NESTS AND EGGS Of tWSTKM.l AN BIRDS. ^ 



swamp or other grass. Stnicturo is somcwliat Hat, about 7 inclios high 

 by 16 indies across. Situation, usually upon the g^'oiuid amongst rank 

 herbage, in rushes, or in grain crops, but sometimes on a low bush. 



Eijija. — Chitch, three to five ; inclined to oval in sliape ; texture of 

 shell coarse, -svith the surface lustreless ; in some clutches, rough with small 

 limy excrescences ; colour, white, except in ca.scs of dii-t-stains received 

 in the nest during incubation. When emptied and held up to the light 

 the interior of the shell possesses a beautiful sea-green appraranco. Eggs 

 are apparently small for the size of the bird. A clutcli taken on Pental 

 Island, Murray district, Victoria, 4tli December, 1 S90, measvuvs in inches : 

 (1) 2-09 X 1-51, (2) 2-08 X 1-5, (3) 1-96 x 1-51. Tlie fourth egg is 

 abnonnally small, being only l'47xri2. 



Ohfn-ivi/ 11)11. ■<. — When on outstretched wings. Swamp Hawks appear 

 largo birds, and, as their name implies, they are found in swampy 

 localities, and may usually be .seen in snch places in almost any part of 

 Australia, hawking or hunting, as if lazily, with slow and somewhat heavy 

 motion of the wings over the tops of rushes growing in lagoons, or 

 skimming and wheeling over plains and gi-assy flats. They feed on almost 

 anything — birds (including their eggs), snakes, and other reptiles, &c. 

 Unlike tlie majority of Hawks, which perch on trees, the Swamp Hawks are 

 of a more pastoral di.spo.sition, selecting a "rise" on tlio plain, a large 

 stone or, perhaps, a stump of a tree. The plumage of the Harrier on 

 the upper surface is rich dark brown, some of the feathers being margined 

 with reddish-buff, the face is light reddish-brown, with all the rest of the 

 under-surface buffy-white. with a dark stripe down the centre of each 

 feather ; eyes are yellow ; bill, brown, becoming paler at the base. 

 Total length, about 20 inches; wing, 15i inches; and tail, 10 inches. 



Of the birds of prey, probably the eggs of the Swamp Hawk are the 

 most common in our collections, for the reason that the nests being on or 

 near the ground are easily taken, whereas the general nin of our Falconidne 

 breed aloft in some tall forest tree. Moreover, Swamp Hawks enjoy an 

 extensive range, including many extra-Australian localities. Sir Walter 

 Buller records that the Hamer or Swamp Hawk often returns to the same 

 nesting-place for several successive seasons, the old nest forming a founda- 

 tion for the new one, and that the young are verv savage when molested, 

 throwing themselves on their backs and striking out vigorouslv with their 

 talons at the intruder. 



Tlie late Mr. T. H. Potts sent the following New Zealand note to 

 the Zddlof/ixf : — "In November, 1884, in one of the large swamps in the 

 Hind district of the Canterbury Plains, a nest of the Harrier, built on a 

 large tuft of coarse growing rashes, was knocked over bv a mob of cattle. 

 Tlie nest being set up again and the eggs put back, the Hawk returned and 

 resumed incubation. Tlie nest contained five eggs. Another nest in the 

 Hororaki district also contained five eggs." Clutches of five have also 

 been taken by Tasmanian collectors. 



Principal breeding months include September to December or January. 



