324 lilRDS OF THE BRITISH EMPIRE. 



sharing in the food that they brought to the nest. When 

 spring set in, however, the old eagles, impelled by instinct, 

 forsook their offspring, and when the man had killed and 

 eaten them, he was forced b^^ hunger to give himself up. 



This bold and handsome bird is found in Van Diemen's 

 Land and the islands in Bass's Straits, as well as on the 

 mainland. In colour it is brown, with a blackish tinge, 

 turning to reddish brown on the back of the neck. 



The White Eagle occurs in the land of paradoxes that 

 has given birth to black swans and nocturnal cuckoos — that 

 goes without saying — but it is only in advanced age 

 that the ferocious creature in rjuestion assumes the white 

 garb of spotless innocency. In its youth and middle age it 

 is grey on the upper surface and vested in white below. 

 The female is nearly twice as big as her mate, and has 

 reddish yellow eyes, while his are dark brown. 



The Beuigora Hawk is a native of Tasmania ; it is 

 mainly insectivorous in its habits, Imt also eats small 

 animals and reptiles, as well as carrion. It occasionally 

 picks up a stray chicken, and is consequently looked upon 

 as an enemy by the colonists, but it is really tlieir friend, 

 and its ultimate destruction will tend to the increase of 

 creatures a thousandfold more destructive than itself. 

 The general colour of the adult bird is brown above, and 

 white with a sliade of cream on the lower surface of the 

 body. 



The nest is built among the topmost boughs of the 

 tallest gum-trees, and the breeding season extends from 

 September to December. 



THE PELICANS. 



This group has a representative in Australia, which 

 does not differ to any material extent from those found 

 elsewhere. 



