IQO Stray Feathers. [ 7 thjan. 



On another occasion, on a small blackwood tree, I saw the 

 occupied nests of a White-plumed Honey-eater (Ptilotis penicillata 

 and Black and White Fantail, and on an adjoining eucalyptus 

 tree a Magpie-Lark and White-fronted Heron (Notophoyx novce- 

 hollandice), which is a common night bird here. I see the 

 Grallina and Black and White Fantail nesting close to one 

 another, and notice that the same thing has been observed in 

 Queensland and elsewhere. Such facts show how fond many 

 birds are of nesting in company. It is not only " birds of a 

 feather " which exhibit this gregarious instinct. — S. F. Mann. 

 Caramut (Vict.), 20/10/03. 



* * * 



Western (Victoria) Notes. — Mountain Ducks (Casarca tador- 

 noides) are fairly plentiful in the open country at this time of the 

 year, of course in pairs. I counted twenty-one young ones with 

 a pair the other day, and one of my employes found a nest with 

 twenty-one eggs in on 10th August. These must be maxi- 

 mum clutches. I found a nest of the Yellow-rumped Tit 

 (Acanthiza) the other day, in which a Narrow-billed Bronze- 

 Cuckoo (Chalcococcyx basalts) had laid an egg in the upper story, 

 which, of course, is not used for rearing the family. There were 

 no eggs in the lower compartment. On several occasions I have 

 noticed Ravens combining together to pull a log or heavy piece 

 of bark over, to obtain grubs below. CJccasionally one knowing 

 Raven only looks on, thereby getting unfairly an unlucky grub 

 before the others get a chance. Many Magpies (Gymnorkina 

 tibicen) have nested on the ground this year (1903), generally 

 on a tussock of grass or in a bunch of Cape weed. Suitable trees 

 for nesting in are getting scarce.— R. A. D. HOOD. Merrang, 



Hexham. 



* * * 



Note on the Breeding of the Harrier. — With reference to 

 Mr. Le Souef's note, Part 4, vol. ii., on the breeding of the Harrier 

 {Circus gouldi) at Cullenswood, those birds have resorted to the 

 same lagoon for many years past, varying their time for nesting 

 slightly in accordance with the season, whether wet or dry, so 

 that the locality is sufficiently free from water. Some years back 

 the nests used to be on some slight eminence, of which there are 

 several at the nesting-site, caused by the accumulation of silt 

 round tussocks among the reeds ; but now they usually resort 

 to the dead level of the lagoon. Originally the ancestors of that 

 pair of Harriers bred in a small lagoon of about 3 acres in extent 

 much nearer the homestead, but after it was drained they for- 

 sook that site and took to the present one. During the breeding 

 season these Harriers are destructive to poultry, coming about 

 the houses in search of chickens for their young, and every year 

 We lose a few from our yards. Young rabbits also form part of 

 their prey, and taking them all the year round they do more good 

 than harm — certainly in a rabbit-infested district. Before the 



