-O EGGS or AUSTKAUAN BIHDS. 



35 



an jnlertsiiiig forest, I noticed a Biouze-wing Pigeon and a Falcon in its 

 wake, both flviug at a tienieudous rate of speed; they seemed simply to 

 cut streaks in the air. Tliu Pigeon by rcacliing tlie timber (its only 

 chance) evaded its bold adversary. 



Hei'e is an extraordinary scene witnessed by my friend, 

 Mr. C. C. Brittlebank : It is morn in the full flush of spring. A Heron 

 ( Xotophoyx nui'(e-liol/fiii(/l(eJ rises from a swamp near, and is leisurely 

 winging its way, when behold like a streak in the distance is seen our bold 

 friend, the little Falcon, heading straight for the large bird. Presently the 

 bii"d of prey swoops down, and, for a wonder, undershoots its mark, caused 

 by a strategetie upward curve of the Heron, but the Hawk, equal to the 

 occasion, and with a rapid tiu'n, fairly throws itself at the large birds 

 wing, which breaks with a loud report. Then the poor bird commences 

 to form spiral circles earthward, the game little Hawk sticking to its 

 quairy the while. Besides my friend, others had been watching the 

 combat — to wit, ten or a dozen IMagpies ((I'l/iiinoHiiit/i /iiiconutii ), which 

 now came up on hum-ing wings. Then occurs upon the groiuul such a 

 scene — the wounded Heron hoarsely calling, all the Magpies scolding and 

 fiercely picking the screaming Hawk, which gets a rough time, 

 and seems much relieved at Mr. Brittlebank's near approach, causing 

 the much too pugnacious ^fagpies to scatter. The Hawk quickly 

 follows, but in the opjsosite chrection, and there is only left the stately 

 Heron with a fractured carjDal joint. 



I possess other evidence of the bold and desperate character of the 

 Little Falcon. A fanner friend told me how on one occasion he beheld 

 a largo white rooster in the field beheaded by the little bird of prey ; 

 while Mr, William Bateman, a duck-shooter of twenty years' experience 

 in the Muiray River district, has witnessed the Hawk put on a tenific 

 spiu't to overtake flviug ducks, then, suddenly making a swoop from behind, 

 deal a dvick a blow, appai-ently with the edge of the wing, that fells it 

 dead. Twice Mr. Bateman has seen Coots decapitated, and relates how 

 he and liis brother prociu-ed a Bustard or Wild Turkey without spending 

 ammunition. The Tiukev was seen to rise well out of range, and was 

 flying awa}' when a Little Hawk was observed coming up at right angles 

 to the Turkey's flight, and, making an exceedingly swift cut. clean scalped 

 the gi'eat bird, ^^^len the sportsmen picked up the Turkey it was quite 

 dead. 



A nest I saw was not less than fifty or si.\ty feet from the ground, 

 near the top of a straight tree, well-balanced with boughs, and 

 standing at the edge of a lagoon. With the generous exertions of 

 Mr. Hariy Barnard, I was enabled to place the contents of the nest — 

 a pail' of rare eggs — in my cabinet. Mr. Barnard tells me he has never 

 known the Little Falcon to make a nest of its own, always choosing 

 the deserted nest of some other Hawk and lining it again with green 

 leaves. 



Gould succeeded in finding several nests of the Little Falcon both in 

 Tasmania and on the Continent; they were all placed near the tops of 

 the most lofty trees, and generally inaccessible. The nests were rather 

 large stiiictm-es, being full}' equal in size to that of a Crow, and shghtly 



