20 



Berney, Birds of the Richmotid District, N .Q. [^^^ "j",,. 



ground ; and at another they selected a pump stand at a dam, the top 

 of the stand being 8 or 9 feet above water, and the pump in use every 

 other day, which necessitated the Crows' collection of dry herbage 

 being cleared off. However, they stuck to it, and, rain coming, the 

 pump went out of use and the birds reared a family of three. 



Raven {Corone aiistralis). — The Raven appears far from common 

 out this way. 



Magpie-Lark {Grallina picata).— Common. Nesting from end of 

 October to March ; on the 24th of the latter month I found two nests, 

 each with three fully fledged youngsters. I have seen no sign of 

 migratory movement among these birds until July, 1904, when we 

 had a great influx of them. 



Ground Cuckoo-Shrike {Pteropodocys phasianella). — This species is 

 with us all the year round, but the numbers are certainly less during 

 the winter months. They have a soft, liquid note, and are generally 

 to be seen in small parties of three or four up to six and eight. I have 

 found a nest with three young on 8th October, and on nth and isth 

 November I saw nests with the birds sitting. 



Black-faced Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus melanops). — This bird is 

 with us all through the year. I have seen a nest with young on the 

 19th November, another with old bird sitting on 5th February, and 

 a third nest on 25 th March with three well-fledged young. 



Little Cuckoo-Shrike {Graucalus mentalis). — Very seldom seen. 

 They were here in the river timber in June, 1902, and again in August, 

 1904. When about, their cry, " Kiseek, kiseek," is easily heard, and 

 cannot possibly be mistaken. The stomach of one I obtained on 

 the Campaspe River contained grasshoppers and beetles. 



White-winged Chough {Corcorax melanorhamphus). — The Chough 

 just appeared in time to be included in its proper place in these notes ; 

 I saw seven yesterday — 27th May, 1905. 



White-shouldered Caterpillar-eater {Lalage tricolor). — Is with 

 us all the year round, but very inuch less numerous during the winter. 



Cuckoo Notes. 



By C. L. Barrett, Melbourne. 



Wishing to study the nestlings of some Victorian birds, and to 

 photograph them at various stages of development, I spent last 

 nesting season, with two companions, in the valley of the Olinda 

 Creek, which winds out of the Dandenong Ranges in the vicinity 

 of Lilydale. Some fifty of our familiar birds breed here in 

 numbers, and we experienced httle difficulty in locating many of 

 their nests. The banks of the creek are clothed with tea-tree 

 {Leptospermum), native hazel {Pomaderris), and musk (Olearia), 

 intermingled with wire-like grass and bracken ferns {Pteris), which 

 form miniature jungles where the White-throated Thickhead 

 {Pachycephala gutturalis) and the Coachwhip-Bird {Psophodes 

 crepitcins) love to rear their young. Here and there are open grassy 

 spaces, and the Blue W^ren [Mahmis cyanens), the White-shafted 



