8 4 Stray Feathers. F ^^ 



Emu 

 d Oct. 



to bring up well. They had begun a little earlier and finished up 

 later than the other species. 



This season has commenced considerably in advance of that of 

 last year, as, to my surprise, I found yesterday, 26th June, two 

 eggs in the nest of Ocvphaps lophotes, and one in that of Phaps 

 c/ialcoptera ; last year the dates were about ist and 15th September 

 respectively. The birds have been kept under exactly the same 

 conditions, so the season, which has been extremely mild (almost 

 total absence of frosts), must alone be accountable for them nesting 

 so much earlier, I think. — Mary G. Roberts. Hobart, 27/6/05. 

 * * * 



KuRRAjONG (Q.) Notes. — The Grass-Birds {Megahtms) have 

 almost totally disappeared. I saw one to-day, the first for some 

 weeks. Hawks are unusually numerous this winter, although this 

 locality is most noticeable for their absence at other times. Gos- 

 hawks {Astnr approxiinaiis) were in evidence some time ago, 

 terrorizing the poultry everywhere, but now there have been none 

 molesting them for some weeks. The other species I have noticed 

 are — Brown Hawks, very numerous ; Spotted Harriers are to be 

 seen on any of the little black-soil plains ; Kestrels, Black-shouldered 

 Kites, Little Eagles, Little Falcons, and Sparrow-Hawks are also 

 to be seen, though not plentiful. Eagles are also more numerous 

 than I have seen them before. We have had some visitors, in the 

 shape of tiny greenish Parrakeets (Warbling Grass-Parrakeets) ; 

 they were very wild, and were either in pairs or small parties of five 

 or six. Red-capped Robins have put in an appearance, one or two 

 pairs being seen. Although it has been very dry for some months, 

 the Scrub-Turkeys {Taleoalliis) would vie in condition with any 

 domestic fowls. Some of them are almost too fat to eat. — Ernest 

 D. Barnard. 23/6/05. 



Tasmanian Hawk-Notes. — Anent Harriers (Circus goithii) 

 settling on trees, I have had good opportunities of watching 

 them, and have seen them many times settle on a dead tree, 

 near their hawking grounds, and also, at the nesting time, 

 have seen the male perch on the tree and wait there for 

 the female, while the latter was placing material in the 

 nest, which was in a crop close by. White-fronted Falcon 

 {Falco frontalis). — On a very hot, sultry evening, about the New 

 Year, I noticed one of these birds near me feeding on what I con- 

 cluded were the common black beetles, which were then very 

 numerous. This bird would settle on the branch of a dead tree 

 and there watch for one or more of these beetles to come along, 

 then with one or two flaps of its wings would dart upwards, down- 

 wards, or at an angle, and take its prey, sometimes taking more 

 than one in a flight, and always returning to the same perch. It 

 was very interesting to watch its performance, but I failed in one 

 thing, through being afraid to venture too near, and that was 

 to ascertain if the prey were taken in the mouth or claws, but I 



