2IO ' Stray Feathers. [.nl April 



there and secured it in his hand. Then came the fun, which is 

 hard to describe. The New-Hollands went for him like little 

 bull-doo[s, flying almost into his face, and tumbling about on the 

 ground in front of him, but the Black-Caps showed no fight and 

 kept in the branches above, making a plaintive cry. I forgot to 

 say that while the feeding performances was going on the 

 youngster never once ceased his " Chirrip, chirrip, chirrip," and 

 swallowed all the food with a greed that very nearly cost the 

 foster-birds their heads. There is no doubt but that the Black- 

 Caps were the real foster-parents, but what possessed the others 

 to take to the bird and feed it ?* — ARTHUR E. Brent. Austin's 

 Ferry, Tasmania, 8/1/06. 



* * * 



Cairns (N.O.) Notes. — Nutmeg-Pigeon {Myristicivora 

 spilorrJioa). — On 29th October I went with a party from Cairns 

 to the Frankland Islands, lying off the mouth of Russell River. 

 The Pigeons were breeding much earlier this year than last, as 

 some of the nests contained young almost able to fly, while 

 nests were everywhere, containing eggs in all stages of incuba- 

 tion. Last year on i6th October I visited these islands and 

 saw only a few nests, and they appeared to be old, while the 

 Pigeons nearly all left the islands soon after daybreak, when the 

 shooting commenced. This time most of the birds stayed on 

 the islands all day, and, as they were very tame, numbers were 

 shot. The birds do not seem particular about a site for their 

 nests, which were placed at heights from 2 feet upwards, and 

 situated in mangroves, she-oaks, scrub trees, or on " bird's-nest " 

 ferns. Two young Pigeons, in pin feathers, that I brought 

 home, took kindly to a diet of boiled rice and milk, with pieces 

 of banana, which they are very fond of The youngsters have 

 now all their feathers and are distinctly different in colouring — 

 one being creamy white and the other smoky white, except the 

 tail and flight feathers, which are black in both birds, the flight 

 feathers having a greyish wash. This difference may be on 

 account of sex ; perhaps the first moult will correct it. I believe 

 the old birds have patches of yellow about the abdomen ; these 

 young birds have not, but their under tail coverts are distinctly 

 rufous. 



Varied Honey-eater {Ptilotis versicolor). — These pretty 

 Honey-eaters, whose eggs I was fortunate in discovering last 

 year, were fairly plentiful, considering the small size of the 

 island, and their loud, musical call was frequently heard. I saw 

 two pairs feeding their young, which were able to fly, but did 

 not find any nests, it being evidently too late. The eggs which 



* Instances are recorded where more than one species of bird has been observed 

 feeding young Cuckoos. See " Nests and Eggs " (Campbell), pp. 567 and 

 572. 



