'J A Stray Feathers. \^ 



Emu 



July 



feather, and the white Emu in the Sydney Zoological Park has now 

 grown several feathers of the natural colour. The albino Magpie 

 in the illustration belongs to our member, Miss S. M. Robertson, 

 of Mordialloc. It has the run of the garden. — D. Le SouiiF. 



Melbourne. 



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Freckled Duck. — The Freckled Duck (Stidonetta ncBvosa) is 

 fairly plentiful on our lakes this season. I had one brought to me 

 for the table last week, and it proved excellent eating. The very 

 compact plumage resembles that of the Musk-Duck. Sportsmen 

 have never seen the bird in this locality before. — A. Trezise. 



Robe, S.A., 14/6/18. 



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Quail and Mice. — A strange thing has happened in these 

 parts lately. A month ago the whole country was alive with 

 Quail, both Stubble {Cotitrnix pedoralis) and Little {Ttirnix velox), 

 but in a few weeks they were gone almost to a bird. I believe 

 the reason is mice. These little rodents have run over the plains 

 in countless swarms, and probably eaten all the grass seed ; there 

 are still heaps of dry grass, but no seed. — F. C. Morse. Garah, 



N.S.W. 



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Cuckoo and Mice. — I secured a male. Coucal {Centropns phasi- 

 anus) the other day, and I was surprised on opening the 

 stomach to find two partly digested and one fresh mouse and the 

 remains of a grasshopper. This bird swallowed the mice whole, 

 there being no sign of their having been torn to pieces in any way. 

 I have not seen any of these birds about here before. I secured 

 the bird on the edge of a thick brigalow scrub which was thickly 

 infested with prickly pear. Has there been previous evidence of 

 this bird eating mice ?^N. Geary, R.A.O.U. Mount Pleasant, 



Dalby (Q.). 19/5/18. 



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Hungry Honey-eaters. — For some unexplained reason the bush 

 does not seem to be producing sufficient food for the Honey-eaters 

 at the present time, as far as the vicinity of Hobart is concerned. 

 Although my home is within two miles of the G.P.O., I am 

 deriving great pleasure owing to my garden being graced with 

 the presence of numerous Meliphagidce. There are nearly always 

 a few Crescent Honey-eaters {Lichmera aiistralasiana) in the 

 garden, but in addition, at the present time, I notice Yellow- 

 throats {Ptilotis flavigula), New Hollands {Meliornis novce- 

 hoUandice), and an occasional Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus dubius). 

 The latest arrival, however, is no less than the Wattle-Bird 

 {Anthochcera inmms). This is the first time that I have seen a 

 Wattle-Bird so close to the city for many years. The main object 

 of their visit appears to be to feed upon a few apples that have 

 been left on the trees, these being now almost over-ripe, — 

 Clive E. Lord. Hobart, 27/5/18, 



