200 From Magazines, &c. [ist^r" 



April 



Variety of Goura Pigeon. — In the Records of the Aus- 

 tralian Museum, vol. vi., No. 3, p. 230, Mr. A. J. North has 

 described a variety of the Crowned-Pigeon of New Guinea as 

 Goura^ corona ta, vsiV. nigra. The specimen which was brought 

 under his notice was originally a donation received in 1897 from 

 the Director of the Botanic Gardens, Sydney, where are some 

 five aviaries. Instead of the normal bluish slaty-grey plumage 

 of Goura co'onata, the plumage may be described as sooty 

 bluish-black, including the head and crest. Mr. North some- 

 what discounts the value of his variety by stating that the dark 

 plumage may be due to climatic influences or confinement, if it 

 were not typically a distinct variety. 



An instance is known where a Crimson Parrakeet {P/atycercus 

 e/egans), through improper feeding in confinement, changed 

 nearly the whole of its red feathers into bluish. P'or the same 

 reason the Crowned-Pigeon may have changed its bluish feathers 

 into blackish. 



* * * 



Nesting Shift.s. — Mr. H. W. Ford, of Marong, writes : — 

 " We noticed that the Brown Hawks take turns at sitting on the 

 eggs, in about three-hour spells. On the appearance of the 

 returning bird, the one on the nest would scream and fly off, 

 and the other took its place. Sometimes the male bird brought 

 a frilled lizard in its claws. The female would then fly screaming 

 to him, and after a few moments would take the food in her 

 claws, fly to a tree, and eat the lizard. We were near the nest 

 till young ones were hatched and nearly ready to leave, but 

 never saw any other food brought but frilled lizard. When the 

 young were first out the male bird used to bring the lizards, and 

 the female would take them and tear them up, swallow them, 

 and then go to the nest and feed the young. Once there seemed 

 to be an extra supply of lizards, as the male took one and left 

 it on an old nest lOO yards away for two hours, when he came 

 back for it. The White-fronted Herons take turn about at 

 sitting ; only one change, as far as I know, in nine hours, and 

 that was usually about 3 p.m. The returning bird would give a 

 cry and light on or near the nesting tree, when the other would 

 get off and fly away. The pair under observation reared six 

 young ones, which is more than I have seen before. I never 

 saw more than four in a nest, and usually two. In nesting the 

 Magpie-Larks change shifts every 20 minutes or half-hour. One 

 goes away to feed and it comes back right to the side of the 

 nest, when the other gets up and off, and the relieving bird takes 

 its place." — " Nature Notes," The Argus, 8th February, 1907. 

 * * * 



Native Bird Protection Association. — It is pleasing to 

 find tiiat in Rockhampton, Queensland, a strong society has 



