Bditorial. ' 115 



and tliey wax fat on the apples, and the cabbages and cauli- 

 flowers. 1 have had consideraljle experience of opossums, and 

 1 have come to the conclusion that they prefer a ripe apple to any 

 other food. I have known them to raid a house in search of 

 this delicacy. Therefore, a variety of snares are set for them; 

 but. in spite of the fact that there is always a skin or two drying" 

 on, if not gracing, the stable-door, the ranks of the opossums 

 do not appear to be materially thinned. Occasionally a fox is 

 found in otte of the traps, and the gardener avers that he, too 

 comes after the fruit. I'm, in s])ite of the scriptural references 

 to the little foxes that spoil the vines, I prefer to believe that it 

 is feathers that he is in search of. 



\'ery few of the birds I have named interfere with the 

 flowers or fruit. Curiously enough, the worst offender is the 

 magpie, who seems to take an impish delight in pulling delicate 

 plants to pieces. I have seen rare and handsome palms com- 

 pletely spoiled bv magpies, who were using the fragments for 

 nesting purposes. So ])ersistent were they that the gun had 

 at last to be used on them. 



<H-¥<^ 



Editorial. 



Xksiixg Xoti;s : The Marquis of Tavistock, writing on 

 I ith inst., informs us that he had, up to the present, the 

 following species of parrakeets nesting, viz : 

 At liberty: Red Rosella. African Ring-neck, and Banded. 

 /;; Aviorics : Pileated, Barnard's. Yellow-naped. and Lutino 



Indian Ring-neck mated with a Lutino Blossom-head. 



^Ir. H. E. Bright writing, on April 28th. states that the 

 following species are incubating clutches of eggs, viz : Red- 

 Mountain. X'iolet. Diamond. Geoffrey's and Brush Bronze- 

 wing l)o\'es; also J'iosella Parrakeets. 



The following species are buililing : 



Black Seed-Finches, several pairs of Cardinals, ditto 

 Long-tail Grasstinches, Diamond Sparrows. Sydney Waxbills. 



