Vol. VI. 

 1907 



1 Mellor, The A.O.U. in Tasmania. 1-71 



evening shades come on these are to be seen swimming about 

 in dozens, but they are extremely shy, and will dive or dart 

 away at the least noise. On the morning of leaving the lake I 

 was fortunate in observing a peculiar phenomenon in the shape 

 of a waterspout, or, more correctly speaking, a water whirlwind, 

 for such it was, the water being caught up into the air by the 

 rushing wind and whirled away over the surface of the lake to 

 the height of about 30 or 40 feet. On descending the Tiers 

 heavy rain was experienced, which made progress slow, but as 

 lower levels were reached the weather became clearer, and many 

 more species of birds were seen, which correspond with those 

 plentiful on the plains below, but a bird not seen previously was 

 the Blue-winged Grass-Parrakeet {^Neopheina venusta), a few speci- 

 mens being seen feeding in the grassy localities. The Shining 

 Flycatcher {Myiagra nitida) was nesting in the forest land, the 

 round, cup-shaped nest being seen high in a lofty eucalypt out 

 of harm's way. The Black Cockatoos were about in search of 

 grubs and insects in the soft outer wood of the dead stringybark 

 trees. Robins and various species of Flycatchers were noted, 

 and after a week's sojourn a return was made to Launceston, 

 the time having been very profitably spent, from a naturalist's 

 point of view, in this comparatively new country. 



Paradise Duck at Resolution Island, New Zealand. 



( Casarca variegata.) 



By Richard Henry, Dusky Sound. 



On the 20th September I saw my tame Paradise Duck going 

 into holes in the bank and climbing up sloping old stumps, 

 evidently looking for a place for her nest safe from the Wood- 

 Hens. About a week later I missed her in the morning through 

 hearing her mate calling for her, and took it that she had started 

 the nest somewhere. Instead of coming out of some nook about 

 the cove she came flying high from the southward. I thought 

 then that she had her nest out on some of the little islands 

 where there were no Wood-Hens, and was very eager to know 

 where it was. During her absence her mate was often calling 

 for her, and would go away northward looking for her. Then 

 she would come and call and go away after him, and I was 

 disappointed, for I thought them intelligent enough to manage 

 better than that. However, it only lasted a few days, and then 

 he would wait, perched on a stump, expecting her. She would 

 call out when she would be coming, and I could hear her loud 

 voice far away. That was how I knew the way she came. He 

 would hear it too, and fly up to meet her, and they would have 

 such a greeting v/hen they pitched in the cove. He would bring 



