24 LITTLER, Notes on Some Birds Peculiar to Tasmania. (" is f7ul • 



districts in which it is not disturbed by the sportsman's gun, it 

 is not at all shy, allowing one to approach within reasonable 

 distance for the purpose of watching it at work. I said that it 

 is rarely seen in the open ; but I know of several instances in 

 which individual birds were seen in cleared portions and feeding 

 round settlers' homes. One bird in particular I well remember. 

 For some considerable time it was observed in the trees in the 

 vicinity of the house, and as there were no children to scare it 

 away it gradually became accustomed to people passing under 

 the tree in which it sat. The next step was from the tree into 

 the yard round the .back door, where it busied itself hunting 

 for any unwary insects and picking up stray crumbs. As an 

 experiment, food was thrown out ; it was regarded suspiciously 

 at first, but afterwards eaten with avidity ; in fact, it soon began 

 to look for it on arrival each day. On to the verandah was the 

 next move, and from there into the kitchen. This last was only 

 achieved after much inspection and listening to ascertain if 

 anyone was within. On anyone entering the room a dash was 

 made for the door or an open window ; it seemed to know that 

 no harm was intended, so just used to fly as far as the garden 

 fence and watch for more food. When perched on the verandah 

 rail, a stream of melodious notes would pour from its throat, 

 no doubt as payment for what it had received and part payment 

 for what it was about to receive. 



Small-billed Cuckoo-Shrike (Graucalus parvirostris). — I 

 think that I may safely affirm that if any ten people taken at 

 random in Tasmania were asked if they knew this bird they 

 would promptly reply in the negative. If, on the other hand, 

 they were asked if they knew the " Summer-Bird," nine out of 

 the ten would reply " Yes." The Summer-Bird and the Small- 

 billed Cuckoo-Shrike are one and the same species. Mr. A. J. 

 Campbell objects to the name Summer-Bird on the score of the 

 species being stationary and not migratory. How the Tasmanian 

 vernacular name arose I do not know, but consider it too late 

 in the day to drop it altogether and adopt the scientifically correct 

 and somewhat unwieldy title. For many years I was under 

 the impression that the bird did migrate. In some districts 

 to which I had paid visits during the autumn and winter months 

 not a single bird of this species was to be seen ; and as soon as 

 spring came round again the birds put in an appearance and 

 remained until autumn, when they again disappeared. During 

 June, 1899, Mr. Campbell asked through the columns of The 

 Australasian whether this species was stationary or not. As I 

 had never up to that time seen it during the winter months, I 

 replied that in my opinion it migrated. The day after posting 

 my reply, I happened to be in a portion of the bush to the south 

 of Launceston, when what should I see but a flock of twenty 

 Summer-Birds (an unusual number) feeding on the ground. 

 Since that time I have been continuing my observations, and 

 have arrived at the conclusion that the species quits the colder 



