go Stray Feathers. \ ^ 



Emu 

 St Oct. 



bird, apparently in distress, struck upon our ears. We at first 

 took the voice to be that of a Noisy Miner {Myzantha garrula), 

 and scanned the horizontal branch of a gum-tree not far above 

 our heads to try and discover the cause of the outcry. After 

 a few seconds the sounds appeared to come from a clump of 

 bracken near the foot of the eucalypt ; Thompson proceeded 

 thither, and, after glancing into the thicket, called to me. On 

 joining him I was amazed to see two Butcher-Birds [Cractiais 

 cinereus) engaged in deadly strife — one stretched upon his back 

 on the ground, the beak partly open, uttering shrill cries of 

 distress ; the assailant l}'ing upon him, having driven the 

 hooked point of the long, cruel beak in so far just behind the 

 base of the other's mandible that he was quite unable to with- 

 draw it, and thus himself remained a prisoner. The assailant's 

 left foot was clasping the prominent wing joint on the lower 

 bird's right, and his right foot was forced against the other's left 

 cheek, behind the point where the beak was indriven. Thus 

 interlocked, they were absolutely powerless to move, and no 

 doubt would have perished miserably had we not fortunately 

 dropped upon them in the nick of time. My friend raised them 

 in his hands, they being unable to offer any resistance, and while 

 thus held I took a short stick, and, after several attempts, 

 succeeded in pushing back the assassin's beak until the hooked 

 point was clear of the bone in the other's head, thus enabling it 

 to be withdrawn. The stick was also requisitioned to unclasp 

 the left foot, which clutched the wing, the claws having become 

 so fixed in their intense grip that they could not voluntarily let 

 go. After we succeeded in separating them from their deadly 

 clasp, they immediately showed their gratitude by biting fiercely 

 at Thompson's fingers, so indomitable was their spirit ! The 

 first one released flew away towards the creek, probably to slake 

 the burning thirst engendered by his fierce exertions; the other 

 was carried some distance from the field of battle, and then 

 allowed to escape among the bushes. Both were in splendid 

 plumage, and evidently in the pink of fighting condition. What 

 was the cause of the conflict .-' Scarcely a lady Cractiais, seeing 

 that the season is late autumn. Perhaps some tit-bit which they 

 espied simultaneously ; or may it not have been just the 

 " certaminis gaudium," that fierce " joy of battle," which obtains 

 so strongly in the breasts of these minor birds of prey. — H. 

 Stuart Dove. Launceston, Tas., 24/5/07. 



An Abnormal Season. — In this district (Talbragar River) 

 there is something unusual about the habits of birds this winter. 

 A great many varieties have been nesting during the last six 

 weeks. Although such a bird as the Whistling Eagle {Haliasttir 

 sphenurus) has been known to breed in every month of the year, 



