A2 Stray Feathers. \i^"Tn\v 



Stray Feathers. 



Yellow-faced Honey-eater {Ptilotis chyysops). —While staying on 

 the Tyldesley River, East Gippsland, I found a nest of this 

 species in a slender tea-tree about 12 feet from the ground ; it 

 contained f2ist September) two young in light grey down, eyes 

 not yet open. The parents came close to my head while I was 

 examining the nest, making a " rut-ut-utting " noise with the 

 wings while flying, in the same manner as the Spinebill and others 

 of the Miiiphaqidce. — H. Stuart Dove. Cunninghame. 



Spinebill {Acanthorhynchus tenuirostris). — A nest just finished 

 of this pretty Honey-eater was found near Tyldesley River 

 on 2ist September, in young swamp tea-tree, about 6 feet 6 

 inches from the ground. Both birds, in fine plumage, practically 

 identical, came close up to me. One egg was laid on 24th Sep- 

 tember, another on 25th, when the female began sitting. Next 

 morning she allowed me to touch her before she would leave the 

 nest, and then just sat quietly by on a twig while I examined the 

 eggs. — H. Stuart Dove. Cunninghame. 



Cape Barren Goose on Nest. — This photograph (Plate V.) was 

 taken at the Public dardens, Launceston. The nest is com- 

 posed of a general collection of rough material, some of which 

 must have been gathered from a clistance. The nest is only 

 slightly raised above the ground, the top being flat, with a hollow- 

 only large enough to hold the eggs (three). This hollow is lined 

 with fine pieces of roots, grass, and the soft down plucked from 

 the birds' own bodies. On leaving the nest at feeding-time the 

 eggs are carefully covered with this material. These birds show 

 a good deal of defence. The male bird will rush at any intruder 

 with considerable force.— W. M'CiOWAN. Launceston. 



Cleveland (Tasmania) Notes. — 2uth September, 1910. — My 

 sister found a nest of the Striated Field-Wren [Calamanthns 

 fiiliginosus) with three eggs of owner and one egg of Fan-tailed 

 Cuckoo {Cacomaiitis flabelliformis). 



24th September. — Observed two pairs of Red-capped Dottrels 

 (Mgialitis ruficapilla) on the edge of a brackish lagoon about a 

 mile from the Macquarie River. Subsequently I noticed that 

 the birds remained at this lagoon (about two acres in extent). 



15th October. — In company with two ornithologists, was 

 searching the flats of the South Esk for Native-Hens [Trihonyx 

 mortieri), when one of the party found a nest with a clutch of 

 fourteen eggs. Again (29th October), when exploring banks of the 

 South Esk with one of my scholars, we found a Bush-Chat's 

 {Efhthiamira albifrons) nest containing three young ones and 



