Vol. XVtll 



1919 



j Stray Feathers 305 



obtained a couple of photographs early one morning. When 

 three of the four eggs in the last clutch hatched we were surprised 

 to find that, in addition to the female parent, three surviving 

 young ones from the first two broods assisted in feeding, while 

 the male fed the young from the third brood, and was seldom 

 seen near the nest. The three young ones first mentioned 

 appeared to have just as deep an interest in the nest as had the 

 parent — in fact, we were quite unable to say which was the 

 parent. When faced with the camera all four brown birds 

 became very noisy and excited. Altogether, the pair success- 

 fully reared seven birds — two from the first nest, one from the 

 second, three from the third, while one only survived from the 

 last nest. We may add that, although we have had considerable 

 experience of the Blue Wren, our observations have not led us 

 to believe that the male has more than one mate, as appears to be 

 the popular idea. We rather think that the sociability of the 

 birds, both with members of their own family and with others, 

 accounts for this belief. — R. T. Littlejohxs and S. A. Lawrence. 

 Melbourne, 30/1/19. 



Birds and Drought. — The present disastrous drought, one of 

 the worst experienced in the Upper Hunter River district, is 

 having a curious effect upon the habits of many native birds. 

 Budgerigars {Melopsittaciis imdulatus), previously very rare 

 visitors, are now with us in thousands, while the White Egret 

 {Herodias timoriensis) and Pacific Heron {Notophoyx pacifica), 

 scarcely known before, are plentiful along the river. The large 

 Black Cormorants {Phalacrocorax carlo), usually confined to odd 

 birds, are very numerous, and playing sad havoc with fish. 

 Streams being low and water clear give the Cormorants every 

 opportunity for capturing fish of all sorts. I have lately 

 examined dozens of P. carbo, and in every case found fish, chiefly 

 perch and mullet of various sizes, in the birds' stomachs. One 

 partly-digested perch [Lates colonormn) weighed | lb., while 

 another of the birds disgorged an 18-inch eel. Whatever may be 

 the habits of P. carbo in salt water, there is not the slightest 

 doubt that it does an immense amount of harm in inland streams 

 during dry seasons. My most interesting visitor of the drought 

 season was a single specimen of the Red-crowned Fruit-Pigeon 

 {Ptilinopus swainsoni) ; a female was found disabled near the 

 tennis court, having flown into the wire-netting, apparently. 

 The stomach was full of pepper-tree {Schiniis molle) berries. 

 During the present drought birds practically cleared the orchard 

 of all fruit except grapes, which were protected by paper bags. 

 The Yellow-mantled Rosella {PJatycercits splendidiis) commenced 

 operations on the unripe stone fruit, and, though about 150 of 

 the birds were shot, they fully accounted for apricots, peaches, 

 nectarines, and plums, afterwards finishing off the apples, pears, 

 and quinces. Myzantha garrida, Ptilotis penicillata, Zostcrops 



