^"I'^^'j Stray Feathers. 1l2Q 



lings indicate that they intend to nest. They appear to be hard 



to please. A pair starts a burrow, and, not being satisfied with 



the spot, deserts it to try elsewhere. This is the first time during 



a residence of over forty years that I have seen Bee-eaters on 



the Mornington Peninsula. — G. E. Shepherd. Somerville, 24th 



November, 1906. 



* * * 



Foster-parents of Cuckoos. — The Scrub- Wren {Scricomis 

 osciilans) has not previously been recorded as a foster-parent of 

 the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cocoinantis flabelliforniis), but I have 

 taken it in this district. Two new foster-parents of the PaHid 

 Cuckoo {Cticulus paUidus), which I have also collected, are 

 Orange-winged Tree-runner {Sitte/Ia cJirysoptera) and the intro- 

 duced Goldfinch {Carduelis elegatis). I have this season seen a 

 pair of Shrike-Tits {FaUuiiculus frontatiis) feeding a young Pallid 

 Cuckoo. — G. E. Shepherd. Somerville, November, 1906. 



Drouin Notes. — I may add a few to the number of birds in 



this district mentioned in last Emu. Amongst them are the 



White-shafted Fantail and the Blue Wren, which keep very 



close in the bracken and other thick scrub, but are so curious to 



see what my dogs are doing that they come flitting back and 



peering from the shelter of the bushes, and then running away 



like mice. Also the dogs have put up Coachwhip-Birds in the 



scrub in winter ; these make a hoarse mewing like a cat when 



disturbed. Then there are Shrike-Thrushes, Magpie-Larks, 



Butcher-Birds, Rosellas, and, of course, the ubiquitous' Jackass. 



Next winter I will take more particular notice. Now also the 



spring birds are here. But this is not a " birdy " place. — L. H. 



Hutchinson. August, 1906. 



* * * 



Ducks and Geese. — A Black Duck {Anas superciliosa) had a 

 nest at the butt of a willow branch, where the end had been cut 

 off and shoots had sprouted up all round. It was overhanging 

 the creek. During the time she was sitting a flood came down, 

 and the nest got covered by the water for the space of two 

 hours, during which time the Duck was swimming over the site in 

 evident distress. As the water went down and showed the eggs 

 again, she again sat on them, and eventually hatched out nine 

 young. It shows the vitality of the eggs that being under cold 

 water for two hours did not destroy the life of the chick. I also 

 used to notice some years ago Cape Barren Geese {Cereopsis 

 novce-Jiollandice) flying in considerable numbers over Mortlake 

 from east to west during the month of October; they were 

 apparently migrating with their young from the islands in Bass 

 Strait to the various salt lakes in the Western District. I 



