NE.ST\ AA'D £c;GS Oh AUSTRALIAN BIRDS. 2\ 



pronged fork or division, whidi securely liolds the rough stniclurc in 

 position. In two instances this year (1889) the disused nests of 

 Hieracidea orientalis were taken possession of (from one of which in 

 October last I took the Hieracidea x eggs), the only additions being the 

 sheepskin lining. The niunber of eggs for a sitting never, so far as my 

 experience goes, exceeds two." 



The earhest nest containing eggs foiuid by Mr. Bennett was on the 

 Sth October, the latest on the 20tli December; while we learn from 

 Mr. Price Fletcher that from Christmastide to the end of February is 

 the chief nesting time for this Kite in the far interior of Queensland. 



Ajn-apd.i of Mr. Fletcher's story that he has known a Kite to swoop 

 do\vn and caiTj' off from a dish, chops that were being brought from the 

 kitchen to the house, Mr. G. A. Keartland cites another instance of the 

 fearlessness of tliis Kite, where a bird swooped down to seize a bone that 

 a little gill was enjoying wliile sitting on the doorstep of a friend 

 (Mrs. Clarke, Maryvale. Queensland). In its effort to secure the spoil 

 the bird of prey left marks on the cliild's face which she will cany all 

 her life. 



Again, writing of these Hawks in the North-west, Mr. Keartlaml 

 says : — " These tropical scavengers were not seen until the Fitzroy River 

 was approaclied early in November, 1896, but on our arrival at the 

 telegi-aph station at the Crossing they were very numerous. All along 

 the road from Derby to the Margaret River, they mav be seen in hundreds. 

 Duiing the heat of the day, they seek shelter from the sun amongst the 

 branches of the various trees, but both morning and evening they are 

 either on the wing soaring overhead, or seeking food on the ground. 

 Nothing in the shape of carrion seems to come amiss to them. They are 

 very tame, and are useful in clearing away the offal when cattle are 

 slaughtered. They seldom attack poulti-y. and, consequentlv, are not 

 molested. Grasshoppers form the cliief portion of their food. Thev 

 build their loose stick nests in the Baobab-trees during March and 

 April." 



17- — LoPH()KTiNi.\ isuRA, Gould. (22) 



SQUARE-TAILED KITE. 



Fif^iire— Gould : Birds of Australia, fol., vol. i., pi. 22 



Reference. — Cat. Birds Brit. Mus., vol. i., 326. 



Pieviims Descriptions ofEggs.— Gou\A: Birds of Australia (1848), also 

 Handbook, vol. i., p. 51 (1865); Ramsay; Proc. Linn. Soc, 

 N.S. Wales, vol. vii. p. 413 (1882) ; North : Aus. Mus. Cat., 

 p. II, pi. 4, figs. 3, 4 (i88g) ; Campbell : Proc .\ustn. .\ssoc. 

 vol. vi.. p. 432 (1S95). 



Geof/rnphicnl nisfrihutinn. — Australia in general. 



