208 Stray Feathers. [JZ^X 



the well some time, and the dififerences in disposition even in 

 wild birds were conspicuous. One with a grasshopper in his 

 beak would hop from twig to twig, fly to the rope, and then go 

 ofif again, afraid to venture while we were near. The other, 

 however, without the slightest dread, flew straight down and 

 took no notice of us, I took out my watch, and found that the 

 two birds fed their young four times in five minutes ; watching 

 them later, however, they did not keep up this rate, but an 

 average of once in that time would be well below the mark. If 

 this rate were continued for 12 hours, 144 insects would be 

 destroyed — but then what would be the size of the nestlings .'' " — 

 (Dr.) J. Burton Cleland, Adelaide, 



* * * 



Clarke Island (Bass Strait) Notes. — It is curious to 

 note how erratic birds are laying in various seasons. All those 

 down in the Strait this year are a month later in nesting than 

 their accustomed time. The Black Swan, Musk-Duck, and 

 other water-fowl which almost invariably lay in August, have 

 this year postponed laying until the middle of September, and 

 even later. The winter has been very wet, but that could not 

 affect them in any way. I discovered a Swan's nest amid 

 reeds on the bank of a small creek, in water knee-deep, contain- 

 ing several eggs. Shortly afterwards the creek's mouth broke 

 out, and the water receded to a lower level, leaving the nest dry. 

 The birds at once deserted it. 



28/7/05. — The Cape Barren Geese (the exception) were up to 

 their usual time in laying. I visited an adjacent island, and 

 discovered three nests, and noted that some persons had broken 

 one or more eggs from them, with a view, I presume, to see if 

 they were fresh, but finding them hard-set had left the 

 remainder. I made certain the birds would desert the nests, 

 but on examining same a fortnight later was pleased to find 

 they were well tended, one of the clutches being just hatched, 

 I was also down at the chief breeding-places, and counted over 

 35 nests, with an average of four eggs in each, also numbers 

 being built. 



15/9/05. — I visited the island again and found as many more 

 nests, with fledglings all over the place. I saw six in one clutch — 

 fine, strong little fellows, I noted nests that had been robbed a 

 month formerly and were all occupied. The birds will always 

 lay again if deprived of their first setting. They are certainly 

 not going back in numbers, as I have remarked nests this year 

 in places where I have never known them to lay before. 



The Black Oyster-catcher and the Pied are much in evidence, 

 as is also the Pacific Gull, although late in nesting, I have seen 

 very few of the Caspian Tern, only finding a single nest, 

 although, no doubt, they have patronized the islands in the 



