314 5/''«y Feathers. [_J 



markable that this species, so plentiful and widely distributed in 

 soutliern Australia, should have failed to establish itself here, 

 seeing it is an occasional visitant. — W. L. May. Forest Hill, 

 Sandford (Tas.), 27/1/20. 



* * * 



Belgrave Notes.— During the New Year Holidays I had the pleas- 

 ure of spending a few days at Belgrave with that keen bird observer 

 Mr. L. G. Chandler. We had many pleasant tramps through the 

 surrounding hills in the search of bird pictures, and although rather 

 late in the season we succeeded in locating a few nests whose owners 

 gave us some good opportunities for photography. Among our tame 

 subjects were a pair of SpinelMll Honey-eaters, the female of which 

 was very quiet. Their nest was situated in a deep, scrubby gully 

 which, in conjunction with dull weather, made photography rather 

 difficult ; however, we succeeded in securing a few good negatives. 

 The birds, from the commencement of operations, showed little 

 concern for the cameras, which is, as a rule, a very unusual thing 

 for Honey-eaters of any kind. Their nest contained two young a 

 few days old, which were constantly fed by one or other of the 

 adult birds, largely on blow-flies. We removed the young from the 

 nest on one occasion, and the female fed them while hovering over 

 my hand. Photographs could have been obtained of the parent 

 birds on our hands, but, owing to the dull lighting, the attempt was 

 abandoned. — S. A. Lawrence, R.A.O.U. Melbourne, 27/2/20. 



Birds about Gippsland Lakes. — As the season has been so dry 

 in many parts of N'ictoria, it is interesting to notice how many 

 birds have congregated in places that have had a fair amount of 

 rain. About the Lakes' Entrance, in Gippsland, birds are far more 

 numerous than usual. There seemed to be hundreds of Coach- 

 whips {Psophodes crepitans) ; the air just resounds with their cracks, 

 but tliey are very shy. Every morning I woke to the almost 

 deafening chorus of Wattle-Birds {Anthochcera), as well as 

 numerous other birds, (kills and Cormorants were very plentiful ; 

 the latter birds are by no means in favour here ; but if they 

 have no other virtue, they are a model of patience, and seen to 

 sit for hours on piles, &c. Li certain places Bell Miners {Manor- 

 hina) were in hundreds, and kept up their continuous tinkling ; 

 it seemed as if the whole clan had gathered to serenade us. King 

 Parrots, Crimson Parrots, and Rosellas were very plentiful. Black 

 Swans were on the Lakes in thousands, and it was amusing to see 

 the sudden scattering amongst the young ones when a boat came 

 too close; the adult l)irds were nuicli tamer. — (Miss) F. Neely. 

 ]\Ielbournc. 



* * * 



Spine-tailed Swifts.— On 2()th January, i<)2(), a disturliance arose 

 from the south-east, with a peal of thunder, a vivid flash, then 

 rain and high wind. Knowing that the Swift {Chcetiira caiidacuta) 



