100 Fletcher, Bird Notes from Boat Harhour District. [,^f'"on. 



The fir trees round the farms shelter the Frogmoiith {Podargits 

 strigoidcs), and a schoolboy reported a nest of two eggs in the 

 branches of one of these trees. 



I had an interesting note given to me about a Chestnut-faced 

 Owl (Strix castaiiops). The bird, accurately described, was seen 

 towards evening cleaning out the spout of a dead gum, throwing 

 down bits of rotten wood. Thrown down with this was half a 

 white eggshell, rather soiled. This happened one evening early 

 in November, and gives an idea of when these Owls take on their 

 nesting cares. 



The Black Cockatoo [C alyptorhynchns xanthonotiis) is very fond 

 of tearing to pieces the flowers of the giant banksia, but I cannot 

 find out what they eat in these. In November, 1917, while 

 exploring a gully of wild laurel, I disturbed a pair of these birds 

 from their nest — a hole in a tall gum. 



The Yellow-bellied Parrot {Platycercus flaviveniris) is well 

 distributed over this district. All crimes are laid to their credit, 

 and I heard of a Sunday shooting expedition resulting in a sugar- 

 bag full being secured by two youths. The owner of the property 

 fortunately caught these miscreants. 



The Rosella (Platycercus eximius) is an occasional visitor to this 

 district. 



The Black Bell-Magpie [Strepera argiita) is plentiful in the hills 

 about nine miles south-west of this part. 



Ravens {Corvus mistralis) are fairly plentiful. 



White Cockatoo {Cacatua galerita) occasionally passes across. 



Black Swan [Chenopis atrata). — Eighteen of these birds flew 

 across to the Arthur River after spending the early hours of the 

 morning on the beach. 



White-fronted Chat {Ephthianiira albifrons) is present in a 

 limited degree. 



Fire-tails {Zonceginthus hellits) favour the sea frontage, and 

 build their nests in the mimosa scrubs, where I also located the 

 Pink-breasted Robin {Erythrodryas rhodinogaster). 



Flame-breasted Robins {Petroica pJurnicea) are very numerous 

 in autumn and spring, but are rarely seen at other times, their 

 places being supplied by the Scarlet-breasted Robins (P. leggii). 



The Dusky Robin {Amaurodryas vittata) is fond of the fields near 

 the scrubs. 



Welcome Swallows {Hirundo neoxena) are plentiful. One pair 

 regularly builds in a small cane a few feet above the spray of the 

 water. Tree-Swallows [Petrochelidon nigricans) and Wood- 

 Swallows {Artamns sordidus) generally arrive in the district about 

 the 1 8th July. 



The Dusky Fantail {Rhipidura diemenensis) is well represented, 

 and in the tall gum forests to the south the Leaden Flycatcher 

 [Myiagra pliimbea) can be seen among the high branches. 



Every scrubby giilly has a pair or more of the Whistlers (Pachy- 

 cephala), both species being present. 



The Cuckoos, both Cuctilus pallidus and Cacomantis flabelli- 



