''"'J,"J Stray Feathers. 9I 



this is the first jear I have noticed them nesting here during" the 

 winter. On 29th Alay I observed a nest with two young birds 

 ahnost read}- to leave their home. During July I noticed four 

 pairs of birds breeding, and up till the present date (9th 

 August) four nests this month. I have noticed the following 

 birds nesting during the last six weeks: — Ravens {Corom 

 australis), Whiteface {XeropJiila leucopsis), Miners {Myzantlia 

 gaj'rula). Brown Tree-creepers {Climacteris scafidois), Red- 

 tipped Pardalotes [Pardalotus ornatiis), Red-backed Parrakeet 

 (yPsephohis hauiatonotus). Spur-winged Plovers {LobivancUiis 

 iobatus), and the Black-breasted Plovers {Zonifer tricolor). In 

 the last issue of The Emu (vol. vii., p. 30), I made the remark 

 that the Warty-faced Honey-eaters {MelipJiaga pJirygid) 

 appeared to be going to winter with us; this they have done, 

 also the Cockatoo-Parrakeets {Ca/opsittaciis nov(i;-hollandicE) and 

 the Red Wattle-Birds {Acanthoc/uera caniiiailata). With regard 

 to the latter, I am not sure that this is the first year that I have 

 known of any to remain the winter, but never before have I 

 seen them in such large numbers ; they are not only to be seen 

 by the river, but throughout the district. I notice in Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell's " Nests and Eggs " he remarks that in the years 

 1 85 3- 1 860 W^attle-Birds were very plentiful at Frenchman's, 

 Amphitheatre, Warrnambool, and other places in the Western 

 District of Victoria, where 70 birds might be easily shot in a 

 morning. In certain localities within a few miles of here just 

 now I am sure it would be no very difficult matter to shoot 170 

 in a morning. I had occasion to drive to Dubbo and back this 

 week, and the whole way along the road these birds were to be 

 seen in great numbers ; even in Dubbo an odd bird was to be 

 seen. Upon my return journey I stopped in a thick pine scrub 

 about 17 miles from here for lunch. At this spot the birds 

 appeared to be exceptionally numerous. I walked about a mile 

 into the scrub to see if any of the birds were yet breeding, and 

 although I saw no nests, I noticed most of the birds were in 

 pairs. A great many varieties of birds have wintered with us 

 this year in much larger numbers than I have ever known before. 

 Why this should be I cannot understand. Perhaps it is on 

 account of the severe drought in other parts of the State. This 

 month I have also seen young White-winged Choughs {Corcorax 

 Dielanorliaiiiphiis) and Babblers {Pouiator/iiiius temporalis) which 

 had already left the nests. — Thos. P. AUSTIN. Cobbora 

 (N.S.W.), 9/8/07. 



Annotations. — Mcsophoyx plumifcm (Plumed Egret). — Mr, 

 A. H. E. Mattingley's articles (" Heronries " and " Plundered for 

 Their Plumes ") in this issue will be read with interest and 

 shame — interest, because bringing to our knowledge the 

 breeding place of a rare bird, with eggs hitherto undescribed ; 



