^"^'ws'^'J Fletcher, Bird Notes frotn Boat Harbour District. QQ 



earliest noted being in the second week in Juty. In previous 

 years there were plenty to be seen in their gay dress in May. One 

 pair nested in a clump of Canterbury bells in the school garden. 

 They safely reared their three young, and the whole family have 

 lived in the garden ever since, being quite undisturbed by the 

 presence of seventy school children. One interesting fact is worth 

 recording about the male of this pair. He disappeared for a week 

 in July, and one afternoon there was a great commotion among 

 the little brown Wrens, mingled with the exciting strains of his 

 song, and he was back again in his rich spring plumage. 



One of the most numerous of the small birds is the Reed-Lark 

 (Calainanthiis fiiliginosus). Their charming little song closely 

 resembles that of the English Skylark {Alauda arvensis), so 



Nest of the Tasmanian Tit- Warbler {Acanthiza diemensis). 



PHOTO. BY MISS J. A. FLETCHER, R.A.O.U. 



plentiful round Bridgewater, where both these species may be 

 heard. A pair of these Reed-Larks lived on the strip of grass 

 between the fence and the main road, and nested twice by the 

 school gate. The bottom leaves of a Scotch thistle was the chosen 

 site each time. 



From early spring to late autumn the Ground-Lark (Anthtis 

 australis) is very plentiful, but disappears when the colder weather 

 is with us. Their nests are frequently found by the school 

 children, sometimes with three, sometimes with four eggs, and, 

 I am glad to say, are not disturbed by the finders. 



Every farm seems to have its pair of White-backed Magpies 

 {Gymnorhina leuconota) and Butcher-Birds {Cracticus cinereus), 

 which nest either in the firs, gums, or blackwoods about the 

 homestead. One Magpie's nest was composed entirely of twine 

 ends picked up round an old threshing corner. 



