Vol. XIX. 1 JlAfi\s.AY. Birds in Upper Clarence River District. Q 



ol i1k' second Icm.ilc, and ultinialfK', alter losing her many times, 

 slie was traced ri.ulil I mm the male on the ironbark branch to the 

 second nest, probably a mile away. Whether this is usual or not, 

 it is impossible to say, but for weeks after both females continued to 

 meet the male each morning, and no other male was observed. The 

 first nest was considered as being lined when discovered on the 2nd 

 November. On the 8th I found the bird sitting ; and on the fol- 

 lowing day, seeing her feeding, posted myself beneath the nest. 

 She returned shortly afterwards, feeding from tree to tree as usual, 

 passed through the nesting tree as if of no interest to her, and 

 worked up the hillside. Presently, however, she returned and swept 

 through the trees in (Mie great curve and right to the nest. I 

 watched her settle down, and left her, half an hour later, still on. 

 For an extra margin of safety I waited another four days, and on 

 the 1 j;th climbed up. It was not an easy climb, as the mistletoe 

 could not be reached from the nesting-tree itself, which had to be 

 roped and pulled close to a second tree higher up the hillside, and 

 as the topmost branches of this would not stand the strain, it, in 

 turn, had to be braced to a third, then a " tunnel '■' had to be cut 

 through to the heart of the mistletoe in order to get a mirror above 

 the nest, which proved, after all, to be full of dead leaves. It was 

 climbed again on the 26th, but was quite ragged and untidy, and 

 obviously deserted. After measuring the height with a fishing line, 

 the mistletoe was torn off with a rope in an attempt to get the nest. 

 It measured 114 feet 6 inches from the ground, and the fall of the 

 mass from this height so shattered the nest that only a few pieces 

 of a round-leaved vine (still green) and two pieces of cast snake-skin 

 remained. 



The second nest was found on the 1 1 th November, and the tree 

 was not climbed till the 5th December. Although still higher (it 

 measured 128 feet 9 inches), it was a fairly easy climb, and, as the 

 female was in the tree, great hopes were entertained. It proved, 

 however, to be beautifully lined, but otherwise empty. As the bird 

 remained about and the nest had not been disturbed in any way, 

 it was climbed again on the 16th December, but with no better result, 

 and, from its ragged appearance, the bird had evidently forsaken it. 

 As this climb had been left to the last possible moment, and the 

 camp had been already broken up, there was no further opportunity 

 of observing this most interesting species. The experience, how- 

 ever, throws fresh light on their breeding habits, and will doubtless 

 be of value to future observers. 



Cormorants in Tasmania. — This summer Tasmania has been 

 visited by tliousaiids of i^lack Cormorants {Phalacrocorax carho). 

 Tlicy may be seen upon every sheet of water of any size in the 

 island, and one competent observer informs me that he saw one 

 flock on the Derwcnt consisting of at least 10,000 birds. There 

 can be no doubt but they are depleting the fi.sh in the inland 

 waters to a very large extent, and the Fisheries Commissioners 

 have spent all their available cash in paying a royalty for all 

 heads forwarded. In spite of this destruction their numbers do 

 not seem decreased in the slightest extent. — Clive E. Lord. 

 Hobart, 4/3/19. 



