34 CARTER, Birds Occurring in the Region of N.W. Cape. [ is fj"| 



(acacia) bush, about 8 feet from the ground, in one of the paddocks. The 

 ejected pellets below the nest were composed almost entirely of remains 

 of mice. 



(12.) Falco MELANOGENYS (Black-cheeked Falcon, Perg-gee).— This bird 

 was not much observed until the abnormally wet season of 1900, when 

 it was quite common, but became scarce after. No doubt some of them 

 breed in the ranges and coastal cliffs. 



(13.) HlERAClDEA ORIENTALIS (Brown Hawk, Kerra-jinga).— The com- 

 monest bird of prey, and a very quarrelsome and noisy one, frequently 

 circling for a considerable time, uttering its querulous cry, hence 

 natives' name, " Kerra-jinga." Before retiring to sleep a pair will always 

 make a great fuss. When native women hear the birds cry, they shake 

 their bosoms, as they have a legend unless they do so they would have no 

 milk after a childbirth. The usual clutch of eggs is three, but occasionally 

 four are laid, and once five were found in a nest. The eggs have been 

 noted between 28th June and 1st September. The nest is usually in a 

 tree, but one was found containing three eggs (28th July, 1893) placed 

 in the broken top of a large white ant-hill on the coast. All the birds 

 seen in the district had dark chocolate breasts. 



(14.) HlERAClDEA BERIGORA (Striped Brown Hawk).— This species may 

 be considered rare, as only two birds were shot. 



(15.) CERCHNEIS CENCHROIDES (Kestrel). — This is a very common bird, 

 and breeds in hollow gum spouts, ledges of coast cliffs, and on the ranges. 

 As a rule there is no nest whatever, but occasionally the eggs are laid in 

 an old nest of the Crow. It is not at all unusual to find Kestrels laying 

 in the broken summits of ant-hills. The clutch is three to five eggs and 

 apparently two broods are reared during a season. Eggs have been found 

 from 10th August to 1st November. The birds are crepuscular, and 

 a pair that took up their quarters at the shearing shed was often watched 

 catching beetles, &c, until it was quite dark. 



(16.) PANDION LEUCOCEPHALUS (Osprey, Weel-bra).— This beautiful and 

 interesting bird was common, and every year twelve to fourteen pairs 

 laid in the vicinity. The nests were usually in places quite easy of access — 

 on the edge of a cliff where one could walk up to the nest and look in, or 

 on a rock above high water mark, and sometimes on the flat, open salt 

 marshes. Some nests seen on the Exmouth Gulf were high up in 

 white gums, but only one was seen which was built among such thin twigs 

 as to be inaccessible by climbing. The mangroves were also very favourite 

 nesting sites. One nest, built in the top of a mangrove about 30 feet high, 

 in course of years became so bulky by constant adding to that the wind 

 eventually blew the tree down. The tallest nest seen was on a large log 

 on the beach. Standing on tiptoe on the log I could just see over the 

 edge of the nest, which was slightly more than 5 ft. 6 in. in height. The 

 nesting season commences very regularly early in July. Eggs have been 

 noted from 25th June to 3rd September. Two or three is the usual clutch, 

 but four were twice found. I have never seen the birds attempt to attack 

 anyone visiting the nest. They fly overhead, uttering a plaintive whistle. 

 Many an hour has been spent watching them fishing, and I must plead 

 guilty to having been mean enough on more than one occasion, when 

 very hungry, of frightening the bird from a fine fish in order to enjoy it 

 myself. On one occasion an Osprey dropped in a mangrove creek within 

 a few yards of me and caught a good-sized fish in each talon. On the 

 other hand, they frequently miss their prey. 



(17.) NlNOX OCELLATA (Marbled Owl). — This is a winter visitor, and 



