Vol. VII. -| 

 1Q07 J 



B.\TKV, Hire/- Life Sixty Years Ago. 



gum blossom, passed in droves. When pursued they endeavoured to 

 escape by mounting aloft, but their enemy, shooting above them, darted 

 downwards and pinned one with his strong talons. The poor thing screamed 

 until the Falcon silenced it by a nip on the head with his sharp bill. Once 

 after sundown a horde of Ravens was seen, perhaps a hundred yards in the air, 

 when suddenly a Black-cheeked Falcon shot straight up and caught one, but, 

 the prey being too heavy, the captor fell with it to the ground at an angle of 

 45 degrees. We ran over, and the F;dcon took flight, but the victim was 

 stone dead — killed, I think, with a hard squeeze across the back. It is up- 

 wards of 20 years since this grand Falcon was noted in the old locality ; the 

 last pair seen was at the Hanging Rock, where presumably they nested. 



Black Falcon {Falco nigcr'). — This Hawk seems to be widely distributed, 

 because I have seen it on the Old Man Plain in Riverina, where on one 

 occasion I saw it take a Quail that was flushed as I rode along. In 

 this case the Falcon appeared to strike the quarry with his breastbone, 

 stunning it, then, wheeling about, picked it up. The Black Falcon, unlike 

 his grey brother, affects the plains, and if you are riding, walking, or driving 

 stock, should a Quail rise, to your surprise a Falcon often comes from behind 

 you like a flash. The Black Falcon was a rare bird of old in my part. 

 Twenty years must have elapsed since one was noted ; still 1 suppose it will 

 be met with about Rockbank. 



Goshawk (^j-//^/- approximaiis). — This handsome bird is still a frequent 

 visitor, yet at no time was it plentiful. Apparently its favourite haunt 

 is the course of a stream. Once it was observed on Jackson's Creek 

 hunting rabbits under bushes. This Hawk is to be met with in this part of 

 (^ippsland (Drouin), but I do not recollect seeing it on the Murrumbidgee, 

 where I was previously stationed. 



Sparrow-Hawk {Accipitcr cirrhoccplialus). — Always a rare casual ; tlie 

 last one seen was near Woodend. 



Brown Hawk {Hieracidea oricnlalis). — Still a permanent on the old 

 location ; nests there yet ; never saw it hunting. Long since, by the side of 

 a nest, a dead snake was seen, hung on a branch. This harmless Hawk is 

 ruthlessly shot by excursionists from Melbourne. 



Nankekn Kestrel {Cerchneis cenchroides). — This bird nested every 

 year on our station ; perhaps owing to introduced .Sparrows and Starlings 

 taking up the few hollow spouts, it does not breed there now. It still 

 appears, and is found in the Drouin region. Once I saw it peep into a hole 

 in a tree branch where a White-rumped Wood-Swallow had her nest in 

 Riverina. The Kestrel evidently saw there was only one plan to secure the 

 sitting bird, so, thrusting his long leg down the aperture, he pulled the 

 poor thing out. 



Harrier {Circus gouldt).—':^i\\\ an annual visitant, nesting in growing 

 crops ; and noted on the Murrumbidgee, where its nest was found in a 

 swamp. This bird breeds at Drouin. Four young are evidently one brood. 



Letter-wincjkd Kite {Elaiius scriplits). — Ahoui 1888 I saw a bird of 

 this species at Toolern (Melton Shire) and three near Mt. Macedon. One 

 of the latter was shot, and its identity established. It would ajjpcar to 

 be the rarest of the Hawk tribe in above region. 



Black-shouldered Kite (/i/a/ius a.ri7/«ir/s).— One season in Newham 

 Shire some of these Kites appeared, and their identity was proved. They 

 and the previous species seemed to be out of bounds thereabouts. 



White (Goshawk {Asfur 7io7i(r-hoU<iiuii(r). — Messrs. Notman, Mt. 

 William, near Lanceficld, grassed a White (loshawk, which I stuffed. My 

 late father spoke of one obtained on the River Plenty, near Greensborough, 

 during the forties. 



