies near their enemy, or sit on some dead tree or other con-
spicuous place to watch him, consequently they are easily and
frequently caught.

Chafflnches {Fringilla cadebs) were brought out in considerable
numbers, 50 being turned out in 1863, 40 in 1864, and 40 more in
1872 ; but they do not seem to have thriven and there are few, if
any, left now.

Fifty Greenfinches {Ligiirinus diloris) were also liberated in 1863,
also 40 in 1864, and 20 more in 1872. These birds have done fairly
well, and are now established near the metropolis and in the tea-tree
scrub round Port Phillip, but their increase is nothing like so rapid
as that of the Starling or Sparrow. Their habits are, of course,
well known. Being of an inconspicuous colour, and living in fairly
thick cover, they do not suffer from birds of prey as much as some
other birds.

"j" g "J Australasian Ofiiithulogisls' Union. \ \ j

Goldfinches {Cardiielis elegaiis) are thoroughly estabhshecl and
have done well, being exceedingly plentiful l)oth near Melbourne
and also in the thick vegetation round Port Phillip ; at Geelong
they are especially 'numerous, nesting in the trees planted in the
streets. These little birds are also plentiful in many parts of
Tasmania, especially near Hobart. The first consignment of 34
was liberated in 1863, and 20 in 1864 ; these seem to be the only
ones turned out, so they could not have scattered much, and must
have gradually increased from one locality. The Goldfinch is
apparently strictly a seed-eating bird, and does not seem to trouble
fruit-growers.

Yellow-Hammers (Eiiiberir.a citrinella) have also failed to estab-
lish themselves, although 15 were turned loose in 1863, and 15
more in the following year ; but they were hardly in sufificient
numbers to obtain a foothold, and gradually disap})eared.

Siskin Finches {Chrysomitris spiniis) were also tried, 40 being
liberated in 1864 and 20 in 1872 ; but they also got scattered, and,
losing touch with one another, died out.

Seven English Robins [Erithacus rubecida) were let loose in 1863
at the Royal Park, and four more in 1872, but, being so few, they
soon disappeared.

In 1863 a small lot of Thrushes (Turdus mnsicus) were turned .out,
and 28 in 1872, and a small lot near Sydney in the same year. These
birds, being very local, remained about the Botanical Gardens
and neighbourhood, and so kept together, and gradually, though
slowly, increased and spread, until now they are to be found all
round the neighbourhood of Melbourne and suburbs, although they
have not spread much into the country, appearing loth to leave
the protection of the gardens. It will be many years before they
increase in sulftcient numbers to be found all over the State. They
breed two or three times a season, often using the same nest. In
consequence of their colour and retiring habits, they are often
passed by unseen. They are not as numerous in some places now
as they were a few years ago, and I think the reason is that they
have gone further afield. Curiously enough, one of their notes
is almost identical with that of the Australian Thrush {Geocichla
lunulata).

The first lot of Blackbirds [Turdus inerula) that arrived here was
in 1864, when 6 were liberated in the Melbourne Botanical
Gardens ; in 1866 17 were turned out, and in 1872 22 more, as well
as a few near Sydney. They, like the Thrush, remained about the
suburban gardens, and have increased, if anything, slightly faster
than the Thrush. They are also more conspicuous in colour, and
noisier, and therefore soon draw attention to themselves ; they
are also to be found in all the suburban gardens round Melbourne,
and their beautiful note is to be frequently heard. Like the Thrush,
they are mostly ground-feeding birds, and Ixjth take fruit, but
principally what they find lying on the ground. Like the Indian
Minahs, Starlings, and Sparrows, they are very partial to figs and
grapes, and the only safe way to grow these fruits near Melbourne

Il8 Australasian Oynithologists Union. I ist "jan.

is to cover them with netting. The Blackbird is not increasing
very fast, and since its house is principally in suburban gardens, it
can easily be kept in check if necessary.

Sixteen Ortolans {Emberiza hortulana) were liberated in 1863,
but, being so few, they soon disappeared, as did 18 Canaries that
were let loose in 1872.

Skylarks [Alauda arvensis) are now well established in the district
round Melbourne, and are gradually spreading, and have evidently
found a permanent foothold, but so far their increase has been
very slow. Fortunately they are very local, and those liberated
mostly took up their quarters in the country near the mouth of
the Yarra, where they were undisturbed, and spread principally
from there. A small lot was first let loose in 1863 ; 80 in 1867 ; 30
in 1870 and 1872, as well as some near Sydney, and 100 in 1873-4.
Many of the latter consignment were liberated at Mount Ridley,
a few miles from Melbourne, but they were subjected to a heavy
rain storm, followed by very cold weather, when still weak from
their long confinement, and many died from the effects of exposure
to the elements. It is satisfactory, however, to know that this
bird has been acclimatized, and so far no complaints have been
made against it.

In 1872 8 Turtle Doves {Tiirtur communis) were imported,
and this small lot soon disappeared, but in 1870 a number of Indian
Turtle Doves (Turtur suratensis) were liberated at the Zoological
Gardens, and 16 more in 1874, which remained about there and
gradually increased. They are now spreading round Port Phillip on
its eastern side, where the tea-tree scrub offers them capital cover.
They will probably continue to spread in scrubby country, but
slowly. There are many of these birds at the Zoo and in its
neighbourhood, and now and again small lots have been sent to
other towns, but as a rule they have not succeeded, being
destroyed by birds of prey.

Twenty Lesser Pin-tailed Sand-Grouse {Pterodes exusHis) were
turned down in 1863 ; 10 in 1864 were liberated at Phillip Island,
and a similar number in 1872 ; but the localities were evidently
not suitable for them, nor probably were the numbers sufficient, as
they did not thrive or increase, and soon disappeared.

Californian Quail {Callipepla californica) were for a time more
successful. Six were liberated in 1863, but so few could not succeed,
but in 1872 a larger number was let out at Gembrook, Victoria,
and in 1874 40 more ; for two years they did well, and many nests
were found and young seen, but one season they all disappeared.
It is presumed that they migrated elsewhere ; anyhow, they were
never heard of again, and now it is probable there are very few, if
any, wild in Victoria.

In the Gembrook Reserve both Indian Jungle Fowl and about
170 Guinea Fowls were liberated, but their enemies were too many
for them, and they gradually grew less and less, despite of those
that nested, and in about three years all were gone ; the same
with the Peafowl that were turned out at the same time and
place.

°9o6 J Australasian Or)iithologists Union. Iig

Chukar Partridges (Caccabis chukar) were also introduced, z^,
being turned out in 1864, 13 more in 1865, and 8 in 1872, as well
as some French Partridges in 1873 ; but they were too few to be
of any value, and were soon lost sight of.

In 1864, 80 Chinese Quail {Excalfactoria chinensis) were liberated
near Melbourne and 70 at Phillij:) Island, and 60 more in 1872 ; they
are closely allied to the King Quail, and may easily be mistaken for
that bird, unless handled. I think they have disaj^peared, but
there may still be a few about that have escaped observation or
been mistaken for the King Quail.

Pheasants (Phasianus colchicus) have been liberated in consider-
able numbers in various parts of Victoria, and in some cases, where
care is taken, they have thriven, but in other cases, where they were
left to themselves, such as in the Gembrook Reserve, they gradually
decreased, their principal enemies being poisoned grain, bush fires,
and iguanas or monitor lizards, domestic cats gone wild, tiger cats,
and native cats, besides being occasionally shot by the pot-hunter.
Eight were first liberated in 1864 at Phillip Island, 30 in 1870, 15
in 1871, 70 in 1872, and over 100 in 1873. These were all liberated
by the Zoological and Acclimatisation Society of Victoria, but many
more were turned out by private people of which no record has been
kept. The Society also sent hundreds of eggs away to various
people in different parts of the State. For a time it was thought
that these fine birds would become established, as they have done
in some parts of New Zealand, and they undoubtedly would have
in several places but for poisoned grain being laid for rabbits. The
Pheasants picked this up, and were soon exterminated, conse-
quently it is now very little use trying to acchmatise this bird
except in restricted districts, unless some means are devised to
prevent them getting the poisoned grain.

The last on my list is the Mallard or English Wild Duck {Anas
boschas). Forty were liberated in 1871 in the Botanical Gardens,
Melbourne, and 80 more in 1872. They bred freely, and the young
that were reared flew away with the Black Ducks in the autumn ;
there were also a few hybrids between the two varieties ; but the
Mallards gradually decreased in number, and have now practically
disappeared.

From the foregoing notes it will be seen that a variety of birds
was introduced at one time and another, but that comparatively
few obtained a foothold in the country, and those are Starlings,
Thrushes, Blackbirds, Sparrows, Greenfinches, Goldfinches, Indian
Minahs, Indian Doves, and Skylarks, and it is possible there may
be a few Chaffinches holding their own, as well as Chinese Quail.
None of these birds are increasing very fast, except, perhaps, the
Starling and Sj^arrow, and at present the latter bird is by far the
most widely distributed in Australia.

Nkw Mkmbeks and Oi-fice-Bearkr.s.

The following new members were elected, viz. : — Victoria —
Surgeon-General Williams, E.J. Forbes, J. A. Ross, J. PVeeman,

I 20 Aiistyalasiaii Oynithologists' Union. [ist "lan

F. Howe, Z. Gray, E. Brooke Nicholls, C. P. Kinane, Librarian
Commonwealth Parliament, Curator Warrnambool Museum.
New South Wales — Lancelot Harrison. South Australia —
Robert Crompton, R. H Martin. Tasmania — F, D. Barclay.
Western Australia — F. Calder. England — W. E. Helman Pidsley.
United States, America — Ludlow Griscom, Worthington Society
for the Investigation of Bird Life.

The office-bearers for the year 1905-6 were then duly elected,
viz. : — President — Colonel C. S. Ryan, P.M.O., Victoria ; vice-
presidents — Messrs. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S., &c., and J. W.
Mellor ; hon. treasurer — Mr. F. P. Godfrey ; hon. secretary — Mr.
A. H. E. Mattingley ; hon. editors of The Eimi — -Messrs. A. J.
Campbell, Col. M. B.O.U., and C. F. Belcher, M.A., LL.B. ;
members of Council— Messrs. Robt. Hall, F.L.S. (Victoria); P.
Peir (New South Wales), A. W. Milligan (Western Australia),
W. MTlwraith (Queensland). Colonel W. V. Legge, F.Z.S.
(lasmania), Capt. F. W. Hutton, F.R.S. (New Zealand).

The elections by the Council of Mr. H. Kendall as advisory
editor and Mr. C. L. Barrett as press correspondent were
ratified.

Second Day.

A large number of the visiting and local ornithologists visited
the Reedbeds on Thursday afternoon, 12th October, for the
purpose of observing some of the bird life for which this locality
is noted. They were received by the vice-president of the Union
(Mr. J. W. Mellor). An inspection of Holmfirth, the estate of
Mr. and Mrs. John F. Mellor, was first made. Birds were seen
in their natural state quite tame and confiding, showing how the
little feathered friends appreciate the strict protection afforded
them, not only by the Mellor family, but the whole of the
residents in the neighbourhood. Mr. J. W. Mellor illustrated
the tameness of the birds by showing the party nests of young
Tree-Martins {Pctiocheiidon nigricans) that are building in all
sorts of situations around the homestead, while the parent birds
flew around the visitors without fear. The little Black-and-
White Fantail (^Rhipidura tricolor) was seen in the garden, and
the Blue Wren {Mahirus cyaneus) brightened up the scene with
its gay plumage and soft trilling notes. Flycatchers, Honey-
eaters, Magpies, Landrails, Swallows, Martins, Laughing
Jackasses, and innumerable other birds were seen, all enjoying
their liberty in a veritable paradise of verdure among the old
red gum and other native trees. In addition to the birds in
their native liberty there are numerous large aviaries on all sides
containing many rare birds, and those whose instincts make them
wanderers afar, and but for some slight retention would probably
depart in the cold weather ; but they cannot be termed " caged,"
as the spacious aviaries contain trees and plants, in which the

°' g J Australasian Ornifhologisis' Union. 121

birds are quite at home. Many of the occupants breed and rear
their young better perhaps than if they were totally free.
Various species of Cockatoos and Parrots were seen, from an
exceptionally large White Cockatoo {Cacatiia galeritd) down to
the pretty little Warbling Grass-Parrakeet {Melopsittacus juidu-
latiis) and Elegant Grass-Parrot {NeopJiejiia elegans), both of the
latter having their young and eggs in the nests. Native Doves
and Pigeons of all varieties and Finches were in the collections,
and several species of Quail roamed over the ground floors of the
aviaries. One of the Swamp- Quail {Symvcus aiistralis) was
observed sitting on her nest of nine or ten eggs, Stone-Plovers
{GLdicnei>ins grallarius) were exceedingly tame, while Wild
Ducks, Maned Geese, &:c., were quite at home. Cape Barren
Geese {Cereopsis iiovce-Jiollandice) breed in wire-netting en-
closures. After bidding adieu to Holmfirth and its hospitable
family the visitors repaired to Weetunga, Capt. S. A. White's
picturesque home. The Captain cordially received the party,
and showed them a portion of his large collection of African
birds that he secured at the close of the Boer war. Surprise
was expressed at the magnitude of the collection, and the
amount of hard work entailed in securing and preserving them.
Afternoon tea was presided over by Capt. White's mother and
sister (Mrs. Samuel and Miss Eva White). A hearty vote of
thanks was accorded to those who had so hospitably entertained
the visitors.

There was a large and appreciative audience at the University
Theatre, North-terrace, in the evening, when Mr. Robert Hall,
F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., gave a lecture upon his travels in the Far East,
entitled " A Naturalist's Tour through Japan, Corea, Manchuria,
and Siberia." Sir Samuel Way, Bart., occupied the chair, and
extended a hearty welcome to the lecturer.

Mr. Hall stated that he had been able, during his three months'
sojourn in Siberia and Manchuria, to collect and make the first
list of birds for that country. It included 402 skins, and had
been favourably reported on in London by naturalists. The
lecture was illustrated by a large number of specially coloured
characteristic photo, slides from scenes taken throughout the
journey. The proceeds of the lecture will be placed to the credit
of the coloured figure fund of The Emu, the official journal of
the Union. Mr. Hall was accompanied by Mr. R. M Trebilcock,
of Geelong, and the journey was of peculiar interest, because it
was undertaken just previous to the recent great war. The
tourists arrived in Japan in early spring. They were, Mr. Hall
said, delighted with the country and its inhabitants, which were
aptly termed " The land and people of smiles." Japan and Aus-
tralia were closely connected as far as their avifauna were con-
cerned. The Snipe, two species of Swifts, besides several other
kinds of birds, nested in the former country and wintered in the

r22 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. [ist "Ian

latter. In Corea the people were not in such a high state of
civilisation as in Japan, Some rare birds were collected in this
province. In Vladivostock the travellers were naturally treated
with some suspicion, but matters were eventually settled, and
they were allowed to proceed on the Trans-Siberian railway.
Getting out at the River Lena they travelled 3,000 miles, princi-
pally by boat, to its mouth at the Arctic Ocean, where they took
photographs under a midnight sun. The great tracts of pine
forests were vividly described, as were the vast tundras — low,
marshy country, covered with moss and stunted vegetation from
18 inches to 3 feet in height, this latter country being the
breeding home of several wading birds — Grey and Golden
Plovers, Stilts, Sandpipers, &c. The journey up and down the
river was not undertaken without a great amount of labour and
discomfort. Continuing his journey through Moscow and
St. Petersburg, Mr. Hall returned to Australia, visiting
England, where the ornithological results of his trip were
published.

Third Day.

On Friday afternoon, the 13th October, the members of the
Union were entertained by Mr. A. C. Minchin at the Zoological
Gardens, where they inspected the animals and birds. The
latter attracted much attention from the specialists in this
branch of zoology. The beautiful Flamingoes in their pond
were specially admired, also the lovely white variety of Pea-
fowl. The native birds, in the new spacious wire-netting
enclosures, were objects on which the ornithologists dwelt for
some time, especially a cage set aside for confiscated birds
under the Birds Protection Act, which was then well stocked
with Shell Parrots or Warbling Grass-Parrakeets. Six or eight of
the rare Bourke Grass-Parrakeets, with the roseate under-
surfaces, were seen in the flesh for the first time by some of the
visitors, while in another aviary there was quite a rainbow of
Broad-tailed Parrots {Platycerci). Being the mating season,
many of the birds were " showing off," notably the Stone-
Plovers, Pacific Gulls, and a male Wild Turkey or Bustard.
The last- mentioned, by expanding his tail over his back and
inflating his neck to an abnormal size, was transformed into a
curious object as he strutted about. The party was afterwards
hospitably entertained by Mr. and Mrs. Minchin at afternoon
tea. A hearty vote of thanks was carried, and an expression of
approbation was given to the way in which the gardens were
being conducted.

The final business meeting of the fifth annual session of the
Union was held in the Royal Society's room, Institute, North-
terrace, in the evening, when a number of interesting papers

Vol. V.
1906

J Austnilasian Orniihohgisis' Union. I 2

was read upon various bird subjects. One of the vice-presi-
dents (Mr. J. \V. Mellor) presided.

The question of more uniform laws for the preservation of the
game and birds of the Commonwealth was brought forward, as
it was thought that the whole of the States should join in the
movement upon an equal basis, it being unfair for birds to be
protected in South Australia and as soon as they got over the
border to be ruthlessly destroyed. A communication was
received from the Prime Minister relative to this movement.
He " did not see his way clearly," and therefore required more
forceful pressure to bring about a reformation ere it was too late
to save many of the rarer birds.

On this subject Mr. C. F. Belcher, M.A., LL.B. wrote :—

"I am sorry to say I sliall not be able to put the game unifi-
cation scheme before the present session, as I had intended.
However, I will codify the conclusions I have arrived at, so
that the matter may be mentioned at the Congress : — ■

" I. Inasmuch as the present South Australian Act embodies all
the most useful provisions of the A.O.U. model law, I think it
should be taken as a basis. There are one or two points in
which existing provisions of the Victorian Acts could be
adopted with advantage ; this could be done perhaps best by a
short amending Act.

" 2. In each of the other States the present game laws should
be repealed so far as they relate to birds, and a new law, framed
on the lines of the South Australian Act, should be passed.

" 3. The Commonwealth Parliament may be able to help us
by a law on the lines of the Lacey Act to regulate inter-State
commerce re birds. I have here no copy of the Constitution,
and as one will not reach me till to-morrow have not been able
to answer Mr. Mattingley's letter of 6th inst. I suggest that
the Council, which sits in Melbourne, should be the body to
move in the direction of getting what Commonwealth legislation
we can ; but, of course, we are bound by the limits of the Federal
Constitution (which, by the way, appear elastic enough where
" union labels," &c., are in question).

" 4. The local ornithological bodies in the other States and
Victoria — i.e., the Union, if locally organized, or other bodies
affiliated with it — must do the State work, which is by far the
most important. As said, little is to be done in South Australia,
but in New South Wales (where no species is protected all the
year round 'j and the other States much is required. I suggest
legislative sub-committees be formed in each State, with one
practising lawyer, if possible (or more), in each.

" I was drafting a model law embodying the apparently best
clauses, but there is so little to be added to the South Australian
Act, and its language is so clear, that I think it preferable to
work from that.

124 Australasian Ornithologists'' Union. ist "ian

" In all cases bird laws should be kept apart from other game
laws."

Mr. Belcher's suggestions were referred to the Council.

Upon the recommendation of Mr. Dudley Le Souef, C.M.Z.S.,
it was resolved that the Victorian Government be urged to intro-
duce a gun licence, and also reintroduce the bill dropped two
years ago relating to the better preservation of Australian birds.

Mr. A. J. Campbell, Col. M. B.O.U., contributed a paper
entitled " Domestic Wild Cats versus Native Birds." He said a
great evil existed in the introduction of tame cats into the back
country for the destruction of the rabbits. The remedy was now
becoming worse than the evil, as the cats had become so numerous
and adapted themselves so well to the situation that they
had bred in large numbers, and were killing native birds whole-
sale. Birds that bred on the ground had little chance of rearing
their young. The Union had its hands full at present with its
various planks for the preservation and protection of native
fauna, but it was evident that it would have to secure legis-
lation soon to eradicate the cat pest. He advocated that
sportsmen should turn their proclivities to " go out and kill " in
this direction, as they would then be doing a good service to
their country. A cat tax might be put on all "domestic pussies,"
and the money thus gained could be devoted to paying for
scalps of slaughtered wild cats, and thus reduce the fast-growing
evil.

Dr. George Home referred to the recent Inter-State Conference
of Inspectors of Fisheries, and the recommendation " that action
be taken by each of the States with a view to the destruction of
Pelicans." He moved that the Union disapproves of the
destruction of this fine bird.

International Ornithological Congress.

The following report by Mr. Frank M. Littler, F.E.S., was
read by the hon. secretary : —

I have the honour to report having attended as your delegate
the Fourth International Ornithological Congress, held in London,
under the presidency of Dr. R. Bowdler Sharpe, 12th to 17th June.
The proceedings were opened on Monday evening, 12th June, by
an informal reception at the Jehanghir Hall, Imperial Institute
Buildings, South Kensington, when a good number attended.

The actual business commenced next morning, at 10 a.m., when
Dr. Sharpe welcomed the various members, and read his Presidential
Address. After transacting some routine business, the meeting
adjourned until 3 p.m. At that hour Sections I., II., and IV.,
under their respective presidents, commenced their work.
Section I. took in Systematic Ornithology, Geographical Distribution,
Anatomy, and Paleontology ; Section II., Migration ; Section IV.,
Economic Ornithology and Bird Protection.

°' g J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I 25

I attended Section IV., and heard an interesting paper by Mr.
T. Digby Piggott — " The Present State of the Law for the Protec-
tion of Birds in Great 3ritain " ; and one from Sir John Cockburn —
" Bird Legislation in Australia." On the latter one I spoke, giving
a vesumcoi what is being done regarding bird protection in Tasmania,
and threw light on some points raised by Sir John.

In Section I. the following papers were read and discussed : —
By Count von Berlepsch, " On New Neotropical Birds," and " The
Species of the Genus Elainea " ; by Dr. R. Blasius, " Vortheile
und Nachtheile moderner Arten — und Unterarten Beschreibung und
Namengebung " ; by Dr. Louis Bureau, " La Sterne de Dougall."
For some reason Section II. did not transact any business. In the
evening a social gathering was held at Earl's Court — by courtesy
of the Directors of the London Exhibitions Limited — an enjoyable
time was spent. There were no sectional meetings on Wednesday
morning, the time being very fully occupied at a general meeting,
listening to some interesting papers. Time did not allow of all
those set down to be read that morning. Those listed were : —
Mr. F. M. Chapman, " What Constitutes a Museum Collection of
Birds " ; Dr. Paul Leverkiihn, " Aasgeier und Kaiseradler um
Horst " ; Herr Otto Herman, " Stand der Ornithologie in Ungarn " ;
Dr. J. Dwight, jun., " Some Phases of Wear in Feathers " ; Herr
Otto Herman, " Recensio Critica Automatica of the Doctrine of
Bird Migration " ; Mr. Henry Scherrin, " The First Bird List of
Eber and Peucer (1549), ^''^'i i^s Relation to the 'Avium ....
Historia' of Turner." Of those taken, the most interesting was
that of Mr. Chapman, who told us, and illustrated his remarks by
lantern slides, what was done in his (the New York) Museum with
the bird collection. It would be hardly possible for a more useful,
scientifically correct, and educational system to be in vogue any-
where. One thing that commended itself to me was that in addition
to the collection of birds found in New York and its environs, there
was one that was changed month by month, showing what birds
were to be found about New York each month. Small cases of
specimens are loaned out to schools for educational purposes.

In the afternoon Sections I. and III. sat. At the first-named
Mr. W. P. Pycraft read an interesting paper on " Nestling Birds,
and their Bearing upon the Question of Evolution," the conclusion
he arrived at being that at one time all birds were arboreal in their
habits. The Rev. Ernesto Schmitz read a paper, " On the Birds
of Madeira," and Count von Berle})sch one entitled " Notes on
Tyrannidae." In Section III., which embraced Biology, Nidifi-
cation, and Oology, Mr. F. M. Chapman read two most entertaining
papers — one " A Contribution to the Life-History of the American
Flamingo," and the other " A Contribution to the Life-History of
the Brown Pelican," both illustrated by lantern slides. Dr. R.
Blasius took " Die Pyrenaen und ihre Vogelwelt." The Rev. C. R.
Jourdain was to have si)oken on " Erythrism in Eggs," but time
did not allow, so this subject came on at one of the subsequent
meetings.

1 26 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. ist lan

In the evening a conversazione was held at the Natural History
Museum, the spacious entrance hall of which was handsomely
decorated with flowers and palms. Members were received by Dr.
Sharpe and Miss Sharpe. A very enjoyable time was spent chatting
and wandering round amongst the collections.

On the morning of the 14th some 200 members went by train to
Tring, at the invitation of the Hon. Walter Rothschild. We were
met at the station and driven to the magnificent Museum, and had
an all too short look round. From there we went to the Village
Hall, where Mr. Rothschild lectured on " Extinct Birds," and
exhibited a fine collection of extinct and vanishing species. After-
wards a move was made to the Home Farm, where a sumptuous
lunch was provided. After being photographed, we split into
three parties — one to go to the Reservoir, another to look round the
grounds, and a third to spend the afternoon at the Museum. I
went with the Reservoir party, and had an enjoyable time watching
the various species of land birds and waterfowl. Some 17 species
were identified, and the nests of three containing eggs found ; also
the young of several species were seen swimming with their parents.
After tea at the Farm, the return journey was commenced, Euston
Station being reached shortly after 8 p.m.

The next morning (15th) was a very busy time, more papers being
set down than it was possible to get through. Consequently the
balance had to be taken on Saturday. Those considered were by
Dr. Louis Bureau, " Presentation d'un Atlas des Planches Coloriees
de Brisson Attribue au Peintre Martinet " ; by Mr. J. Lewis Bonhote,
" Notes on Some Experiments in Hybridizing Ducks " ; by Dr.
Paul Leverkiihn, " Les Correspondances Ornithologiques du Pro-
fessor Fred Naumann " ; and by Dr. E. Hartert, " The Principal
Aims of Modern Ornithology."

In the afternoon a reception was held at the Mansion House,
where members were received by the Lord Mayor and Lady
Mayoress.

In the evening a dinner was given by the British Ornithologists'
Union to foreign members of the Congress, at the Frascati
Restaurant.

Saturday morning (15th) was uncomfortably crowded with
business. Section I. took : — Graf Hans von Berlepsch, " Fin
letztes Wort liber die sogenannte ' RitticiUa cairii ' " ; Dr. Louis
Bureau, " La Perdrix Grise des Pyrenees {Perdix perdix charrela) " ;
and Mr. J. Dwight, " The Significance of Sequence in Moults and
Plumage." Section II. took: — Mr. J. H. Fleming, "The Unusual
Migration of Briinnich's Murre in Eastern North America," and Dr.
F. Helm, " Neuere Beobachtungen iiber den Herbstzug des Staares
in Deutschland." In Section IV. the following papers were taken :
— Herr Otto Herman, "Reports on Investigation of the Food of
Birds Since 1900" ; Herr Igali Svetozar, "The Usefulness of and
the Harm by the Sparrow to Agriculturists " ; and M. Paul Martin,
" La Grosseur des Grelaux Dangereux pour les Oiseaux." In Section
V. (Aviculture), which should have met on Friday, Mr. D. Seth-

°9o6 J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 127

Smith read a splendid paper on " The Importance of Aviculture as
an Aid to the Study of Ornithology."

In addition to the foregoing, two papers which should have been
taken on Friday were read. They were :— Mr. W. S. Bruce, " Some
Ornithological Results of the Scottish National Antarctic Expedi-
tion"; and, Dr. Edw. A. Wilson, " On Antarctic Birds."

At 2.30 p.m. the same day the final general meeting was held.
Votes of thanks were passed to the various officers. After dis-
cussion, it was decided that the 1910 Congress be in Germany, and
that Dr. Anton Reichenou be president-elect.

After a somewhat heated discussion, a motion was carried author-
izing cablegrams being sent to the Governments of New Zealand
and Tasmania, also to the Government of the Commonwealth of
Australia, asking them to take steps to prevent the great destruction
of Penguins that occurs on islands under their control.

On Monday (19th June) some 125 members were the guests for
the day of His Grace the Duke of Bedford, K.G., at Woburn Abbey.
We arrived at Ridgemont shortly after noon, and were driven to
the Abbey, being met at the entrance to the grounds by Her Grace
the Duchess. After lunch we wandered round the grounds and
saw the magnificent collection of deer, antelopes, &c., also the extra-
ordinary number and variety of waterfowl on the artificial lakes.
It was a sight that will live long in the memory of those privileged
to see it. The Duchess of Bedford accompanied the party all the
afternoon, chatting and pointing out items of interest. All too
soon the hour for returning came round, and we parted from our
host and hostess after one of the most enjoyable afternoons it has
been the lot of many of us to participate in.

Owing to a previous important engagement, I was, unfortunately,
unable to take part in the remaining excursions, which were to
Cambridge and Flamborough Head. I was afterwards told by some
who went to both places that a most enjoyable time was spent.

The general opinion among the experienced members was that
the Congress was one of, if not the, most successful yet held. The
utmost good-fellowship was displayed among the members. All
sectional meetings were well attended, and great attention paid
to the various papers. Much solid, good work was done, work
that must make its effects felt in ornithology.

Personally, I cannot speak too highly of the treatment I received,
both ill my official capacity and as an Australian.

Othkr Papers and Concluding Business.

Mr. A. G. Campbell read field notes on "The Moult of the
Blue Wren {Mabinis)'' The hon. secretary read a contribution
by Mr. H. Stuart Dove (Tasmania) on " Diving Gannets," while
Mr. A. H. E. Mattingley's somewhat lengthened and technical
paper on " Principles Governing Movements in Cuckoos and
Other Birds " was taken as read. These papers appear at length
elsewhere in this issue of The Emu.

128 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. fist "jan

Mrs. H. L. Roberts (Tasmania) moved — " That the next
session of the Union be held in Tasmania." Seconded by Mr.
F. P. Godfrey, and unanimously carried.

A hearty vote of thanks was accorded to the Royal Society
for the use of its room, to the University Board for the use of
its theatre, to the Marine Board for assistance in connection
with the proposed Kangaroo Island camp, and to Mr. J. W.
Mellor for arranging the details in connection with the session,
&c.

At the invitation of Sir Samuel Way the members of the
Australasian Ornithologists' Union paid a visit to his charming
residence, Montefiore,''^at North Adelaide, on Tuesday after-
noon, the 24th October (the day the expedition returned from
Kangaroo Island), and this proved a happy conclusion to the
fifth congress of the Union. The guests were received by Sir
Samuel and Lady Way, who accorded them a hearty welcome.
The hosts, assisted by Miss S. Blue and Capt. Stewart, showed
the naturalists over the well-kept and compact garden and
grounds. Expressions of delight and admiration were freely
given on seeing the birds so tame on the lawns and garden plots,
where the Silver Gulls, Spoonbills, and Cranes seemed quite at
home. In cages a large variety of native Cockatoos were
observed, including the Bare-eyed, Rose-breasted, Long-billed,
and Pink Cockatoos. A remarkably fine specimen of a large
pure white Cockatoo from New Guinea was noted. In larger
aviaries numbers of Parrots were observed, including the Rock
Pebbler, Blue Bonnet, and others. In the spacious enclosures
several varieties of Quail were quiet and at home, notably the
Stubble and Painted varieties, the former having its nest and
eggs in a secluded corner. The little Black-breasted Plover also
breeds within the grounds, and those reared were seen. In
another enclosure, set aside for their sole use, were several native
and foreign Finches, some of most gorgeous plumage. These
little birds were quite contented, and some were observed build-
ing and rearing their young. A pair of Laughing Jackasses was
seen, also the useful Stone-Plover, which had bred in captivity.
As some of those present were ardent botanists, much interest
was taken in the large collection of native and foreign palms
and shrubs with which the grounds are studded. The shade
and glass-house plants proved interesting to many, as some of
the flowers were of extreme rarity. The visitors were photo-
graphed in various parts of the gardens by a Melbourne member,
after which they were entertained at afternoon tea. On behalf
of the Union, the vice-president (Mr. J. W. Mellor) conveyed a
hearty vote of thanks to the host and hostess for their kindness.
Some of the visiting members were compelled, reluctantly, to
leave the beauties of Montefiore early in order to catch the
Melbourne express.

°go6 J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 1 29

Camt-Outing on Kangaroo Island.

At the termination of the session 22 members and friends*
enjoyed a profitable' working camp-outing for 10 days (14th to
24th October), on Kangaroo Island. The expedition was con-
veyed to and from Port to the island by the steamer Governor
Miisgravc (Capt. P. Weir), through the courtesy of the Marine
Board of South Australia (president, Mr. Arthur Searc}'). The
officers of the Marine Board, by every possible means in their
power, did what they could to further the success of the expedi-
tion. Members were handsomely treated, as guests, not as
passengers.

Kangaroo Island, which is about 80 miles long by about 30
miles broad, lies across the entrance of St. Vincent Gulf, South
Australia, and, excepting perhaps Melville Island, in the north,
is the largest island adjacent to the mainland of Australia.

Flinders discovered Kangaroo Island, landing near its eastern
extremity on 22nd March, 1802. Here his party killed a number
of kangaroos, which were welcomed as fresh food, after four
months' privations. The explorer wrote : — ■' In gratitude for so
seasonable a supply, I name this southern land Kangaroo
Island."

Recently Kangaroo Island was brought prominently under
notice through the deplorable wreck of the LocJi VcnnacJiar
somewhere off the south coast. The island is of great interest
to the naturalist, because it was formerly the home of a small
dark-coloured Emu, now, unhap[)ily, extinct. When the French
expedition under Baudin explored Kangaroo Island in 1803,
three Emus were captured and taken alive to Paris. A pair
was sent to the residence of the Empress Josephine, and the
third bird to the Jardin des Plantes. Two of the Emus lived
for nearly 20 years. One was stuffed, and the other mounted as
a skeleton. The remains of the third specimen unaccountably
disappeared, but they were discovered in a singular manner
years afterwards in the Zoological Museum, P'lorence. Possibly
it was in the faint hopes of finding remains of the Black Emu
and other " missing links " (insular localities have a peculiar
fascination for the collecting naturalist) which induced the Union
to fix its working camp-out this year in this locality.

On Saturday morning, 14th October, 1905, the party, under
the leadership of Mr. J. W. Mellor, embarked at Henley Beach
on the steamer Governor Miisgravc. The run down the Gulf
occupied the better part of the day, and it was not until after

* The followin|f are their names : — Mrs. A. J. Campbell, Miss E. Campbell, Miss
A. Dethridge, Miss B. Mellor, Miss W. Mellor, Miss M. Ashby, Mr. J. \V. Mellor
(leader), Mr. J. F. Mellor, Mr. P. W. xMellor, Dr. Geo. Home, Mr. A. G. Camp-
bell, Mr. A. J. Campbell, Mr. A Mattingley, Mr. J. A. Mill, Mr. V. P. (Jodfrey, Mr.
E. Ashby, Mr. M. Symonds Clark, Mr. O. Crompton, Mr. R. Crompton, Mr. D.
H. Martin, Mr. A. Caw, and Mr. A. G. Marchin (cook)

[ 2)0 Australasiafi Ornithologists' Union. \ ^^^U-n

dusk that the steamer anchored in a snug cove on the north
coast of Kangaroo Island, known as Middle River (Snelling's
Beach), which had been selected as the site of the camp.
It was moonlight, but it was not advisable to attempt landing
until the morning, so Capt. Weir thoughtfully arranged for
impromptu bunks on board, where the party rested after the
somewhat discomforting trip down. Three of the party, how-
ever, more impetuous than the rest, went ashore in the dinghy to
prospect, and got wet in the surf for their pains. They
disturbed from the adjacent rocks a Sooty Oyster-catcher, which
went wheeling around in the night uttering its weird, piping
whistle.

In the morning everyone was early astir. The first view of
our hunting ground from the steamer's deck was very pleasing.
The vessel lay between two rocky points half a mile apart. In
the bight is a long half-circle of sandy beach backed by scrub-
covered sand dunes ; beyond are higher ridges, clothed in
places with light gum forests, but in the main cleared and with
a good mat of grass. The roof of a house could be seen just
beyond the sandhills. A narrow stream enters the sea on the
extreme left. Four boatloads of camp baggage were transferred
from the ship, the rolling breakers inshore were negotiated, and
all passengers and paraphernalia safely landed on the sandy
beach. Then came the hard work of hauling the baggage
inland, at which all worked with a will. Behind the sand dunes
and nestling at the foot of the higher hills is an unoccupied
house, kindly placed at the disposal of the expedition by Mr. B.
H. Bell, sheep farmer. (Mr. Bell journeyed thither from another
part of the island to meet the members. His advice, together
with that of his friend, Mr. E. J. Clark, was often of great
service to the expedition.) This was made the headquarters of
the party. Tents were erected for the ladies (of whom there
were six) in a grassy glade not far away. Two other tents were
erected, one as an overflow for the house party and the other
for museum purposes. Meals were served at a rough table in a
lean-to beside the house.

Camp discipline was strictly observed, and reveille was
sounded at six o'clock each morning by the cook, whose
manipulation of the bugle showed him to be of some military
training, and lent an air of briskness and importance to the
camp. Breakfast call sounded at 7 a.m., lunch at i, and dinner
at 7 p.m.

The first impressions of this pleasant place, from an ornitholo-
gist's point of view, were that it was a land of Crimson Parra-
keets and brilliant Blue Wrens, from the numbers of these
beautiful birds seen while the camp was being put in order.
But other birds were soon discovered. A Black Magpie
{Strepera) had its nest with young in a tree close by. A

The Emt, J)>/. /

PLATE XII.

Nest of Grey Thrush { CoHyiiodiiila /lannoiina) built in a deniijolin wicker

FROM A PHOTO. BY E. A. D'OMBRAIN.

iim

Voun^' of I'.lack-winged Crow-Slirike (Stiepera mclanopicraj .

FROM A PHOTO. BY A. MATTINQLEY.

°'g ■] Australasian Oynithologists' Union. I3I

Graucalus had a nest not far from the house. Scarlet-breasted
Robins trilled to brooding mates in sugar gums. Beside the
ladies' tent Honey-eaters probed their bills into some introduced
fuchsia plants, which had grown well nigh into trees for height.
Seven paces behind another tent was found a Wren's nest con-
taining tiny squabs.

Each day parties were organised for research in the
surrounding country, and every evening specimens were shown
and long discussions and note-comparings took place over the
experiences of the day.

A favourite walk is along the valley of the Middle River. The
introduced " Cape weed " flourishes among the spear-grass and
melilot knee-high. On its flowers dozens of Crimson (Pennant)
Parrakeets feed. As the birds rise to fly into a neighbour-
ing tree their crimson bodies and blue-splashed wings always
arrest attention. Some are so tame that they wait till we pass,
then re-alight on the ground again. A few had commenced
nesting in hollow trees. In some of their notes, especially the
call, they remind us of Rosellas.

Entering a flat, several Spur-winged Plovers swoop down
with complaining cries. No doubt young are hiding in the
herbage, because we find bits of egg-shells on the swampy
tract. The gullies that intersect the hills and run down to the
river flat are full of flowering plants, flourishing under groves of
eucalypts — veritable homes for small birds. A large Black-
winged Crow-Shrike (Black Magpie) is brooding in its nest in
the swaying bough of a sugar gum. In the scrub below is a
nest with eggs of the white-whiskered New Holland Honey-
eater, also a nest with young of its cousin, the Crescent Honey-
eater, so named for the black horseshoe-shaped marking on the
breast. Both nests were photographed in situ.

The photographers find plenty of natural history subjects
among the birds, for most of them had young at this time.

The river for some distance is a clear, deep stream, 15 to 20
feet across. In the quiet reaches bream are exceedingly plenti-
ful, and easily caught by hand lines baited with ordinary earth-
worms. Evening angling parties invariably caught sufficient for
breakfast, but the fish had a somewhat earthy flavour. At its
mouth the river is much restricted by the shifting sand. It is
narrowed down to a few feet, but the quantity of water behind
is enough to push a rushing current through the barrier. In
fact, the fight between the river and the sand has been a long
one, and its history can be traced in the contour of the flat.
Originally the river entered the sea on the western side of the
little bay. The ladies' tents were pitched on the old river flat.
But the persistent ocean sand, drifting in from the north-west,
gradually pushed this mouth to tlie eastward, marking the
conquest with a long line of sand dunes. Another closed mouth

122 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. fist^lan

is witnessed by a long blind arm of the river running into the
rear of these sand hills. The real mouth, still fighting, is now
pushed against the crags on the eastern point.

The country to the east of the river is markedly different
from that on the western side, and this is first hinted at on seeing
the section of the cliff face at the mouth. In the main the north
coast of Kangaroo Island is formed of the tilted layers of meta-
morphosed rock, similar to those of the Mt. Lofty Ranges, South
Australia. This rock weathers into a rugged and precipitous
coastline, only here and there relieved by tiny sandy bays, such
as that near which we were camped. At the Middle River mouth,
however, these tilted layers are seen to be overlaid by irregular
horizontal deposits of limestone, the record of some ancient sea
when Kangaroo Island had a different shape to its present one.

This change in rock and soil gives a difference in vegetation
and in scenery, and also in bird life, which is very striking. The
first excursion was made in this direction. Ascending from the
river flat by one of the numerous gullies, dense masses of
Kangaroo Island acacia are met with. This is the prickly
variety, so well known for hedges, and being interlaced with a
dwarf spiny Prosta^itJiera, a great deal of discomfort is ex-
perienced in pushing through. Then come belts of a flowering
shrub (Aster), together with a number of sticky Cryptcxndj'a,
growing among the lime concretions which lie thickly around.
When the plateau is reached, at 200 feet above sea-level it is
found to be a veritable native flower garden. Orchids and
small plants of many kinds grow beneath heather-like shrubs
knee high, which are in turn sheltered by brakes of dwarf
Casnaritia, Mallee eucalypts and Mallee scrub {Melaleuca
iincmata). Several botanists were in the party, who combine
botany with the kindred study of ornithology, and they record
over 150 species of flowering plants from this locality alone.
The grass-tree {Xanthorrha'a), with seared black butts 3 to 6
feet in height, grows in belts. This tree is a denizen of the
poorer parts, and prefers ironstone gravelly tracts. The iron-
stone gravel occurring in places among the limestone points to
the presence of underground hills, so to speak, of slaty rock
(similar to that seen to the westward across Middle River
valley), which rise to the level of the limestone moorland. The
grass-trees' globular heads of grass-like leaves are very pictur-
esque, and when the tall flower-spike is thrown up from the
centre some 6 feet or more the honey-eating birds and insects
are well supplied with food. The " yacca," as the grass-tree is
often called, exudes from the lower portion of its trunk a rust-
coloured resinous gum, which is valuable in varnish making.
When a fire has been over them they furnish a sort of resin,
which is sometimes used in the preparation of " brown hand
varnish," and is almost as good a colouring matter as the

°igo5 ' J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I •^ -^

"dragon's blood" from the draccxna of Teneriffe and the Canary
Isles.

The birds found about this upland heathy country are not
many either in number or in species, a variety of the little
Brown Acanthiza, Rufous-rumped Ground-Wren, Wattle-cheeked,
Fulvous-fronted, and New Holland Honey-eaters, and Striated
Pardalote being the principal ones. Ants are common, and
some enormous mounds, quite lo feet across and 3 feet high,
are to be seen among the heather. On many of them are old and
recent excavations of spiny ant-eaters or echidna, many of
which are met with.

Some of our party made an intrepid excursion further along
this coast to an Osprey aerie, built upon an outstanding rock-
some '^2) ^eet in height. It was reached at low tide, and two
eggs were photographed in the nest. The Sooty Oyster-catcher
and the Reef Heron were nesting upon the same rock.

Another day a trip was taken to Stokes Bay, six miles
further in the same direction, but no change was reported in the
nature of the country.

This whole tract may be briefly described as a heath-covered
plateau, 200 feet above sea-level, slightly undulating, and with
no surface water. There are no gum-trees (excepting stunted
mallee), and but few grass-trees.

Contrasted in many ways is the country to the westward of
Middle River. The bedrock there is entirely of the slaty
nature seen in section along the coast, and it is carved into deep
valleys and stony hillsides. No flat or undulating land is to be
found, except in the valleys. The hills rise sharply from the
coast line until they reach 450 feet above sea level, and are
clothed throughout with timber. This is the home of the well-
known sugar gum {Eucalyptus corynocalyx). Forests of it occur
within three miles of the coast, but it is not found any further
inland, unless it creeps up some suitable valley. The tree has a
habit of branching near the ground, and dividing up into a
number of small branches ; its value for timber is thereby affected,
but doubtless this is its most suitable form in the poor, stony areas
it frequents. The timber is of excellent quality for mining
purposes, though the trees seldom grow more than 2 feet in
diameter. The sugar gum forest does not allow of much else
growing with it. There is very little under-scrub, the forest
floor for the most part consisting of pieces of slate and quartz
strewn with leaves and twigs. Very fine effect, however, is given
by glades of grass-trees, which are found in parts beneath the
gums. Possibly this is a different variety of XaiitJiorrJuxa to
that growing upon the open moorland.

But this particular class of country is only the coastal strip.
That the same rock has different scenery, when away from the
influence of the salt breeze, we discovered on some subsequent

I j4- Aiistt'cilasiaii Ornithologists' Viiion. fist Ian

excursions. It is always noticed that the vegetation of the sea-
board differs from that of the interior. In the limestone area
plants were found on the cliff faces which did not occur 400
yards inland. On the sand dunes near the river mouth species
were observed that belonged strictly to the littoral. So here,
sugar gums on the ridges and hillsides, with a species of broad-
leafed acacia {^A. do do nee if olio) in the richer pockets, charac-
terised the seaward slopes of these slaty hills. But there are
other influences at work. The gradual change was noticed on
the trip to Western River.

This trip occupied a whole day, for this river, the next in
importance on the north coast after the Middle River, is some
nine miles distant. The track, presumably to escape rugged
country, makes a detour inland, and between two and three
miles from camp the sugar gums give place to stringybarks
{Eucalyptus capitdlatd). These are poorer and less thick in com-
parison, so there is an abundance of under-scrub. Dwarf Casua-
rina, Hakca, Banksia, matted together in parts with the native
dodder vine {Cassytha), shelter many varieties of smaller plants,
among which are several like those observed in the open area east
of Middle River, notably Boronia, with its pink flowers, and the
curious hopooon. New genera, however, appeared in the yellow-
cupped Hibbei'tias, the bright pink TetratJieca, and brown and
gold pea flowers {Pultemea and Dilhuynid). Grass-trees flourish
on the poorer hilltops. The track leads up and down, mostly
along stony ridges, but occasionally into a deep valley, with a
running creek embowered in the rough weeping grass {Cladmvi)
and the taller scrub so common in such places. But sugar
gums again appear as the coast is approached, and after passing
through fine belts of several miles in length, an abrupt descent
is made to the valley of the Western River. The party was
welcomed by Mrs. Sheridan, and rested before making the
return journey.

The river flats, though restricted in area, appear very rich, and
even the stony hillsides, when cleared, carry a fine pasture. The
summer must indeed be humid. It was interesting to see here
several beautiful flowering plants which were not discovered on
the Middle River {HelicJtrysiini Inciduni, Solanuni simile, and
Lavatera plebeid). It is difficult to account for their restricted
habitat. We were shown a fine piece of precious tourmaline
picked up in the river bed. Profitable deposits of this gem stone
may some day be found. Mrs. Sheridan has a Magpie in cap-
tivity, got on the island, which has a distinct black band on its
back, but this was the only bird observed with that character.
We were able to photograph a sugar gum where a Leach
Cockatoo {CalyptorliyncJius viridis) had nested last autumn,
and discovered that it was now occupied by a Boobook Owl.
The Western River cove is very similar to, but much smaller
than, that of Middle River.

Vol. V.

J Australasian Ornithologists' Union. 1 r> £^

From Western River three of the party who had decided on
making an extended exploring trip set off inland, while the
remainder returned to camp.

On another fine day a party proceeded to examine falls
which were reported to be on Middle River, three miles distant
across rough country. Ascending a steep hill (500 feet high) at
the rear of our quarters, we get on a ridge whence a good out-
look is obtained. Southwards appears what is locally known
as " yacca " country, where grass-trees (called "blackboys" in
Western Australia) grow. These are exceedingly orna-
mental features in the landscape, the long thatch-like leaves
either fringing or drooping gracefully about the stems. A
quartet of Wedge-tailed Eagles (or Eagle-Hawks) soaring near
in circles are hawking for prey. They are, apparently, fearless
of our presence, because one alights on a low tree not far distant,
and flaps his great pinions, while uttering whistling calls, as if
glad to see us. We follow the ridge eastward for some distance,
then, crossing a tributary (White Tree Creek), descend into the
river valley. Delightful is the solitude. The trees are clean-
stemmed (no trace of forest fires), the herbage is soft and yield-
ing, and the clear stream is seen between verdant banks margined
with rushes. On the creek's bosom aquatic plants are oscil-
lating with the current, which bears away the floating blossoms
shed from the eucalypts above.

To avoid the rocky banks we ascend a ridge, where we dis-
turb a White Cockatoo from its nest in a hollow tree-trunk.
We are now in very stiff scrub, which makes travelling
difficult, for the ladies more particularly. Nevertheless,
the scrub brings pleasures to the botanists, who are in
ecstasies, gathering species strange to them. A prickly
Hakea in full bloom is filling the air with delicate aroma.
Some of the rocky ridges sustain fine examples of the
common heath {Epaa'is), with exceedingly large and loose
red bells, and a creeping Grevillea bearing flowers of flaming
scarlet. By midday, or in about three hours from camp,
the sound of rushing waters reaches our ears. As we are
scrambling down a steep and slippery decline beautiful water-
falls in a fairly open locality confront us. The falls, which are
in the form of a cascade, come tumbling down about 1 10 feet
over tilted outcrops or ledges of hard rock. Amid such
romantic surroundings we boil the billy (probably the first ever
boiled here), and camp on a lichen-covered rock.

The three explorers who left us at Western River three days
ago turn up unexpectedly, and are received with shouts of wel-
come. They were a bit travel-stained, and glad to find us.
They reported that after they had left Western River they found
the country inland rising gradually, till the aneroid stood at
about 700 feet. Four miles from the coast stringy-bark took

o

6 Australasian Ornitholos,ists' Utiion. \ . j"

*- List ja

the place of sugar gums. The stringybark ran in belts,
capping the ridges, where ironstone gravel was in evidence.
Throughout was never-ending under-scrub of dwarf Casuarina,
Bixuksia, and heather-like plants, among which bright-eyed
Boi'onia, TctratJicca, Grevillea, and StypJielia were in flower.

After five hours' tramping and crossing three small tributaries
of the Western River, the telegraph line, which runs from Kings-
cote on the east to Borda Lighthouse on the western point of
the island, was reached. A little further on a camp was made
beside the head waters of one of the branches of the Middle
River. Under the shelter of a temporary mia-mia of boughs
the party slept near the source of the home river.

Next day the central plateau was explored. There are two
lagoons, of considerable size but of no great depth, occupying the
centre of a great area of marshy ground. At this time of the
year, after the rains of winter, they had overflowed into the sur-
rounding scrub in all directions. The average limits of the
water are probably marked by belts of white gums {Eucalyptus
cosiiiopJiylld) growing amongst tall tea-tree {Mclaleitca) scrub.

Here was a different type of country from that previously seen.
A few waterfowl sported on the lake, and the Grass-Bird
{Mega/urus graviineus) was heard piping in the reeds. A pair
of Ground-Thrushes {Geocichla) was feeding full-grown young,
and Brush Wattle-Birds {Acatithoc/uera mcllivora) were evidently
nesting also. A Thickhead {PacJiyccphala gictturalis, var.) and
Pardalctus xantliopygiits were heard, and a pair of Fire-tailed
Finches {Zomeginthus bellus) was seen.

Apparently many streams have their sources thereabouts.
Some go south, some north, and one — the Cygnet River, the
longest on the island — flows eastward. This stream was followed
down some distance, and the second night was spent comfort-
ably in a tin hut, which has evidently been erected for the use of
telegraph line repairers. All the country fringing the centre
marshes will prove of some agricultural value. The soil is a
deep friable clay, sufliciently well watered to ensure its carrying
almost any kind of crops. But at present it is quite untouched,
though a skeleton of a fence near the lagoons showed that some
steps had been taken in this direction. A solitary trapper was
met in the scrub here. He was of grotesque figure, dressed
apparently in all his wardrobe — two suits of old clothes, with
thigh leggings to protect him from the rough scrub. He spoke
with a German accent, and, although leading a lonely life,
appeared satisfied with his prospect of a good take of wallaby
and opossum skins.

The Cygnet River, only four miles from its source, is a strong
stream of lO feet in width, flowing through a mass of tea-tree
and other scrub, and occasionally passing through a belt of
white gums, which marks the spot where a tributary soak

'^'q ■] Australasian Oy>iithologists'' Vnion. 117

emerges from the low hillside. Many of these gums were bear-
ing trusses of large flowers, a great attraction to the New Holland
and Crescent Honey-eaters and the Blue-bellied Lorikeets.
Several Little Lorikeets were observed in one place also. A
family of Black Cockatoos {Caljptorhyiichus xantJionotus) was
disturbed feeding on the hard fruits of Hakea bushes, and
several more beautiful yellow-breasted Thickheads were seen.

After following the Cygnet River thus far, a course was struck
due north for the purpose of picking up the Middle River and
tracing it down to the camp. Three tributaries, flowing east
into the Cygnet, were crossed. The quantity of water is indeed
surprising. Quite small depressions hold large creeks that
cannot be stepped across in many places. The water, it was
everywhere remarked, was singularly clear. The nature of the
country is such that there is very little surface waste of fine
sediment.

Apart from the valleys, the vegetation is mainly stringybark,
with the tough under-scrub of Casiiarina, Banksin, Hakca,
Styphclia, and TetratJieca. Two new species of Grevillca were
collected that had not been previously seen. The timber
improves in size where the ground is naturally richer, and the
smaller shrubs are correspondingly strong. The thickest timber
met with during the journey was in this area, and the floor of some
of these valleys was well nigh impenetrable. It was with thankful
hearts that the Middle River was struck, and the jungle left
behind for awhile. But the scrub was still thick along the river
valley. The easiest travelling was soon found along the adjoin-
ing ridge. The birds noted in this part were White-eared and
Crescent Honey-eaters in the valleys, and Tawny-crowned
Honey-eater, MclitJii-eptus magnirostris, Scarlet-breasted Robin,
var., and Brown Tit, var., in the stringybarks.

The valley gradually becomes deeper and more tortuous as
the seaboard is approached until it is positively precipitous, the
river being split up in innumerable fashions by tumbled masses
of rock and soil with trees and herbage growing thereon. The
steepest part of this gorge finishes in the picturesque cascades
already mentioned, where the main party was met with. The
re-united parties returned to camp towards evening. From the
last ridge above the camp a beautiful view was obtained of the
mainland across the straits. The setting sun threw the Althorpe
Islands, with their remarkably-shaped sentinel, Wedge Island,
into bold relief on the horizon.

Another party started two days previous to this for Cape
Borda, some 40 miles from camp. They followed the coastal
track via Western River, Snug Cove River, and De Mole River,
and reached their destination on the second day. They reported
very little change in the configuration of the country passed
through, except that it became more picturesque and heavily

1^8 Australasian Ornithologists' Union. I ist "jan

timbered in favoured parts. They thoroughly enjoyed them-
selves fishing, sealing, and wild goat stalking, and arrived in
camp on the evening of their fourth day out very well pleased
with their trip. They spoke very highly of the kindness of the
lighthouse-keepers at Cape Borda and of Messrs. Sheridan and
Hirst en route, the latter of whom generously gave them a horse
to carry home their various trophies, which included a live
wallaby and three live Penguins.

The last two days were spent by all the party in traversing
once more the lower reaches of the Middle River and the table-
land and ridges on either hand. On this last visit the river
valley seemed more than ever filled with birds. Hundreds of
Blue-bellied Lorikeets were screaming and feeding on the
flowering " blue gum " trees {Eucalyptus leucoxylo}i) that stood in
one of the swampy backwaters. Beneath them a Black Duck
enticed her young out of harm's way, and near by a White
Cockatoo flew off screeching. A party of Black-winged Crow-
Shrikes and several Fire-tailed Finches were observed, while
Spinebill, Crescent Honey-eater, MelitJireptus magnirostris,
Scarlet-breasted Robin, van. Striated Tit, and Brown Tit, var.,
were much in evidence. A solitary Stone-Plover was disturbed
from its mid-day rest, By the river side and on the flats were
several plants not elsewhere seen, one an iris {SisyrinchiuDi)
with sky-blue flowers, and a broad-leaf tea-tree {Melaleuca) just
breaking into pink blossom. Orchids were very plentiful, and
grew to some size. Thirty-six species were identified, principal
among them being Thclymitra aiitciiiiifera and flexuosa,
PrasophyUuvi elatuni, Diuris loiigifolia, Caladenia cariiea,
latifoiia, and lucnziesii, and Pterostylis barbata. In all 225
species of plants in flower were identified, and among them are
several that have not been previously recorded for the
Kangaroo Island — Ranunculu'< lappacens, Drosera peltata,
horoiiia piimata, Rhagodia biliardieri, Dillivy}iia hispida,
Myriophylluni verrucosiii/i, Cygnoglossimi australc, Hypoxis
glabella, Caesia vittata, Cypcrus liictd/is, Scirptts iiodosiis, and
Lepidosperma concaviim.

It might be rash to forecast the future of Kangaroo Island,
but there is no doubt that it is a wonderful heritage awaiting
development. It lies asleep until the population arises to
exploit it. That it is well watered throughout cannot be
doubted on examining the plan so carefully prepared by the
Lands Department of South Australia. Streams are in abund-
ance, and, blessed with a genial climate and soil of no mean
potentialities, the island must have a promising future. The
first step towards advertisement will be taken when it is made a
watering place and a sanatorium for South Australia.

[Notp:. — On the return trip from Adelaide to Melbourne three
of the Melbourne members, through the kindness of Dr. T.

°j^(, J Australasian Ornothologists" Union. I "jg

Ryan, of Nhill (Victoria), spent two days in the Mallee fringe,
where an interesting lot of birds were observed. The notes
obtained will form the subject of a short paper in some future
issue.]

Report on the Birds of Kangaroo Island : a

Comparison with Mainland Forms.

Bv A. G. Campbell, Melbourne.

It is difficult to believe that all forms of life have been evolved
by the influence of differing conditions, though it seems obvious
that numbers of species have had a common ancestor. In a
general way there are influences creeping in which there are now
no means of gauging, so far back are their beginnings, but it is
most interesting to search out connections between allied forms
of the present day.

One form in one locality is only worthy of being made a
species separate and distinct from another form in another
locality if its points arc fairly constant. The characters of
each must not grade toward and merge into one another, or they
must be considered one and the same species.

Slight differences must be expected if the theory of origin by
adaptation to environment holds good. For slight differences
will in time become the more marked ones that differentiate
species.

Where geological change has occurred and where a sea or a
desert has crept in and divided two parts of a similar area,
differences at first sight would become more and more distinct.
Ultimately a species on one hand would be found with no
connecting links to one on the other. This is still more marked
if the break occurs on an east or west line, and if one section be
forced to a more southern habitat than the other.

South-eastern Australia has its own quota of bird life. In
Western Australia there are many species the relation of which
to forms in the south-east can be distinctly seen. But they in
most instances show some constant difference that makes them
worthy of another specific name. Midway — that is, in South
Australia — there might be expected some intermediate dif-
ferences. But as these cannot be traced sufficiently it was with
great interest that Kangaroo Island was searched. The results
were not disappointing, for many forms distinctly worthy of
being termed links between eastern and western species were
discovered. This island has been locked up, so to speak, for
many years, and was found to contain a good record of condi-
tions that on the mainland have long since been interchanged
away. It is interesting to record, too, that the affinity of
Kangaroo Island birds is with those of Victoria, and not with
those of South Australia, as might be expected.

lAO Campbell, Birds of Kangaroo Island. [^

St Jan.

For comparison the Passerine or perching birds can be
examined, sea birds and other roving species being out of the
question.

The results of these observations summarized are that
Kangaroo Island supplies a link between the following respec-
tive species from South-eastern and Western Australia, namely :
— Petrceca Icqgii and P. canipbelli, AcantJiiza pusilla and A.
apicalis, PacJiycepliala gutturalis and P. occidentalis, Zosterops
ccerulescens and Z. gouldii, Mcliornis noviv-Jwlhmdice and
M. longirostris, Mditlircptus brevirostris (possibly) and M,
Iciicogenys.

The affinity of the Island avifauna with that of South-
eastern Australia (particularly Victoria) is shown by the inclu-
sion of the five genera — GeocicJda, Megalunis, Melioimis,
Zoiiieginthus, and /EgintJia, together with the abundance of the
Honey-eater Ptilotis leucotis, and the Parrakeet Platycercus
elegans. These are found very commonly on Kangaroo Island,
but are not at all common in South Australia.

Another feature of the Kangaroo Island list is the absence of
Tree-creepers {Cliniacteris) and Tree-runners (5zV/£'//rt). This, if
substantiated, is remarkable, seeing that these birds are looked
upon as the universal protectors of forests against timber-boring
insects. The Flower-pecker {Dicceum) is not included. As in
Tasmania so in Kangaroo Island there are no parasitical
mistletoes {LorantJms), and this bird, the only known distributing
agent, is not found in either locality.

Concerning the nomenclature for these intermediate or island
forms, it is difficult to prescribe. I would suggest that the
specific name Jialmaturina (meaning inhabiting Kangaroo
Island — Halmaturiis being the generic name for the wallabies
or small kangaroos) be applied to Acanthiza pusilla, Pachy-
cephala gutluralis, AcantJiorhyncJiiis tenuirostris, Zosterops
c(Endcscens, and Mcliornis {Lichnierd) australasiana ; and
should subsequent research and more material warrant it, that
the same name be also sub-specifically applied to Collyriocincla
harmonica, Pctraca leggii, GcocicJda hifiulata, and Mclior^iis jiovcb-
ho II an dies.

The following is a complete list of (70 odd) species of birds
that were noted by the members of the Aust. O.U. expedition: —

Uroaetus audax (Wedge-tailed Eagle). — A fine gorge on the Middle
River, some five miles inland, was the home of a pair of these birds.
Others were seen.

Haliaetus LEUCOGASTER (White-bellied Sea-Eagle).

Falco lunulatus (Little Falcon).

Cerchneis cenchroides (Kestrel).

Pandion leucocephalus (Osprey). — An aerie was visited, built upon
a prominent outlying rock some 30 feet in height.

The Emu, VoL V.

PLATE XIII.

■s^

°9o6^'J Campbell, Birds of Kangaroo Island. \ \\

NiNOX BOOnoOK. (Boobook Owl).

COROXE AUSTRALIS (Raven).

Strepera melavqptera (Black-winged Crow-Shrike). — Many of this
species were nesting in the sugar gum forests that exist within three miles
of the coast, and a few pairs also were noted inland in the stringybark gums
near the river courses. All had young in varying stages. One pair near
our camp was photographed feeding their young at the nest. A very cold
night killed these nestlings, when the parents immediately turned their
attention to another young bird brought in by one of the party. They fed it
regularly within a short distance of our quarters. The nestling has the
primaries and particularly the secondary feathers of the wing tipped white,
but the adult has the whole wing entirely black. See Plate XI 11.

COLLYRIOCINCLA HARMONICA (Grey Shrike-Thrush).— One specmien
obtained proves to have a much darker under surface than the mainland
specimens, and no light throat or eyebrows. The light colour is confined to
a loral spot only.

Graucalus MELANOPS (Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike).— A pair found
nesting in a sugar gum near our camp.

Petrceca LEGGII (? variety) (Scarlet-breasted Robin). — There is an
■ interesting link between eastern and western forms. The Island bird has
the breast colour of the eastern with the small cap of the western, thus
combining the two. In most measurements, however, it is smallest.

Dia. of

Length.

Bill.

Wing.

Tail.

Tarsus.

Cap,

P. leggii., Vic.

••• 5-3

•35

3-1

n n

•75

•4

P. ieg^ii, var. Kang. Id. .

... 4.6

•4

2.85

2.0

.78

•3

P.campbclli,^N.A.

.. 5.0

•35

3-0

2. 2

.8

•3

Malurus cyaneus (Blue Wren). — A single specimen obtained has an
exceptionally long tarsus — .g in. — and the wing coverts and primaries are a
very deep Prussian blue colour. Blue Wrens were numerous.

Rhipidura albisc.\pa (White-shafted Fantail). — This specimen has a
very large and white ear-mark, the breast is darker, and the few white spots
on the shoulder of the wing appear to link R. a/biscapa, which is prominently
spotted, with R. dieiiiciie/isis, which is but seldom marked. This indicates
that there is less difiference between the two than warrants the latter being
made a separate species.

Sisura inquieta (Restless Flycatcher). — Compare :

Length. Bill. Wing.

5. inqiiicto, Vic. ... ... "j."] .6 4.15

S. Inquieta, Kang. Id. ... 7.0 .7 4.2

S. nana, N.W. Aust. ... 6.0 .75 3.4

Geocichla lunulata (? variety) (Ground-Thrush). -
procured was youthful, and has a short bill. Two other birds were noticed
that had just left the nest, were being fed by their parents, and had a curious
circlet of down still about the head.

This, however, approximates to the Tasmanian species, G. niacrorhynclia,
on account of its darker plumage. Both insular forms have the black
crescent edging to the feathers of the upper surface broadest on the crown,
while in G. luniilaia the markings are narrowest in that part. About the
breast, also, the crescent marks of the under parts become broader and
form a thick dark patch.

Megalurus GRA.MINEUS (Cirass-Bird). — This was heard on the inland
lagoons.
ACAXTHiZA halmaturina (new species) (Dusky Tit).— There is a

Tail.

Tarsus.

3^75

.65

3-6

.8

i-o

•75

(\ sir

igle specimen

1^2 Campbell, Birds of Kangaroo Islai/d. fist Fan

constant difference between the island form and that of the mainland.
The mantle is blackish, and not brownish-olive. The legs are black, and
not brownish-black. The throat markings are heavier, while the forehead
feathers at their bases are fawn-coloured, and not rufous. Indeed, though
it lacks the white tips to the tail feathers, this island form approaches
nearer A. apicalis of Western Australia than it does to A. pusilla of
Victoria. Its measurements are : — Length, 3.9 in. ; bill, .31 in. (two
specimens were .4 in.) ; wing, 1.9 in. ; tail, 1.6 in. ; tarsus, .8 in. It
inhabits the thick scrub upon the island, and does not venture into the
gum-tree tops. One nest was discovered upon the heath lands, placed in a
small bush about i foot high.

ACANTHIZA LINE ATA (Striated Tit). — There is no difference between
specimens from the island and those from the mainland. The little voices
of this species were always heard among the glossy foliage of the sugar
gum-trees, and were also noted in while gum timber inland.

Sericornis maculata (Spotted Scrub- Wren). — This possesses a very
large bill (.51 in.), but otherwise shows no differences. The young are
dressed in a browner mantle than the adult. The sides especially are
rufous-brown, and the eyebrow, throat, and tail markings are very
indistinct.

Hylacola cauta (Rufous-rumped Ground-Wren.) — On all the uplands
the thick shrubby vegetation gave cover to numerous pairs of this bird.
Many had full-grown young, while two dome-shaped nests, rather small in
proportion to the bird, were found ready for eggs. The male bird is a pretty
songster, and always attracts notice by his strong-throated warbling. The
female is less brightly marked, and the young is distinguished by a light
fawn-coloured throat and chest, though ;t has the dark-centred feathers of
the older birds.

Ephthianura albifrons (White-fronted Chat).

Gymnorhina leuconota (White-backed Magpie).— This was common
along the coastal clearings. One specimen (in captivity) had a narrow
black band across the back.

Eopsaltria (sp.). — A whistle of a Yellow-breasted Shrike-Robin was
noted, but the species was not determined.

Pachvcephala gutturalls (White-throated Thickhead). — Several
were seen inland in thick scrub by the creeks. On comparison with
specimens from Western Australia, it proves to have a much darker yellow
breast — as bright, in fact, as P. guttu7-alis of Southern Victoria. The
quantity of black on the tail is made a distinguishing feature between the
eastern and western forms, but the island specimen comes between.
P. occidentalis has .75 inch (the tip) black, P. giitturalis 1.8 inch (two-
thirds), and the specimen under notice i.i inch (one-half). This may be
P. interjiicdia (North), but the reference has not been compared.

Acanthorynchus halmaturina (new sub-species) (Pale-coloured
Spinebill). — This presents some variations worthy of note. Compared
with the mainland form the tail has less white tip — .75 inch against l.o
— and the abdomen and throat are both much lighter in colour. The
crown and collar are also much lighter — the latter, in fact, of a male
specimen being^ as light as in a female of the mainland, which, of course, is
always the lighter and smaller of the sexes. The colour of the abdomen of
this new species is ochreous-buff, not rufous-brown.
The measurements are interesting : —

Length. Bill.
Victoria ... ... 5.75 .9

Kangaroo Island ... 5.3 .88

Tasmania ... ... 5.2 .8

Wing.

Tail.

Tarsi

2.75

2.5

n
• 1

2.6

2-3

•74

2.5

2.25

•75

^'°i9o6^'j Campbell, Birds oj Kaiig-iroo Island. I^^

The Tasmanian form, which was named by Gould A. di/l'ius, is of all the
darkest in plumage. The Kangaroo Island form, by its lighter colour and
duller markings, has differentiated from the parent stock in a different
fashion.

ZoSTEROPS HALMATURiNA (new sub-species) (Island White-eye).— Here,
too, is an interesting link. Z. carulescois^ of South-eastern Australia, is
characterized by its grey back, chestnut flanks, and greyish throat (some-
times tinged with greenish-yellow) ; Z. g^ouldti, of Western Australia, by its
green back, greyish flanks, and yellow throat. The Kangaroo Island bird
has grey back, greyish flanks, and yellow upper throat, thus linking one
with another. The legs are of a very light horn colour, and not grey-black ;
the bill is heavier — .4 in. against .33 in. ; wing is 2.25 in. ; tarsus, .7 in.
Withal it is quite a distinct variety.

Mklithreptus magnirostris. — This bird inhabits the sugar gums and
the stringybark. It has been separated from J/, brcvirostris as a new
species by Mr. A. J. North. It has a large bill (.57 in), but M. brcvirostris
reaches .5 in. The colour of bill is black, while M. brcvirostris is brownish-
black. Specimens from Nhill, in North-western Victoria, are, however, jet
black, like the Island form. As with all Mclitlirepti., the bill of the female sex
is always smaller by about .05 in. There is a traceable dark band below
the light collar which does not exist in the mainland birds, and the crown,
ear coverts, back, and under tail coverts are all slightly darker. In life a
bluish spot exists in the centre of the bare lower eyelid. This has not been
noted in M. brcvirostris., though it occurs with M. leucoocnys of Western
Australia.

Glyciphila FULVIFRONS (Tawny-crowned Honey-eater). — On all the
heath-covered tracts this bird is to be found. One nest was discovered con-
taining four eggs, which, judging by the two types, were evidently laid by
different birds. One bird procured showed slight variation from the main-
land form. Only the back half of the crown was tawny in colour, the fore
head being creamy-white, like the eyebrow.

Ptilotis leucotis (White-eared Honey-eater). — This was found only
in thick scrub near the river, froin which it loved to ascend the gum-tree
butts in- search of food. It has a bill larger by .13 in. than the mainland
bird, and is of a slightly darker tone.

Ptilotis CRATITIA (Wattle-cheeked Honey-eater). — This beautiful bird
is the only other representative of its large genus. It inhabits the scrub-
covered moorlands not far from the sea, and the brush-like tea-tree that
grows on the river flats. But in comparison with specimens from Nhill,
Victoria, it is found of darker plumage, and the wings and tail are blackish
instead of brownish. The bill, wing, and tarsus are all slightly larger. The
male bird is distinguished by a blackish collar on the hind-neck and a
darker crown.

Lich.mera halm.\turina (new sub-species) (Lesser Crescent Honey-
eater). — This was an unexpected bird upon the island, where it was common
in the scrub along the river. It possesses a bill . i 5 larger than the Victorian
specimens, and is of duller plumage. The striking wing-patch and also the
colour on the tail is greenish-yellow, and not bright yellow. There is less
white on the tail (.75 in. against .9 in.), no white centre to the chest, and the
upper throat is but faintly streaked. The young bird has a short bill, but
the sexes can be distinguished by the male, even in the browner youthful
plumage, having a prominent greenish-yellow wing-patch. The female is
throughout darker than the mainland female. Measurements are as
follow :

L. nustralasiaiia, male

female

Length.

Hill.

Wing.

Tail.

Tarsus,

6.3

.6

3-05

2.75

•7

57

.58

2.62

2-35

•7

1^4 Campbell, Biyds of Kangaroo Island. [isf'"jan

Length. Bill. Wing. Tail. Tarsus.
L. halinatiirina, male ... ... 5.7 .75 2.8 2.5 .8

„ female ... 5.3 .72 2.62 2.2 .8

Meliornis NOVyE-HOLLANDL*: (? variety) (New Holland Honey-eater).
— This showy bird was plentiful in all the scrubby country, and could often
be seen perched on the flower-stalk of some grass-tree extracting nectar
from the upright column. Comparing it with specimens from Victoria
showed it to be little different in plumage, excepting that the chest
striations were jet black, like the head. But from its longer and stronger bill
it brings the Western Australian M. loui^irostris very close to its eastern
congener. The bill of the former measures .78 to .8 in., of the latter .7 to
.72 in., and of Kangaroo Island specimens .75 to .78 in.

ACANTHOCH/ERA c.\RUNCULATA (Red Wattle-Bird).— One specimen
examined has a bill 1.2 in. long, wing 6.4 in., both of which are larger than
the mainland form, while it is without the prominent silky-white patch under
the eye,

ACANTHOCH.ERA MELLIVORA (Brush Wattle-Bird). — This was observed
nesting about the quiet central lagoons only.

Pardalotus ornatus (Striated Pardalote). — On the scrub-covered
moorlands a few very stunted gum-trees were found, some of them not more
than 6 feet in height. They were covered with grotesque galls and insect
ridden. In nearly every patch one of these little birds could be disturbed.
It differs somewhat from Victorian specimens in markings. Those from the
north-east of the State are much richer than those from the north-west.
They have the lower back and rump rufous instead of olive, and, further,
have the tips of all the primaries white. The Kangaroo Island specimens
have one character of each. They are olive-coloured in the mantle, like the
birds from north-west Victoria, but have all the tips of the primaries white,
like the north-eastern forms.

Pardalotus xanthopygiu.s (Yellow-rumped Pardalote).-— One bird was
seen inland.

HiRUNDO NEOXENA (Swallow).

Petrochelidon nigricans (Tree-Martin).
Anthus australis (Pipit).

Artamus sordidus (Wood-Swallow). —This bird was found through
most parts of the island. Seeing it is supposed to be migratory, it should
not differ much from specimens from other parts ; but it does differ in being
of a darker tone, and in having very little white on the tail tip.

ZoN/EGiNTHUS BELLUS (Fire-tailed Finch). — Of all species noted this
was, perhaps, the one least expected. Several pairs were seen, both among
the white gums flanking the inland lagoons and among the sugar gums on
the river flat near its mouth. In company with /Egmtha toiiporalis it
was nesting in the under-scrub. A specimen procured, in comparison with
one from Victoria, shows the upper surface not olive, but grey, like the
under surface. The length of wing is 2.3 in. (longer than the other speci-
men referred to by . 15 in.)

/Egintha temporalis (Red-browed Finch).— These were found, too, in
the thick brakes of bracken fern on the river flats.

Halcyon sanctus (Sacred Kingfisher).

Cacomantis flabelliformis (Fan-tailed Cuckoo).

Chalcococcyx basalis (Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo).

Trichoglossus nov.b-hollandi^ (Blue-bellied Lorikeet). — Among
the blossoms of the " blue gums " (locally so called) on the river flats
hundreds of these birds were feeding. The flowering eucalypts could

Vol. v."

IQ06 I

Campbell, Birds of Kangaroo Island. \ AC

always be located from some distance by the chattering, whistling, and
screeching noises of the 'Keets.

Glossopsittacus pusillus (Little Lorikeet).— A small party of this
species was observed inland on some flowering white gums.

Calyptorhynchus xanthonotus (F51ack Cockatoo).— These were in
flocks of 20 to 50 some distance back from the coast, feeding upon the
black-winged seeds of H.ikca bushes, the strong pods of which they have no
difficulty in cracking. This species in life is very handsouie. There is
a delicate pink-coloured naked membrane encircling the eyelids, which
greatly enhances its appearance. Salvadori, in " Genera Avium," gives
13 to 14 inches as typical wing measurements of this species, and 15 to 16
in. for C. funereiis. Two specimens from Kangaroo Island measure 15 in.
and 15. 5 in.

Calyptorhynchus viridis (Leach Cockatoo).

CaCATUA GALERITA (White Cockatoo).— Nesting.

Pl.\tycercus elegans (Crimson Parrakeet). — The commonest birds
about our camp were of this species. Mature birds in their brilliant livery
fed unheeding among the grasses.

Pl.^tycercus EXiMius (Rosella). — One specimen was reported towards
Cape Borda.

Phaps chalcoptera (Bronze- wing Pigeon).
Turnix varl\ (Painted (2uail). — Nesting.
Microtribonyx ventralis (Black-tailed Native-Hen).
Gallinula tenebrosa (Black Moor-Hen).
Porphyrio mklanonotus (Bald-Coot).
Fulica australls (Coot).
Burhinus grallarius (Stone-Plover).
H.^MATOPUS unicolor (Sooty Oyster-catcher).
Lobivanellus lobatus (Spur-winged Plover).
J^GIWAIX'S, CUCULLATA (Hooded Dottrel).
Sterna bergii (Crested Tern).
Gabl-vnus pacificus (Pacific Gull).
Larus NOVyE-HOLLANDi^ (Silver Gull).
Demiegretta .sacra (Reef-Heron). Breeding.
Phalacrocorax carbo (Black Cormorant).
PhalacrocoraX HYPOLEUCUS (Pied Cormorant).
SULA serrator (Gannet).
Eudyptula undina (Little Penguin).
Anas superciliosa (Black Duck).

Principles Governing Movement in Cuckoos and

Migration in Birds.

By a. H. E. Mattingley, Melbourne.

{Read before the A.O.U ., Adelaide Session, i^i^h October, 1905.)

It is a matter of congratulation that my note on tlic actions of the
young Cuckoo has started a controversy that can have but a bene-
ficial and educative effect. Too many controversial })oints that
have been published in The Emu have been passed by in silence.

tA.6 Mattingley, Priticiplcs Governiiig Movctneiil in 1,^, "j"„

Hence, to simplify matters, it would be advisable to systematically
go to the root of the matter at issue and more clearly and closely
outline the correctness of my contention. The action of the young
Cuckoo in ejecting its fellow-nestlings is a guiding propensity or
physiological law — a rhythmic action which is really an organic
and automatic tendency more fundamental even than instinct —
and, moreover, instinct and reason are not divisible into separate
powers, there being no line of demarcation between them. First it
will be necessary to clearly define instinct and reason, and by illus-
trations and hypotheses to prove that neither of these powers is
operating at the time, and that they do not in any way govern
the ejectment. The word instinct is derived from the Latin
instinguere, to excite. From a stimulus or exciter an impulse is
derived, but can we call a stimulus or an impulse an instinct ? We
should seek for every other explanation before using a word so
comprehensive, indefinite, and apt to mislead. In all life there are
two kinds of stimuli, the permanent and the fortuitous. That
which is permanent is born with the animal, and that which is
fortuitous is derived externally. The permanent stimulus is in-
herited, and therefore never erring. Can we logically assume that
it is instinct that causes the spermatozoon to enter the ovum, or
the pitcher plant to close around a fly and thus entrap it ? There
is no doubt that certain organisms come into play later on as they
become more fully developed, but at this period of the Cuckoo's
life-history (a few hours old) these organisms are not developed
sufficiently to transmit the power or faculty known as instinct,
implying the degree of knowledge. Instinct and reason are merely
different stages of development running into one another by such
imperceptible degrees that it is impossible to draw a line of
demarcation. The same applies to the stages of development and
metamorphoses of the cells until they arrive at the requisite
organisms which convey the faculty of instinct or reason.

The principles determining the order of development of instinct
as instanced in the plant world, where leaves, stalk, blossom, and
fruit follow one another, are definite and fixed. In the animal
world the growth of parts of the body and the appearance of hair,
horns, teeth, feathers, beak, &c., are nearly as fixed and unvarying.
Since structure and instinct are closely related, we should expect
to find a definite order in which the instincts of each species of
animal tend to develop. Observation confirms this view in a general
way, as young birds do not show the mating, nest-constructing,
and caretaking instinct or reason of adult birds, nor do adult birds
show the same degree of playfulness as younger birds.

When, however, we attempt to determine exactly the order in
which instinct or reason develops, many doubts and difficulties
arise. The most common theoretical statement is that instincts
develop in that order in which they have been acquired in the
history of the race, built as all species are from the lowest forms of
the genus upwards. This view is supported by a general biological
law, that in the embryonic state each animal goes through stages

""jg^j^ J Cuckoos and Migration in Birds. l47

of development in which it is successively similar in form or i)ro-
portion of parts to a higher and still higher animal, till it attains
the form of its species. Numerous parallelisms support this view.
Most animals have a tendency to move about and their organs to
react in definite ways to definite stimuli before there is any chance
to experience their favourable or unfavourable character even in
a slight degree. This presupposes an outside stimulus. If such a
stimulus be not given and received the object is immobile, and
consequently inactive, notwithstanding that the latest investiga-
tions seem to show that matter itself is life. It is therefore
necessary for matter or an object to receive a " primary " stimulus
to move and blossom forth into life or action. It is the stimulus
that governs the movement, not the movement that controls the
stimulus — at least, not the primary stimulus — hence one cannot
classify a stimulus as an instinct. By human analogy we find that
a person sleeping in bed will, on receiving a certain stimulus, roll
over in bed into a more comfortable position without awaking
from his or her unconsciousness. Can this be attributed to instinct ?
Then, again, an analogous case is the migration of birds, in which
climatic conditions, apart from food and other conditions, bring
about the unfavourable stimulus or stimuli from which the birds
move to places where the stimuli are absent or modified. Were
there no seasons in the year birds would remain in the one place,
and would lose their migratory habits, provided other unfavourable
stimuli were absent. Hence we find the permanent stimuli of the
seasons and their reflex actions causing migration always at the
same season of the year, and mostly in the same direction, the
date of migration varying according to the climatic condition of
the season. This leads one to the supposition that migratory birds
are of a delicate constitution, which, for their survival, causes them
to shrink from the rigorous climatic conditions that cause unfavour-
able stimuli, and travel to suitable zones. The summar}/ of the
above necessarily condensed points suggests that the action of the
young Cuckoo is a rhythmic one, an organic and automatic tendency
even more fundamental than an instinct, and that there is no line
of demarcation between instinct and reason, as 1 will proceed to
exemplify. Replace the young Cuckoo in the nest, and exactly
the same process is repeated again and again, with a rhythmic
precision. Were there no other fellow-nestlings with the young
Cuckoo there would be no iritating stimulus, consequently there
would be no reactionary movements. Many reactionary move-
ments caused by one kind of stimulus are dependent on other
stimuli acting in conjunction with them. For instance, the jxn-
manent stimuli of the legs attached to the young Cuckoo cause it
to rear up or erect itself in the nest in response to the j^rimary and
intermediary stimuli. These stimuli are so co-ordinated and
dependent on one another tliat one can easily trace the details ol
the ejective action caused by the primary stimuli, and the reaction
of that force, together with that of the stimuli of light, with which
are combined the stimuli of air temperature or air movement

148 Mattingley, Principles Governing Movement \^

Jan

entering the nest,* thus controlling and directing the course of the
ejectment and the other intermediary and dependent stimuli — in
fact, the whole metamorphoses. One can also follow the life-
history of the embryonic cell until its development to the parts
previously mentioned which control the organic and automatic
tendency, that is more fundamental than instinct, and which causes
the action of ejectment. As with other animals, birds are born
with permanent stimuli ; the legs to lever the body up or run with,
the beak to peck or grasp with, the wings as specially adapted levers
to flap or fly with. Permanent stimuli are often dependent on
secondary stimuli ; such as the unfledged wings of a bird, which
in their naked state are used as arms, and even legs, to assist in
bodily motion or propulsion (paleontology proves this), but when
provided with feathers of a proper size and weight and strength,
they, together with the naked arms, form a permanent stimulus
to fly. It is necessary to illustrate the contentions on which these
hypotheses are based. A very important and interesting observa-
tion mentioned is the adaptation of the back of the young Cuckoo,
hollowed out, as it were, apparently to assist it in ejecting the
young of its foster-parents, and it would be still more interesting
to know if all young Cuckoos in different parts of the world are so
adapted. But granting the adaptation of the back only goes to
prove that the operating factor which causes the young Cuckoo to
eject its nest-companions is not attributable to reason or instinct.
Were the young Cuckoo supplied with these powers it would be
quite unnecessary for nature to furnish the concavity in its back,
because the powers of reason or instinct would enable the Cuckoo
to effect the ejection of its nest-fellows. Probably one of the
strongest arguments is this : the young Cuckoo is blind at this stage ;
the nest is usually dome-shaped ; and how could it know which is
the opening of the nest from which to throw out its foster-brethren ?
It could not do it by sight. My hypothesis shows that it must be
due to the delicate nerves of the skin, guided by the different
temperature of the air or stimulus of light entering the opening of
the nest, indicating and directing the correct course. Then, again,
the young Cuckoo being blind, how could it tell when all the nest-
lings were out of the nest unless the skin coming no longer into
contact with the heated skin of its fellow-nestlings indicated this
fact to it. It is an axiomatic fact that nature is perfect in its
methods — how is it, then, that the visual organs, the organs nearest
the brain and the most important organs possessed by the bird,
are at this stage inoperative. The solution of this problem is that
Nature apparently finds the nerves of the skin are all that is neces-
sary to supply the correct stimulus to the brain. A bird's internal
organs digest its food whilst asleep — the stimulus of food causing
the digestive muscles to act without recourse to either the faculties
of instinct or reason. Is it too much to assume that the external
organs are endowed with equal powers to the internal organs ?

* A douie-sliapcd, covciedin nest, with side eiiliance,

°'o6 ■] in Cuckoos and Migyaiion in Birds. MQ

We also have the evidence of Mr. Tegetmeier, the great animal
collector, who, when asked what he thought of the wonderful
instinct of the homing Pigeon, declared that a " homing" instinct
was all nonsense. * A Pigeon goes by sight and reason, as we do.
Take it from home more than 50 miles and it is completely lost, but
if you train it by degrees, beginning with a few miles, it will learn
to iind its way over long distances. It can see 50 miles, and so by
taking longer and longer flights has been taught to fly from London
to Brussels. Tegetmeier was largely consulted by Darwin, from
whom he received over 160 letters. In an article by Mr. F. M. Littler,
cited in The Emu, vol. iii., pp. 243 and 123, we have corroborative
evidence of my contention that birds do reason. Then we also
have evidence that a bird has to be taught its habits and methods,
since it is recorded that, when clutches of eggs of British birds
were taken from England to New Zealand and hatched out there
by foster-parents, the young so reared did not know how to construct
their nests after the fashion of their parents and ancestors, there
being no similar species to themselves in New Zealand to teach
them. Evidence such as this goes to prove the hypothesis that a
young Cuckoo cannot reason out the necessity for ridding the nest
of its other occupants, but that nature has provided the requisite
sensitiveness of the nerves of the skin, which convey the necessary
stimulus to the muscles, which in turn cause the ejectment.
Although the nerves are co-ordinated with the brain, it is unnecessary
that the section of the brain governing the faculties of reason or
instinct should be called into operation. Then, again, the foster-
parent has to place the food in the mouth of the young Cuckoo,
and were it endowed at this stage with faculties of reason so highly
developed, then it would assuredly bring these into action and help
itself by taking its food from its foster-parents whilst in such a
ravenously hungry stage of its existence. A further proof that
instincts are taught may be proved by human analogy. According
to Melbourne and Sydney daily papers, the mother of a child in
New South Wales left her infant daily in the fowl-yard for a
lengthened period and did not attend to the infant except to
occasionally feed it there. It thus herded with the fowls and
acquired their habits and instincts or reasoning capacity. When
rescued the child was observed trying to chivy the hens around
the yard in imitation of the rooster, and afterwards, when taken
to a children's hospital, it endeavoured to perch on the railing of
its cot, flap its wings, and crow.

By careful study one is led step by step to note that the general
conception of instinct is shown to i)e inconsistent — that is, il in-
stinct be accepted as implying an unchangeable, inborn, or inherited
impulse of nature bestowed for the j^reservation and j^ropagation
of animals, the manifestations of which are unconscious. This is
at best but a blind way of dealing with the question. Accurate
study shows that the greater part of the actions attributed to
instinct may be understood in a very different way as arising from
training, and afterwards from consideration, cxijcrience, free choice,

ICO Mattinglev, Principles Governing Movement \^^^ "t"„

imitation, &c. When birds like our Mapgie [Gymnorhina tibicen)
build nests of wire ; when birds use boxes prepared for them
to nest in ; when our Ravens rob the nests of other birds ; when
birds feed in the open mouths of crocodiles, and also on the backs
of cows ; when the Parrot of New Zealand {Nestor notabilis) took
to killing sheep ; when birds nesting on a firm or stiff bough
build a shallow nest, and when on a swaying limb they build a
deeper nest, or when they build floating nests to rise and fall with
the level of the water ; when our Lyre-Birds {Memira victoria)
imitate human and other animal sounds, &c. — can we call these
few of many illustrations instinct ? Quite erroneous ideas are in
circulation. It is said that young chickens, when they have
developed to their full size in the egg, break their shells, quit them,
and at once stand on their feet, run, and peck grain and insects
from the ground ; thus arises a whole series of complicated notions,
directed to a certain aim, without any teaching, example, or experi-
ence coming in. Just the same story is told of young Ducks, which
in addition give an especial proof of instinct in that as soon as they
leave the egg-shell they run to the water and swim about therein.
This last feat is said to be done by young Ducks hatched under
hens, which therefore cannot be led to swim by any maternal
allurements, and the poor foster-mothers are said to stand in
despair because they see their nurselings torn from their protection
and are not able to follow them. This all seems so natural
that it is generally accepted without demur, and would indeed,
were it true, scarcely seem to leave doubtful the existence
of instinct in the earlier accepted sense. But in reality matters
are very different. That which occurs immediately before the
escape of the chicken from the egg does not depend on the indepen-
dent action of the young bird, but takes place in quite mechanical
fashion, as Professor L. Biichner puts it, and as the result of a
series of unconscious movements, which are caused by the fact that
from 24 to 34 hours before hatching the chicken begins to breathe,
and at last requires more air than can pass through the shell.
Hence arises a great danger of suffocation, and in consequence of
this a strong reflex action takes place, by means of which the chick
is caused to strike or push violently against the inner wall of the
shell with a sharp bony point formed on the beak and known as
the egg-tooth, and the whole body is stretched and extended.
Pressure is caused by the natural growth of the body within, and
the breaking of the shell cannot long be delayed. But when the
chicken is out of the shell it is far from running about and picking
up corn. It generally lies for about two hours helpless on its
stomach, and neither eats nor pecks, even though a grain of corn
be placed in its beak. It then begins to make feeble attempts
to move, in which it at first uses its wings just as though they were
crutches. It gets up, falls down, gets up again and again falls
down, and gets up again, so that its motion looks more like slipping
than running. If a noise is made near it — for instance, if anyone
knocks a table with the finger — it turns to the side of the noise,

"^o6 J ^" Cuckoos and Migration i)i Birds. i r j

and this is not surprising, as its ear has ah-eady to a small extent
been used within the shell. During the next 6 hours the chick
gradually gains strength and practice enough to run, and also
begins to peck at the ground, but blindly and senselessly ; for it
pecks at everything which reaches the eye, such as httle lumps of
earth, heads of nails knocked into boards, grains of sand and glass
beads, and even at mere bright specks. This is done also by grown
poultry, which are frequently seen to peck at the ground although
there is nothing to pick up. Even poultry from which the cere-
brum has been removed, and which are therefore without con-
sciousness and without feeling, strike mechanically with their beaks
on the ground without picking up corn, just as human babies try
to put into their mouths whatever is given them. Personally I
have repeatedly observed at Sparrow-shooting matches in Mel-
bourne that whenever a Sparrow has been shot only through the
cerebrum it flies down or falls down and then stands up and picks
mechanically at the ground. It ought not, therefore, to be sur-
prising that chickens should do the same as babies, especially when
imitation of the pecking mother comes into play. The imitative-
ness and the teaching of the mother have a large share in the whole
concern, which is proved by the fact that the whole recorded process,
until the chick is able to run and feed itself, takes only from 5 to 8
hours if it remains with and under the care of the mother, while
it takes from 8 to 16 hours if the chick be taken away from the
mother after hatching. Then, again, the young chicks before
they are born can be heard cheeping inside the shell, and should
the mother give a warning note on approach of danger, the cheeping
instantly ceases, and when all danger is passed the cheeping is
resumed. Therefore is it possible that an unborn foetus can reason,
or even be trained ? One cannot blindly attribute the action of a
foetus to instinct or reason whilst covered in by the shell from all
external influences except those conveyed by osmosis. The only
stimulus obtainable by osmosis would be given externally to the
nerves of the skin. How often, as a boy, have I taken a chicken
and by placing it on my knee and putting its head under its wing,
caused it to go to sleep in response to the stimulus thus applied.
Ducklings go through their initial stages almost the same as a
chicken. When they have gradually learned to drink they peck
at a shining wet surface as if it were water. Placed in a pond, they
try to get out as fast as possible, and make active movements with
their legs which teach them to swim. When ducklings reach dry
land they shake themselves and try to clean off the water. The
same thing happens if given milk to swim in. These incidents go
to prove that Ducks have no instinctive love for water, and it has
been observed that Geese have been known to push their goslings
into water, as also Wild Ducks have been known to carry their
young on their back when taking them from the nest, miles away
from water, and depositing them in it. The stimulus of the water
to their legs causes them to ])addle with them and so swim, whilst
the down causes them to unconsciously float, which clearly proves

IC2 Mattingley, Cuckoos and Migration in Birds. fist^'j'

mu
an.

that they are provided by nature with special adaptations to suit
their environments, and that these adaptations are not instincts.
One cannot therefore tallc of a Duck's innate love of water. Every
organism must conform to the laws of rhythmic seasonable changes.
We know that eggs are hatched out by solar rays only. So also
must the chick, after being hatched out, conform to the same
conditions and be governed by its environments — hence environ-
ments govern from without. Were Nature to leave everything
to instinct there would be no necessity for special adaptations,
and we should find that the young Cuckoo, if thrown into water,
like the young duckling, would assuredly use these faculties, and
so swim out by the same process as the young duckling. But in
practice we find that in the first place it cannot see ; secondly, it
cannot float, having no nesting down or permanent stimuli to
suspend it ; and, thirdly, it could not swim with its present type
of legs, because Nature has not endowed it with the permanent
stimuli of webbed feet to paddle with. But Nature has given it
special adaptations for its preservation, such as the faculty of
ejectment, the absence of nesting down confirming this to some
extent, because the nesting down would cover and shield the
sensitive nerves of the skin. Hence we ultimately find that there
is no difference between instinct and reason, but that reason is
knowledge. Knowledge comes from teaching, therefore teaching
= reason. Reason is wanting in the young Cuckoo, because what
training did it receive ? That cannot be shown, and is only
answerable by attributing its action to a stimulus, and as I have
shown that a stimulus imparting an impulse is received from with-
out, and is consequently governed externally, it would be absurd
to assume that the primary or external action is instinct or reason,
but that instead it is a guiding propensity or physiological law —
a rhythmic action which is really an organic and automatic
tendency more fundamental even than instinct.

The Moult of the Blue Wren (Malurus).

By a. G. Campbell, Melbourne.

{Read before the A.O.D\, Adelaide Sessiofi, 13/// Octo'-cr^ IQOS)

I HAVE here a note sent me by a friend in the Black Ranges,
near Stawell (Victoria). I ofifer it, with a few remarks of my
own, as a basis for a short discussion : —

" Winter Moult of the Blue Wren. — Having passed the winter
in a fixed camp, I have had excellent opportunities of watching
this fascinating development. Our camp consisted of three tents,
shielded by a rough semicircle of breakwind, which partly enclosed
a piece of ground about 40 feet in diameter. This ground soon
became bare of grass by continual usage, and on this clean granite
floor crumbs were daily thrown, which attracted many interesting

^°Qo7'] Campbell, The Moult of the Blue Wren. 153

visitors, whose increasing confidence towards us in time turned to
indifference. Among the more confident were Robins (Yellow- and
Scarlet-breasted), Blue Wrens, Tree-creepers, and Grey Thrushes.
Of these the Blue Wrens ranked first in interest. There were eight
of them — four males and four females — and although the latter
were nearly impossible to distinguish from each other, the former
had each his individual trait, as will be seen. Of these males two
were blue and two grey. The first blue male was a particularly
handsome fellow. The dark blue feathers on the back seemed to
me abnormally developed, for when the wings were at rest they
were covered to the tips, whilst the tail, owing to these slightly
overlapi:)ing blue feathers, was normally carried at a much lower
angle than usual. The second male had his grey wings when at
rest almost fully showing. The third and fourth were distinguish-
able at first only by the deeper blue in the tail of the former, but
on 15th July this bird developed dark spots on the side of the head
like ears ; next day these spots had enlarged, and on the third
day both cheeks were pale blue owing to the sudden opening out
of the new feathers, while the dark blue spots had increased and
enlarged. Soon an irregular patchwork was seen, which by the
replacement of old feathers with new gradually evolved more regular
form ; the colours cleared and brightened, and in a fortnight's tmie
— i.e., on 2gth July — the glory was complete. During all this
change a distinct increase of self-respect was noted ; he avoided
with less margin the running charges of the Tree-creeper in the
dispute for crumbs, and expanded his chest more often in song.
As the fourth bird remained grey I thought it too young to change,
but was surprised on 9th August to notice dull spots on the chest ;
however, they were merely of a deeper grey, and as the days passed
no alteration was visible. It was shortly after this, on the i6th
inst., during a walk, I noticed a male half through the moult — this,
of course, was not connected with the eight birds that up to this
time regularly visited the camp each day. On 23rd August, how-
ever, the last male noticeably changed, the spots growing darker
and larger, and the moult, starting from the breast in this case,
finished on 12th September inst.

"The hen birds, of course, have also undergone a renovation, the
extent of which is not easily seen, though like the males the new
tail feathers are readily discernible. When they flit about with
their little reddish beaks taking crumbs here and there with the
quickness of thought, their long ' rudders ' grey in the shadow
but with a peculiar bluish metallic sheen when the sun catches
them, not to mention their dainty appearance, fully compensate
for the absence of those colours that are the pride and glory of the
males. — Chas. F. Pawsey. Camp near Grampians, 15/9/05."

The Wrens are a fascinating family in many ways. Among
our common birds of the bush and garden they are the only
ones that don a bright livery for one season of the year. It is
held by some that there is no such change, and the proof is
offered that blue birds can be seen at any month of the year.

1 ^4 Campbell, The Moult of the Blue Wren. |_j^j "J",,

Now, the time spent in the brown stage is sometimes so short,
and the change from one to the other is often so irregular, that
this may appear correct. But the same bird cannot be seen
blue all the year.

In an isolated suburban garden I have, for two years, had the
opportunity of observing what I have little doubt is one family.
From my note-book I take the following : — " Burnley. — Male
Wren moulting, Mar., '04 ; remoulting, first week July. Moulting
Mar., '05 ; remoulting, first week in June. The change takes
about a fortnight, and the bird remains as much in hiding as
possible during that time. The moult begins with the ear
coverts, and when complete the male is only distinguished from
the female by the absence of rufous colour about lobes and eyes,
by its black beak, darker legs, and particularly by the blue tail."

This moult is a complete changing of feathers, and is not a
mere alteration of pigment.

A female Flame-breasted Robin, when it first arrives in
winter, is very dark in the plumage, but in two weeks' time it is
considerably lighter. The pigment has faded* to suit more open
surroundings than those in the forest from which the bird has
come. So, too, with some birds having barred or streaked
feathers, youth is characterized by the dulness and indistinct-
ness of these markings. But the bands or streaks on each
feather gradually become more distinct without any moult. The
dark bands become darker and narrower by a concentration of
pigment, and the light parts become whiter, and often larger, by
a disappearance of colouring matter.

I hold, too, in connection with the Blue Wren, that it is not
polygamous. Certainly there are often seen several brown ones
with each male bird, but these are lonely spinsters, or possibly
young birds, that follow him about for company. In parts
where males are very common this is not noticed. The
mature blue bird has the experience that can find the food
supply, scent danger, and ward off enemies.

But this and other matters in connection with this brilliant
genus are awaiting more enlightenment. I think that my
friend's note breathes the true observer's spirit. We want more
of this sort of thing. We know sufficient for the present of
relationships of species and their eggs, and other structuralities.
We want to get at individualities, at the inner circle of the bird's
existence. To do that we must come away from our pedestal as
humans civilized, and descend (or ascend) to a level where we
can recognize the bird's (and our own) part in the one great
scheme of creation. We must live with the birds, and observe
them on their own terms as natural citizens, not on ours. This

* This supports the theory of many modern zoologists that loss of colour is largely
due to attrition — the wearing away of the outer scales of the feathers. — Eds.

^'°ico6^"j Campbell, The Moult of the Blue Wren. ICC

is the true naturalist's spirit, not in clumsily collecting skins or
eggs and laying them by where few can see them, but in inter-
preting the birds aud their ways in their own home.

Birds New for Australia.

New Fruit-Pigeon.

Mv friend Mr. E. M. Cornwall, Cairns, North Queensland,
writes : — " I am sending you a skin of a very small Pigeon
which I cannot identify. I shot it on the 2ist May, 1905, in a
big fig-tree while it was feeding with several more like itself, in
company with the P^uit-Pigeons Ptilopiis superbits and
P. szvaiHsojii"

The bird, which is a female, is undoubtedly new, for Australia
at least. It most resembles the Tiny P'ruit-Pigeon {P. nanus,
Temminck), of New Guinea,* but is slightly larger. The new
bird may be described as : — General colour, bronze or metallic
green, the wing coverts and secondaries being edged with
yellow ; primaries, dark grey edged with yellowish white ; tail,
bronze-green ; throat, greyish ; the greenish feathers of the
under surface slightly tipped with yellow, the abdomen being
mottled with a yellowish-white patch ; under tail coverts
yellowish-white. Dimensions in inches : — Length, 7.5 ; wing,
4.75 ; tail, 2.5 ; bill, .5 ; tarsus, .6. Compare dimensions of P.
nanus: — Length, 5.8; wing, 3.5 ; tail, 1.75 ; bill, .4; tarsus, .5.

It is just possible that on account of its arboreal habit, very
small size, and plumage closel}^ assimilating the colour of the
foliage which it frequents, this new Pigeon has escaped the notice
of other collectors. Doubtless, when the male has been
discovered he will be found to possess a distinctive abdominal
band, characteristic of this race of diminutive P'ruit-Pigeons,
several species of which inhabit the Papuan Region. Until the
male be examined, I venture to suggest, as a provisional name,
Ptilopus ininutus, or the Small Green Fruit- Pigeon. — A. J.
Campbell.

Wood-Sandpiper {Tringa glareola, Linn).

The occurrence of this wanderer in Australia establishes an
interesting record. Mr. E. G. Austin, of Booriyallock, Skipton,
Victoria, shot a specimen on his estate recently.*|' I have
examined the bird, which has been skilfully mounted by Mr. A.
Coles, taxidermist. It is not surprising that the Wood-Sand-
piper has occurred in Australia, seeing that the species has a
very extensive range. According to Seebohm, *' it has occurred
in the Faroes, and may be regarded as a somewhat irregular

* " Birds of New Guinea " (Gould-Sharpe), vol. v., \\. 51.

t End of November, 1905. Tiiere was only on(: bird seen, which was on the edge
of some fresh water.

1^6 Birds New for Australia. [isfXn

visitor on spring and autumn migration to the British Islands,
on very rare occasions remaining to breed. It is a summer
visitor to the whole of Europe north of the valley of the
Danube, and to Siberia, Turkestan, Mongolia, and the extreme
north of China. It probably breeds as far north as land extends,
as Middendorff found its nest in lat. 70° on the Taimyr
Peninsula. It winters in the basin of the Mediterranean, and in
suitable localities throughout Africa. In Asia it winters in
Persia, Beloochistan, India, Ceylon, the Burma Peninsula, and
the islands of the Malay Archipelago, but only passes through
Japan and South China on migration." — A. Mattingley.

The Scrub -Tit (Acanthornis magna).
By a. L. Butler, A.O.U.

{Read before f he Tasinanian Field Natiiralisis' Clid', \2th June, 1905.)

This rare bird is pecuHar to Tasmania. I have alw^ays been
deeply interested in it since the year 1875, when I first observed it
in one of the gullies on the slopes of Mount Wellington. A note
taken at that time was to this effect : — "Saw a new bird to-day ; was
not Brown-tail {Acanthiza) or Scrub-Wren {Scricornis) ; had white
spots on wing, and light yellow underneath." From that time up
to the present I have always closely watched this bird, spending
many hours in so doing.

In 1881 (October) I first found the nest, which was placed about
4 feet from the ground in a wild currant tree, just on the edge
of the scrub, near the old Huon road, and was of the following
dimensions : — Height, y\ inches ; diameter, 8 inches ; width, 4f
inches ; and entrance, i| inches ; and contained three young birds
about four days old. In 1883 I met Mr. A. J. Campbell, the noted
oologist, on one of his visits to Hobart, and at his request procured
a s])ecimen of this bird for him. My next entry is made in 1885,
when, on the 15th October, I took a set of three eggs from a nest,
also in a native currant, but this time in a gully near the Old
Farm. From that time up to the present I have inspected in all
27 nests with either eggs or young, and the average measurements
are about the same as I have already given, but the position of the
nests varies much, according to the kind of scrub in which it
is situated. I have found them as low as 3 inches from the
ground, and as high as 9 feet in grass and ferns, and then again
in the dead fronds of the tree fern. This latter is a favourite place,
especially on the northern slopes of the mountain — that is, Glenorchy
and Kangaroo Valley — where all but one that I have found in those
localities have been so placed. The last nest I took was the
exception, this being in the favourite native currant, and, with the
eggs (two in number), is now in the possession of Mr. D. Le Souef.

I have only shot two specimens of this bird, one of which I
dissected, and found that the stomach contained parts of various

'^°'g„6^'-J Butler, The Scrub-Tit. 1 57

insects, small snails, and beetles. This was an adult male. The
other was the bird I shot for Mr. Campbell.

I have spent many hours watching this bird feeding and building
its nest, and to my mind it closely resembles the Tree-creepers
[Ccrthiidce). With its mouse-like movements, it will fly to the
base of a tree fern, run rapidly to the top and down the other side,
just pausing long enough to grasp an unwary beetle, or some such
small object, then off again to another tree, and repeat the
performance.

When building it is very wary, and if it sees anyone watching
it will at once begin to put the material which it is carrying in
quite a different place from where its nest is situate, and will do
this for some time, making several trips and bringing material to
do so. This I have noticed several times, and when the intruder
has withdrawn for some time it will go on building at the nest,
sometimes using the material it has placed in the false position, but
more often leaving it where it was first put. They will go a long
way for material suitable to their needs, and on one occasion I followed
a pair of them for over a quarter of a mile. They had found a dead
opossum, and were engaged in lining their home with its fur. It
took me just over an hour to find that nest, though some 200 yards
of the distance was o})en country.

Whilst it is feeding its note is a short "Cheep, chee})," but at
times you will hear it trilling out a little song something like the
Calamanthus (Field- Wren), but not so full or sustained as that
bird's note.

It would be a difticult matter to place any limit to the
distribution of this species, as I have seen members of it at the
Huon, Carnarvon, North- West Bay River, Glenorchy, Bismarck,
New Norfolk, &c., and as high up on the mountain as the Springs.
and under the Organ Pipes.

There is just one word to say in closing, and that is, I ho])e that
members and others will not destroy this interesting bird, but will
remember that, as the land is being cleared, it will retire to the
backwoods, and only leave a few of the more venturesome of the
tribe to eke out an existence in some secluded spot. Watch
them, note their habits, but do not take their life.

Stray Feathers.

Four Curious Nesting Places. — I am sending two photos, of
peculiar nesting places. One is the nest and three eggs of the
Grey Thrush {Collyriocinda harmonica), in the wickerwork off a
demijohn, and the other a nest and two eggs of the Pipit
{Anthits). The latter was found on the Casterton Golf Links, the
former in the scrub along the River Glenelg, evidently carried
there at flood time. I have also had presented to me a nest with
four eggs of the Little Crake {Porzana palustris). The nest was
placed in an old jam tin in a vertical position, in a clump of

158 Stray Feathers. [iJ'jan.

round rushes in swampy ground in the town, and quite close to
a road with much tralftc. I have been to the locahty to see for
myself, and flushed the birds, which may possibly breed again.
Again, at the local rifle butts, there is a Swallow's {Hirundo
neoxena) nest built in a old pair of trousers hanging up in the
marker's shelter alongside the target. I must say it is a very
remarkable thing to get these four nests in such unusual sites,
especially those in the old tins. The Crake's nest is made of the
round rushes only, and the tin is one of the size of a " lobster "
tin, and as the nest material is small in amount, it means that
the bird must have had to manoeuvre somewhat to get in, but
her long legs would doubtless come to her aid. — (Dr.) Ernest A.
D'Ombrain. Casterton, Victoria, 12/11/05. For the nest of the
Grey Thrush see Plate XII.

LoNGREACH (0.) NoTES. — The Tricolored Chat {Ephthiamtrn
tricolor) was very rare on the Peak Downs before the drought,
but now flocks of 20 and 30 can be seen feeding on the ground,
generally on a bare red soil ridge with dead timber. Since I have
been working near Longreach I have seen flocks of 60 or 70, and
they are quite common in the Boree forest, where the soil is
brown.

The Red-capped Robin [Peirccca goodenovi) is here now, but I
have seen only females, or else the males have lost their bright
colours.

A great part of Central Queensland was visited last December
by an irruption of Native-Hens [Microtribonyx ventralis), upper
mandible green and lower red, much resembling in general
appearance a Game Bantam hen. They came in tens of thousands,
and ate the frontages of all waterholes quite bare, besides polluting
the water. They became very tame, and came into the streets
of the country towns, and suddenly left in April, but from what
direction they came or which way they went nobody seems to
know. At first they were welcomed as allies of the Ibis army
doing battle with the young locusts, but examination of their
crops showed that they were vegetarians strictly.

A sight for bird lovers is a flight of Betcherrygahs or Warbling
Grass-Parrakeets {Melopsittaciis undtilatus) on the Peak Downs.
To attempt an estimate of the numbers in some of the flocks is
useless, and one would be accused of exaggerating, but I have
seen some masses of green and gold some chains long and over a
chain wide. The speed and concerted movement as they sweep
round and round and in and out of the timber in a perfect
ecstasy of flight are, I think, unequalled by those of any other
bird : one minute they will be almost lost to sight as they turn
edgeways, and the next present a broad waving ribbon.

Flock Pigeons {Histriophaps hisirionica) came to the Peak Downs
this year for the first time to my knowledge, the drought which
still rages at Winton being, I expect, the cause. — F. B. C. Ford.

^"'goe^'-l Stray Feathers. 1 59

Additional Notes on the Nesting of Phaps chalcoptera
AND OcYPHAPS LOPHOTES. — As the Pigeons had been at work
from' the end of August till the latter part of March, I concluded
they would recomnience about the same time this year, therefore
judge of my surprise when upon going into the Crested Bronze-
wings' aviary on the 29th of June I found two eggs in the nest,
and in the aviary of the Common Bronze-wing one egg, the
second being laid the following day. I can assign no reason for
the birds nesting (both varieties) fully two months earlier than
the preceding season, excepting that we had not had the usual
severe frosts, and the weather, though wet, had been fairly mild.
The Crested Bronze-wings failed to hatch their eggs. This variety,
being nervous and excitable, is much more easily driven from
the nest than the others. The Common Bronze-wing hatched both
eggs, and the young did well until about the eleventh day, when in
the night we had a sudden and heavy downpour, and although
protected from the rain I found both dead next morning. At
that age the mother is not able to cover them both well.

On the 13th of August the Common Bronze-wing had laid
again two eggs in an open box, in which I had placed some
fine wood shavings and a few pine needles on top, the birds
adding to the latter later on. In the course of three or four
days I found the Crested variety also had built, this time a
tiny nest with pine needles in a tecoma, and was sitting upon
two eggs. The Common Bronze-wings hatched their young, and
when a fortnight old they were out of the nest ; owing to the
ground being damp and cold I replaced them, and they were
just beginning to fly when to my dismay I found one dead
yesterday morning (the 17th). On going to the nest last night I
noticed the survivor alone in nest, the parents roosting beside
it ; it looked so bright and well that I thought I would risk
leaving it there, but, unfortunately, this morning it also had
died in the nest. I wonder they survived so long, as we have
had a great deal of rain and two heavy falls of snow since they
were hatched. The Crested reared only one young out of second
lot, and the nest was so small at first as to make one wonder
how the young would I^e kept in it, but as soon as it was
necessary the parents enlarged it considerably. (I notice both
varieties replenish the nest after the young are hatched.)

I may further remark that, although I have kept the Common
Bronze-wings for some years, I never observed till lately how
very fond they are of worms, snapping them up eagerly directly
they are thrown towards them. — (Mrs.) Mary G. Roberts.
Hobart, 18/9/05.

The Gannet. — It is very interesting to watch the diving
operations of the Gannet [Siila siila), especially when conducted on
so large a scale as has been the case recently on this coast. A

1 60 Stray Feathers. [

Emu
ist Jan.

great shoal of the dehcate httle fish cahed whitebait has made its
appearance in our waters, and hundreds of bird pursuers are
relentlessly following it up. Yesterday afternoon I counted 63
Gannets in one group floating on the blue waters of the Mersey,
just where it debouches into the Strait, enjoying in the sunshine a
brief spell from their fishing labours. Although I have repeatedly
watched the Gannets diving off the coast of New South Wales and
elsewhere, I never remember seeing them present in such numbers
as here just now. When over a good shoal of fish they literally
tumble by dozens and scores into the water, reminding the
watcher of a shower of huge snowflakes melting into the waves ;
it is marvellous how they avoid striking each other when descend-
in such numbers and with such velocity into a small patch of
water, each apparently oblivious of everything except that one
little object it has sighted beneath the surface. The dive into
deep water is usually made from a height of 18 to 30 feet, and is
a literal " header," the bird usually entering the waves nearly
vertically, and with a splash ; a perceptible interval elapses before
it reappears some little distance away, giving its yellowish beak a
swish backwards and forwards after swallowing its prey. It
usually sits a few seconds upon the water before going aloft again,
thus differing from the Tern, which takes to its wings the moment it
reaches the surface. When diving in shallow water close to the
rocks, the Gannet begins the descent from a height of 4 or 5 feet
only, instead of 20 or 30 feet. The wings are not closed, as is
usually supposed, at the beginning of the descent, but remain
expanded until the bird is close to the surface, and apparently
assist in guiding it to the exact spot which it desires to reach ;
it then flaps them suddenly to the side of the body, and the
admirable adaptability of its shape to its aquatic life may be
well seen just as it enters the water, the long beak, head, neck,
and body stretched out rigidly in one straight line, the legs and
wings tucked closely in, everything arranged so as to offer as
little resistance as possible to the water. Few prettier sights can
be imagined than a company thus engaged in diving on a spring
afternoon, with the sunshine above and the blue waves beneath ;
the plunge is made with such zeal (there are no half-measures
about the bird's dive).

A few pairs of Terns [Sterna hcrgi) may be seen fishing in
company with the larger birds, but the dive is a much milder
affair in this case, the bird not going any depth, and in some
cases only half-submerging itself, and rising on the wing imme-
diately afterwards ; it has a peculiar way of bending its head
down when on the wing, looking for prey, and this, combined
with its sharp-pointed beak, gracefully curved wings, and forked
tail, render it unmistakable. The Gannet fishes very silently,
hardly a sound escaping from the whole large company, but the
Tern, while coursing up and down, frequently utters a querulous
kind of whistle or wail, sometimes varying this by a harsher
guttural cry. — H. Stuart Dove. West Devonport, Tasmania.

Vo|-^J-] Stray Feathers. l6l

Birds Observed and Bird-Skins Examined in 1905. —
Scarlet-breasted Robin [Petrcrca leggii) : Variation in Plumage. —
On the 13th of March my attention was arrested by the loud
and oft-repeated Calling of a small bird. The notes were those
of the Scarlet-breasted Robin, and were unusually loud. On
approaching the bird I observed that, although in other respects
it resembled a male Scarlet-breasted Robin, it had a pure white
breast. It thus resembled Petrcrca toitoi, but good reasons why
it could not have been that bird readily occur. The white
frontal spot was sufficient to distinguish it from the Hooded
Robin (P. bicolor), and I have no doubt that it was a white-
breasted variety of P. leggii. It returned on the following day.

Flame-breasted Robin {Petrceca phcenicea). — One adult male
was seen on the 4th of July, near South Bridgewater, in the
company of a small flock of White-fronted Chats

Satin Fly-catcher {Myiagra nitida). — The latest record in the
autumn of this year is 20th February, when three or four birds were
seen (Mr. W. Duffy). The bird utters a series of peculiar sibilant
notes when flying. When it perches the tail quivers rapidly.

White-fronted Chat {Kphthianura aUrifrons). — A flock of eight
White-fronted Chats M'as observed on the 4th of July on Bridge-
water Causeway. They came from the east bank of the river,
and paused to feed amongst the drift-weed and debris on the
embankment. I have not observed these birds on the west bank
of the Derwent.

Grey Butcher-Bird (Cracticits cinercits). — An adolescent male
had the marginal wing coverts tipped with bul^ and the median
wing coverts tipped with olive ; the feathers of the mantle had
brownish-olive tips. Iris light brown. Length, 10.5 inches : wing,
6 inches ; culmen, 1.56 inches ; tarsus, 1.53 inches.

White-bearded Honey-eater {Meliornis novce-hollandicc). — In an
adolescent male and an adolescent female the malar tufts of the
adult were absent ; the small projecting white feathers on each
side of the base of the lower mandible of the adult were also
absent, but there were a few small buffy-white feathers which
extended from the base of the lower mandible to the ears ; the
hair-like feathers on the chin were darker in colour than the corre-
sponding feathers of the adult ; the heads were not black but
brownish-black, and the colours of the breast feathers were not
markedly contrasted. The feathers of the mantle of the adult are
black, with white edges ; those feathers of the adolescent birds
were uniformly dusky-brown ; the bills were brown, blended with
horn colour.

Azure Kingfisher {Alcyone azurea). — The comparative scarcity of
this bird in the south of Tasmania must be my e.xcuse for mentioning
a well-nigh belated instance of its occurrence. In March, 1901, an
Azure Kingfisher (the stuffed skin of which I have seen) was shot
near Broad Marsh, in the county of Monmouth (Mr. T. Bowden).

Pallid Cuckoo {Cnculus pallidus). — The latest date in autumn at
which I have a record of this Cuckoo in an adult state is 19th

1.62 Stray Feathers. [xsf'jan.

March (Mr. W. Duffy) ; the earhest date in spring is 21st August
(Mr. A. R. Reid).

Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacomanfis fiaheUiformis). — The latest
autumn record is 27th February (Mr. W. Duffy) ; earliest spring
record is 4th September, on which date a bird was seen by myself.
It permitted a near approach, and I was able to perceive the
rufescent tinge on the breast and the toothing of the tail feathers.
When at rest on a branch the bird maintained an erect position,
with the tail pendent ; when it alighted it jerked the tail upwards,
but not so much as the Pallid Cuckoo does.

Silver Gull {Larus novce-hollandice) . — One was observed feeding
on small crabs, which were swallowed whole. It obtained them in
shallow water, either by dipping its head into the water or by
jumping out of the water and taking a little dive. As is the case
every winter, many Seagulls visited the grass fields, but this did
not occur in stormy weather only. Thus on the loth of July about
100 Seaguhs appeared in a field on a tine morning with a
gentle southerly breeze blowing. Adolescent birds, having the
wing coverts more or less speckled with stone colour, accom-
panied the adults, but were fewer in number than these.

Little Penguin {Eudyptiila minor). — I take this opportunity of
qualifying some of my remarks regarding this species which
appeared in The Emu of April, 1904.* The downy covering of
a pair of young birds, which I called " nestling down," might be
better named a second growth of down. It is what Gould has
called " the downy dress of immaturity."t This down grows
among the blue feathers of the back, and conceals them wholly or
partly. But I do not think that the down in question has its
origin earlier than the blue feathers, for the dorsal surface even of
the foetus has a covering of embryonic feathers which have some
resemblance to the feathers which cover the back of the perfect
bird. I have read that at the time of moulting the plumage of
Penguins sloughs in patches, so that in not a few respects the
processes connected with the growth and moulting of feathers
differs amongst Penguins from these processes amongst other birds.
The latest date on which I saw Little Penguins in the Derwent
was the 17th of July. On the nth of the same month I had seen
two birds swimming side by side and diving simultaneously, and
had inferred that the mating season had commenced.

Shieldrake {Casarca tadornoides). — A duck was shot at Pipeclay
Lagoon, South Arm, about the nth of March (Mr. W. Richardson).

Grey Teal {Nettion gibberifrons). — One bird (a drake) had the
stomach full of the shells of a minute mollusc resembling a
Cantharidns.

Freckled Duck {Stidoneita noevosa). — Two birds (duck and drake)
were shot near South Bridgewater in the third week of March (Mr.
A. Dickenson). — James R. M'Clymont. Sandy Bay, Hobart.

* Vol. iii., p. 237.
t " Handbook to the Birds of Australia," vol. ii., p. 521.

^'°ioo6^''] Forgotten Feathers. 163

Forgotten Feathers.

Birds and their Names and Dwelling-places in the
" NovEAU Voyage a la Mer du Sud." — The middle of the
eighteenth century is approximately the period in which the
collection and scientific classification of plants and animals
became one of the chief aims of exploratory voyages. It was
intended that it should be one of the aims of the expedition
under the command of Marion du Fresne, and Commerson, a
botanist, who had participated in the expedition under the
leadership of De Bougainville, was expected to accompany that
of du Fresne also. But he was unable to do so, and no botanist
or zoologist made the voyage. Crozet, however, who was second
in command of the Mascarin, has left to posterity not a few
observations relating to the animals and plants which he saw
during the voyage or in the countries which he visited.
Although they were made by one who expressly disclaims a
scientific knowledge of natural history, they are interesting, and
not unimportant because of their early date. The expedition, of
which Marion du Fresne was the leader until the time of his
death in New Zealand, was undertaken primarily in order to
restore to the place of his birth a Tahitian who had accom-
panied De Bougainville to France, but also, in a secondary
degree, in order to ascertain if a continent or islands existed in
the southern seas where useful products might be obtained and
shipped to Mauritius and the other French colonies in the Indian
Ocean. The Tahitian fell sick shortly after the commencement
of the voyage, and was put ashore in Madagascar, where he died.
Subsequently, near the island which is now known as Prince
Edward Island, a collision caused the partial disablement of the
Marquis de Castries, the search for a continent was abandoned,
and it was resolved to visit the countries which had been dis-
covered by Tasman in the century which preceded that of the
expedition.

The first entry relating to birds is on the 8th of January,
1772 — about twelve days subsequently to the departure of the
vessels from the Cape of Good Hope. Terns were then observed,
and thereafter until the 13th of the same month Terns and Gulls
were seen frequently. The name by which the gulls are called
is " Poules Mauves " — female Gulls. These may have been
immature birds of both sexes mistaken for adult females. At
the latter date the voyagers were in the vicinity of Prince
Edward Island and Marion Island, and thenceforward until
they left the Crozet Islands behind them they frequently saw
birds, which are called " Pingoins " (that is to say. Auks) and
" Plongeons." The former were doubtless Penguins. The
" Plongeon " is the Diver {Colyinbiis). Crozet, however, may
have regarded Grebes and Divers as members of one family and

164 Forgotten Feathers. [isf'jan

as having a name in common, and if so the assertion of Littre
that the name " Plongeon " was given to Diving-Petrels is prob-
ably correct. On the 24th of January Crozet landed upon an
island on which the name He de la Prise de Possession was
bestowed, and which either is or is in close proximity to the
Possession Island of modern charts. The sea birds which were
nesting on it continued to sit and to feed their young in his
presence. Here were found Penguins, " Plongeons " (probably
Diving-Petrels), Cape Petrels, and Cormorants.

Let us endeavour to elucidate these observations of Crozet by
the light of modern research, whilst we remember that their non-
scientific character renders only a wide generalization possible.
The Terns to which our author alludes were probably of the
species Sterna vittaia, for that bird breeds on St. Paul's and
Amsterdam Islands. It has also been observed at the Tristan
da Cunha Islands, Gough Island, and Kerguelen Island. The
Gulls were probably of the species Lams dominicaims, which has
been observed at a considerable distance from any continental
land. The Penguins which have been observed in the seas
adjacent to the Crozet Islands are Aptenodytes patagonica,
Pygoscclis paptia, Catarrhactes cJirysocome, and C. chrysolopJnis.
The eggs of the last-named species have been obtained on
Crozet Island.* The Diving-Petrel {Pclecanoides cxsid) frequents
the seas in the vicinity of the Crozet Islands ; its eggs are still
undescribed. The Cape Petrel {Daptwn catensis) is known to
breed at the Tristan da Cunha Islands and at Kerguelen Island;
its eggs have been found recently.*|- A Cormorant {Pluilacro-
corax verrucosus) inhabits Kerguelen Island, but its occurrence
on the Crozet Islands is a matter of uncertainty. :]: Finally, a
bird was seen which was mistaken for a white Pigeon, and from
its presence Crozet naively argued the existence near at hand of
a country producing seeds adapted for the sustenance of Pigeons.
This bird may have been the Sheath-bill of the Crozet Islands
( Chioiiarchus crozettoisis).

The duration of Crozet's sojourn in New Zealand was about
four months of the autumn and winter of 1772, and the time was
spent in the Bay of Islands. Our author presents a goodly
array of the names of birds which he saw in that locality, but it
would be unprofitable to seek equivalents for his Wheatears and
Wagtails, Starlings and Larks, Ousels and Thrushes, as well as
for most of the birds which he found in Tasmania — to wit,
Ousels, Thrushes, and Turtle-Doves. One exception may be
made in respect of black Thrushes with white tufts {grives noires
a Jnippes blaucJies). This description evidently refers to the Tui

* " Catalogue of the Collection of Birds' Eggs in the British Museum," vol. i., p.

143-

t The Emu, vol. v., p. 91.

X " Catalogue of the Birds in the British Museum," vol. xxvi., p. 394.

^"^igoe^'l b' or gotten Feathers. I 65

{Prost/ionadiira novte-.'^ea/atidice.)* Crozet distributes the birds
which he saw in New Zealand under the four heads — birds of
the forest, of the lagoons, of the open country, and of the sea-
coast. In the forests were Wood-Pigeons as large as chickens,
of a brilliant blue colour. The description, though scant, is
sufficient, for there is only one Pigeon in New Zealand, and no
bird which is likely to have been mistaken for a Pigeon. We
cannot err therefore in believing Hci/iiphaga novcB-zealaudue to
be the " Pigeon Ramier " of this narrative. Two Parrots were
observed — a very large Parrot, in colour black (or dusky),
diversified with red and blue, and small Lories, which, it is said,
resembled the Lories of the Lsland of Gola. This comparison in
no wise assists one, for the Lsland of Gola is, it seems to me,
absolutely unidentifiable. The Lories were doubtless Cyano-
HiampJii, and possibly of more than one species. The Parrot which
one would expect to find in the north of the North Island is the
Kaka {Nestor nieridionalis). If this be the bird to which Crozet
alludes his description is somewhat imperfect, for blue does not
appear in its plumage. The Kea {Nestor Jiotabi/is) has blue
under the wing, but is not found in the North Island. In the
open country were the small Passerine birds, to which Crozet
gave the names of European birds with which he was fainiliar.
There also was a Quail {Coturnix novce-zealajidice), which of
recent years has become extinct. On the lagoons and their
margins Duck and Teal were abundant, and a " Poule Bleue "
similar to the Poules Bleues in Madagascar, India, and China.
This Poule Bleue is evidently one with the " Poule Sultane " —
our Swamp-Hen or Purple Gallinule {Porphyrio). Porphvno
tnelanonotus is the New Zealand species. It also inhabits
Tasmania and Eastern Australia, and is replaced by P
poliocepJialus in India, P. edivardsi in Cochin China (not,
apparently, in the Chinese Empire), and P. porphyrio in Mada-
gascar. On the sea-coast were Cormorants, Curlew, and Black
and White Egrets. The Curlews which migrate to New Zealand
for the southern summer are of the species Numeniiis cyaiiops.
They depart in the autumn, with the exception of a {&^ birds
which remain through the winter in favoured localities.-)- Pied
Egrets are suggested by the expression Aigrettes bUmches ct
noires, but there are no Pied Egrets in New Zealand. It is
perhaps to the White-headed Stilt {Hvnautopus leucocephalus)
that Crozet alludes. A black bird of the size of an Oyster-
Catcher, with a bright red bill and red feet, also frequented the
beaches. It was without doubt the Sooty Oyster-Catcher
{Hceniatopiis iinicolor). Among birds which visited coastal
waters Crozet names Terns and Ganncts. Amongst the Terns

* Pelicans seen in Tasmania were doulitless of Uie s|)ecies /'elccanus conspicillaliis.
t " BuUer's Birds of New Zealand," vol. ii., p. 42

I 66 I^ or gotten Feathers. [,sf"jan

which most frequently appear off the New Zealand coasts are
Sterna frontalis and S. nereis. Gygis Candida, which appears
occasionally, may be the " Goelette blanche" of Crozet. The
Gannet was of tlie kind called " manche de velours," concerning
which we are possessed of the information that it was found in
the warm latitudes of the South Atlantic, especially when
approaching the latitude of the Cape of Good Hope, and that its
body was white and its wings dark in colour. The Masked
Gannet {Sula cyanops) has a white body and wings of a rich
chocolate-brown, which might fitly be described as velvety. It
is a bird of the tropical and sub-tropical seas of the world, and
has a place in the avifauna of New Zealand. From New
Zealand the two vessels, now under the command of Ducles-
meur, sailed to Guam, and thence to the Philippine Islands, but
as the observations of Crozet regarding birds seen after his
departure from New Zealand are of little moment we will follow
him no farther. — James R. M'Clymont. Sandy Bay, Hobart.

From Magazines, &c.

Bird Protection in U.S. A — The work of the Audubon,
Societies steadily progresses in most States, and a very good
idea has been adopted by the Legislature of Oklahoma. The
new Education Act provides that public school teachers are to
instruct pupils in humane ideas and kindness to wild life for one
half-hour each week. A teacher cannot draw pay unless this
provision is carried out.

Attacked by Eagles. — Merino, Friday. — A woman named
Barker and a little girl about seven years of age were savagely
attacked by three large Eaglehawks yesterday in the Laggan
Paddock, adjoining their residence. The Eagles had rounded up a lot
of crossbred ewes, and to protect these Mrs. Barker went across,
taking the child with her. The birds suddenly made a concerted
swoop, and at one time nearly succeeded in fastening on the child,
notwithstanding the piercing shrieks of the mother, who eventually
gathered the child in her arms and beat a hasty retreat to her home.
— The Melbourne Argu$, 18/7/05.

The Yellow-rumped Fin'CH. — The Aviciiltiiral Magazine for May,
1905, contains a beautiful coloured plate of the rare Finch Munia
flaviprymna. The accompanying letterpress is by Mr. D. Seth-
Smith, F.Z.S., who states that about a dozen living examples have
arrived in London of late. Mr. Seth-Smith purchased a pair. The
call note of this Finch is described by him as a pretty piping note,
exactly like that of its near ally, the Chestnut-breasted Finch. Mr.
H. E. Peir, Sydney, last year sent a Yellow-rumped Finch to the

^'°g„g^'-] From Magazines, 6-c. 1 67

Crystal Palace Show, where it was believed to be a " hybrid "
and received only second prize. The same bird was again exhibited,
but at the Great National Show, where this time its rarity was
recognized by being awarded the special prize for the rarest bird
in the show, besides gaining first prize in its class.

The Bourke Grass-Parrakeet. — The Rev. H. D. Astley,
M.B.O.U., with a coloured figure and an article on this lovely
Australian Parrakeet [Neophenia bourkei), occupies the first place
in The Avicultnral Magazine for June. Judging by the Bourke
Grass-Parrakeet in captivity, Mr. Astley believes it is more closely
related to the Warbling Grass-Parrakeet or " Budgerigar " {Melop-
sittacus undulatus) than it is to any member of its genus {Neophema).
The male has quite the pretty warbling song resembling that of the
" Budgerigar," but softer, with no shrill interludes, and the call-
note is also like the " Budgerigar's," but also softer. Mr. Astley
states that the forehead of the male is blue, while the female has no
blue, but a very narrow whitish band over the cere. She is also
distinguished from her mate by the lacing on the wings being much
less defined. A small consignment of these rare roseate-breasted
little Parrakeets recently reached Adelaide from the interior.

The BarRED-KUMPEU Godwit.^ Professor Herm. Johansen,
of the University of Tomsk, met with this species on a trip to
the Kulunda Steppe, Western Siberia, in the summer of 1902.
He writes in the Sept.-Dec, 1904, issue of the OrjiithologiscJies
JaJirbuck : — " The material obtained on our first excursions
yielded an important result for the knowledge of geographical
distribution. Liuiosa novce-zealandi(B (Gray) till now known as
breeding on the tundras of Eastern Siberia, and visiting as a
migratory species the western-shores of the Pacific Ocean as far
as Australia and New Zealand, turns out to be breeding near
the Obi in 531^ N. lat. in Western Siberia. How little have the
limits of the breeding places of our birds been explored, and
how many gaps there are still to be filled ! "

Birds of N.-W. Australia. — It is noted from The Ibis
(April, 1905) that the list of birds obtained by Mr. J. S. Tunney
for the Tring Museum in North-West Australia and Arnheim
Land contains 221 species and sub-species, of which the follow-
ing arc said to be new : — Collynocincla woodzvardi, Cracticus
quoyi tutineyi, Gyinnor/nna tibia n iongirostris, P(ZcUodryas
cinereiceps, and Myzomela obscura grisescens. It would therefore
appear that, in spite of all the " immigration restriction,"
trinomial nomenclature has got into Australia after all 1 1 he

J 58 From Magazines, &c. V Emu

new species are recorded by Dr. E. Hartert in Novitates
Zoologiac, vol. xii., p. 194 (1905), which is not to hand yet, but
it is probable that Gyiiinorliina tibicen longirostris refers to the
species described as G. longirostris by Mr. A. W. Milligan in TJie
Eniii, vol. iii., p. 96 (1903).

Siberia. — Mr. R. E. Trebilcock relates his experiences in
Northern Siberia in the September issue of TJie Geelong
Naturalist. This was the trip which he made with Mr. Robert
Hall, F.LS., two years ago. If the pursuit of ornithology has
its delights, it has also its drawbacks ; but as a rule memory
accentuates the former and obliterates the latter, so that the
recollection of one's trips afield usually resolves itself into a
series of vistas coideur de rose. Not so with Mr. Trebilcock, who
has an unkind word to say about Vladivostock mud, Russian
post-waggons, rest-houses, mosquitoes, black bread, and moss in
turn, and even speaks disrespectfully of the Tundra, that Mecca
of the Australian ornithologist. Evidently he does not envy the
Limicoline birds their annual visit to those parts. One can only
hope that this is not " the real Siberia."

GoUGH Island. —A paper by Mr. W. E. Clarke in The Ibis
for April deals with the ornithological results of the visit of the
Scottish National Antarctic Expedition to Gough Island in the
South Atlantic. This is a small, uninhabited, once volcanic
island, lying 1,500 miles south-west of the Cape of Good of
Hope and 2,000 miles north-east of Cape Horn. The avifauna
of the island stands at 23 species, of which only three are terres-
trial forms (two Buntings and a Gallinule). Its interest for
Australian ornithologists lies in the fact that of the wide-ranging
oceanic species which visit our coasts no less than 16 are found
there — namely, Anoiis stolidiis, Mega/estris antarctica, Oceanites
oceanicns, Cymodrouia grallaria, Puffinus assiuiilis, Priojinus
cinereiis, Majaqueiis icquinoctiahs, Qisirclata mollis, CEstrelata
lessoni, Ossifraga gigautea, Prion vittatiis, P. desolatus, Pele-
canoides urinatrix, Diouicdca cxnlans, D. nicliuiophrys, and
Pluvbctria fuliginosa. Singularly enough, the photos, of Gough
Island scenery which accompany the article distinctly suggest
the wilder parts of the southern coast of Australia.

An Island Outing. — The first article in the September-
October number of The Condor is a very interesting account by
W. L. Finley of a visit to Three-arch Rocks, on the coast of
Oregon. The difficulties of landing and camping on the

I goo

■J From Magazines, &c. i6q

precipitous clififs were met and overcome with true American
ingenuity and energy, and plenty of sea-bird life was found to
reward the enthusiastic naturalists. " At the last gleam of day-
light, the Petrels 5\vept in upon the island like a swarm of bats.
Those in the burrows came chittering out to meet them. The
ground beneath seemed full of squeakings and the air of soft
twitterings and whistlings, until it felt uncanny. We frequently
felt the breath of swift wings, but it was all like a phantasy, for
not a bird could be seen, not even a shadow. How in the world
a Petrel could find his own home and his mate in a whole acre
of nesting-holes, hidden all about in the grass, and in the
darkness of the night, is more than I could understand." At
once one thinks of a companion picture — the nightly returning of
the Mutton-Birds to the lonely islands in Bass Strait.

Kiwis. — Dealing with additions to the Zoological Society's
Gardens, The Zoologist for July says : — -" The important addition
to the collection of birds is a series of 1 1 Kiwis, representing
the North Island race of the original species — namely, Apteryx
australis inantelli, or Mantell's Kiwi. The Society has to
thank Lord Ranfurly, the Government of New Zealand, and Mr.
H. C. Wilkie, F.Z.S., for the donation, and the latter also for his
great care of the birds upon the long voyage home. It is certain
that no such series of Kiwis has ever previously been exhibited
in any European menagerie. Antipodean birds usually do well
in England. Hence it is to be hoped that this morphologically
isolated type will be for many years represented in the Gardens."
An exceedingly interesting notice also appears in The Avicul-
tural Magazine (Aug.) anent the introduction of these Kiwis.
The writer (" D. S.-S.") truly states very little is known of the
nesting habits of these remarkable birds. The period of incuba-
tion is also quite unknown.

* * *

A New Grass-Finch. — From TJie Proceedings of the LitDiean
Society of N.S.W. (1905, part i, page loi), is taken the
following: — "Mr. North exhibited a specimen of Grass-Finch
from the Northern Territory of South Australia which he had
separated from PoepJiila acuticaitda, Gould, under the name of
Poephila aurantiirostris. Some time ago he had found that it
had been previously described by Dr. O. Heinroth* from living
examples in the Berlin Zoological Gardens, under the name of
Poephila hecki, but this was the first opportunity he had had of
bringing it under the notice of members of the Society. P.
aurantiirostris, North, thus becomes a synonym of Poephila

* Orniiholog. Moiiatsb. Jaliig., viii., p. 22 (1900).

\yO From Magazines, &c. [..f^ln

hecki, Heinroth. The part of Australia from which the birds
were procured was not known to Dr. Heinroth. The present
specimen, Mr. North was informed by Mr. Percy Peir, was
caught with others, also masked Grass-Finches {PoepJiila
personata, Gould) a few miles from Burrundie, Port Darv/in
district. Mr. North had seen many living examples from the
same district, also from the neighbourhood of Wyndham, North-
western Australia."

Cuckoos. — Observations on the European Cuckoo, by Mr. J.
H. Gurney, appear in TJie Zoologist for May. The t^^ was
found in a nest with Accentor's eggs on 22nd May. On 31st
May an Accentor's ^^^ was hatched, but shell and young
disappeared. The Cuckoo's Q.g,^ and the other two eggs hatched
2nd June. On 3rd June both young Accentors lay dead on the
edge of the nest, which the young Cuckoo occupied alone. By
way of experiment, a young Wren was put into the nest several
times, and always ejected until the 5th June, when the desire for
ejecting other nestlings apparently ceased. The back cavity
had disappeared by the 6th June. The dead Accentors dis-
appeared on the 9th, and an old Cuckoo appeared near the nest.
The young Cuckoo left the nest on the 22nd. In the June
number of the same magazine Mr. W. W. Flemyng describes
how an acquaintance of his saw a Cuckoo lay its &^^ on the
ground a few yards away from a Titlark's nest with three eggs,
to which it then carried its own egg in its bill. When it left the
nest it had one of the Titlark's eggs in its bill, and this it placed
on the ground near the nest, broken in two.

The September-October issue of Bird-Lore is described as a
"Winter-Feeding Number," and contains articles and notes that
show what may be done to save small birds from starvation
when the ground is covered with snow — a condition that is
fortunately so rare and local with us that the subject has merely
an exotic interest. A strange people, the Americans. Here
are two paragraphs from the same issue of this paper : —

" One committee devotes itself to obtaining bird food, and
money to buy food, and sometimes calls to its assistance such
available outsiders as may be able to help. There are very few
people in any American town who will refuse to help such work
along in one way or another, if the matter is brought directly to
their attention in the proper way."

"At Wrightsville Beach, North Carolina, a great number of
these migrating birds (Purple Martins) gathered the past
summer (1905), and chose as their nightl}^ roosting place the
grove of a summer hotel. The proprietor, wishing to rid himself

Vol. V. 1 r M ■ c ^

1506 I rroi/i Magazines, &c. ] y i

of them, invited a number of his neighbours, who, lying in wait
for the birds, fired into the trees, and continued to shoot until the
ground was literally covered with the dead and dying birds, and
for days after wounded Martins could be found fluttering about
the neighbouring lawns and roadsides. Estimates of the number
of birds killed vary from 8,000 to 15,000."

Irregular Incubation of Owls' Eggs. — Herr Ludwig
Schuster writes on this subject in the OrnitJioIogiscJies Jalirbuch,
January-April, 1904. The general rule among birds is,
he says, that incubation does not commence till the clutch
of eggs is completed. The Owls form an exception. Their
eggs are laid at intervals of two or three days, but the
female begins to sit as soon as the first (or perhaps the
second) ^gg is laid. This irregular incubation occurs with
every species of Owl, and seems to be the rule with several of
them. Why is this the case } It has been suggested that it is
to prevent the first-laid eggs being injured by cold. But the
writer points out that other birds which lay at a cold season of
the year do not have this peculiarity. It is not certain as yet,
he says, whether it is intended to counteract some deleterious
influence, but it is certain that the fact that its young become
fledged at different times is no disadvantage to the Owl. For
Owls are conservative, and keep to the same spot practically all
the year round, so that it does not make any difference if two
young are still in the nest while two more are sitting in neigh-
bouring trees and being fed there, and the eldest couple are
already flying afield with their parents and learning how to get
their own food. The wants of all can be attended to. The
mother's having to leave half-hatched eggs to get feed for the
first- hatched young does not interfere with the eggs' chances,
for the young in the nest keep the eggs warm.

Journal of the South AfricaxM Ornithologists'
Union. — This newly-formed Union is not only to be congratu-
lated on its first publication, but on the possession of a member-
roll which contains the names of many of the leading men of
South Africa. Mr. VV. L. Sclater, M.A., F.Z.S., M.B.O.U., is
president, and the management of \.\\q. Journal is in the hands of
a committee of three, with Mr. J. S. Bucknill, M.A., as head.
Part i. of vol. i (July, 1905) contains the president's address, in
which, after regretting the backward state of ornithological
knowledge in South Africa, he gives a succinct account of what
has been done in this matter in other parts of the world. But
the main part of the paper deals with " South African Ornitholo-
gists," giving most interesting particulars regarding Le Vaillant,

172 From Magazines, &c. [i/'jan.

Burchell, Sir Andrew Smith, Anderson, and Layard, as well as
enumerating many other workers in the cause. There are
several valuable papers in the Jtmrnal, including one by Major
Richard Sparrow, M.B.O.U., on the nesting habits of certain
South African birds ; some notes by Mr. F. J. Ellemor on the
nesting habits of the Red Widow-Bird ; a list of birds collected
and observed round Hanover, Cape Colony, by Mr. Guy C.
Shortbridge, and a good account of a visit to a colony of Ibis
cetJiiopica by Mr. Austin Roberts. The magazine is conducted
on the lines of TJie Ibis, and includes four good photo, prints —
" Nest of the Lesser Puff-back Shrike," "Nest of Smith's Weaver-
Bird," " Nest of Cape Flycatcher," and one of the " Nest of the

Red Widow-Bird."

* * *

Species and Sub-species. — In The Auk for October there
is reviewed a paper by Dr. H. L. Clark on " The Limits of
Difference in Specific and Sub-specific Distinctions." Dr.
Clark's six " fundamental rules " are worth quoting. They
are : —

1. Characters which are not sufficiently conspicuous, so that
they can be stated in language or figures of some sort, ought
not to be made the basis of a new name.

2. Differences in dimensions of less than 5 per cent, ought not
to be made the basis of a new name.

3. Characters which cannot be recognised without knowledge
of the geographical origin of the specimen ought not to be made
the basis of a new name.

4. Characters which will not distinguish corresponding ages
or sexes of two forms ought not to be m.ade the basis of a new
name.

5. Characters which are notoriously variable in a given group
ought not, within that group, to be made the basis of a new
name.

6. Characters which may be fairly interpreted either as
individual peculiarities or as dichromatic diversity ought not to
be made the basis of a new name.

The Auk's reviewer, Dr. J. A. Allen, criticises these rules as
representing a purely "lay" standpoint (Dr. Clark being an
expert in echinoderms, but not in birds). But Dr. Allen's
reasons why some of them — especially Nos. i and 2 — should
not be applied are logically unconvincing, and to any reader of
the American bird magazines it is apparent that some such
restrictive rules are rapidly becoming necessary, if the word
"species" is to have any meaning at all. Most American
authorities are endeavouring to simplify nomenclature and to
reduce the number of sub-species by a process of elimina-
tion.

°go6 'J From Magazines, &c. 173

Generic Name-Changes. — The same number notices H.
C. Oberholser's " Notes on the Nomenclature of Certain Genera
of Birds." Dwuueus (Vieillot) is shown to be properly
Dromiceius, the form first used by Vieillot, who did not use
Di'oviceus ; ''N anodes (V. and H.) being preoccupied, a substitute
is found in EiipJiema (Wagler)."

Priority in Nomenclature. — Discussing the "Rules of
Zoological Nomenclature," drawn up by Messrs. Blanchard, von
Maehrenthal, and Stiles, and published this year in Paris, TJie
Ibis deprecates the present universal deference to the law of
priorit)', and gives three cases where it should not be adhered
to, viz. — (i) Where the earlier name violates the rules of Latin
grammar ; (2) where the earlier name is obviously incorrect,
such as the specific name '■ capensis " as applied to a South
American bird (no " capes " in South America ?) ; and (3) where
the specific name has subsequently become generic as well —
instance, the English Magpie, which under the reign of the sub-
species and the law of priority becomes Pica pica pica. The
last does seem absurd ; but Australians are a people economic
of exertion, and if we have to rename our type Magpie on
the same lines he will probably become Gymnorhina^, while a
new Honey-eater recently observed on Kangaroo Island by
the expedition of the Aust. O.U. would rejoice in the name of
MelitJireptiis brevirostris viagnirostris — a contradiction in specific
terms. " It is far better," says The Ibis, " to throw ' priority '
aside in such cases, and to employ the next earliest name, as
enacted in the original Stricklandian code."

Among the papers read before the F.N.C. of Victoria on i ith
December was one by Mr. T. S. Hall, M.A., on " New Rules of
Zoological Nomenclature." This dealt concisely with the com-
plicated (virtually abnormal) phases of the question — the
difficulty arising from the same name being applied to plant,
animal, or bird, and the author evidently had a leaning to the
often-expressed idea that all names of sub-species, species, or
genus be submitted to the revision of a competent committee.

Australian Quails Breeding in England. — Mr. D.
Seth-Smith, F.Z.S., succeeded in getting the Painted Quail
{Turfiix varia) to breed in his aviary, and contributes an
interesting article on the same in TJie Avicultiiral Magazine
for August last. In March he purchased a pair of birds fresh
from Australia. They soon became tame. Early in May the
coo-like note of the female was frequently heard, and Mr. Seth-
Smith recorded in his diary: — "Noticed the female display to

I 74 From Magazines, &c. [isf "jan.

the male by running backwards and forwards in front of him
with tail erect and crop puffed out like a Pouter Pigeon, and dis-
covered a neat, round hole, evidently intended for a nest, formed
in some hay and moss behind a few sticks in corner of aviary."
The two following days the female spent a good deal of time in
the nest, constantly calling to her mate. Mr. Seth-Smith goes
on to record for 17th May — "The female constantly 'booming'
and displaying to her mate, the display, as a rule, being
performed thus : — The male squats amongst the grass, and the
female runs round him in a circle with tail more or less erected
and crop extended and carried close to the ground. Having
run round him once or twice, she stands facing him at a distance
of perhaps a foot or eighteen inches, and commences ' booming '
or ' cooing ' to him like a cock Pigeon, at the same time stamping
and scratching with her feet, while the male responds with a
faint clucking note." On the 20th the nest was completed, and
on the following five days an egg was laid. Surely five eggs is
a record clutch for this Australian bird. When the fifth tg^ was
deposited the male commenced to sit properly. Incubation was
complete in thirteen days, when the male left the nest with three
chicks. The female took no notice of the young. In about ten
days, or when the young were able to fly, they took everything
from the bill of the male, and when sixteen days old were
capable of an independent existence. Mr. Seth-Smith's
conclusion, after careful observations, is that this species is
polyandrous, the female pairing successively with several males
during the breeding season. And, again reversing the usual
order of things, when she finds a good grub or tit-bit she holds
it in her bill and calling presents it to her mate. Mr. Seth-
Smith certainly scores off Australians by informing them of
these interesting traits in their own birds. Painted Quails have
been fairly plentiful near Melbourne lately. A nest containing
four eggs was discovered in a garden at Hawthorn, but the
gardener mowing the grass too near caused the nest to be
deserted. Another nest was observed in the tea-tree at Black
Rock. The young were hatched, and were seen following their
parents through the scrub.

With the pair of Painted Quails Mr. Seth-Smith also pur-
chased a pair of Swamp or Brown Quails {Syficrcus australis),
and was equally successful in getting them to breed. He
furnishes a short article on the subject in The Avicultural
Magazine for October. When the Brown Quails were first let
loose in the aviary, as is their nature, they were extremely shy.
Towards the end of May and the beginning of June several eggs
were laid about the floor of the aviary. These were gathered
and placed in what appeared to be the selected nest — merely
the usual slight hollow, lined with a few grass stems, in herbage.
On 1 6th June the female commenced to sit on nine eggs. On

^°g„6^'] From Magazines, &tc. 1 75

the 6th July the male joined the female on the nest, and later in
the day the parents emerged with a brood of seven chicks.
The young grew apace, and were able to fly in about 10 days.
During incubation the male was rarely far from the nest, and
whenever the hen came off to feed he would join her and offer
her any delicate morsel he chanced to find. Here in Australia
those observers who keep Brown Quails in captivity find the
male occasionally becomes very excited when his mate leaves
the nest, and often beats her most shamefully. The writer
recollects an instance in his own aviary, where the female was
treated so shamefully that she finally deserted her clutch and
sought refuge in the thick branches of a tree.

While on the subject of Quails, the Director of the Zoological
Gardens (Mr. D. Le Souef) informs us that Stubble Quails
{Cotiirnix pectoralis) have been nesting freely round Melbourne
this season, and many nests have been discovered during the
cutting of crops. At the Gardens both eggs and young were
found. Some of the former were placed in an incubator and
hatched, while the young birds captured are being successfully
reared.

Ornithology and Civilization. — From the introduction
to an article on the breeding place of the Black-tailed Goeurt
and Black Stork, which Herr F. Lindner contributes to the
January-April (1904; number of the OrnitliologiscJies falirbnch,
we take the following, which is not without its lessons for
us : — " The study of ornithology is becoming yearly more
difficult. Certainly, ornithological literature has latterly been
increasing enormously in volume. Beside a great number
of books and booklets, well-intentioned, but for the most
part not owing their appearance to any pressing necessity
for it, we are blessed to-day with so many periodicals
that only people with plenty of time and money can
read them all. Undoubtedly if there were fewer it would
be better. There is a large over-production in the domain of
ornithological publications, and one has to buy much chaff with
the corn, much that is valueless and superfluous with the useful
and interesting. The incurable splitting-up that is always being
cheerfully carried on through incessant founding of special
journals and club-organs has, as a natural reverse side, for its
inevitable consequence the lowering and impoverishment of
their contents, and tends to the useless squandering of strength,
time, and money in ornithological pursuits. ' Not many things,
but nmch ! ' An ornithologist with an itch for writing loses
him.self to-day in diffuseness, in trivialities, and matters beside
the subject, whereas the ' old masters ' of the classical period of
ornithology, with all their painstaking keenness in the observa-

I 76 Frotn Magazines, &c. [isf "jan

tion of particular facts, only presented to the reader what was
necessary to the matter in hand and publications of enduring-
value. Certainly, it was easier for them to do great things than
it is for our generation. They could still draw from a full well;
in their times it was in many respects easier than it is now to
gain for oneself a rich ornithological experience, a comprehen-
sive knowledge founded on original observation, to be passed
on to others through the medium of publication. At that time
the prevailing conditions were very different, and incomparably
more favourable to ornithological studies than those existing to-
day. Civilization has advanced at the expense of wild life, and
in the first degree of that bird-life which was formerly so rich.
The last few decades have brought about a rapid decrease in
the numbers of species and individuals of the bird-world in
many parts of Central Europe. The dense quick-set hedges on
the borders of fields and hills have been uprooted, and replaced
in gardens by lattice-work or wire fences. Bush and thick
underwood has been cut down, hollow trees in woods are
tolerated no longer by modern forestry, every strip of arable
land that could be cultivated has been put under the plough.
In this way many small birds, hollow-breeders, and desert-loving
species lose protection and the chance to nest, become rarer, and
finally disappear altogether from the neighbourhoods where
such alterations as indicated prejudice their remaining.
Artificial nest-boxes offer, it is true, some compensation, but in
the first place they are not nearly widely enough used, and in
the second they cannot be a real and complete substitute for
every kind of oppressed hole-breeding bird for the natural
breeding places that have been taken from them. But the birds
of the swamp, with all their interest for the observer, are in the
worst case of all. That great predatory animal, Homo sapiens
by name, robs them of one territory after another, with dire
consequences. Swamps and morasses are drained, or, as lately
in Mecklenburg, are turned into huge fish-hatcheries. In
Germany there are now only a few places — as Schlesien,
Brandenburg, East and West Prussia, Mecklenburg, Schleswig-
Holstein, and North Hanover- — where rich and little-disturbed
swamp-bird life may be observed in its natural state, apart from
the shore and banks of the sea lakes and rivers, where at the
seasons of migration water-birds show up more or less regularly
on their passage through. We read with sorrowful envy to-day
the old descriptions of golden conditions which then so many
parts of Germany, long since put under cultivation, could show
in this respect. We are filled with deep regret on the one side
by the brutal system of plunder which is put into operation
against water-birds (especially the persecution of Herons), and
on the other by the swift-advancing reclamation of swamp lands
even in countries such as Hungary, which right up to the most

°go6 '] From Magazines, &c. \ 7 7

recent times could be looked on as the Eldorado of the graceful
and beautiful birds of the marsh."

New South Wales Bird Laws.— Important additional
protection is given to the native birds of New South Wales by
notices recently published in the Govertnuent Gazette of that
State (31st October, 1905, pp. 7,246 and 7,247). Under the Birds
Protection Act 1901 the close season for birds mentioned in the
schedule to the Act lasts from ist August to 31st January
(Quail, 1st October to 31st March), but no species were protected
all the year round. Futhermore, the schedule was as it origin-
ally stood very inadequate, seeing that it omitted numbers of
useful insectivorous birds. However, the Act gives the Colonial
Secretary power to add to the schedule and vary the close
season, while the Native Animals Protection Act 1903 enables
him in certain cases to create a period of absolute protection,
and the notifications now referred to are made under those two
Acts. Seventy-two species have been added to the schedule.
One hundred and three species are to be absolutely protected
for ten years from the 31st October, 1905. The present state of
native bird protection in New South Wales may consequently be
summed up as follows : —

1. Sea-Eagles (//rt/mj-///r),Ospreys, Native Companions, Emus,
Gulls, Landrail, Plovers, Dollar-Birds, Wood-Swallows, Emu-
Wrens, Diamond Sparrows i^Staganopleura guttata), Butcher-
Birds {Cracticiis torqnatus) Coachwhip-Birds, Honey-sucker
{Meliornis), Mocking-Bird {Anellohia mc/livora), Swamp Pheas-
ants (?), and Struthideas are protected from 1st August to 31st
January in each year.

2. Practically all other insectivorous birds, with a few others,
are absolutely protected all the year round until 1915. Prom-
inent in this class appear the Regent-Bird, Rifle-Bird, Pitta, all
three Lyre-Birds, the Laughing Jackass and all Kingfishers, the
Gang-Gang and l-51ack Cockatoos, all Owls, the White-bellied
Sea-Eagle {Haliactus leiicogaster). Egret {Herodias ttmoriensis).
Plumed Egret {H. pltnnifera), all three species of Ibis, the
Wonga Pigeon, and the Stone-Plover.

3. Duck, Pigeons, Geese, Bitterns, Brush Turkey {Talega/lns),
Bustard, Dottrel, Painted Snipe, Malice- Hen, and Black Swan are
protected from the ist July to 31st January in each year. The
close season for these birds, which represent what are usually
called "game," therefore commences a month earlier than here-
tofore.

Quail of all kinds are protected from the ist day of October
to the 31st day of March in each year.

These alterations in the law mark a distinct advance in bird

178 From Magazines, &c. [_^I"un.

protection in New South Wales, but anomalies remain. Why,
it may well be asked, is the Spotted-sided Finch the only Finch
to receive any protection, and why does it get so little ? Every-
one knows that our beautiful native Finches are shipped in
thousands to Europe, or to die on the way, and if the rarer species
are not to be exterminated this traffic must be controlled, or,
better still, stopped altogether. Again, the Acanthizas are to
get ten years' absolute protection, while the Emu-Wren and
Wood-Swallow have to be content with a close season. The
Kestrel might well be included in the protected list, but is not.
A distinction is made in the schedule between foreign and
Australian birds : it will come as a surprise to the ordinary
reader to find the Indian Minah [AcridotJieres tristis) classed as
an Australian species. That occurs in the original schedule,
but the additions now made to it are not quite free from
elements of confusion. Probably it is the wish to avoid the
cul-de-sac into which strict adherence to the law of priority would
in this instance lead that is responsible for the appearance of the
name Mahirus australis as one of the Blue Wrens. The inten-
tion is good, but the result is confusing. Under the original
schedule there was a close season for " Blue Wrens : Mahirus
cyaneus and Mahirus lavibeiti" — that is to say, the common
Blue Wren and the Lambert Wren. Now Mahirus austrahs is
added to the protected list. If this is the common Blue Wren,
it was protected already, and, one would think, all the more
effectually for being given the name by which it is usually
known. The case is a good example of the confusion that is
caused by the present day craze for " priorities " without respect
to the claims of usage, and is another proof oi the necessity for a
thorough revision of nomenclature. When a thoroughly com-
petent committee has dealt with the list no such trouble will be
likely to occur, and the opinions of individual observers will only
take a place corresponding to what they are worth.

Obituary Notice.

HUTTON.— On 27th October, at sea, Frederick Wollaston Hutlon, F.R.S., in his
69th year.

The news of the death of Captain Frederick Wollaston Hutton,
F.R.S., of New Zealand, will be received with the deepest regret,
not only by ornithologists, but by his scientific brethren
throughout the world. The sad event was not unexpected by
the few who knew how unsatisfactory his health had been of
late. It took place on board the steamer Rimutaka, off South
Africa, whilst, with Mrs. Hutton, he was returning from England,
where he had been for the sake of his health.

Captain Hutton had made for himself a distinguished name in

Vol.

,go6 J Obituary 'Notice, I 79

scientific literature. His work was always most reliable,
and some of the theories he put forward were a distinct aid to
science. It was our fortune to have him as second president of
the Australasian Ornithologists' Union, to which position he
was elected for the years 1903-4 and 1904-5, in succession to
Colonel Legge, who did for the birds of India almost similar
work to what Captain Hutton did for those of New Zealand,
and, one might almost say, of the Australasian region.

His first important ornithological work was a contribution to
The Ibis in 1864 on "The Birds Inhabiting the Southern
Ocean," which was referred to by Gould in his " Handbook to
the Birds of Australia." It is a strange coincidence that the
late Captain should have died on the Southern Ocean.
Captain Hutton's last bird articles were those he was good
enough to write for The Emu — namely, " Penguins " (vol. ii.. pp.
1-9); "The Cormorants of New Zealand " (vol. iii., pp. 1-8);
and his presidential address — "Geographical Origin and Sub-
sequent Development of the Land Birds of New Zealand " (vol.
iv., pp. 93-102). The last was a paper which afforded much
room for thought.

Captain Hutton was one of the delegates of the A.O.U. at the
International Congress of Ornithologists held in London in
June. His last letter to Mr. Mattingley was from England,
dated 15th June, in which he stated he was unable to attend all
the meetings (probably through illness), and that he had left the
Union's business in the hands of Mr. F. M. Littler, of Tasmania.

From the obituary notice written for the Dunedin Evening'
Star, I 1 1/05, by Ur. Charles Chilton, of the Canterbury Museum,
where the late Captain Hutton was Curator, it is learnt that our
late president was born in Lincolnshire in 1836, and played
many parts, and played them well. When 14 he was a mid-
shipman on a ship trading to Calcutta, but he soon left the sea,
and became a student at King's College, London. Before the
age of 20 he received a commission in the 23rd Royal Welsh
Fusileers, and soon saw active service in the Crimea, and
afterwards in India during the Indian Mutiny, where he was
present at the relief of Lucknow, under Sir Colin Campbell, and
in other engagements. His bent for science was already showing
itself in various ways, and in i860, on his return to England,
he was elected a Fellow of the Geological Society, and gained
considerable practical acquaintance with that science. For-
tunately for New Zealand, Captain Hutton turned his attention
to what was then a new sphere for research, and, retiring from
the army, arrived in that colony in 1866. Soon he became
attached to the Geological Survey of New Zealand, and com-
menced a series of researches into New Zealand geology, which
lasted, with some breaches of continuity, throughout his life. In
1 87 1 he was appointed Assistant Geologist, and left Auckland

l8o Obituary Notice. [isf"jan.

to proceed to Wellington ; in 1873 he became Provincial
Geologist of Otago, and before long, after going to Dunedin, he,
in conjunction with the late Professor Ulrich, published a very-
important work on the geology of Otago.

The Captain, however, was not a man of one science only, and,
during the time he had been in the colony he had been most
consistently working on the zoology of New Zealand. As a
result, when the position of Provincial Geologist lapsed with the
abolition of the provinces, in 1876, he was appointed Professor
of Natural Science at the Otago University, and had charge of
the Otago Museum, which still contains abundant evidence of
the work that he did. About four years afterwards he removed
to Christchurch as Professor of Biology at Canterbury College,
and soon began to instil into his students some of his own
enthusiasm for natural science, as he had already done in
Dunedin. Here, while continuing his researches on geological
and zoological subjects, he found it necessary, for the sake of his
students, to take up the study of botany, and, with his natural
clearness of insight and ability to readily grasp the essential
details of all scientific subjects, he soon made himself familiar
with all necessary details, and a little pam.phlet which he
published on the structure of the common weed " shepherd's
purse " received most favourable notice from Nature.

He amply established a claim to be considered a colonist who
had contributed more than his share to the welfare of New
Zealand. His papers and works deal not only with geology,
but also intricate phases of zoology, and they cover practically
every class of animal life, from that of mammal to that of
protozoa. It is very doubtful if any other New Zealand
zoologist will ever be able to cover so wide a field. While we
can with truth say that he practically created New Zealand
zoology, it is also true that he himself became the zoologist he
was as the necessary result of the special needs of New Zealand
zoology ; he was, in fact, the product of his environment. As
the result of his labours, aided to some extent by that of his
students and others, whom he started and encouraged in the
same task, the preliminary work of naming and classifying the
animals of New Zealand has been to a large extent completed,
and it is a great satisfaction to all zoologists that he was able,
with the assistance of several co-workers, to publish in the early
part of 1904 an " Index Faunee Nova-Zealandi^e " — i.e., a com-
plete list, with references, of all animals hitherto recorded from
New Zealand.

Our late president was not content with merely naming and
describing new species. He saw clearly that this work, valuable
though it was, was only the first step towards the solution of
problems presented by the phases of animal life, and these
problems he never lost sight of. To the particular problems

^%e-~\ Obituary Notice. l8l

relating^ to the origin of the New Zealand fauna and flora he
especially devoted himself, and bringing to bear upon these all
his wide knowledge as a zoologist and his experience as a
geologist, his contributions to the solution of this complex
problem have made his name known throughout the world as a
recognized authority on questions of geographical distribution
of animals and plants. It was for their bearing on this question
that he took such a keen interest in the results of the various
Antarctic expeditions that have recently returned from their
fields of observation, and even after his arrival in England he
contributed an important article to NaUire on the Antarctic
continent.

His grasp of science was not limited even to such matters as
these. Hence he attacked even wider questions. One of his
very first contributions to scientific literature was a review of
Darwin's "Origin of Species" in the Geologist in 1861 — a
review which gained from Darwin an appreciative letter, of
which Captain Hutton was justifiably proud ; and throughout
his career Captain Hutton returned from time to time to the
more philosophical questions underlying the whole of natural
science. His devotion to these subjects was the key-note to his
success. Some of his articles on them were issued a few years
ago in book form under the title of " Darwinism and Lamarck-
ism," and a later work " The Lesson of Evolution," contains his
presidential address to the Australasian Association at Hobart
in 1902, and kindred essays, and attracted much attention, not
only from naturalists, but from all thinking men. Another was
a work undertaken in conjunction with Mr. James Drummond —
" Animals of New Zealand," which, in popular form, dealt with
all New Zealand's fauna. No one more deserves a memorial —
can he have better ones than his " Index " and the later work }

South Australian Ornithological Association,

The bi-monthly meeting of this Association was held at the residence of
Dr. A. M. Morgan, Adelaide, on Friday evening, 8th September, when Mr.
F. R. Zietz presided. Mr. M. Symonds Clark noted that he had seen the
Blue-bellied Lorikeet {TricJio^lossus nova'-hollandicc) recently in the
National Park. Mr. A. H. C. Zietz, F.L.S., reported having identified the
Chestnut-bellied Quail {Excalfoctoria lincaia) from Port Victor district,
which showed a large range of this northern bird. He had also received
notes from Ur. Angove, of Tea-tree (ndly, of the finding of the Red-chested
Quail {Turnix pyrrhotliorax) in that locality. Mr. M. Symonds Clark drew
attention to an original edition of Capt. Sturt's book, in which was recorded
the discovery of the Pink Cockatoo {Cacatua Icadhcaicri)., in 1829, when the
explorer located the Darling River, and the finding of the "Blue -Mountain"
Lorikeet in the Wellington Valley in the Blue Mountains, New South
Wales, in 1828. Mr. Clark read clippings from The Rei^ister of I2th
August, 1875, giving the list of birds identified by Mr. F. W. Andrews, an
ornithologist who accompanied J. W. Lewis's expedition to Lake Eyre

182 South Australian Or)iithological Association. [1st Tan

district over 30 years ago, when several new species were discovered. These
birds were described and named by John Gould. Mr. J. W. Mellor reported
that the Australasian Ornithologists' Union would be holding its annual
congress this year in Adelaide, from nth to 13th October, and following
this a working camp-out on Kangaroo Island was being arranged. It was
unanimously agreed to assist the Union in every way to make the congress
a success. The Wrens and small Grass- Parrakeets were the birds under dis-
cussion for the evening, and interesting facts were noted. Mr. E. Ashby
showed specimens of the Variegated Wren {Malurus lambcrti), from New
South Wales, Chestnut-shouldered Wren {M. assimi/is), South Australia,
and the Blue-breasted Wren {M . pulcherrii)iiis)^ Western Australia, all of
which displayed a somewhat similar form of markings. Mr, A. H. C. Zietz
exhibited the Lovely Wren (J/, ainabilis) and a collection of the little
Grass-Parrakeets, notably the Elegant {Ncophema elegans)^ the Orange-
bellied (A', chrysogastrd)^ the Blue-winged (vV. vcnusta\ Pink-bellied (A^.
bourkci\ and the Kock [N. petrop/ii/a). Capt. S.A.White showed speci-
mens of the Rock-Parrakeet and the Varied Parrakeet {Psephotus multicolor)^
the last-named having been plentiful on Yorke Peninsula until the introduc-
tion of poisoned wheat for the Sparrows and rabbits.

Bird Observers' Club.

At the joint invitation of the hon. secretary (Mr. F. P. Godfrey) and Mr.
Robert Hall, F.L.S., the sixth meeting of the above-mentioned Club was
held at Oxford Chambers, Melbourne, on the evening of Wednesday, 30th
September. Ten members and one lady associate were present. The
existing "game laws" were criticised, and the hon. secretary was directed
to communicate with Mr. C. W. Maclean, Chief Inspector of Fisheries,
offering the Club's support in carrying out the same. The following papers
were read and discussed: — By Mr. A. G. Campbell, on "The Gembrook
Trip"; by Mr. E. J. Christian, "The You Yangs Trip." Mr. A. G.
Campbell exhibited a series of Larks' skins ; Mr. Robt. Hall, photos., &c.,
and a curious nest of a Restless Fly-catcher ; and the hon. secretary a
Brown Hawk. Supper was then served, and a vote of thanks to the chair-
man (Mr. Robert Hall) brought the meeting to a close.

The seventh meeting of the Club was held at the residence of Dr. George
Home, Clifton Hill, on Wednesday, 29th November, at 8 p.m. Ten
members and two associates, besides a number of visitors, were present, the
host occupying the chair. Mr. Frank Nicholls was elected a member. The
only paper read was by Messrs. G. F. Howe and J. A. Ross, entitled "A
Whittlesea Outing." Mr. A. G. Campbell e.Khibited and explained a number
of Kangaroo Island birds, some of which were distinctly links between
eastern and western forms. Mr. G. E. Shepherd spoke on the nesting
habits of the birds of Mornington Peninsula. Mr. D. Le Souef, C.M.Z.S.,
mentioned that Quails have been found breeding near Melbourne this
season, and exhibited young of Stubble Quail hatched at the Zoological
Gardens. Mr. Robt. Hall, F.L.S., commented on the plumage of the Blue
Wrens in Miss Bowie's aviaries, a nest of young being exhibited as an
illustration. After refreshments a hearty vote of thanks was passed to Dr.
and Mrs. Home and Miss Bowie.

Notes and Notices.

Bird Protection. — At the last meeting (iith December) of
the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria attention was drawn to
the proposed excursion, per Coogee, to Western Port, Wilson's

^■■^'g^s^] Notes and Notices. 1 83

Promontory, and some of the islands in Bass Strait. A fear was
expressed that the concession to tourists to enter the reserve on
the Promontory, which had with difficulty been obtained for the
preserv^ation of 'native fauna and flora, would furnish an
opportunity for the destruction of native game. Amongst birds,
Black Swans were mentioned, and instances cited that in other
places wholesale shooting or deportation of live birds, which,
during the moulting season, are virtually helpless, had been
carried on to such an e.xtent that these birds were virtually
extinct. The meeting agreed unanimously that the Minister be
asked to have the close season for Swans extended so as to
cover the time during which the birds are moulting.

Mr. Ed. Degen has recently left England for Uganda, in
company with Prof. Minchin's mission for the further inves-
tigation of the "sleeping sickness." which appears to be making
great havoc among the natives in certain parts of the Protec-
torate. He will collect specimens for the British Museum. —
The Ibis (April).

Native Birfjs Protection Association. — A meeting of
the Central Queensland Native Birds J-'rotection Association
was held at the Belmore Arms Hotel, Rockhampton, on 28th
October. There were present : — Messrs. G. H. Coar (in the
chair), F. Futter, R. G. M'Dowall, H. Moran, H. A. Chippendall,
W. D. Wentworth, P. Somerset, J. Anderson, H. Lennon, and
A. F. Kent (secretary). It was resolved to make every effort to
stop shooting during the close season, which would commence on
1st November. All members promised to report any instances
that came under their notice, and to make it their business to put
down illegal shooting in every way possible. It was decided to
make application to the police for instructions to be given to
the officers in charge of country districts to enforce the regula-
tions of the Native Birds Protection Act. Posters were ordered
to be printed and issued to all State schools and country police
stations, giving the names of all birds protected during the close
season and those protected always. Two new members were
elected. — Morning Bulletin, Rockhampton.

Mr. Edgar F. Stead, as representing New Zealand, has been
elected by the Council of the A.O.U. to take the place of the
late Capt. Hutton on the Council.

" DiCHOTOMOus Key to thk Birds of Australia." —
As the supply of extra copies is now somewhat limited, in
future the price will be two shillings (postage extra) per copy.
Applications for same may be made to the hon. secretary A.O.U.

Coloured Fioure Fund. — Reference to the balance-sheet
will show that this fund is at low ebb. The loss on the

184 Notes and Notices. [isfTn

popular lecture during the Sydney session has been regained by
Mr. Robt. Hall's lecture at the Adelaide. The hon. treasurer
Mr. F. P, Godfrey) desires to acknowledge with thanks the
following donations to the fund : — Miss M. Brumby, 5s. ; Admiral
Bridges, 6s. ; Dr. E. A. D'Ombrain, 5s. ; Mr. G. Graham, 5s. ;
Mr. J. S. Gray, 20s.; Mr. E. J. Howard, 12s.; Mr. T. Iredale,
los. 6d. ; Mr. A. F. Smith, 5s. ; Mr. Thos. Tindale, 5s.

Big Gun Firing and Bird Destruction. — The following
complaint by " Incubator " appeared in Tlie Argus of the
23/11/05: — "On Saturday last I had 100 duck eggs in an
incubator; 15 came out, all the rest were tapping and ready. A
big gun was fired at Williamstown, causing sudden death to all
the tappers. Could not this waste of ammunition be postponed
until the season is over, say, end of February .' " If the con-
cussion causes such havoc amongst domestic fowls, how will the
native birds that breed in the neighbourhood of the coast fare ?

Publications Received.

Auk, The, XXII., Nos. 3 and 4, July-Oct., 1905.
Avicultural Magazine, The, N.S., Nos. 7-12, May-Oct., 1905.

Bayern, OrnitJiologische GesellscJiaft in, Verhandlungen, IV.,
1903.

Bird-Lore, VII., Nos. 3-5, May-Oct , 1905.
Condor, The, VII., Nos. 3-5, May-Oct., 1905.

Fourth International Co7igress of Ornithologists, 1905. (Cam-
bridge University Press.) Pamphlets :— (i) Effects of Insularity
(H. Gadow) ; (,2) Leguat's Giant Bird (Alfred Newton) ;
(2) Books, &c., exhibited by permission of committee.

Geelong Naturalist, The, Second Series, II., No. i, Sept., 1905.

Linnean Society of N.SAV., Proceedings, XXX., Parts i, 2
(with Supplement).

Miinchen, Ornithologischer Verein, Jahresbericht, III., 1901-2.

Oberholser, Harry C., Birds Collected by Dr. W. L. Abbot in
the Kilimanjaro Region, East Africa. (Proc. U.S. Nat. Mus.,
No. 1,411, pp. 823-936.)

OrnitJiologisches faJirbucJi, XV., Nos. 1-6, Jan.-Dec, 1904, and
XVI., Nos. 1-4, Jan.-Aug., 1905.

US. Department of Agriculture. Close Seasons for Game in
the United States and Canada, 1905.

Zoologist, The, P^ourth Series, IX., Nos. 101-104, May-Aug.,
1905.

IThe £mu

dDfficial (Drgan oi thx ^ttatralasian ©rnithologtsts' Enion.

" Bir«Is of a fczvtber.'

Vol. v.] 2ND APRIL, 1906. [Part 4.

Visit to an Ibis Rookery.

By Dr. E. A. D'Ombrain, Casterton (V.)
Having received news of a large colony of Straw-necked and White
Ibises {Carphibis spinicollis and Ibis molucca) in the fnll swing
of domestic duties, in a large swamp some 28 miles in a westerly
direction from Casterton, on Mrs. Mackinnon's station, " Kaladbro,"
I was at once "bitten" with the keenest desire to pay the
swamp a visit. I soon secured a chum who knew the tracks across
country — Mr. H. Barton, of this town — who, though not himself a
collector, was interested in my story of the sight to be seen.

Accordingly, on the last Saturday in November, equipped with
gun, camera, and old clothes (for use in the swamp), we started in the
early afternoon on our journey, intending to reach "Kaladbro" in
time — like the sundowners — for the evening meal.

A pair of sturdy horses, that had their own preconceived ideas of
doing a long journey, pulled our trap up the steep hill leading from
the town, and thence along the coach route to Mt. Gambler. The
afternoon was an ideal one for travelling. A cool, light southerly
breeze did battle with the decidedly warm rays of the sun — already
commencing to throw long shadows — and the result of the conflict
meant temperate weather. Added to this was the fact of there being
as yet no dust nor flies to worry us. We continue for about 1 1 miles,
passing the picturesque Nine-mile Creek, with its splendid stream of
water bubbling and rippling between mossy banks arched over by
tea-tree scrub, and concealing many a fine blackfish and spotted
trout, with his brown, rounded back, as it flows to empty itself into
the River Glenelg, some 2 or 3 miles on our left.

A feature of the landscape just about here is tlie tall flower-stalks
of the yacca grass {Xanthorrhaa), which just at present is covered
with the white blossoms, that make the stalks look like so many giant
candles standing in the scrub.

Soon we turn off the road and follow bush tracks, mostly through
low-lying sandy and swampy heath country. The swamps, in most
cases, are large and shallow, and invariably of a bright green colour,
from the swamp weeds and rushes growing therein. The cattle
standing knee-deep in the water, feeding off the lush herbage, lend
a jMcturc-like effect, their reflection in any more sparsely-covered
patch being distinctly mirrored, completing the idea.

I 86 D'Ombrain, Visi^ to an Ibis Rookery. [ancFX"!!

We push on, and at last enter one of' the "Kaladbro " paddocks,
where we see both the Corella and the Sulphur-crested Cockatoo
{Licmetis nasica and Cacatuci galerita), in pairs and in small
families, screeching and chattering in anxiety over their nesting
cares. We now can see the woolshed, and, after skirting a large
circular swamp, my chum points out some men in the distance, one
of whom he fancies is his friend the manager, Mr. J. Hunt.

As we drive up to the drafting yards his surmise turns out to be
correct, for there is Mr. Hunt busy giving delivery of a mob of sheep
to a tall, sunburnt drover, who, with dogs and tilt-cart, is ready for
the road. After some " parting injunction," Mr. Hunt joins us, and,
at his invitation, we " make tracks " for the homestead, " Avenue
Bank."

Of course, shearing is in full swing, and it is the manager's busiest
time, but when we explain our mission he promises to join our ex-
pedition on Sunday morning — an act of self-denial, for he has earned
his Sunday rest. After a warm bush welcome from our hostess,
Mrs. Hunt, we remove our traces of travel and soon assist in
" removing " some food also, the latter with great zest.

A yarn, with pipes going full blast, on the verandah and well-kept
buffalo grass lawns — for this garden and grounds would vie with any
Toorak one, being laid out by one of Melbourne's foremost
gardeners many years ago, and kept in excellent order ever since —
we pass the time till someone suggests " a piece of bed," and as we
are in for a tiring day on the morrow, at lo p.m. we retire.

On the following morning at 6 o'clock I am up and out, and climb
up the windmill, from the top staging of which one can ^ei a good
view of the swamp where we are going to spend such a glorious
time.

Briefly, it is an area of many acres, between 300 and 400, covered
from edge to edge with rushes varying in height from a foot, at the
edges, to 8 to 12 feet in the central portions. One can see what
appears to be a clear space in the centre of the swamp, on which
the glass shows hundreds of birds, and as there are always some
leaving and returning from this place, one can see they are the
Ibises, and that they are as busy as bees at the entrance to the hives.
Returning to the garden, I note the clear song of the Reed- Warbler
{Acrocephalus australis). I am allowed to get quite near him as he
hops from twig to twig of an apple tree in a sort of restless manner,
and I can watch his little throat swelling, and his cap erect, as he
keeps up his liquid song, which, though somewhat oft repeated, is
very musical, and sounds to my ear like " Choo-choo, wheea-wheea-
whee."

Soon after breakfast we harness up, and proceed to the swamp,
where we are met by an employe, Mr. W. M'Lennan, of Casterton,
who, my friend Barton declares, is as enthusiastic as myself where
birds are concerned. Arrived at the opposite side of the swamp
from the house — this being the selected point of attack — we soon get
into " wading dress " (I might remark it is one not usually depicted
in fashion plates), and three of us (Mr. Hunt modestly declining our

°go6 ■ J D'O.MBKAix, Visit to an Ibis Rookery, rS?

invitation to " Come on,") laden with gun, camera, &c., start
— rather gingerly, 1 must admit — into the swamp. ]\I-Lennan
leads the van, as he has been in just recently. Indeed, it was he
who informed my mind with tales of the sight he saw.

We are soon over our knees, and the going is decidedly difficult,
for occasionally one foot will sink deeply in a hole, and with the
other leg pawing in the air to keep balanced, it requires all one's
muscular eliort to prevent one's taking a seat in the water. Now
the rushes grow denser, and soon we hear the voices of many birds
ahead of us, calling us and luring us on. We trudge on bravely,
each trying with one unoccupied hand to dodge the fierce swamp
nettles, scaring now and then a Bald-Coot {Porphyrio melanonotus),
whose blue and red would be seen for an instant as he flapped
screeching away. Nearer and more distinct grow the sounds, and
at the same time our noses give us warning that the " rookery " is
close at hand. The sounds become more intelligible, and one can
hear that the babel is made up of the queer trumpeting notes
from thousands of old birds mingled with the shriller squeaks from
as many, or more, young ones. After pausing to listen for a few
minutes, we cautiously approach to what we think is a safe limit
for seeing and not being seen, in case of scaring the birds — a pre-
caution quite unnecessary, as we afterwards find. Parting the
rushes on the fringe of the open clearer space, such a sight opens up
before us as makes us doubt for the moment its reality.

Extending over an area of some 6 acres, spread in an irregular
fashion, is an immense matwork of trampled down rushes, forming
platforms, some at the water's edge, others raised several feet and
presenting the appearance of tiers. On these platforms, fighting,
squawking, building, sitting, feeding young ones, leaving them and
returning in an incessant stream and turmoil are thousands of the
two species of Ibises.

A few are scared away on our approach, but by far the greater
number remain, too busy or indifferent to move. Everywhere one
looks are the large and well-made fiat rush nests. They are there in
thousands, and in them are eggs — eggs in singles, twos, threes, fours ;
some newly laid, as the whiteness shows, for the eggs are soon
covered all over with the swamp-weed stains ; others are dirty and
far incubated. There are eggs just chipping, eggs with little black
head and bill sticking out, eggs just opening in two pieces from which
is emerging a chick — everywhere eggs, in all stages, hundreds of
dozens of them. The shearers evidently appreciated them, for they
collected two kerosene " buckets" full for use in the hut. Young
ones are much in evidence, and vary in age from those just hatched
and drying in the warm sun to those ready to essay their first flight.
Most of the younger ones are l)anded together into nurseries, con-
sisting of a fairly level meshwork of rushes at the water's edge.
On these are 200 to 300 young ones, with several staid-looking
keepers or nurses. They are evidently getting their first lessons
in learning how to find their food and what to do with it when
found, and voracious youngsters they are. These nurseries are

1 88 D'OwBRAiN, Visit to an Ibis Rookery. [znd'April

features ot the colony, and there appears to be one to every few
hundred birds. It is also noted that, whereas the egg platforms
v^ary in height, the nurseries are practically level, and simply a
floating basketwork, upon which the birds can run about with great
dexterity. (See Plate XIV.)

As we advance we mark the nests of the White and the Straw-
necked separately, as, once the birds leave the spot, identification
is difficult or impossible.

Now the birds are growing ^m ore ^anxious and alarmed at our
presence, and some fly off, but by far the greater number do not
move, or rise only to settle in a few yards. One sees many with
large wisps of dry swamp-grass and rushes, the former for
lining the nests, carrying it home in their long curved bills,
generally by a single blade, the remamder hanging in air. The
white ones stand out prominently in the bright sunlight, whilst
the glossy backs of the Straw-necked shine with a metallic lustre.

Standing admiring the novel sight, our attention is suddenly
arrested by the appearance of a tall white bird standing in majestic
way on a little rush island. At first it is thought to be an Egret,
once plentiful here, but only for a moment, for it raises its head and
shows the peculiar spoon-shaped black bill of the Royal Spoonbill
{Platalea regia). Visions of securing a clutch of eggs are dashed
on approaching and finding two newly-hatched young ones.
Standing up, with crest erect and mane flowing in the breeze, the
bird looked simply regal, the black bill and legs showing in striking
contrast to the white purity of the plumage. Another couple is
seen, and, although every effort is made to find the nest among
the crowds of Ibis nests, we are obliged to confess ourselves
beaten. We now proceed to get some photographs, but a quarter-
plate camera is lamentably too small to take in the wide expanse
of nests and eggs, and, after securing a few pictures, we retrace our
way to the trap, and after a change start off for a visit to another
swamp where the Yellow-legged Spoonbill {Platiids fiavipes) and
the Little Cormorants {Phalacrocorax melajioleiicus) breed in com-
pany. "^Arrived at the swamp, we see plentj/ of nests of each in the
trees in the water, and note young Ducks, and disturb a brood of
very young Black Swans.

Having determined to secure some good-sized photogra])hs of
the Ibises, we return to Casterton. On the following day,
having enlisted the services of a photographic enthusiast, I make
with him another early start upon our 28- mile drive, well
equipped with an 8 x 10 camera and plates. On our way we see
plenty of Plover (Spur-winged), Ducks of various kinds, Cranes,
Herons, and other aquatic birds and waders. Arriving at the swamp,
we soon get into wading clothes, my friend carrying the camera and
plates strapped on his back — 40 lbs. weight in all. Having reached
the fringe of the nesting area we get photographs of the general
view, and then of a batch of nests, and one of the groups of young
ones, but find that the birds are less tame than before. Finally, we
get ready for the piece de yesistance — the flight. All being ready,

The E.mu, J'oL V.

I

^■—■4^:f '

-^-■•.

■:^5^^*-- ■

■XT— -i'- :>'' ft'

«ic

^°i9o6^'J D'Ombrain, Visit to an Ibis Rookery. 1 89

a shot is fired from the gun. Bang ! In a moment there is a wild
commotion and the air seems whisthng with the sounds of
hundreds of thousands of wings cleaving it, and then in one mighty
cloud the whole assembly takes flight, making the sky look black
and white, and as though it were filled with Harpies or the Sirens
of Ulysses, the effect being heightened by the long bills, outstretched
necks, and general peculiar appearance of the birds. Now they wheel
and swing, and wheel again, gradually rising and soaring, filling the
whole sky. Some continue flying and circling round high up, but
by far the greater number are too anxious about household cares
to keep away, and soon alight, and it is a mystery how they ever
find their own again.

To see the birds settle is an interesting sight. With long bill and
neck outstretched and lowered, legs drooping in a queer " touch-
bottom " sort of way, and much wing- flapping and final balancing
on the nest platforms, they settle ; and then the squawking, pushing,
pecking, and final taking up of positions begins again, and in a
little while all is as before.

Standing waist deep in a reedy swamp, we find it no easy matter
to secure a firm footing for the camera, but we manage somehow, and
after having taken such views as we want we wade out.

Some Bird Observations.
By (Dr.) J. Burton Cleland, Adelaide.

Wood-Swallows {Artami) and Hawk. — Some years ago,
while approaching a thick belt of scrub near Adelaide, we were
much struck by the alarm notes of a number of Wood-Swallows,
and also by the fact that they were hawking at a higher elevation
than usual. At last we discovered the cause of this excitement
— a Hawk, perched in one of the trees ; and then the object of
the manoeuvres of the Wood-Swallows became apparent, for
as long as they kept in their flight well above the enemy he
could not swoop on them and they were safe ! The species of
Wood-Swallow was", if I remember aright, A. sordidus.

Sparrows at Sea. — On 8tli November, 1905, on board the s.s,
Salaviis, when 200 miles S.W. of C. Otway, from which direction a
strong N.E. wind was blowing, several European Sparrows flew
on board, apparently not much exhausted. The nearest land
might, perhaps, have been a little less than that stated above,
but the wind was not blowing directly from it. In Melbourne
the day had been very hot. This incident shows how easily distant
islands may be populated by means of strong winds of some
duration, which do not even approach the force of a hurricane.
Doubtless native birds of feebler flight had also been blown
away from shore, but had at last succumbed. The course we
were pursuing was not in the track of vessels leaving Melbourne

190 Cleland, Some Bird Observations. [-.nf April

for the Cape, so they could not have reached the open sea by
these means.

Ptilotis penicillata and an Enemy. — The presence of a
bird of prey in the neighbourhood of Honey-eaters of this species
is at once notified, as in the case of the Miner {Manorlmia garriita),
by the loud alarm notes they utter. In September, 1895, I
found them at fault through a mistake. A great chattering
and screeching of " Greenies " was heard, and on going to
ascertain the cause found some dozen of them, much excited,
flying down on to a low overhanging branch and back again,
screaming and fluttering. On the ground just below was the
wing of a brown bird, lying flat, which somehow to our eyes
suggested a coiled snake or lizard. We believe that the Honey-
eaters also supposed it to be of this nature, and were making
efforts in their own way to drive it off. Has anyone noticed their
behaviour, or that of Miners, towards snakes ? Is it possible
that, in some of the supposed instances where snakes have
" charmed " birds towards them, the real explanation is that the
birds have been trying to drive the intruder off and at last have
unintentionally approached too near the enemy and so
perished ?

The Laughing Jackass {Dacelo gigas). — A friend of mine has
pointed out an interesting fact in connection with the " laughing "
of a pair of Jackasses in his garden. The note, as anyone will
remember, consists of two parts — a " chuckle " when the beak
is closed and a "laugh" with it open. In watching his birds
he has observed that whenever one is *' chuckling," if the other
joins in it will be with a " laugh ; " if the first one changes to a
" laugh," the second is straightway heard " chuckling," and so
on ; but never do both " laugh " at the same time or " chuckle "
at the same time.

What is the explanation of the dark brown band that extends
backwards behind the eye of the Laughing Jackass ? It is of
the same width and colour as the eye, and must be surely an
attempt to hide the conspicuousness of that organ. The Laugh-
ing Jackass, perched on the dead limb of a tree, and fully on
the alert for prey, did no such mask as this dark band exist,
would show a brilliant and conspicuous eye, that must force
itself on the attention of any small reptile or marsupial that
might happen to peer forth before leaving its hiding-place. To
prevent this and so secure more easily its prey, the eye is
rendered much less conspicuous by being placed on a dark
background, much in the same way as a man from underneath
the shadow of large and over-arching bushy eyebrows can survey
his neighbour calmly without unduly attracting his attention.
Thus the small animal, the Laughing Jackass's predestined prey,
peeping cautiously and curiously around, sees only the broken

^°oo6^'l Cleland, Some Bird Observations. 191

base of a decayed limb where should be seen a deadly enemy
with piercing eye fixed on him.

The Southern Stone-Plover {Burhimis grallarius). —
Some years ago'four of these birds made our large garden and its
surrounding fields their home. None of them were in any way
confined, but wandered perfectly at large. Two were quite
wild, attracted to the neighbourhood apparently by the tamer
pair. Of the latter, one had apparently been brought up
amongst children, for he would follow them about like a dog.
Such was his tameness, in fact, that as soon as he saw me
approach he would come up and feed out of my hand. Where-
ever we went, there he would follow us like a dog, even into and
through the house as far as the drawingroom, where, if the piano
were in use, he would stand beside it and whistle in an excited
manner. While we were playing tennis he was always present,
and most amusingly dodged the ball when it came in his direc-
tion— not infrequently striking his head against the ground in
his endeavours to avoid it. We called him "Jip," and from the
way in which, when several of us formed into a line and marched,
he would run and " plant " himself ahead of us, keeping about 2
feet in front and uttering a surprised, querying, piping sound,
the sobriquet " Piper " was added. If in our march we
suddenly wheeled round, he would dart in front and start piping
again. Whenever "Jip" heard us whistling he would im-
mediately start doing so too, either in rivalry or for instruction,
as much as to say — " This is the proper way to whistle ! " The
other tame bird almost invariably whistled when "Jip" had
done so, but rarely if ever could he be induced to do so by
our whistling alone. Neither of these two tame birds ever
exhibited in their note the beautiful, soft, sad cadence
so characteristic of the wild bird's whistle ; their call ended
short of this, and was quicker, merely rising to a height
and falling. (I have reason to think that both the tame birds
were hens. Is it possible that only the males have the
characteristic whistle, and that the two wild birds, being such,
had been attracted by the tame females ?) All the birds, how-
ever, at times made use, especially when flying, of a wild,
choppy screech, quite eerie in the dark. I have, at times, heard
other wild birds using these unearthly notes, and one instance
especially is fixed in my memory. Dog-tired and hungry, at
the end of a long and heavy tramp, darkness had overtaken us
on an unknown road, when suddenly, as we passed beneath
some large, dark trees, wild, hysterical shrieks and yells, rapidly
dying away in the distance, rose from the undergrowth beside
us. At first, perhaps being overstrung by tiredness, we started,
thinking of murder or of a human being in distress, but quickly
recognized with relief an unmistakable Stone-Plover's note
throughout the other. One of the wild birds alluded to above

IQ2 Cleland, Some Bird Observations. L2nd'April

in time became comparatively tame, but still would not allow any
close approach. As we came near first the head would be
stretched straight out, so that a straight line was made from the
tip of the beak to the end of the tail ; then he would utter as it
were surprised queries ; and finally, after several short runs and
halts, would fly away. At times these Plovers performed peculiar
antics or dances. When in this humour one of the birds would
run with outstretched wings about 20 or 30 yards, bending
occasionally to this or that side, or even turning suddenly com-
pletely round. (Is there any connection between this and, on
the one hand, the weird dances of the Native Companion —
Antigone australasiana- — on the other, the peculiar little duck of
the head when walking practised by some of the Dottrels and
their allies .')

We found, amongst other food, that the birds would eat mice
and half-fledged Sparrows. On giving them one of these, the
Stone-Plover would take it by the head and give it blows as if
to break the bones and render the morsel less bulky, but these
efforts seemed too feeble to accomplish much. After some
minutes thus spent, the animal would be swallowed whole. We
often noticed the tame bird, " Jip," with a clucking sound,
picking up small sticks in her bill as if intending to make a nest.
This was done at different times of the year, but no such
structure was ever formed. One of the others, however, twice
laid eggs, placing them, as usual, quite in the open and on the
bare ground. Apparently they were not fertilized, as one in the
first nest was found broken and rotten, and the two in the
second one suddenly disappeared after being incubated for a
very long time, the old bird still keeping about. These birds,
contrary to the usual habit of wild ones, would not leave their
nest until we were quite near it, and then, instead of flying off,
would spread their wings and tail like turkey-cocks, utter a
harsh note, and bravely attack us. Both sexes assisted in the
incubation process.

The Coachwhip-Bird.

By a. H. E. Mattinglev.

Travelling along the mountains that traverse the whole of
the eastern side of the continent, and are known as the Dividing
Range, and its dependent system of hills, one's attention is
arrested, as one makes one's way through the thick scrubs in
the declivities of this mountain system by the " whip-crack "
call of the Coachwhip-Bird {Psophodes crepitans). To the native-
born Australian accustomed from his infancy to the call of the
" Coachwhip," the note loses to some extent its interest, but to
the " new chum " travelling through these forests the immediate

The Emu, Vol. V.

PLATE XV.

(.'oachw liip-Jlinl { Psophodes crepitans) and Nesl.

FROM * PHOTO. BY *. MATTINGLEY

Thk Emu. Vol. V

PLATE XVI.

■?M

^°'qo6^' I Mattinglev, The CoacJnvhip-Bird. IQ^

effect of his introduction to the whip-like crack, accidental as it
is in most cases, is one of bewildering curiosity, gradually
changing into a charmed and interesting feeling as he learns
that the sound issues from a bird. He is all the more fascinated
when, on closer inspection, he finds that the author of it is a
small bird, about 9 inches in length, of greenish-black plumage,
showing a mottled white patch on the chest and a white patch
on either side of the throat. Surmounting a dark, fairly large,
luminous eye, is a dark erectile crest, giving the impression that
this bird is both active and alert. Starting with a limpid,
long-drawn sound closely resembling the noise produced by the
whirling of a whip-lash preparatory to its being swished through
the air to terminate in the sharp crack so well known, the male
bird gradually merges his voice into the swish of the lash,
ending in a loud, sharp crack-like note. The volume of sound
produced is so great that it can often be heard a quarter of a
mile away, as one sits listening in some quiet fern gully. The
call of the male bird is usually, but not always, answered by the
female with a two-note call, somewhat softer in tone, and quite
separate from the call of the male, although quickly following it,
but not in any way blending with it, so much so that a person
who has not systematically and carefully studied the call of
these birds would not associate the call of the female with that
of the male when some distance away. Some ornithologists
maintain that the whole of the notes are produced by one bird
alone, hence confusion and misunderstanding has arisen. The
reason, however, that there is a diversity of opinion on this
question is that those who maintain that the whole of the notes
are produced by one bird do not in any way associate the
answering call of the female with the Coachwhip-Bird. Some
persons, in answer to the observers who maintain that two birds
make the complete call, even suggest that it may be a case of
ventriloquism. The former believe that those who hold that it is
made by two birds are attempting to split up the two-note call
of the male represented by the whip-crack sound. Hence the
following notes, recorded at different dates in my field book,
may help to clear up the mystery that veils the call of this
interesting bird, although it has been previously recorded that
the notes were made by two birds.*

On 27th November, 1905, I proceeded to Olinda with other
members of the Bird Observers' Club to photograph a nest of
the Coachwhip that contained two eggs, and also a nest con-
taining two young birds, which scrambled out of the nest,
although they could not fly, and made off along the ground
directly the vegetation around their nest was handled. The
young Coachwhips are the shyest nestlings that I have ever

* See " Nests and Eggs " (A. J. Campbell).

194 Mattingley, The Coaclnvhip-Bird. \^^

April

photographed, and will never remain in the nest if once
disturbed ; but, contrary to general opinion, I found that
during the nesting season the adult birds were exceedingly
tractable, so much so that, whilst I was standing in the scrub
waiting to take a picture of them feeding their young ones, the
parents scratched the ground, in their search for grubs, right at
my feet, throwing the leaves and other debris over my boots,
quite unperturbed at my presence. This has happened on
several occasions whilst I have been quietly waiting in a gully
trying to obtain photographs of other species of birds. The
female Coachwhip invariably feeds the young herself, and
collects most of the food supply for them. The male, although
he approaches within a few feet of the nest, rarely comes to the
young ones unless they have been disturbed and are calling for
help, and then he is only with them for a few seconds, taking
observations, and making meanwhile that peculiar chuckling
note that both the male and female use when communicating
with their young ones, and also when searching for food for
them in the vicinity of the nest. The female is particularly bold,
and has several times perched within a few inches of me as I sat
quietly brushing off mosquitoes in the scrub awaiting the
opportunity of photographing her attending her nestlings.
When she had eyed me from many points of vantage, she
decided that I was innocuous, and went on searching for insects.
Whilst in such close communion with these birds I made the
following notes, which can be verified by those observers who
were with me when I took the illustration portrayed. The male
makes the whip-crack sound, and is answered by the female,
both birds using a t\vo-s}-llable call. Sometimes, however, the
call of the male is not answered by his mate. She sometimes
calls first, but is never answered with the whip-crack note of the
male. In one instance, at Griffiths' Gully, Dandenong Ranges,
on the 2 1st January this year, a member of the B.O.C. watched
the throat of the male, whilst the throat of the female was placed
under my observation, at a distance from them of 2 or 3 yards
only. In this case the male made the whip-like crack and the
female the answer. The male's call, if put into words, would some-
what resemble " We-e-e-whit," the " we-e-e " representing the
long-drawn swish of the whip and the "whit" the crack, whilst
the female called " Way-we " quickly and sharply. Sometimes I
have heard the male make the opening " swish " call and not
finish up with the crack, but in this case he was never answered
by his mate. Hence my observations indicate that the note of
the Coachwhip-Bird is a call to ascertain the locality of its mate,
and when the note is not completed it is because either bird has
discovered the other's whereabouts. It therefore seems highly
improbable that one bird should both call and then answer
itself. The young nestlings are as a rule covered with small

^"^1906^ '] Mattixglev, Thc Coachivhip-Bird. 195

lice, which they no doubt get from their parents, which are
ground-frequenting birds, and as such liable to be vermin-
infested. I recently noticed close by its nest the remains of an
adult bird which had evidently been devoured by a fox, and
since they build their nests but 2 feet 6 inches to 7 feet from the
ground, mostly in " wire-grass," entangled " hickory " scrub,
either in its green or dry state, and also in tea-tree and other
shrubs, a fox would have no difficulty in catching them. The
nest is composed of wire-like grass and rootlets of a chocolate-
brown colour generally, strongly though loosely put together in
a circular st)'le of architecture, the colour harmonizing with that
of the young nestlings. The eggs (two) of the Coachwhip are
very beautiful, being of a light bluish or greenish white,
moderately blotched and marked with sepia and light grey.
Some clutches have, in addition to the blotchings, hieroglyphic-
like markings. The diameter of the nest is usually 6 inches,
but I have found nests only 4 inches across, containing about
half the quantity of material usually comprising their nest,
which, when in this condition, may easily be mistaken for a
Thickhead's (A^t7/;'r(/'/'r^■/r^) nest. (See illustration.) The Coach-
whip-Bird, of which there are two or three species in Australia,
is distributed over both the eastern and western regions.
They are local in their habits, rarely venturing more than a few
hundred yards from their headquarters. A pair seems to have
a definite area, from which they seem to expel intruders of the
same species as themselves. Should a person in eastern forests
apparently hear two pairs calling in close pro.ximity to one
another he will discover on investigation that a Lyre-Bird
{Meuiira) is probably mimicking the calls of the Coachwhip.
This they do to perfection — in fact, the Lyre-Bird is the leading
mimic among the ornis of the world.

Oological Notes and Further Description of New

Fruit'Pigeon.

By a. J. Campbell, Col. Mem. B.O.U.
P.SEUDOGERYGONE I5RUNNEIPECTUS (Brown-breasted Fly-cater).
This little-known bird is found farther down the eastern coast
than was suspected, its habitat probably extending to the
Fitr.roy. Mr. E. M. Cornwall lately found it breeding at
Mackay, where it appears a common species in the vicinity of
mangrove swamps, and from which locality he has enriched my
collection with both nest and eggs. He also sent a bird for
identification. The first nest was discovered on thc 8th October,
1905, and was suspended about 10 feet from the ground in a
mangrove. A second nest was taken on the 26th November
following, also placed in a mangrove about 5 feet from the
ground.

196 Campbell, Oological Notes and New Fruit-Pigeon. r,„a'A"rii

Nest. — Very lengthened in form, with hooded side-entrance,
and composed chiefly of brownish strips of bark with the
addition of a few leaves, &c., and matted with insect cocoons,
the inside being lined with finer material and feathers. Total
length, 18 inches (thus divided — top portion 7 inches, nest
proper 6 inches, and tail 5 inches) by a breadth of 31^ inches.

Eggs. — Clutch, three ; oval in shape ; texture of shell fine,
surface slightly glossy ; colour, light pinkish buff, richly spotted
and blotched (thickest round the apex) with pinkish-red and
purplish-red. These eggs are amongst the most richly coloured
of all the known eggs of Australian Fly-eaters. Dimensions in
inches :— (i) .7 x .5, (2) .7 x .5, (3) .7 x .5.

ACANTHIZA HALMATURINA (Dusky Tit).

This new species was observed by the members of the ex-
pedition of the Australasian Ornithologists' Union which recently
visited Kangaroo Island, and was described by Mr. A. G. Camp-
bell in the last number of The Emu (vol. v., p. 141).

Nest. — Resembles that of the Little Brown Tit {A. pitsilld),
but is more heavily built. One nest noticed was placed about a
foot from the ground in a small bush on the heath lands.
Another was observed about 3 feet from the ground in a short
prickly acacia near the coast.

Eggs. — Clutch, three ; oval in shape ; texture of shell fine,
surface glossy ; colour, pearly-white, with blotches of rufous-red
round the apex, and sparingly spotted with the same colour
over the rest of the surface. Dimensions in inches : — (i) .7 x
.52, (2) .7 X .52, (3) .6y X .5. Amongst the largest of Acanthiza
eggs.
PORZANA FLUMINEA (Spotted Crake).

Mr. John G. Gray, Kentucky (New South Wales), reports
finding a nest of this Crake, hitherto unknown, in a small swamp
on his run. The swamp was nearly dry on the i8th December,
1905, when the nest was discovered. The nest was about 6
inches from the water, in a knot of rushes, some of the rushes
being interlaced over the nest. There was no staging to the
nest. The clutch was four, with the small ends of the eggs
placed downwards. The eggs were more greenish in tone and
more finely marked than the two types described in " Nests and
Eggs," p. 745. Dimensions in inches : — (i) 1.25 x .91, (2) 1.25
X .82, (3) 1.22 X .89, (4) 1. 17 X .88.

Cuckoos.

At a meeting of the Bird Observers' Club held on the 14th
February, Mr. Septimus Robinson, Bathurst (New South Wales),
exhibited a fine collection of 46 Cuckoos' eggs, with the
respective eggs of the foster-parents. One remarkable feature
was that there were no single eggs of foster-parents — all full
clutches, two to four eggs, as the case may be. In all instances

^"^igoe^'] Campbell, Oological Notes and ISIew Fruit-Pigeon. 107

the colouration of tlie strange egg did not harmonize vvitli those
of the foster-parent, but were beautiful contrasts. For instances,
the red-speckled egg of the Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo with the
bluish -green eggs- of the Grass- Warbler ; the same Cuckoo's ^gg
with a plain white set of the Red-browed Finch ; the flesh-
coloured ^g^ of the Pallid Cuckoo with the greenish ^^'g of the
Hooded Robin, or with the light olive clutch of the Rufus-
breasted Thickhead.

In the collection the following foster-parents are not recorded
in my work, " Nests and Eggs," namely : —

For the Pallid Cuckoo {Ciiciilus pallidtis) —

Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater {Glycyphila fuk'i/rons).*

Yellow-throated Miner {MyzantJia JIavignlii)*
For the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacouiaiitis fiabcUifonnis) —

Yellow-throated Scrub-Wren {Sericornis citreogularis).

Yellow-faced Honey-eater {Ptilotis dirysops).
For the Square-tailed Cuckoo {Cacomantis variolosus) —

Large-billed Fly-eater {Psciidogerygonc magnirostris).
Forthe Narrow-billed Bronze-Cuckoo {Chalcococcyx basalts) —

WHiite-throated Fly-eater {Gerygojic albigtilaris).

Chestnut-rumped Tit {^AcantJiiza uropygialis).

Orange-fronted Bush- Chat [EpJitJiiamira aitrifrons).

Black Honey-eater {My.zomela tiigra).

Yellow-faced Honey-eater {Ptilotis chrysops).

Three clutches — namely. Blue Wren {Malurus cyaneiis). White-
shafted P'antail [Rhipidtira albiscapa), and Brown Flycatcher
{Micrceca fascittaiis) — were each accompanied by an Qgg of a
Cuckoo, which, if not referable to the Square-tailed Cuckoo {C.
variolosus), is unknown to me. They are smaller in size and
lighter in colour than typical eggs of the Square-tailed Cuckoo,
and may be described thus : — Short oval in shape ; texture of
shell fine ; surface glossy and pure white in colour, with a few
sepia or dark brown spots about the upper quarter. Dimensions
in inches :— (i) .67 x .49, (2) .65 x .5, (3) .74 x .52.

The date on the Blue Wren's set was 29/1/00, that of the
Brown Fly-catcher 20/2/01, while no date is furnished with the
White-shafted P"antairs.

While on the subject of Cuckoos, it is of interest to record
that there are in the collection of Colonel C. S. Ryan two eggs
apparently belonging to the Black-eared Cuckoo {Mesocaliiis
palliolatiis), taken this season with sets of the Little P'ield-Wren
{Chthonicola sagittata), near Dandenong Creek, Victoria. It is
somewhat remarkable to find this interior Cuckoo wandering so
far south. But the variable seasons of late have been pushing

* Both these new faster-parents for tlie Pallid Cuckoo were first mentioned by Mr.
A. J. North in connection with Mr. Leslie M. Moore's collection. See Proc. Linn.
See. N. .S.W., June, '05, meeting.

1 98 Campbell, Oolugical Notes and New Fruit-Pigeon. ^ .,^^"\^,r\\

birds out of their usual tracks. For instance, the Ground-Wren
{Hylacola pyrrliopyoia) has this season been shot in the Dande-
nong Ranges. The specimen was exhibited at the January
meeting of the Field Naturalists' Club of Victoria by Mr. C.
French, jun.

Erismatura australis (Blue-billed Duck).

As some doubt exists as to the full complement of eggs to a
clutch* laid by this little-known Duck, Mr. J. C. FitzGerald,
Neuarpurr, Victoria, has thoughtfully sent me the following
note : — " I have a lake at the foot of my garden where Black
Duck, Teal, and Mountain-Duck rear a number of clutches
every year, their only enemies being Swamp- Hawks (Harriers),
which kill a good many of the little ones before they are old
enough to look after themselves. Musk-Duck, and occasionally
Wood-Duck, also breed here. As I do not permit any shooting
on the lake, they are all very tame.

" This year a pair of Blue-billed Ducks appeared, which
(thanks to your book) I was able to identify, not having seen
the species in this district before. The Duck laid six eggs about

2 feet above the water in the fibrous roots of an osier-willow,
and has been sitting about 10 days. She is very tame, and will
allow one to approach within a few feet before diving into the
water."

Subsequently Mr. FitzGerald wrote regretfully stating that the
clutch of the Blue-billed Duck had unfortunately been destroyed.
When the eggs were apparently within a few days of being
hatched three of them were found broken, while the other three
were in the shallow water by the nest unbroken. Mr. Fitz-
Gerald thinks the culprit was a Musk-Duck, which was observed
always hanging about the nest and annoying the Blue-bills by
pursuing them.

Ptilopus MINUTUS (Small Green Fruit-Pigeon).

Mr. Clifford Coles, taxidermist, &c., Victoria-arcade, Castle-
reagh-street, Sydney, writes : — " Referring to the new Fruit-
Pigeon mentioned in The Eviu, vol. v., p. 155, I would like to
submit a skin which appears to me like the missing male of the
bird in question. I secured it among a lot of North Queens-
land birds. I regret much to have no information respecting it
except that the person from whom I obtained it had been
collecting in the Atherton and Cairns districts for several years.
The bird was labelled 'Pigeon (male), N.O.'"

The note and male specimen kindly sent by Mr. Coles are
very opportune, coming so soon after Mr. Cornwall's female
specimen, and confirm the new species which I ventured to
provisionally name Ptilopus iiiiiii/tus in the last issue of The

* Gould, 2 to 9 or 10, " Handbook," vol. ii., p. 380 ; Campbell, 4 or 5, " Nest
and Eggs," p. 1052.

°9o6 J Campbell, OologicaL Notes and New Fruit-Pigeon. [QQ

Emu. Judging by appearance, I should say the bird submitted
by Mr. Coles has been skinned for several years — perhaps
five.

The skin may be thus described : — Male. — General colour,
bronze or metallic green ; on hind-crown an irregular-edged
patch of violet or plum colour, and some of the feathers of the
mantle centred with peacock blue; wing coverts and secondaries
edged with yellow ; primaries dark grey edged with dull or
yellowish white; tail, greenish above, greyish underneath, and
tipped with dull white. Throat grey, and feathers of the
breast tipped or hackled with French grey ; greenish feathers
of the rest of the under surface slightly tipped with yellow ;
abdominal patch, which runs into the under tail coverts,
yellowish white, some of the tail coverts being edged with
green. The thighs are feathered, and the first primary of each
wing has a terminal notch or spatule as in the third primary
of the Alexandra Parrakeet {Polytelis alexandrcB). Feet
yellowish ; bill bluish-slate, with a lighter (creamy) tip.

Dimensions in inches :— Length, 8.0; wing, 5.0; tail, 2.75;
bill, .49 ; tarsus, .7.

It will be noticed that the male differs from the female by its
slightly larger dimensions, purple hind-cap, hackled breast,
abdominal patch more defined, and by the notched first
primary.

A Psalm of Dawn.

By a. G. Campbell.

{Read before the Bird Observers' Cliib^ i^tli January., 1906.)
Away out at the base of the ranges lay a sleeping camp. It
nestled in a thick brake of scrub that clung to the track of a
small watercourse, still running. The night was clear and warm,
with hardly a breath of air to disturb the foliage or drive off the
mosquitoes, which were in hundreds. A Boobook Owl had
been heard some distance off ; the querulous cry of the Little
Nightjar had disturbed the silence ; now little was audible
save the dull gurgling of the creek as it made its tired way over
the stones. A solitary Brush Cuckoo whistled once on the
hillside. A few cicadas, as if restless in the warm air, sent forth
their strumming din into the in'ght with weird effect.

The picture, indeed, was complete of which some poet has
sung —

" The lone owl's hoot,
The waterfall's faint drip— or insect stir
Anion*,' the emerald leaves— or infant wind
Riflmg the dewy lips of sleeping flowers —
Alone disturbs the silence of the night "

Towards morning the wind and the night voices became still.

200 Campbell, A Psalm of Dawn. T^nd" April

It was Christmas Day, and all nature seemed hushed in
preparation for its welcome. The night crept quickly on, how-
ever, to a sleepless watcher, anxious to note the birds and their
order of awakening. Before long the first of the dawn was
discerned creeping in behind the stars and brightening up the
deep blue background in which they lay. Not until it was
much lighter, however, did the first bird call.

The Magpie is early, and the Jackass is earlier, but this
Christmas morning it was the little White-shafted Fantail that
was first to welcome the coming day. At 3.45 it first whistled,
and at intervals of a couple of minutes it continued. The Brush
Cuckoo, at 4 o'clock, was next. Five minutes later a party of
Jackasses burst out rowdily ; they soon awakened other families
on the adjacent hillside, and, when their laughing had died
down, like a far-away echo could be heard yet another party
near the top of the range. Then quickly followed the Blue
Wren with its merry twitter, the Yellow Robin with its
persistent piping note, and the Magpie with its well-known
carols. All these birds called and whistled away some little
time before a second chorus was begun, about 4.20, by the
White-throated Thickhead, the Shrike-Thrush, and the White-
eyes.

By 4.30 the dawn psalm was at the best. The Brush Cuckoo,
now joined by the Fan-tailed Cuckoo, gave out their sliding and
whirring notes with hardly a breathing space, and several
White-eyes by the creek kept up a continuous warbling song.
This morning song of the White-eye is different to the single
call note, and different also to the quiet Thrush-like song which
it sometimes gives forth during the heat of the day. It is the
call heard as a party of them is flying overhead. When three or
four birds keep at this persistently the effect is beautiful indeed.

Last to salute the morn was a Coachwhip, which was known
to have taken up his abode in this part of the creek, out a little
from the main fern gully, which is always looked upon as its
true home. At first he could not get the hen bird to ansv/er his
whip-like call with her two little notes (which she usually does
so quickly that it is difficult to say the notes do not all come
from one bird), so he tried again in a lower, coaxing tone, but
she was still asleep or indifferent. Then he tried again in a
high, impatient key, and when this time the answer came he was
content, and whistled again in the usual tone.

By sunrise at 4.40 all the bird music had subsided, and the
birds were busy with their morning meal.

Yet another morning of observation was spent, to see what
could be gathered in corroboration of the first notes.

The White-shafted Fantail was again easily first. There were
two pairs of these birds about the camp ; the nest of one was
discovered in a sapling just alongside our kitchen. The sitting

n

Campbell, A Psalm of Dawn. 20I

bird occasionally called from the nest, and one morning while
we were watching the nest the mate appeared and changed
shifts.

It was 3.40 this morning when the Fantail called (5 minutes
earlier than before), and the order of the other birds was some-
what different. The Cuckoos, both Brush and Fan-tailed, seemed
to have left the hillside (and the Pallid and Bronze took their
place later in the day). The Jackasses began just at 4, and
woke up most of their forest mates, for the Magpie, Wren,
Yellow Robin, Bronze-wing Pigeon, White-throated Thickhead,
and White-eared Honey -eater quickly followed. As before, the
high society of the Whip-Birds and White-eyes down in the
creek were (at 4.20) the last to make themselves heard. But
they added greatly to the effect of the morning chorus ; the
White-eyes especially, with their continuous song, filled the
whole air with music.

A difference was observed in the notes of the Yellow Robin.
One call is " Whit whit," whistled sharply. The other is a
single piping note repeated measuredly. Now, as the former
call was heard in the morning some time before the latter, it
suggests that one belongs to the male bird and the other to the
female, but this needs corroboration. The same notes of the
Yellow Robin are again heard late in the afternoon, signalling
the night, though usually between morning and afternoon they
are silent.

Above all other things in the bush, how beautiful is the birds'
psalm of dawn ! Many have written of it in far-away moods,
but there has yet to arise a naturalist who will set it to words
with a true artist's touch. Meanwhile every morning of the
year the psalm goes up in light-hearted thankfulness for another
day. Each bird, without stirring from the perch where it has
passed the night, sits and pours forth its melody for a space,
like a grace before meat. Then, when dawn has chiselled out
the features of the landscape, and there is light enough, each
sets to upon its daily round.

Domestic Wild-Cats v. Native Birds.

By A. J. Campbell, Col. Mem. B.C.I'.

(Rcaa (it Adelaide (/goj) Sc'sslo/i of the A.O.V.)

BR I SI? A NE, Thursday.— In a report to the (ireyory North Rabbit Board,
the superintendent of works, Mr. F. C. Trotnian, stated, in reference to an
inspection of portion of the fence, that he was much gratified to find so few
traces of niM//.j. This he attributed to the myriads of wild cats (domes-
ticated breed), which abound all along^ the line. These were the greatest
enemies the rabbits had. It was astonishing where the cats came from.
He believed they were very numerous on the southern boundary fence, and

202 Campbell, Domestic Wild-Cats v. Native Birds. I 2„J^"rii

if so he hoped they would ahnost rid the district of rabbits in those
localities. — Arf^us.

Substitute birds for rabbits, and you will agree with me that this
is very serious news for bird-lovers.

The cat pest, taken in conjunction with the proper protection of
native birds — one of our chief planks — is a question that will sooner
or later have to be seriously faced.

What with the recommendations and consideration of " Bird " or
" Game Laws," the compilation of an official " Check-List " of Aus-
tralian birds, &c., our hands are fairly full just now. Nevertheless,
some preliminary notice may be taken of the wild-cat pest — i.e., the
domestic cat gone wild.

These injurious animals are now practically all over Australia.
You find them on the shores prowling about sea-bird rookeries, and in
the far interior thriving in rabbit-burrows. They are even to be
found numerous upon the islands off the coast. After several
generations in the bush- wilds these animals attain an immense size,
and become so fierce that they have been known to attack human
beings. Now, such great beasts need a quantit}' of food, and of what
does that food chiefly consist ? Why, of course, native birds and
animals.

How are we to combat this evil ? ••' It is a fine day ; let us go out
and kill something." That is a Frenchman's view of the chief charac-
teristic of a Britisher. Well, if we must kill something, let us go out
and kill cats. I do not mean our hearth-rug pets, but wild domestic
cats in the bush. It would be keen sport hunting cats with rifle and
dogs — if not too rough on dogs, judging by the size and spitefulness
of some of the " Toms " I have encountered. As is done in the case
of foxes and wild dogs, let rewards be paid for cat-scalps.

This suggests the ways and means — the only reasonable course
being that of a cat-tax. A collection of, say, one shilling per annum
from owners of tame domestic cats would yield a sufficient fund to
combat and keep in check the wild-cat nuisance in the country, and
thus give our beloved birds a chance for existence.

These few hasty thoughts are offered in order to create discussion
on a subject which has been uppermost in my mine] for some years
regarding bird protection. Lhidoubtedly, if many of our highly
interesting and beautiful birds, especially ground-loving species, are
to be preserved from total extinction, we must, as a bird-lovers'
union, at no distant date face squarely a wild-cat destruction scheme.

[Since the above was read. I find that, according to The Auk
(January, 1906), an annual meeting of the National Association of
Audubon Societies was held at the American Museum of Natural
History, in New York City, on the 31st October, 1905. At the
afternoon session the principal topic of discussion was cats in relation
to bird-])rotection. At the close of the discussion the following
resolution was adopted : — " That, in the interests of humanity and
bird-protection, the National Association of Audubon Societies
endorses the movement to make the owners of cats responsible for
their acts and welfare." — A. J. C]

'^,yQ5 J Probable New Bird for Australia. 203

Probable New Bird for Australia.

Through the courtesy of Mr. H. G. Barnard, the editors of The
Emu have received loose leaflets, presumably from The
Proceedings of the Linnean Society of N.S.W. (there being no
head-lines), giving a description of a probable new and interest-
ing bird for Australia. Mr. Barnard shot the bird at Bimbi,
Dawson River district, Queensland, on the loth June last year.
When he first noticed the stranger it was running on the ground
like the Pipit {Aiithiis australis). It was the only one he had
ever seen, and his attention was attracted to it by its sharp
whistling note.

Mn Barnard, having occasion to forward a parcel of bird-skins
to the Australian Museum, Sydney, enclosed the new bird for
identification, with the result that Mr. A. J. North, ornithologist
of that institution, pronounced it to be a Motacilla or Wagtail,
an entirely new genus for Australia. The bird appears to be
closely allied to European forms (Af. borealis and M.
cinereicapilla). The Australian bird, according to Mr. North, is
an adult male, in perfect plumage ; it has a well-pronounced
white superciliary stripe, as is shown in Dr. Bowdler Sharpe's
fig. 6 of the head of M. cinereicapilla (Cat. Bds. Brit. Mus., vol.
X., pi. vii.), but the throat is yellow, not white ; the lores and
feathers below the eye are black, and a blackish wash extends
over the anterior portion of the car coverts, and the chin is
white. On the under parts it resembles fig. i on the same plate,
M. borealis, in having the throat yellow and a blackish narrow
band across the fore-neck. Total length, 6.15 inches; wing,
3.08 ; tail, 2.9 ; bill, .5 ; tarsus, .9. Owing to seasonal
changes and varying phases of plumage, considerable difference
of opinion exists among ornithologists who have made a life-
long study of the genus Motacilla, as to the validity of certain
of its species or sub-species. Should the specimen obtained by
Mr. Barnard not be an unusually plumaged visitor or straggler
from another clime, and the characters pointed out above, in
which it differs from M. cinereicapilla, prove constant, Mr.
North proposes to designate the new bird under the name of
Motacilla barnardi, a well-deserved honour for its enthusiastic
discoverer.

Stray Feathers.

Gulls Nesting InlAiND. — Silver Gulls have been nesting
this season at Ennendale, in the Western District, Victoria, and
many miles from the sea coast. The swamp is about half a
mile long by a quarter broad. The nests arc made on the
tussocks, which are rather sparsely spread over nearly the whole
of the swamp. — H. OuiNEV. Mortlake, Victoria.

204 -^^^^r Feathers. [=nd' April

Southern Range of Warbling Grass-Parrakeets. —
Surely it a rare thing to sec the little Green Parrakeets,
commonly known as " Budgerigars," in the Western District of
Victoria ! I saw to-day a flock of about 30 on the Lismore polo
ground, flying into a plantation of blue gums. — ERNEST G.
Austin. Borriyalloak, 20/1/06.

* * *

Falcons. — On the 20th February I shot a Black Falcon {F.
subnigcr) as it was endeavouring to seize and carry away a
wounded Marsh Tringa {Hcteropygia acumiuatd) from the
ground on a three-chain road that runs through Wyuna estate
about 10 miles from here. Is this Falcon common in any part
of Victoria 1 It is the first of its kind I have seen. Driving
back we saw a Little Falcon {F. lunulatiis) dart at express
speed through some dead timber, to the usual accompaniment of
small birds' twittering ; and nearer home, at Taripta, a Black-
cheeked Falcon (/^ nielanogenys) flew out of a box tree alongside
the road. Its flight was slow for a Falcon, and yet the wings
seemed to beat quickly. This is not a great place for Hawks,
and to see three kinds of Falcon in one day is for me at least a
" local record." — C. F. B. Kyabram, 4/3/06.

* * *

A Queensland Bird Sanctuary. — It may interest you
to know that since my coming here (seven years ago) the island
has been an informal sanctuary for birds ; and that this year, on
my suggestion, the Government proclaimed it, with two
neighbouring groups of islands, a perpetual reserve, shooting
being entirely prohibited. I hold the honorary office of ranger.
Fifteen islands and islets are included in the reserve, and some
of them are favourite haunts of the Torres Strait or Nutmeg-
Pigeons, which breed in immense numbers. I believe the
islands under my control are the only unmolested breeding-
places for this bird on the east coast of Australia. So far I
have identified 114 birds native of or visitors to this island, the
area of which is only 3)2 square miles, and there are several
others I have been unable to name, my works of reference being
inadequate. — E. J. Banfield. Brammo Bay, Dunk Island,

20/12/05.

* * *

Frolicsome Musk-Ducks. — The Musk-Ducks appear to
terrorize all the other Ducks on the lake. They are continually
chasing the clutches of young Black Duck and Teal, apparently
for sport, as I have never seen them kill one, but they scatter
the young flocks far and wide, and so leave them an easy prey
to the Brown Hawks before the old birds can collect them.
The Musk-Duck will dive about a chain away from the clutch
and come up in the middle of them. The old Ducks appear to

°9o6 '1 S/ray Feathers. 205

be just as alarmed as the yountr ones. Should a Musk-Duck
with her pair of young approach another with young, one has to
go, and the young are left to shift for themselves. While the chase
goes on — sometimes for a quarter of an hour — one will chase the
other at a good pace, flapping along the surface of the water. I
have never seen one rise from the water.

As showing how necessary it was to extend the close season,
I counted eight clutches in the down of Black Duck and Teal
to-day on the lake. — J. C. FitzGerald. Neuarpurr (Vict.),
29/12/05/.

" Where Swallows Build." — I noticed some time ago in
TJie Emu a query as to where Swallows built before the advent
of Europeans. A pair of Swallows built in a cave in the hills
behind Mitcham, SA. I first remember the nest in 1874 or
1875, and every year since then that I have visited the cave
there has been an occupied or recently occupied nest. The last
time I visited it was about 5 years ago, when there were young
birds in the nest. On Brown Hill Creek, also near Mitcham,
there are some cliffs about 20 or 30 feet in height where a few
pairs of Swallows built every year. When in the Mt. Gunson
district in 1900 I found a Swallow's nest containing two fresh
eggs built in the inside of a hollow gum stump ; this was about
15 miles from the nearest habitation, and the country is very
sparingly inhabited. In 1902, in the Gawler Ranges, about 45
miles west of Port Augusta, where there is a deep gorge, at the
back of Corunna H.S., there were about half a dozen Swallows'
nests on the precipitous sides of this gorge, some of them of
much greater size than usual, and all of them quite white from
the droppings of successive generations. All of these situations
seem to be natural breeding spots, and have probably been
occupied for years before the Europeans built sheds and stables
for the Swallow's accommodation.— (Dr.) A. M. MORGAN.
Adelaide, 23 '7/05.

^ '^ ^

Notes on Gymnorhina leuconota. — Some eight years
ago a neighbour of mine in the Heytesbury Forest had a tame
one-legged Magpie (the other leg having been cut off by a
rabbit trap) which he taught to whistle " Merrily danced the
Quaker's wife, merrily danced the Quaker," which she did to
perfection. But, yielding to the persuasion of some gallant of
her own species, she deserted her home and took to the bush,
where she built a nest and reared a family. She most
assiduously taught the young birds her own accomplishment,
and they all whistled " Merrily danced the Quaker's wife " more
or less perfectly. She then disappeared, but succeeding genera-
tions of Magpies have retained scraps of the old tune, and there

206 Stray Feathers. f^nf April

are many now in the forest who still conclude their beautiful
wild notes with the ascending notes which terminate the old air.
This being a very late season, I had many opportunities of
watching and listening to the young Magpies at school, while
the parent birds educated them in their own native notes and
the artificial notes of " The Quaker." Indeed, these parent
Magpies resembled some human parents in that they seemed to
take more pains to teach that which was artificial than to teach
the more natural and beautiful notes which are characteristic of
this species. — Frank MADDEN. Melbourne.
* * *

Mechanical Advantages of the Shape of Swans for

Feeding. — While watching recently some Swans — two of the

domestic White and one Black {Cheuopis at rata) — the perfect

adaptation of their shape to the method of feeding was strikingly

manifest. In shallowish water they will be frequently noticed

while thus engaged with the tail projecting vertically and

with head and neck stretched downwards to seek the weeds

growing on the bottom. It will be seen that this movement from

the horizontal is executed with wonderful ease, the whole body

swinging round a transverse axis at about the level of the legs

and through the centre of gravity. The bases of two cones then

meet at this level — one, whose apex is the head, pointing while

thus feeding directly downwards, and the other a shorter and

more compact cone, whose summit is the tail, looking upwards,

and keeping the bird with ease in its apparently awkward

position. Then, when the Swan wishes to advance a little, two

or three paddles with its webbed feet sends it on the requisite

distance. To assume again the erect position, the lower cone is

shortened and tilted forwards by raising and bending the neck,

with the result that the upper one falls backwards and the bird

floats on the surface of the water. — (Dr.) J. Burton Cleland.

Adelaide.

* * *

The Origin of the Name " Petrel." — On a recent voyage
from London to Australia, vid the Cape, I was much interested
in watching the various birds following in the wake of the ship.
Amongst these the Petrels, especially the graceful Cape Pigeon
{Daption capcnszs), claimed special attention. The movements of
this group of birds when flying against a strong head wind with
high billows were especially noteworthy. They would skim
over the summit of a wave into the trough on the other side,
and then apparently run up the opposite slope with legs half
outstretched, being protected in this situation from the force of
the wind. Thinking afterwards of the etymology of the word
*' Petrel " and its derivation from the Greek petra, a rock, I could
not at first see why, apart from other sea birds, the}' specially

^°'^^g^'-] Stray Feathers. 207

deserved the name, not being associated in any particular way
with rocks, and spendint^ their time on the face of the waters.
Then suddenly it occurred to me that the interestinc^ method of
flight I had already observed had struck the fancy of the
mariners of old as well, and that they had dedicated the bird to
St. Peter, since like him it too seemed to walk on the strong
waters. On my return to civilized parts I found, on reference to
an encyclopaedia, that my surmise was correct, and that Buffon
had likewise attributed the name to this origin. It is an
interesting point, not only as showing the accurate observation
of the old voyagers, but also as emphasizing an important and
characteristic trait, illustrating the conservation of energy, in the
birds in question. — (Dr.) J. BURTON Cleland.

* * *

Birds of Kangaroo Lslanu. — During the last week of 1897
a friend and myself paid a visit to Kangaroo Island, walking
along the north coast from Point Morison to Hog Bay. Un-
fortunately we experienced during our whole stay one of the
severest heat waves felt for some while, which materially
hindered collecting. Of the birds encountered I can only add
to Mr. A. G. Campbell's list {Enm, vol. v., No. 3) the Honey-
eater Ptilotis pcnicillata, which my notes say we met with at
Queenscliff. I secured a specimen of Acanthorhyuclius Jialma-
turina, and, noticing points of difference between it and the
Adelaide bird, showed it both at the Adelaide Museum and later
at the Australian Museum in Sydney, but nothing further came
of the inspection. Of Acanthiza Jialviaturina we obtained
specimens, and my notes say : — " A little Acanthiza inhabiting
the trees near the coast at once attracted us by its whistle, the
'swish-swish' note being varied by a low bugle-like sound which
gives the bird its vernacular name of ' Trumpeter ' — in fact, the
first time that I heard it, I thought it must be an imported
Goldfinch singing." Of Pardalotus ornatus the notes say : — " A
pair of these birds had built their nest in a most pecuHar
position, but so placed as to be out of reach and sight. During
our walks we came upon a well and trough on an exceed-
ingly hot day in the midst of dry mallee country about
5 miles from Hog Bay. In the trough an iguana lay immersed
up to his neck, apparently on the watch for the numerous small
birds which continually flew there to drink. Amongst these the
pair of Pardalotes were conspicuous, since they bore in their
beaks green grasshoppers and other insects nearly half as long
as themselves. They would fly on to the rope, hop downwards
a little, head foremost and then drop down the well, the upper
part of which was brick-lined, but the lower was unprotected
and shelved away. From the latter part, on the arrival of the
old birds, the cries of the young could be heard. We sat by

208 Stray Feathers. [JZ^X

the well some time, and the dififerences in disposition even in
wild birds were conspicuous. One with a grasshopper in his
beak would hop from twig to twig, fly to the rope, and then go
ofif again, afraid to venture while we were near. The other,
however, without the slightest dread, flew straight down and
took no notice of us, I took out my watch, and found that the
two birds fed their young four times in five minutes ; watching
them later, however, they did not keep up this rate, but an
average of once in that time would be well below the mark. If
this rate were continued for 12 hours, 144 insects would be
destroyed — but then what would be the size of the nestlings .'' " —
(Dr.) J. Burton Cleland, Adelaide,

* * *

Clarke Island (Bass Strait) Notes. — It is curious to
note how erratic birds are laying in various seasons. All those
down in the Strait this year are a month later in nesting than
their accustomed time. The Black Swan, Musk-Duck, and
other water-fowl which almost invariably lay in August, have
this year postponed laying until the middle of September, and
even later. The winter has been very wet, but that could not
affect them in any way. I discovered a Swan's nest amid
reeds on the bank of a small creek, in water knee-deep, contain-
ing several eggs. Shortly afterwards the creek's mouth broke
out, and the water receded to a lower level, leaving the nest dry.
The birds at once deserted it.

28/7/05. — The Cape Barren Geese (the exception) were up to
their usual time in laying. I visited an adjacent island, and
discovered three nests, and noted that some persons had broken
one or more eggs from them, with a view, I presume, to see if
they were fresh, but finding them hard-set had left the
remainder. I made certain the birds would desert the nests,
but on examining same a fortnight later was pleased to find
they were well tended, one of the clutches being just hatched,
I was also down at the chief breeding-places, and counted over
35 nests, with an average of four eggs in each, also numbers
being built.

15/9/05. — I visited the island again and found as many more
nests, with fledglings all over the place. I saw six in one clutch —
fine, strong little fellows, I noted nests that had been robbed a
month formerly and were all occupied. The birds will always
lay again if deprived of their first setting. They are certainly
not going back in numbers, as I have remarked nests this year
in places where I have never known them to lay before.

The Black Oyster-catcher and the Pied are much in evidence,
as is also the Pacific Gull, although late in nesting, I have seen
very few of the Caspian Tern, only finding a single nest,
although, no doubt, they have patronized the islands in the

Vol. V.

J Stray Feathers. 209

neighbouring Sound, but, unfortunately, I have had no time to
visit them. The Dottrels (Red-Capped) are fairly numerous,
but I have not found many of their eggs, as, owing to their
laying in the sand and old sea-tang, one often passes them by
without noticing, their colour, like most other birds' eggs,
assimilating with their surroundings.

8th November. — Saw two Mountain-Ducks with six fledglings.
One of the parents fled with the )'oung ones into the centre of a
lagoon, whilst the other followed me for hundreds of yards,
settling on the ground a short distance ahead of me with wings
fluttering, as one will notice many small birds do, to decoy us
from the vicinity of the nest.

28/11/05. — Discovered a Reef-Heron's nest in a cranny of rock
on a small island. It consisted of a perfectly flat nest of coarse
grass stems, on which were deposited three light blue eggs.
The young were just emerging from the eggs. The Wood-
Swallow, Whistling Shrike-Thrush, Olive Thickhead, and a lot
of the Honey-eaters are very scarce this year. The Brown
Quail are now laying, but I cannot see any of the Painted
{Ttirnix) variety, which always lay a month earlier than the
former. We have the Black Crow-Shrike in fair numbers, and
have found several nests, and the detested Ravens (from a
sheep-farmer's point of view) are always much to the fore. — J.

D. Maclaine.

* * *

Young Cuckoo Fed r.v Two Patrs of Honey-eaters.
— When in the bush on 23rd December, 1905, with my
mate, we were attracted by the familar cry — " Chirrip, chirrip,
chirrip"- — of the j-oung Pallid Cuckoo. Proceeding in the direc-
tion from whence the sound came we soon located the bird
sitting on a branch near the ground, to all appearances not
more than a day out of the nest. As we approached a pair of
Black-headed Honey-eaters appeared ; then a pair of New
Holland Honey-eaters arrived, making a great commotion, but
keeping at a distance. The Black-Caps took no heed of us
whatever, but fed the Cuckoo and flew away. Great was our
surprise when the " New- Hollands," as soon as the " Black-
Caps " left, came down and fed the Cuckoo also. Making up
our minds to see more of this we sat down and filled our pipes
just as the Black-Caps returned, and a second or two brought
the New-Hollands, the latter keeping in the background till the
Black-Caps had gone again ; then like lightning they would
pop down, feed the youngsters, and off. My mate was bent on
capturing the Cuckoo, but I would not hear of this till we had
spent half the morning watching this performance, the same
thing taking place each time. Then, armed with a green
branch, my mate swept the Cuckoo to the ground and held it

2IO ' Stray Feathers. [.nl April

there and secured it in his hand. Then came the fun, which is
hard to describe. The New-Hollands went for him like little
bull-doo[s, flying almost into his face, and tumbling about on the
ground in front of him, but the Black-Caps showed no fight and
kept in the branches above, making a plaintive cry. I forgot to
say that while the feeding performances was going on the
youngster never once ceased his " Chirrip, chirrip, chirrip," and
swallowed all the food with a greed that very nearly cost the
foster-birds their heads. There is no doubt but that the Black-
Caps were the real foster-parents, but what possessed the others
to take to the bird and feed it ?* — ARTHUR E. Brent. Austin's
Ferry, Tasmania, 8/1/06.

* * *

Cairns (N.O.) Notes. — Nutmeg-Pigeon {Myristicivora
spilorrJioa). — On 29th October I went with a party from Cairns
to the Frankland Islands, lying off the mouth of Russell River.
The Pigeons were breeding much earlier this year than last, as
some of the nests contained young almost able to fly, while
nests were everywhere, containing eggs in all stages of incuba-
tion. Last year on i6th October I visited these islands and
saw only a few nests, and they appeared to be old, while the
Pigeons nearly all left the islands soon after daybreak, when the
shooting commenced. This time most of the birds stayed on
the islands all day, and, as they were very tame, numbers were
shot. The birds do not seem particular about a site for their
nests, which were placed at heights from 2 feet upwards, and
situated in mangroves, she-oaks, scrub trees, or on " bird's-nest "
ferns. Two young Pigeons, in pin feathers, that I brought
home, took kindly to a diet of boiled rice and milk, with pieces
of banana, which they are very fond of The youngsters have
now all their feathers and are distinctly different in colouring —
one being creamy white and the other smoky white, except the
tail and flight feathers, which are black in both birds, the flight
feathers having a greyish wash. This difference may be on
account of sex ; perhaps the first moult will correct it. I believe
the old birds have patches of yellow about the abdomen ; these
young birds have not, but their under tail coverts are distinctly
rufous.

Varied Honey-eater {Ptilotis versicolor). — These pretty
Honey-eaters, whose eggs I was fortunate in discovering last
year, were fairly plentiful, considering the small size of the
island, and their loud, musical call was frequently heard. I saw
two pairs feeding their young, which were able to fly, but did
not find any nests, it being evidently too late. The eggs which

* Instances are recorded where more than one species of bird has been observed
feeding young Cuckoos. See " Nests and Eggs " (Campbell), pp. 567 and
572.

^'°|g„7-] Stray Feathers. 2 1 I

I found last year on i6th October were only about two days
from hatching.

Tooth-billed Bower-Bird {Scenopcsus dentirostris). — On 17th
September I found a playground of this bird about two hours'
walk from Hambledon Mill, and decided to spend some time,
later on, watching it, in hopes of getting some clue to the
position of the nest. So on 22nd October I seated myself near
the bower and watched the bird from 10 till 12. As his cries
seemed to be answered by another bird not far away, I then
followed the sound and found another playground about lOO
yards away, which I watched from 12 till 3. Only one bird was
at each bower, and as their antics were the same one
description will do for both. Throughout the time I watched
only one bird was at the playground, and he appeared to have
no interest in anything but his collection of leaves. He would
fly away occasionally for another leaf or some fruit, returning in
two or three minutes, when he would place the leaf in position,
upside down, have a look at the others to see if they were all
right — but at no time played with them— and then fly to a twig
about 8 feet above the leaves, and there perform ; but his
repertoire was very limited, his favourite number being the
harsh, scolding note of the Drongo {Chilna br'acteatn).
Occasionally he would imitate the Rifle- Bird and the Little
Thrush {Collyriocincla parvissiina), and he would frequently give
a short, piercing whistle, which seemed to be his natural call.
There is a mystery about these birds that will take some
explaining. How is it that throughout the three hours that I
watched him no other bird put in an appearance ? If the owner
of the playground had a mate, it seems strange that she did not
show herself. If his performance is to attract a mate, he is
certainly a most persevering but unfortunate suitor, as he has
been hard at it for two months to my knowlege, and the birds
are not scarce in the scrub about there, as I have seen them
several times. Perhaps liis mate was sitting, or he may have
been a confirmed old bachelor collecting leaves for a hobby. —
A. F. Smith. Hambledon, Cairns, 22nd November, 1905.

Forgotten Feathers.
By James R. McCi.vmont, M.A., Hobart.
Australian Birds in the "Journal wegens een

VOYAGIE NA IIET ONBEKENDE ZUID-LAND."*— In 1696 the
Governors of the Amalgamated Chartered Company, trading to
the Dutch East Indies, decreed that an expedition should be
despatched to search for missing vessels, especially for the

* Extracts from the "Journal " are given in The Emu, vol. iv., pp. 22, 23.

212 McClymont, Forgotten Feathers. r2nd'A"ril

RidderscJiap van Hollandt, of which no news had been received
for the space of two years. The Amsterdam Board of Directors
was charged with the execution of this decree, and equipped
three vessels for the expedition. Willem de Vlaming was placed
in command of the squadron, and was instructed to visit the
Tristan da Cunha Islands, the Cape of Good Hope, and St.
Paul's and Amsterdam Islands. Thence he was to proceed to
the unknown south land, by which phrase, or by the name the
Land of the Eendragt, Australia was designated in Dutch
official despatches in the seventeenth century.

On the 29th of December, 1696, the vessels lay at anchor
between Rottnest Island and the mainland. The island was
searched for traces of shipwrecks, with but little success. A
piece of timber was found which might have been a portion of
the deck of a vessel ; another piece measured 3 feet long and
one span broad. The nails in the wood were much corroded.
The search for shipwrecked mariners was equally unsuccessful
on the coast of the mainland adjacent to Rottnest Island, but
there were found several novelties which might have been
turned to good account had their utility been better recognized,
or had they fallen into the hands of inventive possessors. On
the 30th and 31st of December, 1696, and on the 2nd of January,
1697, De Vlaming records in his "Journal" the finding of
odoriferous wood, portions of which were subsequently sub-
mitted to the Council of the Dutch East Indies at Batavia ;
from these an oil was obtained by distillation. And on the 13th
of January a dark red resin, which is said to resemble lac,
was observed exuding from certain trees. But that which most
awakened interest was a vara avis — the Black Swan. Many of
these handsome birds were seen on Swan River; on the iith
of January, we read in the "Journal" (the title of which is
cited above) that nine or ten Swans were killed or captured.
Three were carried to Batavia alive, but died soon after their
arrival.*

Several boat expeditions ascended Swan River whilst the
vessels were anchored between Rottnest Island and the main-
land. During one of these outings the song of the " Nachtegael "
was heard. The bird to which our author refers is probably the
Nightingale, although it is quite within the range of possibility
that the Wood-Lark is signified by this word, and one description
of it as a bird which warbles almost all night long in the spring
months befits the Sedge-Warbler better than perhaps any other
bird. Nocturnal bird-songsters are uncommon in all parts of
the world, and memory reverts to Gilbert's description of the

* Letter of ihe Governor-General and Councillors to the Managers of the East
India Company at the Amsterdam Chamber, " The Part borne by the Dutch in the
Discovery of Australia," by J. E. Heeres, p. 84. Willem van Oudhoorn was in
office as Governor-General of the Dutch East Indies in 1697.

Vol. V.
1906

J McClymont, Forgotten Feathers. 2 1

song- of the Long-billed Reed-Warbler, a nearly allied Aus-
tralian representative of the Sedge-Warblcr, which is abundant
in the reed-beds of Swan River* It is in all probability the
bird whose song" was heard by the explorers. Two birds were
seen on the river which it is difficult to recognize, owing to the
archaic names by which they are designated. In an augmented
edition of the Dictionary of Kilianus, published in 1642, the
" Kropgans " is said to resemble a Swan. The Latin equivalent
is " Onocrotalus," but what bird Latin authors called by that
name is very doubtful. Although " Kropgans" is often rendered
" Pelican," I am of opinion that the above-quoted definition
indicates the Gannet rather than the Pelican. " Rotgans " is
also a puzzling word. It is the name of the Anser minor of
authors of olden times, and is so called in order to distinguish it
from Anser citiercus or major — " Graeuwgans " in the Dutch
vernacular. The former bird is, I believe, the Anser albifroiis,
the latter the Anser anser of modern authors. There is little
room to doubt that the " Rotgans " of the diarist is the Cape
Barren Goose, although the fact that in our days the Cape
Barren Goose does not frequent continental rivers precludes a
satisfactory identification. Other birds which were seen at this
stage of the journey, and which are merely named in the
" Journal" of the voyage, are Divers (by which we must under-
stand Cormorants), Cockatoos, and Parrakeets. All the birds
which were seen were shy, and flew away at the approach of
the voyagers. Little Cormorants, White-tailed Black Cocka-
toos, and Yellow-collared Parrakeets were with little doubt
amongst the number. No human beings were encountered,
although the smoke of fires was seen.

On the 15th of January De Vlaming followed the coast
northwards until latitude 30" 17' S. was reached, which is that
of Jurien Bay. Two boats were sent on shore, and soundings
taken. The country near the landing-place is described as
being sandy and treeless, and neither human beings nor fresh
water could be found.

It has been mentioned in the pages of this magazine that the
word " Emu " is derived from the Portuguese " Ema," possibly,
we may add, indirectly and through French. "Ema "appears
to have been originally a name of the Crane, afterwards of the
Ostrich, and finally of various other Struthious birds, such as
the Cassowary of Ceram and the Rhea of the Brazilian and
Patagonian sub-regions. " Cassowary " is said to be a Malay
word ; it was adopted by the Dutch in the form " Kasuaris," to
designate the Cassowaries of Ceram and New Guinea. Both this
word and the word " Emu " appear to have been bestowed upon
the Dronueiis of ornithologists at an early date in the history of

* Guuld, " Handbook to tlic Hiicis of Australia," vol. i., p. 403.

2 14 McClymont, Forgotten Feathers. r2nd''\"ril

New South Wales. Cassowaries, we learn from the " Journal,"
were seen on the date mentioned above. These were
almost certainly Emus, for the country described by the
writer is not of the kind affected by the Cassowary, nor has
that bird been discovered in the western coastal districts of
Australia.

On the 30th day of January, 1697, latitude 26° 8' S. was
observed, which is approximately that of False Entrance. On
the 1st of February the pilot of the Geelvink left the ships in
one of the Geelvink' s boats in order to ascertain the position of
Dirk Hartog's Reede, and the captains of two of the vessels
made an excursion inland for the distance of six or seven Dutch
miles, from which they returned on the following day, bringing
the head of a large bird and the report that they had seen two
huge nests built of branches — probably Eagles' aeries ? The
pilot returned to the ships on the 3rd of February, and reported
that he had passed through the channel now named South
Passage, and had followed the coast of Dirk Hartog's Island to
its northern extremity. There on an acclivity a tin plate was
found lying on the ground, having certain words traced upon it,
whereof the purport ran that the ship Eendragt, of Amsterdam,
Dirck Hartoog master, had arrived there on the 25th day of
October, 1616, and had departed for Bantam on the 27th day of
the same month. The pilot brought the dish with him and also
brought two turtles which had been caught on the island. The
squadron anchored in Dirk Hartog's Reede on the 4th of
February, and remained there until the 12th day of that month.
The anonymous diarist relates that on the 6th of February many
turtle were seen, and also a very large nest at the corner of a
large rock, made in the fashion of the nest of a Stork. Our
author does not say to which Stork he refers ; but it may be
presumed that it is the White Stork {Ciconia alba), which,
although it places its nest on a building or in a tree, may have
nested, and most probably, like its congener the Black Stork,
did formerly nest, on ledges of rock. In Australia the Black-
necked Stork builds its nest in large trees growing in or near
swamps ;* possibly, like the Black Stork, it also selects rocky
nesting-sites, "f

De Vlaming took leave of the Australian coast at 21" S. lat.,
and proceeded to Batavia, where he arrived on the 20th of
March ; he had failed to accomplish the object for which the
expedition had been resolved upon, but had added considerably
to the company's acquaintance with the hydrography pertaining
to the route which their ships followed between the Cape of
Good Hope and Batavia.

* A. J. Campbell, " Nests and Eggs of Australian Birds," p. 969.
t Perhaps the nest of the Osprey. — Eds.

1906 J rroin Magazines, &c. 215

From Magazines, &c.

A Parrakeet Hybrid.— In The Avkultural Magazine for
September W. R., Fasey describes the rearing of three hybrids
from a male Crimson Parrakeet {Platycercus pennajitii) and a
female Yellow-naped Parrakeet {? Barnardius zojiuj-ius).

ZosTEROPS Nesting in Captivity.— The same magazine
(above quoted) contains an account of the nesting of a species
of Zosterops in captivity in England, probably Z. cajndescens.
Eggs were laid, but something killed the birds before they got a
chance to hatch.

Over the Blacks' Spur. — In TJie Victorian Naturalist
(February, 1906) Mrs. A. U. Hardy {nee Miss A. F. M'Haffie)
records a list of 46 species of birds identified by her during a
trip undertaken last September with her husband.

King Parrot {Aprosmictus cyanopygius). — This species has
been bred in England by Mr. A. J. Salter, who gives an account
of his success in The Avicidtiiral Magazine for November. The
birds paired in 1894. Five eggs were laid, on the ground in an
outdoor aviary. The two eggs that hatched were sat on for 26
days. One young bird died at three weeks, the other lived.

* * *

" Genera Avium." — To hand are parts i.-v. of this work,
dealing with one family of Passeres {Eurylceniidce), one of
Picariae {Todidce), and three of Psittaci {Stringopidce, Nestoridcs,
and CacatuidcE). The text relating to the latter is by Count
Salvadori, whose specialty is the order Psittaci. The two
coloured plates illustrating the differences in the genera of
Cockatoos are excellent.

* * *

GOULDIAN Finches.— Dr. A. G. Butler says, in The
Avicnltnral Magazine for November, that recent evidence is
favourable to the view that the Red-headed phase of the
Gouldian Finch is a mutation from the Black-headed race, and
is on the increase, owing to the preference shown by the hens of
both types for the Red-headed males, and that eventually the
Black-headed race will become extinct. Black-headed parents
have produced young with red heads.

* * *

Red-headed and Black-headed Gouldian Finches. —
In past years I have had numbers of both species ; and with me
they (especially the males) have lived for long periods, but each
bird, Red or Black, male or female, has invariably moulted true

2l6 From Magazines, &c. [and' April

to colour — a Black has never moulted into a Red. — REGINALD
Phillips {Avicultural Magarjine, December, 1905). [This note
should be read in conjunction with Dr. Butler's given above. — -

Eds. Emu\

* * *

Journal of the South African Ornithologists'
Union. — This journal has reached its second number, and
contains some important articles on African ornis. A special
feature is three very fine half-tone photo, illustrations of birds
snapped in the open, with natural surroundings, viz.: — The
Stanley Crane {AntJiropoides paradisea), the Grass-Owl {Strix
capensis), and the Knysna Plantain-eater {Turacus corythaix),

with its nest and eggs.

* * *

Musk-Lorikeet. — This bird appears to be sometimes
known abroad as Keith's Parrakeet. Capt. G. A. Perreau
writes to Tlie AiJicultural Magazine ixom. Bakloh, Punjab, India,
describing the habits in captivity of four which he possesses.
Musk- Lorikeets are not often regarded as cage birds in Aus-
tralia, probably owing to the difficulties of feeding, but Mr. F. P.
Godfrey successfully reared a young bird from the nest in 1904,
and found it made a splendid pet. Captain Perreau says his
birds ate canary seed ravenously, which seems curious in a
Lorikeet.

Movements of Robins. — Mr. Donald Macdonald, in his in-
structive and pleasantly written " Nature Notes," in The Argus
of 26/1/06, in referring to the Flame-breasted Robins migrating
from the mainland to Tasmania, quotes a correspondent (" C.
H.") who states : — " I have seen them repeatedly when travelling
over to Tasmania in the months of September and the beginning
of October. They were going to or migrating to Tasmania, and
they return in the autumn. I have seen dozens of them in
one trip going over, and when no land was in sight."

Sub-genera. — Dr. Ernst Hartert writes to The Auk for
January protesting against the use of sub-generic names, and
suggests that if a number of species is to be grouped into various
sections (having a less than generic value) this is best done by
using nameless headings, such as " Blue Tits," " Grey Tits," &c.,
or " A," " B," " C." Dr. Hartert also says : — " I do not deny my
very strong tendency to combine allied forms as sub-species."
Dr. J. A. Allen replies to Dr. Hartert in the same issue, upholding
the use of sub-genera as serving in the case of a large genus to
indicate degrees of relationship.

Vol. V.
1906

J From Magazines, &c. 21 J

National Bird Protfxtion. — In a note to The Auk
(January, 1906), Mr. Otto Widmann urges the taking over by
the central government from the States of bird protection. His
reasons are that State legislatures make grave mistakes in
framing their bird laws, owing to lack of ornithological
knowledge, that State Game Wardens and police cannot always
be relied on to carry out the laws, and that migratory birds
travel through various States, and so belong to no one State in
particular. Probably the obstacle in the way is the limits of the
Constitution, and the same would be likely to be met with in
Australia.

Bird Protection in America. — The November-December
number of Bird-Lore gives evidence of the increasing amount of
protection that is being afforded in America to native birds,
especially to such as breed in colonies. There is plenty of
opposition from insatiable " sportsmen " and those interested in
the marketing of game birds and the plume trade to the work
the Audubon Societies are doing, but it goes on just the same.
Intelligent organization is the key-note. Here in Australia we
have not half the number of difficulties to contend against that
the Americans have ; there are few vested interests here to be
fought, and the general public is in favour of saving the birds.
Could not the various ornithological societies and clubs in the
Australian States make it their business to see that the colonies
of breeding birds in their respective localities receive full
protection, either by being set apart as reserves under the State
game laws or the strict enforcement of the existing law where
that would be sufficient ?

* * *

Yellow Robins as Snake Finders. — Where the bush is
located near to a residence, the domestic cat, a monitor, blue-
tongue, or Jew lizards will cause the birds to give forth their
alarm notes, but if persons frequenting the bush lands, near to
Sydney especially — in fact, all over the county of Cumberland
— would make acquaintance of the native bird known as the
Yellow Robin {Eopsaltria anstralis), then, when these snake
finders (the Yellow Robin) of Australia give forth their incessant
notes of warning, a snake or snakes arc somewhere under
wherever these birds may be in the tree or scrub. Snake-
catchers owe more to this particular bird than any other in
securing snakes for trade purposes. Up country, where the
Yellow Robin does not exist, the Soldier (Miner), Magpie,
Bower-, Butcher-, and other native birds perform exactly the
same office for man, if he will take it as a warning, as the
Yellow Robin does for the men or women of the city or suburbs.
— J. S. Bray {Daily Telegraph, Sydney, 26/1/06).

2l8 Prom Magazines, &c. [ 2nf April

New Zealand Birds. — The record by Mr. W. K. Ogilvie-
Grant of the birds obtained by Lord Ranfurly on two trips to
the islands south of New Zealand makes interesting reading in
The Ibis for October. Seven species of Penguins, twenty-three
of Petrels and Albatrosses, and fifteen of Cormorants are
enumerated. Six specimens of the rare Southern Merganser
{M. australis) were taken on the Auckland Islands. The
White-eye {Zost crops ccerulescens) was found on most of the
islands. Some birds from the mainland of New Zealand are
described in the same paper, among them a Hudsonian Godwit
{Liiiiosa Jiudsonicd), which the late Capt. Hutton forwarded to
the British Museum, at Lord Ranfurly's request. It was shot at
Lake Ellesmere, Canterbury, on the 4th of March, 1902, and is
stated to be the first example of this species recorded from New
Zealand, its range being restricted to the New World, where it
extends from Arctic America to the Falkland Islands. There
are also incorporated in the paper some excellent field notes by
Mr. R. Henry (of Resolution Island) on the Roa {Apteryx
australis), Weka {Ocydromus australis), Quail-tlawk {Harpa
novcE-sealandics), Kaka {Nestor meridionalis), Kakapo {Stringops
habroptilus), and South Island Tit {Petra:ca niacrocepJiala).

In the annual report of the horticultural and viticultural expert
{Journal of Agriculture, W.A., vol. xii., part vi., December, '05,
p. 544) some mention is made of fruit-eating birds. It is recorded
that during the past year they did little or no damage. The author
says : — " As a matter of fact, we have few fruit-eating birds in
Western Australia, and, apart from Silver-eyes, ' Greenies,'
Wattle-Birds, and Spiny-cheeked Honey-eaters, which only appear
in any number amongst the fruit crop every few years, we are
singularly free from such frugivorous birds as Parrots, Parrakeets,
Minahs, Leatherheads, and those introduced pests the Sparrow
and the Starling, which levy an ever-increasing tax on the orchards
and vineyards of the eastern States." The report goes on to say : —
" Concurrently with the notable absence of the Silver- eyes and
' Greenies,' the woolly-aphis pest has been more in evidence than it
has for years past. A systematic examination of the crops of fruit-
eating birds right through the seasons of the year, conducted on
species killed in as many districts as can be arranged, would throw
some light on the quality and the source of supply of the food of
these birds. A better understanding of their dietary would enable
us to understand how far we can go in encouraging the destruction
of these birds before the balance of nature is seriously disturbed."
* * *

Nesting of Australian Finches in England. — In The
Avicidtural Magazine for December Mrs. Howard Williams
records the breeding of the White-breasted or Pectoral Finch
{Muniapectoralis) in her aviaries. A brood of seven was hatched in

^°go5^-J Prom Magazines, &c. 2I9

September. Unfortunately the mother and one of the youngsters
subsequently died, but the rest of the family continued to ilourish.
The young are described as " dressed in shades of brown, with
light under parts; the two youngest being rather Sparrow-like in
colour. Of the rest, one shows rather dark ear patches, another
faint signs of them, and the upper part of the breast is dark,
but not one has a trace of the pretty mottled breast of the adult
bird, or the pinkish tint of the under parts." The eggs were
laid in a rush basket, placed somewhat high in the aviary. In
the January issue of the same magazine Mr. W. E. Teschemaker
furnishes an interesting note on the nesting of the rare Yellow-
rumped Finch {^Munia flaviprynuia). Mr. Teschemaker describes
the female, which is tiie smaller bird, as much darker and more
streaky on the back of the head, whilst the male has the upper
part of the breast a much brighter, warmer buff than the lower
part, the hen having a uniform shade over the whole of her
breast. A nest, elliptical in shape, was constructed in a box
shrub, about 4 feet from the ground, and was exceedingly well
compacted of long stems of freshly pulled grass, not being lined
in any way. Eventually four eggs, pure white in colour and
sharply pointed at one end, were laid, of which three were
hatched. As the eggs of this Finch have not yet been
technically described, Mr. Teschemaker sent other examples to
the British Museum. In both Mrs. Howard Williams's and Mr.
Seth-Smith's aviaries the same season, several nests of the
Yellow-rumped Finch were built and eggs laid ; in the latter
aviary young were hatched, though not reared. It was observed
that the Yellow-rumped Finch resembles its cousin, the Chestnut-
breasted, in song, love-dance, and call note.

Birds of Philippine Islands. — In the publications of the
Bureau of Government Laboratories, Manila, Mr. Richard C.
M'Gregor, Natural History Collector of the Bureau, has pub-
lished an important contribution on (i) " lairds from Mindoro
and Small Adjacent Islands " and (2) " Notes on Three Rare
Luzon Birds." In the former article are recorded over 100
species of birds observed or collected by the author and his
party along the Baco River, in the northern part of Mindoro,
during March, April, and May, 1905. The first collecting station
was a short distance from the coast, locally known as Chicago.
Although two specimens of a new Swift {Cluetunx) and a
specimen of the beautiful little Bronze-Cuckoo {Clialcococcyx
xanthorhyncJius) were secured, Chicago was not satisfactory for
collecting purposes, therefore a move was made well up the
river to Balete. Here a camp was made — in fact, a house was
built — -in the virgin forest, as near as possible to the base of
Mount llalcon. This locality proved more satisfactory than the

2 20 Prom Magazines, &c. [and^ApHl

coastal station, as the forest was extensive, fairly free from
underscrub, and traversed by numerous tracks. A good series
of birds peculiar to Mindoro were obtained, several species being
added to the known avifauna of the island, including a Cater-
pillar-eater {Edo/iisouia) hitherto undescribed. Mr. M'Gregor
intended to make a third camp on the mountain, but he could
not obtain enough of the wild hill people, known as the
Mangyanes, to carry even a third part of the camp paraphernalia.
Photographs are given of the two camps, amid vegetation
suggestive of tropical Queensland, besides numerous illustrations
of birds and nests, including the nesting site of the Little
Mangrove-Bittern and the nest and young of the White- rumped
Wood-Swallow, both well-known Australian species. Three
nests of the Mangrove-Bittern were found — two each containing
a pair of young, the third a single bluish egg. The nests con-
sisted of very small bunches of twigs placed on roots of fallen
trees in midstream. Several nests of the Wood-Swallow
examined also contained young, but two were found with each a
full complement of four eggs. The nest was always placed on
the end of a snag or butt of a fallen tree in the river.

With true American enterprise, the Government are exploring
the avifauna of the Philippines. Surely this is an example to
Australian Governments. How rarely is an Australian natural
history collecting expedition subsidized except by private (often
foreign) enterprise ' If our Governments do not rise to their
responsibilities in exploring vast regions — notably the great
North-West — of unknown Commonwealth territory, will not
some public-spirited citizen embrace the opportunity, and
thereby enrich the knowledge of the world, and at the same
time send his name down to posterity for ever?

The Regent-Bird. — In T/ie Aviadticral Magazine for
December, and continued in the two following issues, Mr.
Reginald Phillips contributes a most interesting and valuable
article on Regent-Birds {Sericnlus nieliiins) which he has kept in
his aviaries, where he was successful in getting them to breed.

Mr. Phillips finds much character in the Regent-Bird, its ways
and habits being of exceptional interest, whilst its movements
are quaint and curious, and its manner of courting fantastic to
a degree. " A healthy Regent in a roomy place must play the
fool, and if it has not a fellow to play the fool with, it will play
the fool with some other bird, with a stone, a projecting stick,
anything. It is never so happy as when making itself
ridiculous." The Regent-Bird is evidently not a cage-bird, but
must be kept in a natural garden aviary, and as its native
habitat is the tropics and sub-tropics, it must not be over-
exposed to cold. Care is also needed with its food, or the bird

°go6 j From Magazines, &c. 22 1

is subject to fits. The old birds should be fed chiefly on fruit
and vegetables.

How long does it take the male Regent to don its full
plumage of glorious yellow and velvety black ? On this point
Mr. Phillips records some interesting particulars. But as the
observ^ations were made in a country where the climate is
comparatively dark and cold, and where the bird's seasons are
reversed, the periods of time might have varied had the same birds
been under observation in Australia. Going into details of the
process of colouration as regards his mature males, Mr. Phillips
states : — " My present bird, when received on the 4th August,
1899, had just a little yellow on the wings. During the moult of
that autumn he put on a trifle more yellow but no black. In
July, 1900, he commenced growing a few yellow and black flights,
and during the autumn his bill became yellower and the head
assumed a faint wash of the same colour. Judging by my
earlier specimens, and this bird and others I have seen, I think
that the Regent either takes a longer period to come into full
colour than Mr. Campbell supposes,* or else that the due
development of the colour is greatly retarded by the coldness
of our climate or the adverse influences of a life in captivity.
This bird completed the adult plumage in October, 1901. But
what was his age when he reached my hands .'' Judging by
other examples, he could hardly have been less than rising two,
otherwise he must have been hatched, say, in January, 1899,
and have commenced to put on colour when some seven months
old. So far as I have been able to observe, this could not have
been the case, for males in 'female' plumage — unless I am
greatly mistaken — have reached this countr)' which vi//si have
been hatched a full twelvemonth previously.

" Let us trace another specimen. In January, 1903, I received
an immature but well-advanced male — so advanced in plumage
that at the least he must have been a year older than the old
male was at the time he came into my hands. He could not have
been /ess than two years old. In the autumn of that year he
became more yellow, but not much more. He was in perfect
health all through the moult, the fit previously referred to not
occurring until 23rd October. A year later he became more
black and a little more yellow, but was far from being in the full
plumage of the adult when he died on 5th November, 1904. I
then found, according to my notes made at the time, that the
tail ' seemed new and perfect, but was not black.' The flights
had all been more or less renewed : and it is most improbable
that the old 1903 tail, which had borne the brunt of the fit,
could have remained perfect, and that not a single feather had
been renewed or even cast during the moult. The 1904 tail

* "The youthful male resembles (he female. The second year the bill is yellowish,
the third or fourth year the plumage is complete." — " Nests and Eggs," p. 209.

2 22 From Magazines, &c. [and^ April

then being brown, the bird, if he had Hved, would not have come
into colour until this autumn, unless twelve months of doubtful
health hindered the proper development of colour. In the latter
case one might have supposed that at any rate some of the tail
feathers would have shown signs of black. I think it will be
moderately safe to say that in this country the male Regent
does not obtain full feather until he is about four years old, or
possibly not until he is rising five."

The ordinary bowers of Regent-Birds, which have been
described and photographed, are for the purpose of the males
"showing off" before the females. Mr. Phillips informs us that
the females construct different bovvers, a trait in the character of
this remarkable species that has apparently escaped the notice
of field observers in Australia. " These love parlours, each one
built by a female for her sole use, rather in the open and not far
apart, and each most jealously guarded by its fair owner, were of
the shape of a horseshoe magnet but with the sides equidistant
throughout their entire length, open only at one end, and inside
of about the same length and breadth as the bird, the top of the
barricade being about on a level with the back of the squatting
female, the sticks, woven together, being laid flat, none upright.
The female would enter and squat in her love- parlour, the tail
remaining towards the entrance, whilst a male, with every
imaginable and unimaginable contortion, accompanied by a
continuous discharge of (vocal) firearms, would make rushes and
furious (feigned) assaults on the front of the breastwork, the
female sitting in a lump and not moving a muscle. Every now
and again, however, the male would slyly work round to the rear
and tweak the tip of the female's tail. This advance, at any time
perhaps but the very early morning, or at any rate while I was
looking on, was not considered correct, and the female would
slowly turn her head with what we will suppose was an icy look
of grave disapproval. The second female, as I may call her (in
the autumn of 1904), was the most energetic, and her fortress
became a really formidable structure, the parapet being raised
pari passu with the additions to the platform."

Mr. Phillips's crowning success was in getting his Regents to
breed. The exact dates on which the females commenced to sit
could not be ascertained, but the period of incubation is pro-
visionally stated as 19-20 days. The female hatched the young
and undertook the entire work of providing food for them — one
reason, perhaps, why she is, as a rule, larger and more powerful
than the male, while the evidence of the aviary points to the
male being a polygamist, At first he mounted guard close to
the nest of the sitting female, but before long he took up
entirely with a second mate. The first female hatched two
young, one of which was reared, but the second appeared to
have unfortunately succumbed to climatic conditions.

""f^J-] Revtezv. 223

Review.

" CATALOGUE OF BIRDS' EGGS," VOL. IV.

This volume — tKe combined labours of Capt. Savilc G. Reid
and Messrs. Eugene W. Oates and W. R. Ogilvie-Grant —
contains descriptions of 620 species, the number of eggs
catalogued being no less than 14,917. The families dealt with
are from the Timeliida^ to the Certhiid.x according to the
" Hand-List of Birds" by Dr. Bowdler Sharpe.

Australians will be gratified to find that so many of their
vernacular birds' names have been employed in the "Catalogue"
— such names, for instance, as Bush-Chat, Log-runner, Ground-
Bird, &c., but it will be difficult for them to call the familiar
Magpie-Lark a " Magpie-Shrike." The work is illustrated with
14 most excellent plates of eggs coloured to nature by the
artistic skill of Mr. H. Gronvold and Messrs. Pawson and
Brailsford. In the plates the following eggs are figured for
the first time, namely : — Cindosoma castanonotiim, AcantJiiza
inornata, AcantJiiza npicalis, Malurus splendens, Artavtiis Jiypo-
leiccits, Cracticus lencopteriis, and Falatnculus leucogaster. If the
locality (Gippsland) be correct, it is doubtful if the figure 17 on
plate iii. is referable to Hylacola cant a. It may be H. pyrrhopygia,
if it is really not a Calavianthus. As far as all the Australian
species are concerned there are only two other slight slips
noticeable. Under the Oreocichla luniilata, the two eggs
collected by Mr. E. D. Atkinson probably refer to the
Tasmanian variety, O. macrorJiyncJia ; and, under Malurus
lamberti, the specimen credited to Mr. White, from South
Australia, evidently refers to M. assiniilis (North).

Australian oologists will no doubt be pleased that the authors
of the " Catalogue " recognize the Lesser Rufous-breasted
Shrike-Thrush as a good species, which is now designated
Pinarolestes gouldi instead of P. parvissinia.

Correspondence.

DO OTHER BIRDS BESIDE THE DICKUM DISTRIBUTE
MISTLETOES ?
To the Editors of " The Emu."
Sirs,— i?^ Mr. A. G. Campbell's article on the birds of Kangaroo
Island in the last number of The Emu, and the reference to the
absence of the Dicceuvi and of mistletoes {Loranthi) from there
and Tasmania, the following note made by Mr. J. H. Maiden to
the Linna^an Soc. of N.S.W., on 28th September, 1904, may be of
interest to him. It reads :— " The late Professor Ralph Tate
makes the statement {Proc. Aust. Assoc. Adv. Sci., vol. vii., p.
556), that 'both bird (Mi.stletoe-Bird, Dtccsum) and mistletoes

2 24 Correspondence. [^nf April

are absent from the large adjacent islands of Tasmania and
Kangaroo Island.' For some time past I have been making
inquiries on the subject, through the kindness of Mr. Walter Gill,
Conservator of Forests, Adelaide. In June, 1903, he reported
that a Mr. Wells had seen mistletoe growing on gums
(eucalypts) at Duck Lagoon, Cygnet River, 12 miles from
Oueenscliffe, Kangaroo Island, but no specimens were available.
Since then specimens have been received from Mounted-
Constable Thorpe, who obtained them from White Lagoon.
They show the mistletoe (? LorantJius pendulus, Sieb., var.
parvifloriis) in leaf only, in situ on Melaleuca, sp. It remains to
test further the truth of the dictum as regards Tasmania."

This must mean either that the Diamini does or did occur on
the island, or else that other birds can play a part in disseminat-
ing the fruits. In TJie Trans, of the Roy. Soc. of S. Australia,
vol. xxvii., part 2, p. 253, Mr. C. F. Johncock, in a short article
on LorantJius cxocarpi, favours the latter view. He considers
AcantJiocJicera caruuculata, Zoster ops avrulescens, Graucalus
vielanops, and perhaps Acanthlzcu, which nest in the mistletoes,
as undoubted agents. In the first-named of these he found
seeds in the digestive apparatus. — I am, &c.,

J. BURTON CLELAND.
Parkside, Adelaide, 4th February, 1906.

THE BIRDS OF KANGAROO ISLAND.
To the Editors of " The Eniu."

Dear Sirs, — In the report on the Birds of Kangaroo Island, in
the last issue of The Emu, and which I take to be the Union's
official list of birds observed there, I see Eopsaltria, sp., recorded
on the evidence of a whistle alone. Eopsaltria giilaris occurs on
Eyre's Peninsula, some hundred and fifty miles west of Kangaroo
Island, but its note does not resemble that of Eopsaltria australis,
which is not found on the eastern side nearer than the Victorian
border.

Glossopsittacus pusilhis is recorded as observed but not
collected. G. porpJiryocephalus is known to occur on Kangaroo
Island, and is a common bird in the southern portion of South
Australia, whereas G. pusilhis is not common anywhere in South
Australia, and the two species are scarcely distinguishable when
feeding in the gum trees.

Platycercus eximius is noted as having been observed towards
Cape Borda. This bird is not known to occur anywhere west of
Kangaroo Island, and on the east side not nearer than the
Victorian border. Taking these facts into consideration, I think
that these three names should be expunged from the official
list

^"^igoJ'] Correspondence. 22 5

While on the subject of the official list, I venture to enter my
protest against the haphazard description of new species on what
seem to me very slender grounds — slight differences in
measurement and shades of plumage. I do not think this should
be done without the examination of a large series of specimens,
both of island and mainland birds. Zosterops Jiabnaturiiia, in
particular, should be very carefully inquired into. This bird is
well known to vary considerably in plumage, and is also a very
strong flyer — witness its spontaneous appearance in New Zealand.
I have myself on more than one occasion seen flocks of these
birds several miles from land, and a seafaring friend told me
some years ago that a flock settled in the rigging of his ship
when about i,ooo miles from land. It is hardly to be supposed
that such a bird would have any difficulty in crossing Backstairs
Passage — about five miles. Moreover, the Zosterops on Eyre's
Peninsula is Z. avridescens. AcantJiiza hnlmatJirina has already
been examined by Mr. North, and the name A. .szV/-:;/ suggested,
in honour of Mr. R. Zietz, v/ho sent him the specimens. He has
not yet, I believe, ventured to describe it as a new species without
further evidence. As regards the other new species, I may state
that the S.A. ornithologists have been familiar for years past
with the Kangaroo Island forms, and have had opportunities of
comparing them with the mainland birds, and it has not hitherto
occurred to them that they required separation. — I am, &c.,

A. M. MORGAN.
Adelaide, 23rd February.

PRINCIPLES OF MIGRATION.

To the Editors of " TJie Emu!'

Sirs, — In looking over Mr. Mattingley's interesting paper on
" The Principles Governing .... Migration in Birds," I
was astonished to read the following sentence, penned in all
seriousness — "The date of migration varying according to the
climatic condition of the season " {Emu, vol. v., p. 147). Now,
not alone do common-sense and the " reason " of which our
author writes so glibly, but hard fact, incontestably prove the
inaccuracy of the above statement. I do not claim to be a
" full-fledged " ornithologist, nor for the matter of that docs Mr.
Mattingley, so far as I am aware, and we therefore meet upon
tolerably common ground, but I do claim to have kept the
records of Irish migratory birds for more than fifteen years, and
to have closely studied the problems of their vernal migration.
During eight of those years I resided cither wholly or during
the springtime in Dublin, and it was my daily habit to stroll
for an hour before breakfast, inalf^rc the weather, along the
banks of the Dodder between Ballsbridge and classic Donny-

2 26 Correspondence f ,^

Emu
d April

brook. From the 25th of March I began to keep careful watch
for the Sand-Martin {Cotile riparid), the most dehcate of our
three Irish HirundinidcE, yet ever the first to arrive ; I never
knew this frail little wanderer to fail in putting in an appearance
between the date mentioned and the end of the month. There
I would surely find them seeking their insect prey even in the
midst of driving sleet and a bitter easterly wind. Same
with our Swallow {Hirundo rusticd), only a week later. Same
with the delicate Willow- Wren {Phjlloscoptis trocJnbts) and the
still more fragile Chiffchaff {P. riifus), only a full month later.
Climatic conditions have nothing whatever to do with migration.
Will Mr. Mattingley kindly explain how a bird bred last year in
Dublin, having wintered in Egypt, when the " homing instinct "
comes to it, can possibly know in sunny Africa the " climatic
conditions " affecting Ireland ? It knows nothing of the sort ;
it simply wants to go to its birthplace, and it goes there blindly
and unreasoningly, even though that "instinct" brings it to
starvation and death. I have seen too often the whole pitiful
tragedy of a late spring not to know of what I am talking. —

I am, &c.

Queensland Museum,

Brisbane, 12th February, 1906.

J. DOUGLAS OGILBY.

Obituary Notice.

FLETCHER — On the 23rcl January, 1906, at Wilmot, Tasmania, Price Fletcher,
youngest son of the late Rev. Richard Fletcher, St. Kilda.

The death of Mr. Price Fletcher will be learned with great
regret. He will be best remembered by bird-lovers as the
" Bush Naturalist " of The Queenslander, of which journal he was
for many years agricultural editor.

The late naturalist was born in 1836, at Manchester, where his
father was Congregational minister. When he was 17 years of
age his father was sent to take charge of the Congregational
Church at St. Kilda, Victoria. Mr. Price Fletcher became
engaged in pastoral pursuits, and found in the Australian bush
great scope for his taste for natural history. He travelled
extensively in Central and Eastern Australia, from north to
south. Writing under the noni de pluuic " A Bush Naturalist "
in TJie Qiieenslander, the late journalist's natural history sketches
were first brought into prominence by an article " Birds as
Indicators of Water;" and "The Struggle for Existence in the
Northern Scrubs " — a masterpiece — was reprinted by many
English journals, while his more serial bird observations, under
the heading " The Great North-Western Interior," appeared
from time to time in 1878 and 1879.

^°'g„7-] Obituary Notice. 22;

Miss A. Fletcher, of W^ilmot, Tasmania, a member of the
A.O.U., inherits her father's love of birds, and has contributed
many interesting field observations to The Emu. The late Mr.
Price Fletcher was with his daughters (Misses J. and I. Fletcher)
in Tasmania when he passed away and was buried at the end
of the allotted span — " three score years and ten " — in a
cemetery in a forest of great gums — a fitting resting-place for
the beloved " Bush Naturalist." " Sleeping by the trees he
loved so."

The following quotations are a few vivid pictures of bird life
culled from the late Mr. Price Fletcher's writings in The
Qjieenslandcr, which speak for themselves regarding powers of
observation and description : —

Concerning the Black Falcon {Fah'o subniger') and other
Hawks : —

"The cattle — a herd of, say, i,ooo— are slowly feeding along, extending
a line of 300 yards in width, (iliding in between and about the leaders are'
the Kites ; but higher up — for he must have height for his terrible swoop —
is flying our black pirate ; he disdains to keep in front, but circles round and
round from front to rear, his keen eye ever vigilant, his power e\er ready.
A poor little Painted Quail rises, the tiniest of its species, the meekest, the
most harmless of birds. He will not fly far ; the Kites will even try for him.
He runs the gauntlet of a dozen of them, but a Brown Hawk, who has been
flying unobserved among them, sees it, turns round, a flap or two of his
strong wings, and before the Kites are aware of his presence their prey is
whipped up and away from them. But look, look ! a large Partridge Ou'i'l
is up ; away it goes, with the swiftness of an arrow from a bow ; no Kite
can catch it ; it. at least, is safe — but, no, the cruel eye of our black
destroyer has sighted it. Oh ! what a swoop he comes down with, what a
whiz through the air his powerful wings do make ! Drop, my poor Quail,
drop in the grass, instantly drop, or you are dead ; it is not the Kites that
are after you, nor even the Brown Hawk, but the unerringly fatal, the
deadly Black Falcon ! You cannot outfly him. What a race for life ! But
it is useless, for with a thud which even we at the rear can hear are the terrible
talons driven into the poor Quail, and without the slightest cessation in his
majestic flight this powerful Hawk carries his prey up into the higher
regions, in order to devour it at leisure. Well he deserves his meal, for his
own skill has caught it ; but not yet is it his, for he has been watched by
another, a fellow companion equally powerful and swift as himself, and who
wants a share of the feast. A fight now ensues ; of course the bird that is
encumbered gets the worst of it, and after some screeching and clawing at
each other the Quail is dropped. Quick as lightning is this seen by the
second robber, who turns, dives down, and although the bird has already
fallen some yards, it is actually caught again before it can reach the ground.
There is something gloriously grand in this easy power of wing— a power
which even man may envy ; yet my sympathies are with the poor Quail ;
the others are at best but murderers ; they kill nothing that can resist-
simply slaughter the most innocent of birds. This law of cruel destruction
is indeed an enigma ; when will it be solved ? These P^alcons, like the
Kites, eat their prey on the wing ; they also feed on the grasshoppers.
.Strange to say, they are not quite so expert at catching them as the more
sluggish Kites ; still they are not far behind, and must destroy numbers.
They are not nearly so numerous as the Kite, or so gregarious in their
habits. The strong-flying plains Pigeon is seldom attacked by them, yet I
have seen it done several times, and then ensues a splendid race, for the
Pigeon does not, like the Quail, drop when pursued, but trusts to sheer

228 Obituary Notice. {.^ZrW

speed to outfly its enemy. It is a ^■^rand race ; both are so terribly in
earnest ; and I am glad to say the Pigeon generally wins."

A ''desert beauty" — the Tricoloured Bush-Chat {EpJithianura
tricolor) :

" I don't know why, but from the first time I saw (lould's fine picture of
this beautiful bird and read his meagre description of it, I burned to possess
it, to see it in its native haunts, to discover all about it. What a glorious
thing is the untamed ardour of youth ! What a little it makes of a difficulty
if a hobby is to be gratified! And I really believe it was the thought of
seeing this bird that sent me years ago out into what was then a dr)'^,
inhospitable region, unknown and untaken-up by squatters — I mean the
north east corner of South Australia. I was really looking for available
sheep country, but I determined to find out all about this bird as well.
Imagine my intense delight when one day I saw a whole flock of them
flitting before me ; and, moreover, it did not take me long to notice that
they were actually nesting. Heie was a prize indeed — to find the nest and
eggs of what was (then) admitted to be one of the rarest, if not the rarest,
bird in the whole of the country. Great was my pleasure when I found that
almost every saltbush had a nest in it, and I soon collected as many eggs as
I could pack. Unfortunately, through the vicissitudes of outside travelling,
they all got broken and lost before I again returned to civilization."

The small Blood-stained Cockatoo [Cncat/ia sajigiiinea) :

" These lesser Corellas are useful as water-finders, as stated in my
previous paper on water-finding birds. I have a particular affection for
them, as I once found a large hole and a fine piece of country through
them. I was travelling up a creek in what was then unknown land ; it is
some years ago now, and the scene I am about describing has vanished
before those more utilitarian occupants, sheep and cattle. The season was
dry — there had been no winter rains — and I was hunting for water. I had
followed up the creek until I thought I was at the last water, and had
camped. The creek here split into two feeders ; both had heavy timber on,
and ought to have had water, yet I had followed one branch for some seven
miles, and had to return without finding any ; the creek had got drier and
drier, more stony and less likely to hold. I was dispirited, for the other
branch I had also gone up three miles, and it seemed of the same character ;
and my horses being tired, and night closing, I had returned to my
present camp. It was at a wretched little dirty puddle, and, not having
found any water for many miles down the creek as well, I had determinecl
to give up further search, when just at sundown a very large flock of these
Corellas came flying by me and up the creek, and to my surprise went
along the very branch I had travelled up so far. Knowing so well the
habits of these birds, and that they rejoiced in making a ' camp ' or
roosting-place at the top water of a creek, I was delighted, for I knew that
at this time of day they were not going on to the plains to feed, but
must be going to water and to roost. Intently and anxiously I
watched that flock ; I am sure I kept sight of them for five miles —
not indeed really, but in this way : the sun was just setting,
and the beautiful snow-white of their plumage as they twisted and
twirled in their flight caught these setting rays and reflected the light like
the flash from a moving mirror, and I kept catching gleams of this white
cloud long after the flock was otherwise indistinguishable ; and they were
still flying up the creek. This decided me, and I determined, on the
morrow, to go after them till I found them. \'ery early dawn found me
stirring ; I had done the seven miles I had previously travelled by an hour
after sunrise, and yet there were no signs of the birds ; another two miles,
and the creek looked less and less likely for water ; the channel was
degenerating in size and depth, the timber was getting thinner and less

%o6^'] Obituary Notice. 2 29

continuous, and I began to think I had trusted too much to my presumed
knowledge of the habits of my CoreUa friends. I felt dispirited ; I had left
camp without any breakfast (a very foolish thing for anyone to do, if he can
help it, for there is nqthing like a full stomach to give pluck), for the water
was bad, and anxiety had taken away my appetite. I was now nine miles
from the morning's camp, the horses were thirsty, and the creek looked so
unlikely that I was just upon the point of turning back when my eye caught
the white gleams, so well known, of the birds' wings. It was a long way off
— at least two miles up the creek— but there was no mistake, there were my
friends of the night before. With great glee I urged on, and the gleam
resolved itself into flocks, and the flocks into innumerable individuals.
What strange white trees are those ahead ? Surely they cannot be Corcllas
on them ; yes, indeed they are, a perfect forest of Cockatoos ! My heart
beat high with pleasurable excitement ; visions of an interior lake and a
consequent happy homestead rose before me, and 1 felt pleased that my
trust in my feathered friends had not deceived me. Another half-mile, and
my astonishment was indeed great ; they really were trees ahead, and,
instead of leaves, they were loaded with Corellas. What extraordinary
numbers 1 Excitement made me quicken my pace from the usual explorer's
walk to a canter, and I was rewarded by the sight of a fine hole of water and
the discovery of a veritable Cockatoos' haunt — the luviie of the Corella. Oh !
the noise, the frightful noise, as I rode under the trees to the water's edge.
What a babel of tongues, what incessant screeching, what a whirling, flying,
moving mass of noise — 50,000 Cockatoos all screaming at once I Just for
one moment try and realize it, reader, and you will involuntarily put your
fingers to stop your ears. What incredible numbers ; the air is white with
them, the trees are white with them, and the ground round the edge of the
water is white with them I I had seen ' Cockatoo holes ' before, but never
such a scene as this ; it was quite evident I had hit upon a favourite haunt,
and one in which they were not often disturbed, even by blacks."

The wonderful Flock Pigeon (^Histriophnps Jiistrionicii) :

" They are gregarious in the extreme, keeping during the winter months
in flocks of thousands. I was camped one September day at a lari;e water-
hole, about 100 miles north-west from the Cloncurry. About half-past 4
they began to come in from the plains ; being so used to flocks of them,
I at first paid no particular attention, but, getting up and looking round, I
was astonished to find that as far as the eye could see in a north-westerly
direction there was one continuous stream of these birds, apparently making
for this water. Settling on the edge of the hole, I gave myself up to the
pleasure of observing them. These Pigeons are most peculiar drinkers ;
most birds are very deliberate over this matter, and even by their lifting up
their heads heavenwards seem to return thanks ; not so our vigorous Pigeon
friends : they are not at all reverential, but drink as though their very life
depended upon doing it quickly, as if the water would dry up before they
could taste it. A flock, after flying several times swiftly round and round
the lagoon, suddenly swoops down at a convenient spot, plunging their
beaks into the water up to the eyes ; they give two or three hasty gulps, and
then suddenly, as if alarmed, they rise up and fly off again, before, I am
sure, one-half have had time to touch the water. After flying round in wide
circles they again repeat the performance, till, 1 suppose, at last they do
manage all to get satisfied. I cannot help thinking that the peculiar manner
the blacks have of hunting them, and which I shall presently describe, has
something to do with this strange method of drinking. At this hole, on this
particular afternoon, they kept up these manojuvres till sunset, and the
hundreds of thousands that had accumulated there (many flocks had flown
away satisfied), was a sight that to the eyes of a naturalist was delightful.
It would take the pen of an Alexander Wilson to graphically describe the
scene ; how, in spite of their really incredible numbers, their closeness

230 Obituary Notice. [snd^ April

together, and their extreme rapidity of flight, yet not one ever made a
mistake and ' cannoned ' against its neighbour ; in and out they ghde,
circle within circle, and each circle counting thousands ; all seem to be
moved by one spirit of unity, and they swoop and turn, rise and fall, as if
directed by an invisible hand. The roar from their wings, as a larger flock
than usual rose, was really deafening. The Ducks paddled to the centre of
the water, and the Herons and Spoonbills sailed away to neighbouring trees,
evidently annoyed at this noisy interruption of their quiet habits. The
sight was one never to be forgotten ; it was a red-letter day among the
many such days that a ' bush naturalist ' can get in Queensland. Incredible
as the numbers were on this occasion, they were as nothing to the millions
of ' Passenger Pigeons ' as described by Audubon and Wilson in America.
I should think that on the whole of earth's surface no family of birds can
surpass the Columbia in numbers. Never but this once has it been my good
fortune to see such excessive numbers at one time. Generally speaking a
waterhole is chosen for a favourite drinking-place that is free from much
timber, with a good, firm, gradually sloping 'shore' to the water. This
gives plenty of room for their eccentric habits. I came across such a place
one day, about 50 miles from the scene just spoken of, and was surprised to
find it, as it were, planted all round with gum-tree branches. I could not at
first make it out at all ; these bushes were stuck into the mud close to the
water, and were about the height and the distance apart that gooseberry
bushes are usually grown. It did not require the footprints, quite fresh, of
blacks to let me know it was their work ; but I thought the children had
done it in their ' play about.' Seeing a rude sort of gunyah at each end—
the hole was about 100 yards long — I rode up, and then the mystery was
explained by the heaps of Pigeons' feathers lying about. I afterwards had
the pleasure of watching the lalacks in this place catching them. It is thus :
The blacks, well supplied with light boomerangs, conceal themselves, one
in each gunyah, and wait patiently till the Pigeons come. They, with their
usual impetuosity, after some preliminary circhng, swoop down to the water,
the little bushes confuse them, momentary disorganization ensues, they try
to rise again, but their unity of spirit is broken, and they are a whizzing,
buzzing mob of rabble. This is the time waited for by the blacks, who,
springing to their feet, with eyes dilated, muscles quivering with wild
excitement and savage satisfaction, hurl boomerang after boomerang into
the seething mass before the astonished pigeons even know that their arch-
enemy is upon them. The whole scene did not take two minutes of time,
and yet there lay dead and wounded some four dozen birds."

Notes and Notices.

Corrigenda. — In the last issue, page 163, line 2, for
" NOVEAU " read " NOUVEAU ;" page 165, line 35, for '' cyanops''
read " cyanopiis."

" From a negative by Messrs. Standish and Preece, Christ-
church," was inadvertently omitted from the portrait of the late
Capt. F. W. Hutton, which appeared as a frontispiece in the last
number of The Emu.

High Prices. — It will surprise bird-owners to discover that
the Gouldian Finch when first imported by Abrahams realized
;^iO per pair, and BatJdlda ruficauda £"6. — Avic. Mag.

Foxes ! — A landowner (who shall be nameless) 27 years ago
liberated near Melbourne 6 pairs of foxes " just for sport."

■J Notes and Notices.

,go6 J i\oies ana isiotices. I'll

Last year, according to statistics, the municipalities of Victoria
paid for the destruction of 48,000. It is obvious that there must
be more of these animals remaining in the bush than were
destroyed. But suppose we take the same number (48,000) as
remaining. In another 27 years if these arc not checked, and
taking the same ratio of increase, there will be 192,000,000
foxes in the land. But, alas ! where will some of our native
birds be? Swept off the face of the earth, and all for sport.

Mr. J. VV. Mellor, as leader of the A.O.U. expedition to
Kangaroo Island last October, when the picturesque falls on
Middle River were christened " Strepera Falls," because a pair
of Black-winged Crow-Shrikes had a nest in a tree near the top
of the cascade, informed the Surveyor-General of the incident.
The following reply has been addressed to Mr. Mellor : —

" Surveyor-General's Office, S.A.,

" Adelaide, 19th December, 1905.
" Sir, — I have to acknowledge receipt of your letter of the
15th inst., and to inform you that 'Strepera Falls' will be
adopted as the name for the falls on Middle River, Kangaroo
Island, as suggested by you.

" I am, sir,

" Your obedient servant,
" W. N. Strawbridge, Surveyor-General."

Introduction of Australian Magpies to Ceylon. —
Mr. Herbert Campbell, of Yalta, Nuwara Eliya, Ceylon, is
desirous of introducing Magpies — "one of the finest birds in
existence," in Mr. Campbell's opinion — on to his plantation,
which stands about 6,200 feet above sea-level, with a climate
like a cool English summer. Writing to one of the editors of
The Emu, under date of 31st December, 1905, Mr. Campbell
states : — " Nine Magpies (the Black-backed species) reached me
this morning by the early train— all in excellent condition,
except that one appears to be a little cramped about the feet.
I put them at once into a large outhouse (with a window)
pending the erection of an aviary where they can await the
growth of their wings. I gave them raw meat and worms, which
they evidently appreciated, and a big bowl of water, where they
at once began washing, and then I turned them all but in the
sun to preen. We were much amused to find them absolutely
fearless — even with a dog !

" I do hope they will do all right here. The fine weather is
just setting in, with white frosts at night, so that they ought to
find it much like the hill climate of New South Wales. I fancy
they will probably regard June to September as the winter, as
we have cold rains then, but no frost. The frosts now, however,
are so very mild that they only serve to brisk up the air.

232 '^^oies and Notices. [ 2nd April

" I have addressed the Secretary of the Agricultural Society,
requesting him to memorialize Government in order to get them
protected, I spoke to him privately on the subject the other
day ; and I have no doubt the Government will comply, as the
insects and grubs in this island are a fearful pest. If it is
decided that they prove beneficial, I hope the Government itself
will take in hand to import a lot more.

" There is one great advantage in Nuwara Eliya. During
the S.W. monsoon they have only to fly about 4 miles in one
direction, and during the N.E. 4 miles in another, to get
into dry country. So that they can choose their climate. In
both these cases, too, they will find themselves below the frost-
level. They will therefore have every opportunity to multiply.
I fancy they are big and fierce enough to defend their nests
against wild-cats."

At the June (1905) meeting of the Linnean Society of New
South Wales (according to The Proceedings) Mr. North sent for
exhibition — (i) An adult female Cuculus tntennedius received
by Mr. J. H. Thorpe from James Yardley, who procured it on
Dun>j;ay Creek, Tweed River, N.S.W., in August, 1902 ; a
specimen was procured in 1904 by Dr. Hamilton Kenny near
Gympie, Queensland. (2) An adult male of Ptilotis plumula,
obtained in July, 1883, by the late Mr. K. H. Bennett, at
Moolah, western New South Wales. And (3) the following
sets of eggs : — (a) From Mr. A. E. Ivatt's collection, an ^^^ of
the Warty-faced Honey-eater, taken by him at Glanmire, near
Bathurst, on 12th November, 1894, and with it in the same nest
an iigs^ of the Pallid Cuckoo ; {b) from Mr. Leslie N. Moore's
collection, an q^q^ of the Fulvous-fronted Honey-eater, and one
of the Pallid Cuckoo, taken by him in the nest of the former at
Loftus, on 3rd November, 1900, and three eggs of the Yellow-
throated Miner, and one egg of the Pallid Cuckoo, received by
him from New Angledool, and taken together from the same
nest, September, 1901.

At the September (1905) meeting of the same society (as
recorded in its Proceedings) Mr. A. J. North exhibited a skin and
set of two eggs of Melithreptiis albigidaris. They were obtained at
Copmanhurst, on the Clarence River, New South Wales, by Mr.
George Savidge, who also forwarded a nest he had procured on
the 22nd instant. Altogether three birds in the flesh had been
received. Previously this species had not been recorded from
further south than Wide Bay, Queensland. In the " Catalogue
of Birds in the British Museum " (vol. ix.). Dr. H. Gadow
regards M. albigidaris as only sub-specifically distinct from M.
lumdatus. There is, however, no intergradation between these
two birds, and in addition to the olive-yellow upper part and
white chin of M. albigulans, it is furthermore distinguished by

^'°'^7] ^'^'^^ ^"^/ Notices. 233

having the bare skin above and behind the eye dull greenish-
bhie, which in M. luniilatiis is rich orange-scarlet. Of curious
nesting sites of the Rock-Warbler {Origma rubricata) Mr. A. F.
Hull informed Mr. North that a pair had built their nest round
a piece of string hanging down inside from the roof of a tent at
Freshwater, Manly. This tent, the entrance to which was
partially concealed by a rock shelter, was occupied from
Saturday to Monday, and every other night, by several youths,
but the birds, unconcerned at their presence, had finished the
nest, and the female had since the 17th inst. been sitting on a
full complement of eggs. Last year, Mr. Herbert E. Ross
informed him, a pair had built their nest in a small cave that
had been fitted up as a dark-room for photographers, in the
rocky and spacious grounds of a well-known resort at Medlow,
on the Blue Mountains. At Lane Cove Mr. Arthur Muddle
found a nest last year attached to the timbers beneath the
verandah of a waterside cottage, and in the same locality
several seasons ago Mr. Edgar R. VVaite saw a nest containing
young attached to the roof inside a bathing-box at Longue-
ville.

Hutton Memorial Research Fund.

A CIRCULAR has been issued by the Philosophical Institute of
Canterbury, Christchurch, New Zealand, stating it has been
resolved by the Institute that it is desirable that, in memory of
Captain F. W. Hutton, a fund be established, to be known as
the " Hutton Memorial Research Fund," devoted to the
encouragement of original research in Natural Science in New
Zealand, such fund when established to be vested in and con-
trolled by the Board of Governors of the New Zealand Institute.
These resolutions were followed by a suggestion to the last-
named body that, in addition to making grants from time to
time to persons engaged in original research, a bronze medal be
struck, to be called the " Hutton Medal," and to be awarded at
suitable intervals to persons who have made original contribu-
tions of special value to the Natural Science of New Zealand.
To save time the Philosophical Institute of Canterbury has
commenced the collection of subscriptions for the purposes
above mentioned, with the view of afterwards handing them
over to the New Zealand Institute, and contributed ^^50 from
its funds. The Philosophical Institute desires aid from all
kindred bodies in this matter, than which there could hardly be
a better method of perpetuating the memory of the late
deservedly honoured president of the A.O.U. The Institute
makes a special claim for contributions on the ground that,
whilst the influence and importance of research is becoming

2 34 Hut ton Moiwrial Rcscarc/i Fund. \

Emu
2nd April

more and more fully recognized in all parts of the world, New
Zealand has as yet taken no steps for its encouragement, and no
financial assistance has so far been given to private workers in
any department of science. When it is remembered that
Captain Hutton unselfishly devoted himself throughout his life-
time to the advancement of Natural Science in New Zealand,
and that no worker has done more to increase the world's
knowledge of the geology, zoology, and botany of New Zealand
than he did, it is peculiarly appropriate that his name should be
associated with the first fund established in New Zealand for
encouragement of further study of these subjects. We in Aus-
tralia are almost equally indebted to Captain Hutton, having
reaped a portion of the benefits of his work, and the appeal
should have equal force here. Contributions should be forwarded
to Dr. Chilton, hon. treasurer Hutton Memorial Research Fund,
Canterbury College, Christchurch, N.Z.

Publications Received.

Auk, The, XXin., No. i, Jan., 1906.

Avicultural Magazhie, The, N.S., IV., Nos. 1-3, Nov., 1905-
Jan., 1906.

Bailey, Vernon. Biological Survey of Texas. (U.S. Dept,
of Agriculture, Biological Survey, North American Fauna,
No. 25.)

Bird-Lore, VH., No. 6, Nov.-Dec, 1905.

Butler, A. G. (i) The Orange-billed Tanager. (2) The
Duration of the Period of Incubation. (3) On British Wagtails
in Cage and Aviary. (4) The Archbishop Tanager. (5) On
Breeding Turnix nigricollis in German Bird-rooms. (6) Notes
on the Grey-winged Ouzel. (7) On Breeding Hybrid Ouzels.
(8) On the Acceptance or Rejection of Insects by Birds. (9)
On Changes of Plumage in Some of the Typical Weaver-Birds.
(10) On the First Primary in Certain Passerine Birds. (11)
Notes on the Satin Bower-Bird. (12) The Development of the
Adult Colouring in the Yellow-billed Cardinal from South
America. (Reprints from Magazines.)

Condor, The, VII., No. 6, Nov.-Dec, 1905.

Genera Avium. Edited by P. Wytsman. Parts 1-5.

Haivkesbury Agricultural College Journal, The, III., Part 2,
Jan., 1906.

Linnean Society of N.S. IV., Proceedings, XXX., Part 3.

M'Gregor, Richard C. (i) Birds from Mindoro and Small
Adjacent Islands. (2) Notes on Three Rare Luzon Birds.

°' 6 J Publications Received. 235

(U.S. Dept. of the Interior, Bureau of Govt. Laboratories, No.
34.)

Ornithologisches JaJuiuick, XVII., No. i, Jan.-Feb., 1906.

Osgood, Wilfred H. A Biological Reconnaissance of the Base
of the Alaska Peninsula. (U.S. Dept. of Agriculture, Biological
Survey, North American Fauna, No. 24.)

Philippim Journal of Science, The, I., No. i.

Riley, J. H. A New Sub-Species of Ground-Uove from Mona
Island, Port Rico. (U.S. National Museum.)

Skinner, K. L. A List of the Birds of British India.

South African Ornithologists Union, The fournal 0/ the, I.,
Nos. I and 2, July-Dec, 1905.

Zoologist, 77/t', Fourth Series, IX., Nos. 105-108, Sept-Dec,
1905, and X., No. 109, Jan., 1906.

List of Members of the Australasian Ornithologists'
Union, 1905-6.

The notification of any correction or cliange in address of members will be esteemed
a favour by the Honorary Secretary.

Anderson, Capt., 9th Australian Light Horse, Ballarat, Victoria.

Andrews, J., 14 Daliey-street, Northcote, \'ictoria.

Angus and Robertson, 8g Castlereagh-street, Sydney, N.S.W.

Armstrong, W. J. T., Hexham Park, He.\ham, Victoria.

AsHBY, E., Blackwood, S.A.

Austin, E. G., Booriyallock, Skipton, Victoria.

Barclay, F. D., 15 Balfour-street, Launccston, Tasmania.

Barnard, C. A., Coomooboolaroo, Duaringa, via Rockhampton, (^'land.

Barnard, E. I)., Kurrajong, Koonigal, via Gladstone, Queensland.

Barnard, H. G., Bimbi, Duaringa, via Rockhampton, Oueensland.

Barrett, C. L., Klm-grove, Armadale, Victoria.

Bayliss, Miss M., c/o H. Franks, Meadstone, Avoca, Tasmania.

Beebe, C. W., Zoological Park, New York, U.S.A.

Belcher, C. F., M.A., LL. B., Kyabram, Victoria.

Berney, F. L., Richmond Post-Office, Queensland.

Bradly, J. F., Custom House, Melbourne, Victoria.

Brid(;es, Afjmiral W., Trawalla, Victoria.

Brumby, Miss, William-street, West Devonport, Tasmania.

Bryant, Dr. H. W., Collins-street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Builer, a. L , Cathedral Chambers, Murray-street, Hobart, Tasmania.

Calder, F. K., Merchant, Fremantle, W.A.
Campbell, A. G., 10 Elm-grove, Armadale, Victoria.

236 List of Members. [anf April

Campbell, A. J. (Col. Mem. B.O.U.), 10 Elm-grove, Armadale, Victoria.

Carter, T., Wensleydale, Broome Hill, W.A.

Chenery, Dr. A., Port Augusta, S.A.

Clark, M. Symonds, 15 Australasian Chambers, King William-street,
Adelaide, S.A.

Cl.\rke, T. W. H., Quorn Hall, Campbell Town, Tasmania.

Cleland, Dr. J. B., Parkside, Adelaide, S.A.

Clouston, T. H., Ringarooma Tin Mines, Derby, Tasmania.

Coles, Clifford, Victoria-arcade, Castlereagh-street, Sydney, N.S.W.

Cooper, J., Eastern Market, Melbourne, Victoria.

Cornwall-, E. M., Mackay, Queensland.

Crompton, a.. Freeman-street, Adelaide, S.A.

Crompton, R., Gawler-place, Adelaide, S.A.

CROSSMAN, a. F., CO Messrs. Kidson and Gawler, Solicitors, Fremantle,W.A.

Dalgleish, J. J., M.B.O.U., Bogside, Stirling, Scotland.

Darling Downs Teachers' Association, Toowoomba, Queensland.

De Little, E. R., Caramut, Victoria.

Dennis, G. L., Eeyeuk, Kolora, Victoria.

De Vis, C. W., M.A., Agricultural Society, Brisbane, Queensland.

D'Ombrain, Dr. E., Casterton, Victoria.

D'Ombr.\in, E., 121 Victoria-road, Auburn, Victoria.

Down, C. E., 1 Ferguson-street, Williamstown, Victoria.

Dr.\yton, S., Fenwick-street, Clifton Hill, Victoria.

Dresser, H. E., Bayswater, London.

DULAU and Co., 2,^ Soho-square, London, W.

Evans, Lieut.-Col., 28 Murray-street, Hobart, Tasmania.

Fisher, Miss E. W., Ambler, Penn., U.S.A.

Fitzroy Branch, A.N. A., Fitzroy, Victoria.

Fletcher, Miss J. A., State School, Wilmot, Tasmania

Ford, F. B. C, Clermont, Queensland.

Freeman, J., 11 W^right-street, Albert Park, Victoria.

Friedlander and Sohn, A., Karlstrasse 11, Berlin 6, Germany.

Gabriel, J., 293 Victoria-street, Abbotsford, Victoria.

Gibson, Chas. G., Geological Survey Office, Perth, W.A.

Giles, H. M., Zoological Gardens, South Perth, W.A

Godfrey, F. P., 70 Avoca-street, South Yarra, Victoria.

Godfrey, F. R., Alma-road, St. Kilda, Victoria.

Godfrey, Mrs. F. R., Alma-road, St. Kilda, Victoria.

Graham, G., Scott's Creek, Cobden, Victoria.

Gray, Z., 190 Bridport-street, South Melbourne, Victoria.

Gray, J G., Kentucky, via Corowa, N.S.W.

Griscom, Ludlow, 21 Washington-square N., New York.

Gronvold, H., Natural History Museum, South Kensington, London, S.W.

ol. v.]

1906 J

List of Members. 2^7

Guthrie-Smith, H., I'atutaki, (iisborne, N.Z.
Hall, J., 17 Oueen-street, Melbourne, \'ictoria.

Hall, R., F.L.S., CM. ZS., Oxford Chambers, 15ourke-street, Melbourne,
Victoria.

Hardy, Mrs. A. L) , Yarralangi, Studley-avenuc, Kew, Victoria.

Heddino, J. W., 426 Collins-street, City, Victoria.

Harrison, A. B., Stock Exchange, Bendigo, Victoria.

Harrison, L. T., Citizens' Life Office, Sydney, N.S.W.

Harrison, M. W., Tower Cottage, Newtown, Hobart, Tasmania.

Hassell, E. a., Warrup, via Cape Riche, Albany, W.A.

Hill, H. E., School of Mines, Kalgoorlie, W.A. (deceased).

Hill, J. A., Pine Rise, Murtoa, Victoria.

Hood, R. A. D., Merrang, Hexham, Victoria.

Hope, Dr. \V. \V., Colac, Victoria.

HORNE, Dr. G., 59 Heidelberg-road, Clifton Hill, \'ictoria.

Howard, Miss, Bridge Hotel, Mordialloc, Victoria.

Howe. F. E., 263 Park-street, South Melbourne, Victoria.

HuRST, Dr. G., Keppel-street, Bathurst, N.S.W.

Hutchinson, Mrs. F. H., Rock-cutting, Drouin, Victoria.

Hutton, Capt. F. W., F.R.S., Christchurch, N.Z. (deceased).

Iredale, T., Box 290, G.P.O., Christchurch, N.Z.

Jardine, B., Somerset, Cape York, Queensland.

Kendall, H., 14 Rathmines-grove, Auburn, Victoria.
Kenny, Dr. Hamilton, The Hospital, Gympie, Queensland.
Kinane, C. p., 46 Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, Victoria.
Kofahl, H. J., South-street, .Austin, Texas, U.S.A.

Ladwig, C. F., Cromwell Ikiildings, Bourke-street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Lane, E. H., Llanello, Orange, N.S.W.

Leach, J. A., B.Sc, Continuation School, Spring-street, Melbourne, Vict.

Leake, B. W\, Cardonia, Kellerberrin, W.A.

Legge, Col. W. V., F.Z.S., CuUenswood House, Cullenswood, Tasmania.

Le Souef, a. S., Director Zoological Gardens, Sydney, N.S.W.

Le Souef, D., C.M.Z.S., Director Zoological Gardens, Melbourne, Victoria.

Le Souef, E. A., Director Zoological Gardens, Perth, W..A.

Le Souef, L., South Perth, W.A.

Lindsay, J., Ouamby, Woolsthorpe, Victoria.

LiNKLAi'KR, F. H., Selsley, Henry-street, .Auburn, Victoria.

Linton, A. F., Brenda, Maffra, Victoria.

Littler, F. M., F.E.S., High-street. L;iunceston, Tasmania.

MacDonald, Dr. W. C. C, Ingham, Queensland.

Macgillivray, Dr. W., Broken Hill, N.S.W.

Mackie, E. N., care of Commercial Bank, Glenn Innes, N.S.W.

2 38 List of Members. [,„dXi>

MacLean, C. W., Bronte, Strand, Williamstown, Victoria.

Manifold, W. T., Purrumbete, Weerite, Victoria.

Mann, S. F., Lawrenny, Caramut, Victoria.

Martin, R. H., William-street, Norwood, S.A.

Mattingley, a.. H.M. Custom House, Melbourne, \"ictoria.

May, W. L., Forest Hill, Sandford, Tasmania.

M'Clymont, J. R., M.A., 36 Grosvenor-street, Sandy Bay, Hobart, Tas.

M'Cullagh, F., Goondi, Geraldton, Queensland.

M'Eacharn, Sir Malcolm, 67 Studley Park-road, Kew, Victoria.

M'Gowan, Wm., Superintendent Public Reserves, City Park, Launceston,
Tasmania.

M'Gregor, R. C, Government Laboratories, Manila, Philippine Islands

M'Ilwraith, W. , Mornino Bulletin Office, East-street, Rockhampton, O.

M'Lean, J. C, Te Karaka, Gisborne, N.Z.

Mellok, J. W., Fulham, Adelaide, S.A.

Mellor, Mrs. J. F., Fulham, Adelaide, S.A.

Milligan, A. W. , c/o Messrs. Parker and Parker, Perth, W.A.

MlNCHiN, A. C, Zoological Gardens, Adelaide, S.A.

MoiR, A. J., Cape Riche, Albany, W.A.

Moorhouse, B. M., Christchurch, N.Z.

Morgan, Ur. A. M., Angas-street, Adelaide, S.A.

Morton, A., The Museum, Hobart, Tasmania.

MUSSON, C. T., Science Master, Hawkesbury AL,^ricultural College, Rich-
mond, N.S.W.

Nehrkorn, a., Braunschweig, Germany.

NiCHOLLS, E. Brooke, Victoria-street, North Melbourne, Victoria.

Oberholsen. H. C, Department of Agriculture, Washington, D.C., U.S.A.

O'Shannassy, p. L. C, San Remo, Victoria.

Parkin, T., M.A., Hastings, England.

Pegg, Mrs. S. S., CunnamuUa, Warrego River, Queensland.

Peir, p.. Box 504, G.P.O., Sydney, N.S.W.

Pidsley, W. E. Helman, 13 Tierney-road, Streatham Hill, London
(deceased). .

Pike, Miss A., The Nook, 77 Princess-street, Kew, Victoria.

PoR'J'ER .\ND Co., H. R., Cavendish-square, London.

Potter, Rev. H. E., The Retreat, San Remo, Victoria.

Quiney, H., Mortlake, Victoria.

Reid, A. R., 103 Liverpool-street, Hobart, Tasmania.

Ritchie, R. B., Blackwood, Penshurst, Victoria.

Roberts, Mrs., Beaumaris, Sandy Bay-road, Hobart, Tasmania.

Robertson and Co. Ltd., G., 107 Elizabeth-street, Melbourne, Victoria.

Robinson, Sep., Piper-street, Bathurst, N.S.W.

Rogers, E. P., Burncoose, Perranwell, R.S.O., Cornwall, England.

""igoe^' J ■ ^-i^^ of Members. 239

Rogers, J. P., Derby, West Kimberley, W.A.
Ross, J. A , Crown Law Uepartment, Melbourne, Victoria.
RvAN, C, Pioneer Tin Mine, Bradshaw's Creek, Tasmania.
Ryan, Dr. C. S., 37 Collins-street, Melbourne, Victoria.
Ryan, Dr. T., Nhill, Victoria.

Sambell, a. E., Netherby, I'id Nhill, X'ictoria.

Savidge, G., Copmanhurst, Clarence River, N.S.W.

School of Arts, Rockbampton, Queensland.

Seth-Smith, D., F.Z.S., Addiscombe, Surrey, England.

Shepherd, G. p].. Malurus, Somerville, \'ictoria.

Simpson, A. J., Comalla, via Deniliquin, N.S.W.

SlIMSON, Mrs. J., Tra walla, Toorak, \'ictoria.

Smart, H. C, Athelstane-road, Camberwell, \'ictoria.

Smedley, J. H., Homestead Railway Station, Northern Railway, Q'land.

Smith, A. Forsyth, Hambledon, Cairns, Queensland.

Smith, A. J., Port Albert, Victoria.

Smith, J. V., Bundoora Park, Preston, \'ictoria.

Snowball, J. C, Newlands, Longwarry, \'ictoria.

Stead, E., Strowan, Papanui-road, Cbristchurch, N.Z.

Stechert, G. E., 20th-street, New York, U.S.A.

Stephen, W. J., 5 Robinson-road, Auburn, Victoria.

Stuart, F., care of Lincoln and Stuart, Flinders-st., Melbourne, Victoria.

Tait, G., Hamilton, Victoria.

The Curator, Public Museum, Warrnambool, Victoria.

The Librarian, The Parliament of the Commonwealth, Melbourne, V'ict.

Thompson, H. C, 55 Frederick-street, Launceston, Tasmania.

Thomson, Dr., St. Ronans, Essendon, Victoria.

TiNDALE, T., Lowland, Apollo Bay, Victoria.

TOWNSEND, S. P , Garrycloyne, Mornington, X'ictoria.

Trask, J. A., Tocumwal, N.S.W.

Turner, Miss E. J., Domain-road, South Yarra, Victoria.

Vroland, a. W. R., State School, Strathbogie North, Victoria.

Wage, R. H., The Residency, Derby, W.A.

Way, Sir S., Bart., Chief Justice's Chambers, Adelaide., S.A.

Webb, E. H., Goondi, Johnstone River, Queensland.

Weindorfer, G., Lauriston, Kingred, via Devonport, Tasmania.

White, Capt. S. A, Fulham, Adelaide, S.A.

White, H. L., Belltrees Station, Scone, N S.W.

Whit.man, Prof. C. C, University of Chicago, Chicago, U.S.A.

WiGLESWORTH, Dr., Rainhill, Liverpool, England.

Williams, Surgeon-General, Victoria Barracks, Melbourne, Victoria.

Woodward, B., F.G.S., Director, The Museum, Perth, W.A.

240 I'i^t of Members. [jnd^April

WOODHOUSE, M. J., State School, Wharparilla West, Victoria.

WORKMANN, W. H., Windsor-avenue, Belfast, Ireland.

WORTHINGTO.V SOCIETY FOR INVESTIGATION OF BiRD LiFE, Shawnee-on-

Delaware, Penn., U.S.A.
Young, P. H. B., St. Paul's Colle-e, Sydney, N.S.W.

ZlETZ, A. H. C, F.L.S., C.M.Z.S., Natural History Museum, Adelaide, S.A.
ZiETZ, F. R., The Museum, Adelaide, S.A.

Ho/wrary Moiibers.
Allen, Dr. J. A., Museum Natural History, Central Park, New York,U.S.A.
Newtom, Prof. A., F.R.S., Magdalene College, Cambridge, England.
RlDGWAY, Prof. R., United States National Museum, Washington, U.S.A.
Salvadori, Count Tomaso, Turin, Italy.

Sclater, Dr. p. L., F.R.S., Zoological Society, Hanover-square, London.
Sharpe, Dr. R. Bovvdler, F.R.S., British Museum, South Kensington, Lon.

DISTRIBUTION OF MEMBERS.

Victoria ... ... ... ... ... 80

New South Wales ... ... ... ... 17

Queensland ... ... ... ... 18

South Australia ... ... ... ... 15

Western Australia ... ... ... 15

Tas.mania ... ... ... ... ... 20

New Zealand ... ... ... ... 6

British and Foreign ... ... .. 28

Total, 199

Personal. — Mr. J. W. Mellor, Adelaide, one of the vice-
presidents of the A.O.U., has been elected president of the
South Australian Ornithological Association. Mr. Mellor was
one of the founders of the Association, which is the oldest
society in the Commonwealth for the study purely of ornithology.
He was for six years its honorary secretary and treasurer, and is
now to be congratulated on becoming its presiding officer.

Walker, Ma.v and Co., Printers, Mackillop-street, Melbourne.

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