Vol. III. 



1904 



A11slralasia.11 Ornithologists' Union. I C 



nor must notice be overlooked of the highly interesting natur- 

 alists' notes which, under the heading of " Stray Feathers," 

 appear in our journal. 



Among the many contributors, other than those already 

 noticed, whose notes have appeared during this year under this 

 section, are Messrs. F. Berney, A. W. Milligan, Belcher, J. Wilson, 

 M'Gowan, J. R. M'Clymont, and a number of others. It may 

 be mentioned with regard to two of these notes — (1) Mr. 

 M'Clymont on the " diving " of Gannets, that their mode of 

 pouncing, or entering the water from the air, varies with the 

 weather and also probably with the sort of fish being captured 

 by them. In the open sea the Gannets of Australia, as well as 

 those of Europe and Asia, may often be seen, when the day is 

 rough, pouncing at an angle of yo° or even 50 with the horizon. 

 (2) The two species of Artamus noticed by Mr. Berney could 

 hardly have been eating honey, but must have been capturing 

 small insects either adhering to the flowers of the tree they were 

 frequenting, or taking them on the wing around the blossoms, 

 for neither the tongue nor the bill in this or other genera of the 

 sub-family to which it belongs is suited for the extraction of 

 honey from flowers. 



Paragraphs have from time to time appeared on that most 

 interesting subject the protective resemblance of eggs laid on 

 the ground to their surroundings, which reminds one of the 

 wonderful instinct implanted by an all-wise Creator in birds 

 such as the Limicolce , the genus Anthus, our interesting little 

 Chats (E phthianur a) , and others, both for the purpose of pro- 

 tective colouration of their eggs, and, as in the first-mentioned 

 genera, for decoying their enemy, man, from their eggs and 

 young. Not long ago I observed a Black-breasted Plover 

 throwing itself against the fore-legs of a sheep in an excited 

 manner, and on going to the spot, I found a crushed egg, which 

 the sheep had just stupidly walked over ; and thus the efforts 

 of the poor bird had been of no avail. A short notice of the 

 breeding habits of these handsome birds may not be without 

 interest. In the first week in September of this year my son 

 mentioned to me that one of many nests he had found on the 



run " — a " Spurwing's " — would make an interesting photo- 

 graph, there being two young chicks and two eggs in it. This 

 is frequently seen, as these Plover do not, as many suppose, run 

 as soon as hatched. On riding out next afternoon with my 

 binoculars, the place having been described to me, the handsome 

 bird was easily descried at some distance by the sun lighting up 

 her white breast. She remained on the nest till I had quietly 

 approached, leading the horse, to within 150 yards, when she 

 left it, followed by the two chicks, and ran about 50 yards, 

 the young meanwhile disappearing, having squatted in the 

 grass. The male bird, who had been doing sentry at some 

 distance, flew up, and was joined by the female, both flying 

 round my head and swooping in the usual manner while I 



