VI. 



^7 



Stray Feathers. 1 31 



returned she usually carried a feather with her into the nest, 

 which was found to be very wet and sodden underneath its 

 thick lining. The young hatch in about a fortnight, and as soon 

 as fledged arc like their parents in plumage. — A. G. Campbell. 



Melbourne. 



* * * 



Pilot-Bird and Cuckoo. — At the request of a friend I 

 visited the Dandenong Ranges on 15th December to take the 

 nest of a Pilot-Bird found building some time previously, and 

 also to photograph the nest /// situ. I found, beside one o.^^ of 

 the Pilot-Bird, an ^^^ of the Fan-tailed Cuckoo {Cacoi/iatitis 

 flabclliforrnis). This is the first record of this nature, but I 

 believe the nest had been deserted as a result of the incongruous 

 Cuckoo's Qg^. I observed another nest of the Pilot- Bird being 

 built. A small opening was made in some grass about 9 inches 

 above the ground, and the female bird was noticed carrying 

 dead eucalypt leaves to construct the platform in front. With 

 feverish haste the bird hopped hither and thither collecting bark 

 and leaves for her nest. In three hours' time I visited the nest 

 again, when all the external covering of bark had been domed 

 over, and at this rate of progress the nest would be ready for 

 eggs in lyi days. — A. H. E. Mattingley. Melbourne, i8th 

 December, '06. 



* * * 



Mallee (Victoria) Notes, Season 1906. — The following 

 migratory birds arrived here (Pine Plains) on or about the date 

 given : — 



The Rufous Song-Lark, 17th September. 



The White-rumped Wood-Swallow, i8th September. 



The Oriole, ist October. 



And, after an absence of four years, that most handsome 

 bird, the Red-backed Kingfisher, made its appearance at Pine 

 Plains. On 20th October its loud, plaintive notes were to be 

 heard ringing through the trees, 



1 8th October saw three young Chestnut-backed Thrushes 

 (Ground-Birds) in the one nest. I have now found one, two, and 

 three young ones in a nest.* 



The White-eared Finch (?) made its appearance here for the 

 first time — so far as I am aware — about five weeks ago. Has 

 this bird been recorded as a Victorian bird .^-f- It is a beauti- 

 ful bird : the bright yellow on the wings is most noticeable just 

 as the bird is about to rise from the ground, where it is mostly 

 seen, feeding upon the grass-seeds, &c. The numerous colours 

 of its plumage make the bird a most handsome creature. 



* Tliree is a record for this species — usually only two. — Eds. 

 t rrobably the imported Goldfinch. — Eds. 



