Vol. XX.j Norton, Domestic Habils of i/y; Spulled-sidcd Finch. 233 



of four young Swallows sitting very close together near by. They 

 placidly awaited the visits of their busy parents, and each took 

 its just turn of a meal, without protest or fuss from the others. 

 They never tried to rob their little brothers. 



Notes on Birds of Prey from Casterton, Victoria. 



By C. E. Simson, R.A.O.U., Casterton, Victoria. 



Allied Swamp-Hawk {Circus gouldi). — Swamp-Hawks are fairly 

 plentiful all over the district, preferring the growing crops along 

 the river and the rushes of swamps in the scrub. They do a good 

 deal of hunting for small birds, but do not seem to have enough 

 courage to attack the larger ones ; they also feed on young rabbits. 

 They are very harmless, and, apart from killing a few small 

 birds, do no harm. We generally find their nests at harvest time 

 when cutting the crop. 



Grey Goshawk {Astiir cincrciis). — I have seen odd birds about 

 which, I feel sure, belong to this species. Their habits seem to 

 be the same as the Australian Goshawk. 



White Goshawk {Astnr novce-hollandicr). — I have seen only one 

 specimen of this beautiful Hawk in these parts, but it is said 

 to be more plentiful in the forest country towards the mouth of 

 the Glenelg River. 



Australian Goshawk {Astnr approximans). — ^This Hawk is very 

 plentiful all over the district, but seems to prefer the more hghtly 

 timbered country to the stringybark scrub. They are very 

 fearless about a homestead, and take an odd chicken or two, but 

 do more good than harm by keeping Sparrows and Parrots away. 

 One used to perch on the roof of our hay-shed, and any Sparrows 

 or Parrots that happened to be under the roof when he arrived 

 had to run the gauntlet to some pine-trees a hundred yards away, 

 when the odds were on the Hawk, I was not at all pleased when 

 somebody shot the unfortunate Hawk and incidentally put a 

 charge of shot through the iron roof. These birds will often 

 return to their old nests. One that was used in 1914 was again 

 used last year. I have no record of it during the years 1915 to 

 1918. 



Collared Sparrow-Hawk {Accipitcr torquattts). — This is a rare 

 bird here, and is only occasionally seen. 1 knew of two eggs 

 that were taken from a nest last year, and a fortnight later a full 

 set of four eggs was taken from the same nest. 



Wedge-tailed Eagle {Uroaetiis aitdax). — These magnificent birds 

 are always to be found about the district, and they nest in the 

 big red gums along the river and the steep gullies leading into it. 

 Most of the nests are in commanding positions on the side of a 

 steep hill or gorge, and, although the nest may be not more than 

 60 or 80 feet from the butt of the tree, you appear to look 

 straight down from the nest to the bottom of the gully— perhaps 



