1917-] ^"Acclimatisation of the Australian Black Siaan. 241 



their backs, presenting their claws and open bills, at the 

 same time making as much noise as they were able. 



" Probably the nursery of these Hobbies* had originally 

 been bnilt by Crows {Corvus macrorhijnchus) , and had beeu 

 altered to suit the requirements of the i'ormer.^^ 



The eggs sent me from Tibet were taken for me near 

 Yatung by Mr. D. Macdonald at an elevation of over 

 1,2,000 feet, and were deposited in an old Magpie's nest in 

 a small sturited tree. Originally there were no fewer than 

 five, but two of these were hopelessly smashed on their way 

 home. 



I liave two other clutches of eggs of this Hobby in my 

 collection taken respectively by Cols. R. N. Rattray and 

 Kenneth Buchanan, the former near Gulmurg in Kashmir, 

 the latter at Changla Gali in the Murree Hills, but I have 

 DO notes with them beyond the fact that they were both 

 taken from nests in high trees. 



These nine eggs, together with three others taken iv 

 Eastern Turkestan vary in length from 40"1 mm. to 41"6 mm., 

 and in breadth from 31'2 mm. to 33'5 mm., the average of 

 the twelve being 4r2 x 324 mm. 



They are typical Hobbies' eggs in every respect, shape, 

 texture, and coloration, and could be matched exactly in 

 any ordinary series of eggs of F. subbuteo subbuteo, but one 

 egg (Plate V. fig. 5) is a rather exceptionally handsome one, 

 with a very bright pale ground-colour and vei'y pink-red 

 markii)g:s. 



XIII. — Note on the Acclimatisation of the Australian Black 

 Swan (Chenopsis atrata). By R. T. Gunther, M.A., F.Z.S. 



(Text-figure 2.) 



While a bitterly cold north-easter was blowing across the 

 river, our common Thames swans were all keeping positions 

 in mid-stream with their heads tucked under their wings 

 to shelter their long necks from the nipping and eager air. 



5EK. X. — VOL. V. K 



