Vol. IN. 

 ' -i9°3 -1 



Stray Feathers. C 7 



separated and began nest-building. But this was not the first 

 sign of coming spring. On the 21st of July two Yellow-throated 

 Honey-eaters (Ptilotis flavigularis) began to trill their call-note, 

 to which they often added three or four grace-notes, mellower in 

 quality. On the 24th day of the same month a Magpie (Gymnor- 

 hina hyperleucd) flew into a black wattle (acacia) and piped for 

 the space of half an hour — it may have been to please his mate. 

 Variations were introduced such as I had not heard at other 

 seasons of the year. Tail and body moved continually whilst he 

 was singing. A pair of the above-mentioned Yellow-rumped 

 Tits selected as the site of their nest a pittosporum growing in a 

 grass plot. Two varieties of this shrub grew at the place ; one 

 was broad-leafed, but had few branchlets ; the other was narrow- 

 leafed, but abounded in branchlets, and was impenetrable to the 

 eye unless one peered into it. The Tits wisely preferred to build 

 in latter. They began about the 15th of August, and continued 

 to build until the 22nd, when the open (top) nest was completed. 

 It was not feather-lined either at that time or later. After a few 

 days' interval the birds resumed work, and finished the covered 

 nest (with the exception, perhaps, of the external entrance) on 

 the 5th of September. But, a few days later, perceiving doubtless 

 that the nest had been disturbed, they removed the feathers with 

 which the covered nest was lined, and deserted the spot. The 

 measurements of this nest were as follows : — The open nest was 

 2 inches in depth, and 2\ inches in diameter externally, the walls 

 being thin and frail, as I believe is always the case. The egg 

 receptacle was separated from the open nest by a partition only. 

 It was <\\ inches deep externally, and had an unprotected elliptical 

 entrance in the side. Another Yellow-rumped Tit's nest, which 

 was built in a cypress, contained partially incubated eggs on the 

 17th of November. A miniature archway, leading to the interior 

 of the lower nest, was formed of wiry plant-stalks ; it was ij 

 inches in height and projected if inches from the main structure. 

 The testimony of eye-witnesses who have seen the open (or top) 

 nest occupied by adult or young birds would be of great value, 

 for it would set at rest all doubts regarding its use. Whilst these 

 Tits were building, I had ample opportunity of observing that 

 earth-worms constitute an important article of the diet of this 

 species. These the birds killed by battering upon a post or clod. 

 A stomach which was examined contained insect remains. About 

 the middle of September the two birds to whose spring notes I 

 have alluded commenced to build. On the 19th of the month 

 the female Magpie was collecting flocks of wool wherewith to 

 line her nest of small sticks, built in a blue gum (eucalypt) 40 or 

 50 feet from the ground. She held each flock down with one 

 foot, and pulled its fibres apart with her beak, before carrying 

 it away. The Yellow-throated Honey-eaters lined their nest with 

 horse-hairs, plucked from the horse's back whilst at work. Two 

 young Magpies appeared with their parents in the open on the 

 24th of November. The old birds were very jealous of intruders, 



