^°'i4''"-l -V/z^n' Irathn-s 325 



with ])erfection ; very often a few notes of the Golden-breasted 

 Whistler {Pachyccphala pectoralis) are inserted, while some- 

 times the call of the Brown Warbler (Cerygojie fiisca) is easily 

 recoj^nisable. These are birds with which he is associated 

 thronjjhout the year. After the intruder has withdrawn from 

 the precincts of the nesting site, the male resumes his customary 

 song, with renewed vigour. Since the mimetic capability of the 

 Yellow-thr(jated Scrub-Wren was first noticed, it has been amply 

 detected in other parts. Investigation may reveal that (|uite a 

 number of our scrub birds interpolate their song with tlie notes 

 of other birds with which thev associate. — 1*. A. Gimjekt, 

 R.A.O.U., Lakemba, X.S.^^^ 



White=shouldered Caterpinar=eaters — I was watching the 

 other day, the stages in the construction of the White-shouldered 

 Cateri)i11ar-Eater's nest. The first nest I found was robbed by 

 some boys, but immediately the birds started another nest in the 

 next tree. All the material of the first nest was used on the 

 second, and sometimes the male, after placing some material in 

 position, would rest for half-an-hour or so on the nest. This, 

 however, was not so with the female. She rarely appeared, and 

 if she had some material she would give it to the male to place 

 in position. She did the greater part of the sitting, however, 

 and was fed by the male while on the nest. Both birds would fly 

 swiftly past any intruder, snapping their beaks; but although they 

 came very close they never hit one. — Master C. Austin. 



Cockatoo Hybrids. — Two hybrids of a Galah and Pink 

 Cockatoo (Major Mitchell) were noted by me this year, and 

 some years ago a Little Corella (C gymnopis, or rather C. 

 sanguinea) and Galah (C. roseicapilla) hybrid. These all hap- 

 pened in a state of nature, and in good seasons, when food was 

 abundant and all available nesting holes occupied. The Galah 

 ( C. saiiQ^uinca) was in a Galah's Nest with two young Galahs. The 

 other two were trapped birds. — W. MacGillivrav, R.A.O.U.. 

 Broken Hill. 



* * * 



Note on the Frog^mouth and Apostle Bird. — I acquired a 

 Podargus recently; he is becoming (|uite sociable already, and 

 makes no bones about gulping down a whole mouse, dead or 

 alive ; he does not wait to kill it, like the Kookaburra. This is 

 about the fifth that I have kept, and none of them ever 

 "moi)oked" their note, and the note of all the other species of 

 Podargus in my experience is totally unlike that of the "Boobook 

 Owl." My Apostle Birds (Siriitliidea) are nest building; the 

 female does all the graft, and the male is clerk of works. — Dr. 

 W. MacGili.ivk.w, R.A.O.U., P>roken Hill. 



