^"';^^^^] Stray Feathers. IO5 



of Rufous Whistlers building their nest quite close to the house, 

 also four pairs of Blue Wrens, three pairs of Scarlet-breasted 

 Robins, one pair of Flame-breasted Robins, and endless Tits and 

 Wattled Honey-eaters, Fly-catchers, Yellow-faced Honey-eaters, 

 &c., &c. One day I noticed a very small White-throated Fly- 

 catcher building its delicate little nest in a low bush. She was so 

 tame that I could sit within six feet of her and watch her working. 

 This season has been a bad one generally, and a good many birds 

 are not nesting at all, and many tragedies of young dead birds 

 have occurred among?t the few nests I have found here. Almost 

 every Magpie's nest I found this season failed to rear its young, 

 the little bird being found dead beneath the tree when half-fledged ; 

 food evidently was scarce. A Little Falcon swooped down above 

 a Magpie's nest, and, without pausing a second in its flight, 

 snatched a nestling in its talons and swept upwards, pursued by 

 the shrieking parent. These Falcons have a cimckling call, 

 which they frequently repeat while sitting on the branch of a 

 tree. They are also keen on catching young rabbits — the more 

 they catcli the better.— Mrs. A. Norton. Walcha (N.S.W.) 



Invasion of Musk Lorikeets. — The gardens of Devonport are at 

 present invaded ])y large flocks of green 'Keets, which seem to 

 have been driven away from the higher plateaux, where they 

 absorb the nectar from blossoming eucalypts, by the severe 

 weather. Although heavy falls of snow have taken place in the 

 high country, down here on the coast the days are still warm and 

 delightful, and the 'Keets are revelling in the sunshine and in the 

 feast of late pears which still remain on some of the tall trees. 

 There is an old tree near me from which the fruit was not gathered, 

 and the birds spend the whole day there, their musical notes being 

 evident quite a distance away. They have no fear, and I have 

 walked up to within a few feet when dozens of them have been 

 on the ground feasting on fallen fruit. Sometimes four or five 

 will surround a single pear, all pegging away together until the 

 spirit of jealousy seizes one, when he immediately attacks the 

 rest, and there is a " rough and tumble " for a few minutes until 

 matters are adjusted. Although in flocks, the pairs still chng 

 together, and it is charming to see a male and female, when they 

 can hold no more sweet fruit, sit on a branch nestling closely and 

 caressing each other with their bills. All appear to be " Musks " 

 {Glossopsittacus concinnus) ; there are no Little Lorikeets [G. 

 pH^illus) in the flocks which I have examined. — H. Stuart Dove. 

 West Devonport (Tas.), 22/5/20. 



One Effect of Land Clearing. — It is stated that Cormorants 

 are largely on the increase, tnit this may not really be the case, 

 but that the birds from outlying parts are being forced into tlu' 

 more settled parts. When the blacks were plentiful in Central 



