.ViSrs A.VV EGGS Oh AVSTRALIAN BIRDS. 5 



fuw kugo sinuclgub ;uid spt'cks uf purpiisli-biowu luarkiugs, somu of wliitli 

 ai'o duller iu coloui', appwiring as if boiieath the surface of the siiell. 

 Diiiieusions iu iuches of a clutch of Tasmauiau eggs; (1) r87 x r53, 

 (2) 1-85 X 1-53, (3) 1-85 x i-ol. A liuo p;ur takeu at Iho Nicliolsou River, 

 Gulf of Cai-peuUu'ia district, is sparingly marked with retklish-browu or 

 umber : (1) has a few blotches, chielly on the apex ; dimensions, 

 2-05xl-Olj (2) has smaller markings likewise, principally on the apex, 

 where there are also fiiiiit pui'plish-browu sti'caks, after the manner of those 

 ou the eggs of the White-headed Sea Eagle { ilaliaatar yiiicnciaj ; 

 dimousions, 2'0 x io3. (Plato 1.) 



Olmtruations. — The White Goshawk is u must beautiful crealiue in 

 pure while plumage; cere and legs yellow, bill and claws black, while the 

 eyes are liery red or rcddish-browii. iu size the bird (male_) is 15 or IG 

 iuches long; wing, 10 inches; tail, 7^ inches. Ihe White Goshawk enjoys 

 a somewhat extensive range throughout the eastern j^'W''' oi Austraha, 

 iucluihug Tiiamania, where it shows a decided preference for forested 

 tracts. It devours reptiles, small auimals, and birds. iSomo beautiful 

 pictures may be imagined of this Goshawk in suow-wliite dress, with its 

 dying qu;uTy held ui relentless grii) — perhaps a i'arrot of iiuuiy gay 

 coloiu-s, or perchance a male liegeut iJird in its handsome bkick and 

 golden garb (for the Hawk picks out conspicuous birdsj. 



The aunouncomeut of the liuchug of the nest and eggs of this lovely 

 hawk was last made at the October meeting, 1887, of tue Koyal Society 

 of Tasmania, when tho secretiuy (Mr. Alex. Morton) statetl that 

 Mr. Arthur E. Bxent, an enthusiastic collector, had discovered ou tho 

 previous day a nest coutaiuiug two eggs. Subsequently the discoverer w;is 

 good enough to allow me to describe the eggs, and forwarded the following 

 information: — "Nest composed of very line, dry sticks, broken freshly 

 from the extreme ends of diy branches, very flat, with a few green pepper- 

 mint gum-leaves forming the receptacle for the eggs, which were two. 

 Tree, stringybark; and nest about seventy feet from the ground. The 

 bird being very aggressive, 1 had to use my left hand to keep her off. 

 1 could feel tho wind on my face from her wings as she flew past, and 011 

 more than one occasion her wing feathers touched my haud, she uttering 

 a piercing cry the while. The eggs were takeu on the 9th October. 

 Locality : A dark gully on Mount Faulkner." 



Subsequently another White Hawk's nest waS known to Mr. Brent, 

 from which eggs were taken two successive seasons. The nest was 

 composed of veiy fine twigs from tho dead branches of standing trees, 

 which the bii'ds settle on, break oil with their talons, and carry du'ect to 

 the nest. This Mr. Brent has observed. The lining of small gi-eeu tvrigs 

 and leaves is gathered in Like manner. Although the birds laid about the 

 end of October, in this instance they appeared to have commenced to repair 

 their nest about the middle of September, for Mr. Brent writes : — " On 

 tho 16th I started for the locality, wliich I reached about eight o'clock. 

 Secreting myself on the broad of my back in tlie ferns, c^-c, I waited the 

 result. I had not more than twenty minutes to wait when the cries of 

 little bii'ds around told me of the approach of tlieii- enemy, and, 



