Vol. XI. 



Stray Feathers. 255 



of so many nests containing the egg of a Cuckoo and an unusually 

 small clutch of the foster-parent. — ^Arthur P. Ingle, R.A.O.U. 



Yea, 2/1/ 12. 



* * * 



Acclimatization of Torres Strait or Nutmeg Pigeons. - When at 



Herberton, X.O., in January, 1 visited my friend Mr. Newell. 

 He is an old bird-lover. He showed me a small flock of fourteen 

 Torres Strait or Nutmeg Pigeons {Myristicivora spilorrhoa) — glorious 

 birds, with their white plumage and black pinions flashing in the 

 sunshine. These birds came from Low-wood Island, off Port 

 Douglas, when quite young, and were put in a cage. Three or 

 four got out and one was lost, the rest caught and put back. 

 Then a dog got at the cage and more got out, but returned to be 

 fed. One by one the rest were let out, and one was drowned, but the 

 rest are still here — for the past three years. On 28th January I 

 saw one on its nest, some 8 feet from the ground. What a primi- 

 tive raft for the single egg ! The bird sat quite quietly, and I 

 was but a few feet away. These birds remain here all the year 

 round, and their home is 3,000 feet above sea-level. The migratory 

 instinct is evidently gone. They know Mr. Newell well, and it is a 

 very pretty sight to see these handsome Pigeons come down to 

 him to be fed. They will take food from his hand. 



I was at the Museum to-day, and an employe tells me he has for 

 years past had Torres Strait Pigeons at his home at Kangaroo 

 Point — quite domesticated, he says. I inquired as to breeding, 

 but he said they had not bred. I saw them breeding, egg and 

 young, 3,000 feet up, and so I fancy there may be some mistake 

 about their not breeding in Brisbane. As to any hybridizing, the 

 answer was in the negative, and that corresponds to what Mr. 

 Newell told me and I saw. A beautiful Torres bird was in love 

 (vith a Columba bird of local origin. I saw them repeatedly 

 together away from home. Mr. Newell reports this has happened, 

 and an egg or eggs laid, but with no result. These very handsome 

 birds should be a great attraction to any park or gardens, and 

 evidently are easily kept. — F. Hamilton Kenny. Sherwood, 

 Brisbane, 6/3/12. 



Forgotten Feathers. 



shaw, "zoology of new holland, 1794." 

 By Gregory M. Mathews, F.R.S.E. 

 In 1793 was begun a book dealing with some of the " Zoology and 

 Botany of New Holland," as it was then called. The botanical 

 specimens therein figured were all sent to England by John White, 

 the Surgeon-General to the colony. 



Although the title-page and preface to the •' Botany," both of 

 which are dated December, 1793, appeared in part i., I cannot find 

 that that part was issued before 1794. The title-page of the 



