44 EDWARDS, ,1 South-Coastal Selborne. [^^^f^y 



The second nest was swept away by a tremendous inrush from the 

 sea. Black Swans also at times swam to and fro on the open sea, 

 just outside the surf-line. This bird is wonderfully alert. On appear- 

 ing among timber on a hill about a quarter of a mile away, I have 

 been almost immediately observed by the Swan sitting on its nest in 

 the lake below. The bird instantly dropped its head and crouched 

 low, or sometimes slunk quietly off the nest, being careful not to 

 swim erect until it was at least thirty yards away. The nest examined 

 was built on a sand-spit in the middle of the lake. 



Anas superciliosa. Black Duck. — Flocked occasionally on Bunga 

 Lake and on Murrah Estuary; also occurred sparsely on dams. 



Virago castanea. Chestnut-breasted Teal. — Occasionally bred on 

 the margins of creeks running into Bunga Lake. Grey Teal (V. 

 gibberifrons) sometimes came in numbers during wet seasons, and fed 

 in swamps formed by the lake spreading out into tea-tree scrub; it 

 also occasionally appeared on the sea, in sheltered coves. 



Phalacrocorax carbo. Big Black Cormorant and Little (P. ater) 



both common; also White-breasted Cormorant (P. gouldi). These 

 birds flew inland at dusk and roosted in dead trees at the head of 

 Bunga Lake, white-washing them with excrement. Dead trees about 

 Murrah Estuary were often seen lined with well-fed Cormorants, 

 which at times broke almost simultaneously into a burst of hoarse 

 demoniacal laughter. 



Sula serrator. Gannet. — Common off the coast. 



Pelecanus conspicillatus. Australian Pelican. — Appeared occasion- 

 ally about Murrah Estuary. 



Uroaetus audax. Wedge-tailed Eagle. — Odd pairs seen. Sometimes 

 chased hares and rabbits in open country, the quai-ry being usually 

 too agile and escaping. Observed a Crow Shrike ("Black Magpie") 

 and a Black and White Fantail vigorously driving away an Eagle 

 from the vicinity of their nests. The Eagle treated its small foes 

 with supreme indifference. 



Haliaeetus leucoga.ster. White-bellied Sea Eagle. — Often flew along 

 the coast or circled over the tidal lakes. Some of these fine birds 

 assisted gulls, foxes, and monitor lizards in disposing of the flesh of 

 a porpoise (dolphin) cast up on Bunga beach. Nested in the ranges. 

 Have seen them flying inland with fish in their talons. 



Haliastur sphenurus. Whistling Eagle, and Australian Goshawk 

 (Astur fasciata) fairly common. Giey Goshawk (A. clarus) seen 

 twice only, in dense scrub. One dashed suddenly at Crimson Parrots 

 feeding on wattle seeds, but, observing the writer, the Hawk swerved 

 in its course and the Parrots escaped. 



Falco peregrinus. Black-cheeked Falcon. — Seen once only, on the 

 margin of Murrah Estuary. 



Brown Hawk. — Fairly numerous. Parties of these birds often 

 hunted rabbits on sandy flats. I think both species (leracidea beri- 

 gora and L occidentalis) were present. 



Cerchneis ccnchroides. Nankeen Kestrel. — Common. Saw one seize 

 a Tit-Warbler (Acanthiza), and another dash at Wood Swallows. 

 Nested in the few tree spouts not already pre-empted by starlings; 

 the hollow was lined with dry grass. 



Pandion haliaetus. White-headed Osprey. — Seen occasionally mail- 

 ing leisurely along the coast. 



Spiloglaux boobook. Boobook Owl. — Common about ranges and in 

 open timber, the Barn Owl (Tyto alba) much less so. Powei-ful Owl 



