I '^8 Stray Feathers. \ 



Emu 

 t Ian. 



crevices of rock dozens of Swallows had built their nests. In a 

 former communication Mr Cornwall states he has found the 

 Nutmeg-Pigeon {Myristicivora spilorrJioa) in considerable 

 numbers breeding on islands 20 miles below Mackay. This is 

 indeed interesting news to find these fine Pigeons so far 

 south. 



Another correspondent, Mr. Isaac Batey, Drouin, Gippsland, 

 informs me that Emu-Wrens are said to be nesting in the crops 

 in his district, and that he suspects the Swamp-Hawk or Harrier 

 of capturing blackfish, because he had seen their (fish) bones 

 about the Hawk's nest Blackfish could be easily taken in the 

 shallow creeks. 



Sterna bergii (Crested Tern). — I was fortunate last month 

 (26/11/06) .'n making a visit to a rookery of these beautiful sea 

 birds. It was situated on a craggy limestone islet in Guichen 

 Bay, South Australia. The birds were in hundreds upon fresh 

 eggs in little, shallow hollows on the rock or sand among the 

 short vegetation {Helichrysum, EncJiylcena, Lavatera, &c.) on the 

 summit of the islet. It was an impressive sight to a naturalist 

 to witness the cloud of feathered forms rise (see Plate XI.) when 

 an intruder approached too near. But, gaining confidence, the 

 birds soon settled again. In the whole rookery I only observed 

 two nests containing each a pair of eggs, the rest had the usual 

 number — one — while the collection contained one albino eg^. 

 It was noticed that among the Crested Terns a single Sooty 

 Tern (there might have been more unobserved) had taken up its 

 quarters, apparently far south of its usual track. — A. J. CAMPBELL. 



Melbourne. 



* * * 



The White-eye.* — It seems strange that now, at the end of 

 October, the White-eye should still appear in flocks when all 

 other small birds have paired and are busy with domestic affairs ; 

 but it is a smart little bird, which loves society, and is loth to 

 break up the merry, shrill-calling winter company. Mr. H. C. 

 Thompson has found a number of nests in a thick piece of scrub 

 in close proximity to each other, showing that Zosterops likes 

 to have chums around even at breeding time, when most birds 

 are very jealous of intrusion by their fellows. Moreover, it is 

 inclined to be a late breeder, and in New Zealand, Tasmania, 

 and Victoria the month of December is a favourable time to 

 look for nests with eggs. 



The nest is a good example of the " pensile " style of architec- 

 ture — a kind which is rare in temperate climes, being specially 

 adapted to puzzle those inhabitants of tropical countries, such as 

 large tree-climbing snakes and monkeys, which have a pen- 



* These notes are supplementary to those which appeared in the last quarterly 

 issue of The Emu. 



